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Your letters - posted January 1, 2007 (Part 1)

Posted in Q & A on Jan 01, 2007

“As a journalist, you should dig deep into your conscience and intellect (if you have any). You will find the real culprits behind 9-11. Maybe then you’ll realize how much damage you’re doing to Islam and Muslims. You will sooner or later pay for your pack of lies.” - unsigned

“I applaud you for putting out the call for Muslim self-examination. The vulnerability that Muslims feel ought not to be used to shelter critique. However, it’s important to distinguish between anti-Zionist policies and anti-Jewish ones.” - Ameena, Toronto

“Writers, Ms. Manji, are supposed to have some respect for the truth - a truth you’ll never hear from the professional liars of the Jewish lobby!” - Peter, Calgary

“I don’t agree with some of your ideas but I can still give you credit for your quite logical and coherent thinking, and because you cherish pluralistic openness… It is heart-warming to read something witty and still balanced about sexuality and religion, exceptionally nice to read it from the other side of the Atlantic.  And, of course, I give you even more credit for your self-reflection.  Warm thanks from an old-fashioned Christian white male Finn.” - Jussi, Kuopio, Finland

“Ms. Manji, your voice of truth rings with sincerity.  It is beautiful.  I will do my utmost to have it resound throughout the world.” - Nancy, Melbourne, Australia

“These Western countries of whom you are a stooge, they have nothing but venom for Islam.  You have nothing but praise for them.  What kind of freedom do you have [in North America]?  Maybe you don’t know.  Look deeper and you will find the truth.  Even the hair on your head stands up in protest of your lies. You will never be forgiven, Irshad Manji.” - unsigned

“Brava! I only wish your co-religionists will listen to you.  Rather, I fear, they will try to shut you up. Good luck!” - Gretchen, Alexandria, Virginia

“As a Jewish youth, it was always understood (at least to me) that my religion welcomed interpretation, discussion, and openness to other societies.  I supposed I figured other religions were the same way. Maybe it comes down to the definition of Islam - ’sacrifice to G-d’ - and the definition of Israel - ’struggle with G-d’ - and those who follow those meanings literally.” - Michael, New York

“Wake up and search for testimonies by ex-Muslims who are now true Christians, Mrs. Manji. Use your common sense and explore the truth.” - Jack, Plano, Texas

“Irshad, if you can pardon the expression, you deserve a yashar koach.  It’s nice to know that some Muslims can seek peace with us, even if they are thousands of miles away from the holy land.  It truly is time for a fresh voice on the Arab side.  We need a fresh voice on ours too.” - Reuven, Jerusalem

“In this time of great difficulty for Muslims, I would not be surprised, even without your painful background, if you hoped to distance yourself, to seem less Muslim by criticizing the religion and culture.  Many Blacks have tried to pass for white, many gays have tried to pass for straight, and many Jews converted to Catholicism in an attempt to escape the holocaust. (Many Jews will remember their own people acting as enforcers for the Nazis, in order to save their own necks.) Perhaps now some Muslims may attempt to pass as pro-Zionist to escape anti-Arab sentiment. I must remind you that you are young, and you will no doubt go through many morphings before you reach my advanced age, and will modify many of your opinions as you gain more experience and a broader education.  This happens to all of us who choose to retain as much of our youthful idealism as possible, while working to grow as individuals throughout our lives.  And those of us with lower profiles are fortunate not to wreak much damage along the way.  But you have deliberately chosen a high-profile existence, and are in a position to do a great deal of damage if you don’t do the hard work of learning to separate your personal biases and resentments from Islam.” - Corinne, Ottawa, Canada

“Your views are very refreshing in the hate-filled atmosphere in which the Mid East conflict is submerged… During the first Intifada, hundreds of Palestinian Arabs were murdered by their own for voicing different opinions, such as yours. Not until there is freedom in the Palestinian camp for democratic and valiant stands will there be any chance of achieving a true peace between Israelis and Palestinian Arabs.” - Alexander, Lima, Peru

“Point-scoring in the quest for moral higher ground in organized religion is a futile exercise.  Atrocities have been committed in the name of Judaism, Christianity, Islam and other religions.  But is anyone calling Christianity to task because George W - a ‘true believer’ - is perverting the teachings of Christ with every bomb he drops on starving Afghan villagers? Did anyone hold Judaism responsible for Baruch Goldstein’s murder of Muslim worshippers in Hebron?” - Hadani, Vancouver

“It has always struck me as tragic that many Christians have hated Jews, and many Muslims have hated both, since, as you point out, the later religions could not exist without the earlier ones. But the powerful sociology of The Other transcends the obvious.  Difference alone is perceived as a threat, in the cognitive error that one characteristic of a person determines the whole, as well as a person’s whole worth.  In this context, group control and manipulation are both goal and result, as the ghastly crimes committed in the false name of religion repeatedly show. If a solution to hate is to be found in introspection and trustful questioning, then I am glad that we people like you helping to think our way through a centuries-old problem.” - Paul, Ancaster, Ontario

“I am still disappointed that I have never read in any paper or seen on TV a Muslim leader condemn the Palestinian suicide bombers.  If it were Israeli or American soldiers conducting a war in that fashion, there would be such a hue and cry.  Can someone explain to me, as if I were 12 years old, why the world does not rise up in unison against these acts? Excuse my colloquialism but do the world’s intellectuals have shit for brains?” - Frank, Victoria, B.C.

