Understanding Islam – Fox News NY

Muslims’ mixed response to new Mohammed cover – CNN.com. “My initial thought is that the cover is a near perfect response to the tragedy,” said Hussein Rashid, a professor of Islamic thought at Hofstra University in New York.   “They are not backing down from the depiction of Mohammed, exercising their free speech rights. At the same time, the message is conciliatory, humble, and will hopefully reduce the anger directed to the Muslim communities of France.”   Rashid noted that the cover’s central message — forgiveness — resonates not only throughout Islam but through other world religions as well, embracing all in…

Why it’s absurd that a Muslim leader’s presence at the Washington National Cathedral is controversial – The Washington Post. The adhan, or call to prayer, is an important aspect of Muslim devotional life. It can be prayerful, but it is not part of a formal prayer. To suggest that Magid is praying, presumably for the success of Trump, is mistaken. When Magid calls out “I bear witness that there is no deity but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God,” there is no benediction for anyone. There is only the praise of the divine. By framing it simply as…

ISIS vs. mainstream Muslims: The media battle – CNN Belief Blog – CNN.com Blogs. Quoting Islam’s holiest text to make that point was smart, said Hussein Rashid, a religion scholar at Hofstra University in New York. “ISIS violates every single tenet of this verse, so Barfi shows them to be ignorant,” he said.  “By using the Quran as the basis for debate he also demonstrates that ISIS does not actually base themselves in Muslim traditions, but in the language of hatred and rage.”  Likewise, Barfi’s use of the phrase “debate with calm preachings” rings a particular note in Islam, Muslim scholars said.  It recalls…