Badshahi masjid: B & W Perspective

I’ve been trying to avoid talking about the Democratic primaries, but Gov. Howard Dean really got Muslimed. Often times, we, as Muslims, talk about how the media portrays us negatively, and that means much of the richness of Muslim civilizations are muted. Therefore, the negative press becomes self-fulfilling. I won’t get into the victim mentality behind such an approach, but clearly there is a kernel of truth to it. Now it seems that Gov. Dean got the same treatment. The only difference is, some outlets are owning up to it. Gov. Dean got Muslimed.

Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant. – The Qur’an, Chapter 7, Verse 199 What would the Prophet have done given the presence of those cartoons? Most probably smiled and turned away.  Why are Muslims getting so worked-up about the works of ignorant cartoonists from the boondocks of Denmark?  Is Islam so weak that we need to kill each other demonstrating our anger at an insult at the Prophet?  Is the legacy of the Prophet so weak that we have to condem every Tom Dick and Lars when they insult him?  Is Allah…

All news outlets today in the US issued an apology for calling Muqtada as-Sadr a cleric. The lack of clerics in the Islamic tradition clearly makes such a title incorrect. In addition, as-Sadr has no official standing in the hierarchy of Ithna’ashari religious scholars, making any title inappropriate and granting him an unwarranted level of legitimacy. If only the press would bother learning to read. Rhetorical question: Can one write without knowing how to read?