“I am a Christian minister and I trust that your writing will, as you say, help people of all religions to ‘mature into citizens, defending the very pluralism of interpretations and values that makes it possible for us to be here in the first place.’” - Eugene, Denver, Colorado

“To all those who write: Just a word of warning about Ms. Manji! She is a Radical Leftist Anti-American Lesbian! I live here in the Great White North and have the displeasure many times of seeing this puke on TV, bashing Conservative policies.  You want to be very careful hitching yourself to this woman!” - Devon, Edmonton, Alberta

“Wow.  Irshad, you are a jewel.  I am Jewish, and have prayed to God for one reasonable Muslim voice so I can quell my anger.  You are the one, and I am crying.” - Judy, Toronto

Your letters - posted December 24, 2006

Posted in Q & A on Dec 24, 2006

Posted December 24, 2006Hey kids, check out my first video podcast (also available as an audio podcast)! Friends and foes: For three years I’ve been updating this website by posting your emails and my responses as text.  And you’ve been reading it in droves.  Now you have an additional option: download video or audio of me reading your emails and responding to them. Let me know if you like the podcast. Is it handy? How can I improve it? Tips, please.Now back to content: This website update is about keepin’ it real. You’ll see what I mean…”I am a 20-year-old Muslim student. I am sure you receive your share of hate mail so I do not feel the need to add to the pile. But when you refer to the constant misogyny in Islam, why do you fail to discuss the fact that anthropologically speaking, over a period of time, civilizations developed a need to control women, so the degenerate treatment of women is rampant throughout the ages in every civilization and believe you me the West is absolutely no different in their disgusting treatment of women. Yet, during the time when the West regarded women as being lower than cattle, Islam, as a revolutionary doctrine, not only acknowledged female equality but also elevated rights to include property ownership…My desire is to illustrate how Islamic doctrine is liberating to women and if compared philosophically to other faiths, especially in a contextualized manner as all scholarly study should be, Islam really is the cream of the crop.” - Asma (Muslim-Canadian and proud), MontrealIrshad replies: Like so many Muslims, Asma, you fail to distinguish between theory and reality.  Everything is wonderful in theory.  Capitalism is egalitarian in theory.  Communism is fair in theory.  The U.S. Constitution guarantees liberty and justice for all - in theory. Muslim-Americans are the first to say that the reality is very different. So why won’t we acknowledge the same about Islam?  In any event, try preaching your gospel of Muslim supremacy to the next set of women… “I am Muslim and the veil angers me. It’s a terribly lonely and isolated existence underneath. This may sound funny but the reason I hate the veil so much is that you can’t see a veiled woman’s smile. There is something so powerful about a smile.  You can literally light up someone’s life with a smile. A smile represents so many things: laughter, happiness, joy, love. Smiling makes us feel closer to one another, it is a form of communication which transcends language barriers. If I can’t see a smile, how do I know that this person in some shape or form cares about me? Or if I mean something to her? If no one can see my smile, they will never know how I feel about them. This has a profound psychological affect on Muslim women.” - Gemma”I am a Norwegian-born Muslim.  I went to school as well as to madressas (religious schools) to learn in Arabic.  For a long time, I felt that Islam was the right religion for me, however I couldn’t relate to it. So I (as most Muslims) didn’t bother looking more into it and just took my parents’ views as God’s words.As an adult, I moved to London to take a degree in marketing. I decided never to go back to the hell of my family life, which included a violent father and a community that hated me because I had a Norwegian boyfriend who I saw every day.One day in London, I saw your book.  I loved the title and bought it. After reading it (in one weekend), I laid on my bed, stunned and happy with tears. All your questions were right and valid. I, too, wanted to find answers, so I started to study Islam. I bought more books (not the ones where you get brainwashed) and I read.  I loved this ‘new Islam’ I was reading about, especially the freedom to make your own decisions.I moved back to Norway after two years when my boyfriend proposed and I accepted. Now, thanks to your book, I feel Islam is my path and I try to interpret it in my own way. Of course, my family turned their back on me. But you know what? I don’t care anymore. The Qur’an encourages us to find our own path.  I have, thank God, and I am very happy. My journey started with your book. Thank you so much, Irshad.” - FatimaIrshad replies: The way you can thank me, Fatima, is to continue having a truly happy life, one lived on your own terms, no matter what the Muslim “community” says. Go, girl!”A close neighbor of mine has just retired as the chief trauma nurse for a major hospital in New York.  She held that position for over 20 years and told me that she never saw so much violence toward women as she has in the last 5 years, mostly among Muslim women, generally from Pakistan.  She is still upset by the savage beatings at the hands of their husbands and other male relatives.It was her responsibility to inform these women of their legal rights and counsel them to press charges to pull themselves out of the cycle of violence.  Time and again, this help was refused, often accompanied with the words, ‘You don’t understand, this is part of our culture - our men have this right.’ She was also told by many young women that their brothers began helping their father beat them shortly after turning 15 or 16.This issue must be taken out of the shadows. The level of political correctness that pervades any discussion about Islam only assists in keeping the religion and its adherents in the dark ages.” - Ann, Queens (New York)Irshad replies: No doubt, defensive Muslims will insist that mistreatment of women comes only from culture, not religion. But the world can’t be compartmentalized in such neat and tidy categories. Take it from the next Muslim woman…”I am a 19-year-old Muslim college student in America.  I read your book from cover to cover and then over again.  I loved it. Although I don’t agree with all of your points, it’s liberating to hear a Muslim woman who defies the submissiveness that has become so characteristic of our gender.As the public relations officer in our Muslim Students’ Association, I have had the opportunity to influence many people about Islam, especially the misconceptions that non-Muslims may have about our religion.  Unfortunately, my greater concern now revolves around Muslims’ own misconceptions. After joking with a few of the MSA guys, I loudly exclaimed, ‘Well, my opinion counts just as much as yours,’ to which one of my male friends quietly replied, ‘not according to the Sunnah’ [Islamic tradition]. He was of course referring to the need for two female witnesses to substitute for one male witness (Quran 2:282).Regardless of what this line may have meant in the context of 7th century Mecca, it is clear that many men take it to mean that a woman’s voice is actually inferior to a man’s.  I myself had a hard time understanding (still do as a matter of fact) why such a verse would demean my intelligence in such a way.And this leads me to my question: How am I supposed to counteract this negative image of women when our own doctrine seems to support this trend of submissive and deficient females?I’m not really concerned about what Allah actually meant by these verses (Heavens knows what He’s thinking up there).  I’m concerned about this deep-seated understanding among most people in the Muslim world who have an outright and sometimes very subtle view of women as sub-standard creatures deserving of sub-standard treatment.I wish one day you could come to my college and speak to us, but I’m afraid they simply are not ready for you (I don’t want you to die an early death at the hands of my colleagues).I just don’t know how to get my friends ready to change their perceptions. If you have any ideas on how I can create an open and receptive Muslim youth, I would greatly appreciate it.” - Saba, TexasIrshad replies: Saba, you’re a sweetheart for worrying about my safety but I’m willing to put it on the line in order to speak to the MSA at your school. Get me invited and let’s get these issues on the table. I can already predict what will happen: Your male friends will denounce me and you, intimidate the college trustees into pulling the invitation, and have you kicked out of the MSA for supporting my visit in the first place.But that wouldn’t be a failure; that would be a starting point for honest debate. Ask the guys of the MSA why they’re so afraid to confront me - and the issues I raise. Why would they close off a conversation before it starts? What does that say about their courage, or lack of it?In other words, I don’t actually have to show up (even though I’d welcome the opportunity!). Use me as the scapegoat, the lightening rod, to break the silence. And once that happens, you’ll see that you’re not alone in wanting a more open, humane and reasonable Islam.  You might even find support for creating an alternative MSA. Let’s call it the Texas chapter of Project Ijtihad…

