Media Literacy and the Middle East – Primary Source Podcast

Why Islam forbids images of Mohammed – CNN.com. In a bitter irony, the sometimes violent attacks against portrayals of the prophet are kind of reverse idol-worship, revering — and killing for — the absence of an image, said Hussein Rashid, a professor of Islamic studies at Hofstra University in New York.

Do Muslims Have to Be Democrats Now? – The New York Times. “As a Muslim, I’d vote for Jesus, but the Republicans won’t let him in, and the Democrats don’t believe in him,” said Hussein Rashid, a professor of religion at Barnard College, who concedes that he’s a tad bitter about his political options.

How to Celebrate Eid al-Adha Like an American – The New York Times. “Our obligations as American Muslims have not changed, they have just become more difficult,” acknowledges Hussein Rashid, a scholar of Islamic studies. He still believes Muslims should rise above hate and try to be the best version of themselves, not for the sake of appearing moderate, but to uphold and mirror their honorable religious values.