Your letters - posted December 11, 2006 (part 2)

Posted in Q & A on Dec 11, 2006

Posted December 11, 2006

 

Irshad and bodyguard in Copenhagen. (Don’t mess with Fatima…)

This update is about courage.  I’ll start with an email exchange that shows a lack of guts.  That way, we can put into perspective the real meaning of courage…

Salaam Alaykum Dyke.  Being a Muslim, I find it DEEPLY offensive that you call yourself a Muslim. I challenge you to come to the Jaffari Islamic Centre [near Toronto] and see how truly you are the scum of the universe.  Being the coward that you are, I know you will not take my offer to come, and trash like you probably won’t respond to this email.  What do you get out of spreading hate, does it turn you on at night? Does it allow you to perform kinky sex fetishes with whichever dyke you eat out at night?… You fail to talk about the moderate Muslims who love their faith yet do not side with the fundamentalists. Come to our mosque.  You WON’T because you fear what you know will happen and that is that everyone will realize what you really are, a no good lesbian cunt licking bitch ass whore.” - (anonymous who goes by the email handle “Mikaeel”)

Irshad responds: Shall I conclude from your language that you’re one of the “moderate Muslims” whom I fail to talk about?  May Allah be pleased with you.

My assistant has been in touch with you twice about the fact that I accept your challenge to come to the Jaffari Islamic Centre and face all the Muslims who hate me.  She also said that I’ll bring a television camera so I can collect evidence of how much I’m despised. Wouldn’t it be nice to tear me to shreds - on tape? That way, the entire world can see what a fraud I am.  But my best attempts to accept your invitation have been met with no response. Why your sudden silence, brother?

Mikaeel finally responds to Irshad: “Ms. Manji, this email was not sent from me and is the first I see of it.  I have not received any emails from your assistant.  Whilst I do not condone your behaviour and have zero respect for you, I do not believe the dialogue which was sent from my account was appropriate, and thus not a good representation of Islam. I did have a hacking problem with my account… So, I do apologize to you for those words, which is something I do not believe in.”

Irshad responds to all readers (not just Mikaeel): The above response is typical - and typically disappointing.  Every time anonymous Muslims issue a challenge and I take them up on it, either they don’t reply or they write back to say that they had no idea who wrote from their email account in the first place.  If Brother Mikaeel didn’t write the initial vicious email, then why didn’t he clear the air when my assistant emailed him to say that I’d like to come to his mosque? Is it true that he didn’t receive the first two emails from my assistant?  Why, then, did he receive the email that I personally wrote to him?

A note to the ‘brave’ Muslims who stand up for Islam by launching personal attacks and running away immediately afterwards: I challenge you to toughen your skin, stiffen your spine, open your heart, and liberate your mind.  The real meaning of courage is exemplified by the next Muslim…
“I am a Muslim convert who is also a male to female transsexual. I am happy to say that there are many people I met who understand my situation and they happen to be Muslim too… I have also met many Muslims who have minds like fossils and they are horrified that a transsexual could consider herself Muslim. I questioned my Islamic identity and almost abandoned it, only to realize that I was doing it because of what other Muslims were thinking about me, instead of concentrating my attention on Allah and what the Quran says. I am so happy that I found your website.” - Ellie

Irshad responds: Please accept my gratitude for your respectful message.  Where do you find comfort in the Quran for who you are? I ask out of sincerity and not judgment.

Ellie responds to Irshad: “The Quran says that God creates what He wills.  He bestows female upon whom He wills and male upon whom He wills or He bestows both males and females and He renders barren whom He wills… I personally interpret this as a sign that Allah allows hermaphrodites and transsexuals to exist.

I agree totally with you when you say that the Quran is not straightforward.  It isn’t at all and you can draw your own interpretations from it.  But we have to admit that considering how long ago it was written, it is amazing how it can even mention subjects like being ‘barren’ and the creation of males and females together, don’t you think? Lots of love.” - Ellie

“I am 17 years old and currently I live in the States, preparing to start my college education at MIT… I have not read your book and I don’t think I will. That is mostly because your views contradict with mine (quite harshly, I might add).

I will ask you this: do you believe we have the right – as Muslims living in the fast-changing 21st century – to change the literal direction delivered to us in the Quran?” - Aziz  (from Saudi Arabia)

Irshad responds:  My answer to your question about literalism can be found throughout my book.  You say you won’t read read it because my opinions contradict yours.  I suggest you develop the courage to be challenged by views that depart from your own. You might wish to remember that the first word Allah revealed to the Prophet was, “Read!”

“This message is to thank you for your strength, courage, and inspiration to us.  Could you share the secret of your inner strength?” - Ramesh

Irshad responds: The secret is this.  I don’t seek social or communal approval.  I seek the approval of only two things - my conscience and my Creator.  All the rest is politics.

Your letters - posted November 20, 2006

Posted in Q & A on Nov 20, 2006

Posted November 20, 2006

Irshad in Yemen. (Looking better than usual.)

The way Muslim women dress is back in the news – big time.  A lot of you have asked for my views.  As I write in The Trouble with Islam Today:

Millions of Muslim women outside of Arabia, including the West, veil themselves.  They accept that it’s an act of spiritual submission.  It’s closer to cultural capitulation.  Do you know where Iranian women got the design for their post-revolution chadors?  From a mullah who led Shia Muslims in Lebanon.  Now that’s a heavy-duty import.

While the Quran requires the Prophet’s wives to veil, it never decrees such a practice for all women.  Why, indeed, should it? Veils protect people from sand and heat - not exactly a pressing practical concern beyond Arabia, Saharan Africa, and the Australian outback.

This means I could wear a turtleneck and baseball cap to meet the theological requirements of dressing modestly. To cover my face because ‘that’s what I’m supposed to do’ is nothing short of a brand victory for desert-inspired Arabs, whose style has become the most trust symbol of how to package yourself as a Muslim woman.

Tell me: Should Allah operate like Prada?

While you’re thinking about that, here’s a sample of what I’m already hearing from you…

“You say you’re a Muslim.  I suggest you change that to ‘non-practising disobedient Muslim.’ You really should check the ruling on getting your hair cut like that.” - Shauaib

Irshad responds: I’ve reviewed Fashion Fatwa #4866 and it simply states, “It is haram to use hair gel that contains traces of alcohol.  Bacon bits are halal, as they will be caught between the gelled spikes of hair and thereby not seep into the scalp, inshallah.”

“I was born and raised in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as a Muslim.  An Arab father, an American mother, a very religious family.  I’ve lived in the U.S. for quite some time now but feel a strong connection to my roots, though I am fitted with quite a few tattoos and other blasphemous habits.

I was always taught in Islamic studies class that any form of body modification was seen as sinful, for the reason that one was attempting to further beautify god’s already perfect creation of mankind.  Tattoos would obviously be seen as a form of body modification.  However, I feel conflicted.

My grandparents were part of the last Bedouin generation in the U.A.E. and my grandmother has facial tattoos.  She, like many other women, were tribally tattooed and yet it was not sinful to these people who lived in the name of and by the alleged word of god…

Though I dress modestly, I have never worn a sheila or a hijab which would, by default, cover the back of my neck. From what I’ve read, all that is written claims that women must dress modestly. In my opinion, that does not include the extreme of looking like a walking tent…

To some who label themselves Muslims, this whole email in and of itself might be blasphemous in its constant questioning.  All I know is that the god I believe in doesn’t judge as others believe IT does. (And I say “IT” because man has given the label of “HE” to god.) God, in my mind, is understanding and knows why people have doubts.

Do I fully consider myself Muslim? I don’t know.  A sizeable amount of being a Muslim to me is what I’ve known to be ‘truth’ through cultural practices, not what causes me to stop in my tracks and feel the presence of divinity.” - Sarah

“I wear an ‘Allah’ pendant around my neck.  It’s on the same chain as a peace sign.  There were a few times this past summer when other Muslim women (specifically, women in hijab) would look at me, as if identifying me as “one of them” based on my complexion.  They would notice the necklace, notice the way I dressed, and stare.  With disgust and repulsion and judgment. This used to STING.  Now, I just stare back and often point out to the woman that her husband is staring too.

I don’t know what’s constructive, though, and what’s simply breaking down another woman.  I guess the close-mindedness is just getting old fast.  What’s up with staring down a stranger because her knees are showing? Please.  I feel like they’re thinking, ‘That would be fine.  Just don’t wear the necklace because you have the word ‘god’ on your trashy Western self!’

There are BIGGER things in this world. Crazy lady is sitting there thinking about my knees and both of our cousins are killing innocent women in places like Somalia and Nigeria.  It breaks my heart.” - Raquel Evita

Irshad responds: Mine, too, sister.  But we can’t let it break our spirit.

FINALLY, SOMETHING EVEN MORE SURREAL…

“My family and I are British and have been naturists for at least thirty years (I am seventy years old). Being retired, I spend most of the summer here [a nudist camp in France] totally naked as long as I can.

Last week a friend of mine was walking along the beach and saw a group of three Muslim females!  Not wishing to stare, he took enough in to describe that two of the group were dressed head to toe with headdresses which had only eye slits.  The third was totally naked except for the headdress!

When I heard this, I was totally gobsmacked.  I have many questions - how did they become interested? How did they overcome their brainwashing to choose to come? Presumably, they would have used the internet to decide where to go.  How do they trust their friends?

There is yet another explanation; they may have been actors and were being photographed with the rest of us for propaganda purposes or for rousing Muslim society to show the licentiousness of western society.  I have no way of knowing.

Later, I saw one of the young  women coming out of the sea!  She was totally nude, but was wearing a dark brown headscarf.  As she walked back up the beach, I discreetly followed her and saw her join her two companions.  To be honest, I  cannot remember anything about her friends because I had no wish to  make them feel uncomfortable at being stared at by a strange man.  So  I went on my way and left them to their privacy (as is the way of naturists and British at that).  I didn’t see them again.

It would be nice if YOU could come here.  You would be able to relax in complete safety.  This would be the last place where anyone would think of looking.”

Irshad responds: Thanks for blowing my “cover.” Not.

Your letters - posted November 1, 2006

Posted in Q & A on Nov 01, 2006

Posted November 1, 2006

 

The Many Faces Of Reform-Minded Muslims

The Third Feminist Wave, a book profiling maverick Muslim women in the West. Written by Belgian journalist Dirk Verhofstadt. To be officially launched at Antwerp Book Festival, November 2006

With this update, irshadmanji.com is embarking on an exciting experiment: to build an archive of articles by reform-minded Muslims. By reform-minded, I mean more than non-violent. I mean Muslims who are passionate about restoring reason and humanity to Islam.

I posted the first such article a few weeks ago. Click here if you missed it. Below is the latest article. I love the questions that the writer, Ali, is challenging Muslims to ask themselves…

One Muslim’s Message to His People
By Ali S. Wyne

Our leaders are failing us. Whether or not we wish to confront it, the reality in much of the Muslim world is that of stagnant standards of living, limited freedoms, and needless bloodshed. If they do not intend to advance our best interests, then we must assume leadership ourselves.

I am a proud Muslim. However, I am disillusioned with the behavior of a small but disproportionately influential number of our people, who advocate and commit violence in the name of Islam.

The Holy Qu’ran, which I admire for its simplicity and humanity, expressly forbids such behavior. For this reason, I have nothing but contempt for religious leaders who are more interested in self-aggrandizement than they are in disseminating truthful interpretations of our holy text. I challenge them to tell me, in good conscience, that they are upholding Islam by telling their disciples to seek glory in their own destruction and that of others.

I am as fierce and persistent a critic of American foreign policy and Israeli conduct as you are likely to find. However, I find it increasingly difficult to support the behavior of Muslims who express their grievances through violence, notwithstanding my natural sympathies for them and their causes.

Pope Benedict XVI recently delivered an address in which he invoked a 14th-century Byzantine emperor’s criticism of Islam as “evil and inhumane.” Although I, too, took offense to his remark, I was stunned to learn that almost immediately after he issued it, a group of Muslims murdered an Italian nun in response. Why did so few leaders in the Muslim community condemn this act of revenge? Although I had tried to legitimate Muslims’ reaction to the printing of objectionable cartoons in Jyllands-Posten, I could not attempt to justify this particular event. Are Muslims going to respond to each criticism of Islam with an exhibition of arson, looting, and murder?

Since September 11, 2001, questions like these have grown more unsettling.

Why is it that suicide bombers are almost invariably Muslim, as are the individuals who plot to destroy commercial airliners?

Why is it that the Muslim world’s economy, with some exceptions, continues to stagnate, and that indices of human development therein are often comparable to those in sub-Saharan Africa?

Why is it that freedoms for women and political activists therein are among the most restricted in the world?

Why is it that Muslim governments so rarely condemn the violence that Muslims perpetrate, even against fellow Muslims?

In the seventh and eighth centuries, our ancestors were among the most progressive leaders of the civilized world. How and why is it that our present legacy is so different from theirs?

These outcomes are not the product of Western policies — of which, again, I am a fierce critic. Centuries of nearly uninterrupted decline cannot be solely ascribed to others’ actions.

Our leaders, of course, are as aware of this fact as any outside observer. But what incentive do they have to convey this truth? A government can far more easily institute and maintain repressive policies if it steeps its people in falsehoods, and keeps them distracted. Indeed, whatever rhetorical flourishes they may offer to the contrary, most leaders in the Muslim world care little that their people are desperate and miserable.

Indeed, however many of the arguments of “terrorism experts” may be distorted or inaccurate, they are grounded in some truths that no exercise in denial can obviate. When Islamic civilization enjoyed its greatest influence as a progressive and pluralistic community, the world’s most famous Muslims were intellectuals, whose work paved the way for Western inquiry into a myriad of disciplines. Today, the world’s most famous Muslims are terrorists, who have betrayed the religion that they claim to honor, and the people whom they purport to defend.

Rather than encourage young people to work hard and find employment, terrorist organizations exploit their suffering, drawing their recruits from the ranks of the poor and disaffected. (Youth unemployment in many Muslim countries often approaches or exceeds 50 percent.) Osama bin Laden and his supporters should ask: what good has al-Qa’ida’s mission achieved for Muslims? The world over, people increasingly view us with suspicion, fear, and repulsion.

Similarly, Muslim leaders should ask themselves: what good have their policies achieved for Muslims? While the rest of the world moves forward, we struggle, and blame others for our plight. We do so not because we suffer from some intrinsic tendency to defer responsibility, but because our leaders, to whom we look for guidance, encourage our denial.

Accordingly, I have nothing but contempt for Arab rulers who invoke the suffering of Palestinians to distract their citizenries. Palestinians deserve the full support, political and otherwise, of the global community, not the hollow words of individuals who have never before cared for, or acted to serve, Palestinians’ interests.

Whether they are monarchs who take refuge in the splendor of their palaces, or imams who achieve sanctity by the deceit of their words, it is time to bring to light these individuals’ abuses of power, and to inspire today’s Muslims to oppose their directives. I am calling for a revolution that is born not of the sword, but of the pen and of the heart. To young Muslims who wish to honor the legacy of their ancestors, and assume their place in global civil society, I say:

Resist the impulse to blame others for the condition of our people.

Work hard to improve it.

And, most importantly, strive to become the honest and sincere leaders who will one day offer hope and true leadership to Muslims.

If you disagree with my conclusions, I hope that you will ask yourself the same questions that I have asked myself, and recognize that we share the same goal: achieving the renaissance of Islamic society.

This outcome will never prevail, however, unless we accept reality, with all of the pain and ignominy that it carries. Illusions and complacency are the most oppressive barriers to our freedom.

Removing them will doubtless be arduous. But if we succeed in this endeavor, Insha’Allah, our people will rise.

This article originally appeared in The Tech, issue 126 volume 45. It may be freely distributed electronically as long as it includes this notice but cannot be reprinted without the express written permission of The Tech. Write to archive@the-tech.mit.edu for additional details.

Your letters - posted October 16, 2006

Posted in Q & A on Oct 16, 2006

Posted October 16, 2006

Dear friends and foes: The theme of this update is love. I’m even challenging myself to love my enemies. (How suspiciously Christian!) Which is why we shall begin with photos that catch me in the act of kissing – or, at least, puckering up during my speeches…

 

Irshad and Hussein at Yale University
(and you thought she was a lesbian…)
Credit: Le Monde

Kiss me, you fool!
(Irshad speaking in summer 2006).
Credit: Michelle Douglas

A perfect peck!
(Irshad at TEDGlobal, Oxford University).
Credit: Robert Leslie

“You are not a Muslim. Your beliefs are not Islam. If you are right, then make the following du’a [prayer] and I will too: ‘I invoke the curse of Allah on the one who is wrong; if it is me, may I be cursed and if it is you, may you be cursed. Ameen.’” - anonymous

Irshad replies: Here’s the deal, anonymous. I’m not into cursing. If that makes me a non-Muslim, how sad for what Islam has become. But I am into blessings. See the next letter…

“I’m the Irish trucker who emailed you a few years back looking for bravery. Hey, it worked. I’ve got two trucks and a van going all over Europe, and a beautiful niece born to my Catholic sister and my Muslim brother-in-law. I know it ain’t easy, and my struggle is nothing compared to yours, but chin up, girl. God bless you.” - Roland

Irshad replies: Keep on truckin’, Brother O’Infidel. And I’ll keep pushing for freedom of conscience.

“Came to your page from a link on the Free Arab Forum, where you are hailed as an Islamic hero. Quite so. For many years I was an armchair cold warrior, a fervently uncritical supporter of Israel, and just as ignorantly reactive against you. But I recovered, and now I am a human being again. I merely pray for everyone, ignorant or cynical, oppressed or oppressor, fundamentalist or faithless, while you resolutely fight to shine the light. Truly, peace be upon you, and may our various Gods sustain and protect you upon your path.” - Charles

Irshad replies: Gods? What’s with the plural, Charles? Are you a Pagan or something? If so, cool. Let me assure you that I recognize even Pagans aren’t monolithic. Read the next letter…

“I am a Pagan, thus I communicate with a Goddess as well as a God. One of the basic tenets of Paganism is harm none, respect other religions, and ask questions. Like most Westerners, I was generally ignorant of Islam and too afraid to ask questions for fear of giving offence, but you really opened up my eyes. I am also a Cross-Dresser and am aware of the negativity we receive from mainstream religions. It was once said that for evil to exist, all it takes is for one good man to do nothing. You have shown me what it means to be brave. I put you alongside my other hero, Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma.” - Paul

Irshad replies: You know, Paul, many would say that getting the tranny Pagan vote won’t help me win Muslim hearts and minds. But they should remember that according to the Quran, Allah is neither male nor female. In that sense, you may be closer to God than most Muslims. What size heels do you wear?

“I’m a Buddhist monk. Several times, Muslim women have dropped by at unusual hours to talk about their situations. I try to be there for them, but feel very inadequate in my personal understanding. The confusion between our religions seems to be superficial. It’s a bit like the difference between European and North American electrical outlets. (LOL.) Your journey, for better or worse (hehe), is a light in the wilderness. Many tashi deleks (blessings).” - Yeshe

Irshad replies: So I’ve got the Pagans and Buddhists on my side. I love bridge-building! Problem is, most Muslims wouldn’t be impressed, since approval from ‘others’ must mean you’re a sell-out. The good news is, at least practicing Catholics remain distrustful of me. See the next letter…

“I admit that when I brought your book home, my Catholic parents balked. ‘Why on earth would you want to read about that?’ they asked, eyeing the cover suspiciously. My best friend, a secular Jew, asked the same of me. I didn’t have a real answer for any of them then, but in reading your book, I’ve come to realize that information is the greatest tool for change that we’ve got, and if for no other reason, that’s why your book ought to be on everyone’s shelf. Thank you for the having the courage to not only stand up to proponents of Desert Islam, but also to non-Muslims who would otherwise shy away from a crisis that touches all of us.” - Casey

Irshad replies: Woohoo! Even a Jew is suspicious of me!! Sweet. You see, my fellow Muslims, I’m really more kosher than you think.

UPDATE: Since Casey wrote me the above email, I’ve received a second one in which she says that her secular Jewish friend has picked up my book and is “honestly interested in learning more about what you’ve written.” Casey adds: “I’m still waiting for her to return the book, but my father is next on the list…”

Irshad replies (again): Knock it off, Casey. Don’t you realize that by popularizing my book among heathens, you’re only making it harder for me to become popular with Muslims? Sigh. Good thing you’re circulating the same copy of my book instead of buying new copies; otherwise, I’d have no leg to stand on with this next guy…

“It seems you are just doing business with Islam. You are like other non-Muslims to insult our intelligence and insult Islam in order to get fame and money. You will face the justice of GOD and will be punished in this world or at the day of judgment. Still it is not too late. Denounce all the insults you have done to Muslims and Islam. God is the most forgiving if you do so.” - A. Shamshiri

Irshad replies: [Thinking of how the Buddhist monk above might respond, since discord, which breeds suffering, only impedes nirvana…] Sir, I embrace your allegation that Islam is my business. In fact, I accept it with gratitude and joy. After all, the most tolerant strains of Islam have historically been spread through commerce rather than conquest. If I can contribute to a more humane Islam by means of merchant activity, then I will be reinforcing, not betraying, the best in Islam’s tradition.

Besides, sir, Islam doesn’t frown upon wealth — only on the hording of it. That’s why among the five pillars of our faith is zakat or mandatory aid to less fortunate. That’s also why I’ve posted FREE translations of my book on this website. Ameen. Amen. *Ka-ching.* Tai-ching. Ohm…

Benedict, where art thou?

Irshad wants to tell the Pope that his speech at Regensburg University was reasonable, but the Vatican’s policies on women are not. Recently, she went looking for him…

Hey Bono, you’re a good Catholic lad. Have you seen the Pope?

Shimon, you and I are members of the Zionist conspiracy.
Level with me: Where can I find the Pope?

Your Royal Saudi Highness, I know you like vacationing in Rome.
Where’s the Pope?

Ah, to hell with it. I’m going dancing.

“I 100% agree with you about Muslims taking this quote from the Pope to such extremes and making people think that Islam is a violent religion by the violence that is occurring now overseas towards Catholics. I’m just glad to see a sister like you speak her mind and have the knowledge to make Islam a religion of peace and not hate.” - Shadia

“I regard myself [as] a Moderate Muslim. I am an American citizen who works for the government. I do not know much about my faith but I do know this much, it’s the best one out there. I heard your so-called message to the Muslims and the fist thing that came in my mind was ‘Who the hell are you?’

I went on your website to quench my thirst of curiosity, or maybe it was your hairstyle, but whatever it was, one thing for sure - definitely not your knowledge of Islam.

You started your comments with ‘as a faithful Muslim’. Really. Think about it… Then you said [that how Muslims are reacting is like] ‘reducing the Qur’an to its most bloodthirsty passages.’ There is no such thing Missy. Then you went on saying ‘We Muslims hate it when people do that…’ WE? News flash! You do not represent me or my faith (1.25 Billion and counting, minus one - look in the mirror.) Finally, you mumbled my favorite one, ‘the Pope would make a better Muslim than most of us.’ What are you smoking?

You are looking for cheap publicity for your book and bashing Islam is the easiest way to get it nowadays. It used to be sleeping with the Publisher, but for that you require looks.

Oh, one more thing, if you are a Jew, you should not be ashamed of it.” - Imran

“I am a 29-year-old Persian-Canadian. Although the Pope’s comments were careless, the reaction from the mainstream Muslim world is very sad indeed. The strong reaction is a symptom of, in my opinion, being completely discouraged from having any debate whatsoever inside Islam.

As for the more extreme elements in the faith, if comments about Islam anger them to the extent that they vandalize churches and kill innocent nuns, then what about all the racist, fanatic and vicious comments made by Muslim leaders about other religious groups? Especially the Jews! Have we seen any violent Jewish riots lately, when networks like Al-Jazeera call them dogs and pigs? Have we seen angry Jewish mobs burning down mosques? Shouldn’t the leaders of Islam learn more from the Jewish people, whom they demonize and dehumanize on a regular basis?

I sincerely support your Project Ijtihad, and hope it brings an end to this behaviour. The mainstream Muslim world is unfortunately not a very safe place for me to initiate a dialogue. Thanks for listening to those of us who want change.” - Moe

And now, this challenge from a non-Muslim…

“As you know, what the Pope did was quote someone from the past in the context of a speech that was very well-intentioned. How can anyone find fault with that, take the quote out of context, and believe that the Pope is anti-Islam?

Furthermore, how can they justify acts of violence, including the murder of a nun, and threats and promises of more violence? Finally, do they realize that such actions lend credence to the original quote?

I don’t want you, Irshad, to answer these questions. I want the answers to come from a Muslim who truly believes that a war should be waged because the Pope quoted someone. And I want them to sign their name to it, just as I’m signing my name to this.” - Rick Hackett

Irshad replies: Considering how much hate mail I get, there’s no shortage of Muslims with illiberal views who visit this site. Let’s see if they have the courage of their convictions by replying to you and providing their real names.

Your letters - posted September 11, 2006

Posted in Q & A on Sep 11, 2006

 

“Why I fight”
Irshad and friends at a Palestinian refugee camp, August 2006

Posted September 11, 2006

Since September 11, 2001, many around the world have been asking: Where are the Muslim moderates? Then, when I went public with my book, they asked: Are you alone?

No, I’m not alone. I get more letters of love from fellow Muslims than I do death threats. Still, the world needs to know that Muslim reformists are willing to speak our minds — out loud.

In that spirit, I’m posting this message from a young Muslim woman in America. She even signs her name to it. (You’ll have to get to the end to find out!) May God grant her serenity for expressing herself so bravely.

The Serenity Prayer for Muslims…

God grant Muslims the serenity to accept the things we can not change, the power to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Serenity to accept the things we cannot change…

Israel clearly is not going anywhere. Muslims can either accept this and put our efforts toward improving our societies. Or, fueled by the prevalent Muslim hatred of Israel, we can allow violence to simply become the “Muslim way” of dealing with any problem, calling it resistance, and placing tribal pride above the lives and souls of our children.

Power to change the things we can…

While this fighting is often thought to be the only way to empower Palestinians, and even all Muslims, it’s really nothing more than the power to self-destruct. Our goals of creating a better life for Palestinians and Muslims are not being accomplished. Instead, life is becoming unbearable across the Arab world. Is that power?

Muslims are not powerless. We have the power to do what no one else ultimately can. We can stop the violence. But we need to convince other Muslims that this behavior is vile, rather than telling non-Muslims that this is not Islam.

Stopping this strain from flowing through our faith and cultures doesn’t mean that bad feelings won’t remain and that Palestinians won’t continue to feel that Israel has humiliated them. It means that as Palestinians get back on the road to dignity, trust will be gained and they’ll eventually be able to give their children something to to look forward to: life.

This is the only chance that Muslims have for gaining the respect we crave from the rest of the world, and it is the only way the Middle East will ever become a viable part of the global community.

Do Muslims value our pride more than our children? Does Islam not have the power within it to inspire us to create just, safe societies? If Islam means peace’ then we should make it, rather than waiting for someone else to first take blame.

Wisdom to know the difference…

One would expect it to be Muslims in the West, enjoying safety, opportunity and freedom, who would have the most wisdom in dealing with our current state of affairs. But this doesn’t seem to be the case. Rather, many Muslims in America and Europe instigate the hatred of Israel while doing little to demand an end to Islamist violence. While done in the spirit of supporting their Muslim brothers and sisters, this actually only prolongs the bloodshed and sentences Palestinians in particular to even more violence, indignity and death.

While Muslims in the West are pushing for Islam to gain better recognition, and sometimes even for Sharia law to enter the court system so that we may feel validated in our faith, others within the Muslim world, Afghanistan for example, realize there is a price to be paid for someone else’s version of Islamic law. (And it will always be someone else’s version). It’s noteworthy that there appears to be more outspoken reformist Muslims in Arab countries than there are in the West, because they are the ones paying the price for this violence.

Muslims face the choice to promote violence (which will never improve our situation) or end it and its instigation. It’s frightening, but we are actually the ones with all the power. We can use it to hold the world hostage by allowing Islamic extremists to be a continuing threat, Palestinians, Iraqis and Afghanis ultimately paying the biggest price. On the other hand, we can exercise our power to finally bring an end to this insanity, start the Middle East on the road to recovery, build the productive societies that we boast have been Islam’s legacy, and save Islam from what’s looking like an unspeakable fate.

Amen…

Few are more in need of the serenity prayer than Muslims are. We’re likely not alcoholics, but we’re becoming addicted to violence as a means to a non-end. It’s time we hosted our own intervention, while the Middle East still has a chance to become more than poor and Islam still has a chance to mean peace.

Written by Amina Khan, Boston

Your letters - posted August 14, 2006

Posted in Q & A on Aug 14, 2006

Posted August 14, 2006

Irshad at Lebanon/Israel border, 2003

Hezbollah showing mutilation of Israeli soldiers and warning of more

Hezbollah guard watching Irshad

Ceasefire or not, the war of perceptions goes on about whether Israel, Hezbollah or both should be denounced. Recently, I solicited your advice about this. Why? Because a smart, civil and usually nuanced Muslim named Mehdi sent me a not-so-nuanced petition. It condemned Israel but essentially let Hezbollah off the hook. Mehdi asked me to post a link to it on this website. Click here to see the full email exchange between us.

In the end, I challenged Medhi to send me a balanced petition — one that calls for a “measured response” from activists. Did I handle the issue fairly? Well, in hundreds of messages, you told me. And sometimes you told me off. Gotta love democracy. Unless, of course, you’re the current president of Iran.

“Irshad, you seem to be saying: ‘Here’s a young, polite, intelligent Muslim male. For that reason, perhaps he deserves to post unbalanced material on a generally balanced site.’ Is it so rare for a young Muslim male to be polite, intelligent and nuanced that we have to bend over backwards when we finally find one?” - Ron

“In your dialogue with Mehdi, you say the blame should be equally distributed between Hezbollah and Israel. I say bollocks. The greater share of blame falls on Israel.

Hezbollah is a vehicle of hate, motivated by the vision of destruction. I don’t doubt for a moment that if Hasan Nasrallah or his chief supporter, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, had the kind of overwhelming military superiority that Israel has today, their conduct would be far worse than what Israel is doing today. And you and I know that their vision does not end with the destruction of Israel. Next in line will be us Muslims who don’t share their vision.

Israel is a vehicle of hope. It’s the triumph of a new possibility, against all odds, in a region of ugly, disgusting hatred. It’s the more responsible party in the conflict. The wise one. The one we root for. The one we know can do better. When that party behaves in the way it is behaving in Lebanon, the blame cannot be equally divided. The more responsible party must get the greater portion of blame. Which is why Israel’s conduct in Lebanon hurts so much.

Hezbollah is wrong to fire rockets from within civilian areas and it would’ve been difficult but understandable if Israel’s military action, in spite of all trying, had caused the death of civilians. But it feels as though Israel is not even trying to avoid civilian deaths. That is what is so mind-numbingly depressing.

I support Mehdi’s petition. And so should you.” - Akbar

“I would love to sign a petition challenging some of Israel’s response. However, I in no way can, given that the majority of Muslims still believe we are always in the right, always the victim, always justified to commit violence… I certainly have issues with Israel’s approach to this, but to leave Hezbollah out of any strong condemnation will only send the message to Muslims that Hezbollah’s actions are justified — and even if they were, Hezbollah’s approach isn’t helping/defending anyone.

If we were ever willing to criticize ourselves, I’d feel differently as I’d not think I was sending the wrong message and ultimately promoting violence. But until I see a major sea change in our thinking, I can never support such a petition.” - Amina

“Are you being fair with Mehdi? Not fair enough! I speak as a Muslim who is absolutely opposed to Hezbollah’s odious rocket attacks against innocent civilians in Northern Israel and their tactics of hiding weapons in civilian areas, as well as their fundamentalist ideology which damages free thought, women’s rights and religious minorities.

However, I think that your criticism of both sides has been disproportionate… [Y]ou focus your criticism on Hezbollah even though the asymmetrical nature of the war means that tens of Israelis — but hundreds of Lebanese civilians — have been murdered. Many Israelis have evacuated, but a much larger proportion of Lebanese have left their homes.” - Usman

“Regarding Mehdi’s petition, I have a hard time accepting the proportionality argument [that more people have been killed in Lebanon than in Israel and therefore Israel is the bigger criminal]. Very few people, Canadians especially, suffered in the closing days of WWII as much as the Germans (1.84 million) and Japanese (600,000). Does that mean that Canada was disproportionate in its attacks against Axis forces? Not in the least.” - Ryan

“You advocate fairness in reaction. This risks a complete lack of moral action — even impotence in the face of injustice — by claiming that both sides are to blame. One must agree to process the facts, as you have said. But then one must see clearly when the bully, in this case Israel, has crossed the line of the measured response. Lebanon is being thoroughly destroyed! I don’t care what names I have called the bully or how hard I kicked his leg — my house is gone and my parents are dead. That is unjust.” - Tim

“At one level, Irshad, I admire your call for a measured response from activists. But I also think that sometimes, fairness for its own sake only serves to empower oppressors by granting them a credibility they don’t deserve.

Hezbollah is the enemy of everything progressive politics stands for. That includes a free Palestine, their vision of which is just another theocracy that murders dissidents and enslaves women. What’s more, they’re part of the bigger picture you write so eloquently about in your book: the struggle between ijtihad and oppression. They’re on the wrong side in that fight.

Progressives should never forget that we allied with Stalin to defeat Hitler, even though Stalin was a monster, too. That alliance was both necessary and just, given the circumstances… Sometimes, you simply cannot stay neutral, and at those times, you might have to share the side of someone you don’t like, because the alternative is victory for someone else who wants you both dead.” - Robert

“I read your email exchange with Mehdi and I thought you were right to ask for a different petition. It should be a petition that calls for a true dialogue between activists.

During this time of war, my dialogue with my Arab friends has gotten stronger. The most wonderful thing is that between talking about politics, we have even managed to talk about our childhood and families a bit, to discover each other even more. Understanding the similarities between us is almost absurd after years of being kept apart through fear and propaganda.

In times like these the easiest thing to do is to fall back on old notions, to get angry, hate, dehumanize each other. By doing that, aren’t we just pawns in the hands of those who have interests that will not recognize each other’s humanity?” - Einav

“Your refusal to endorse Mehdi’s petition was very appropriate. I share your great sympathy for the innocent Lebanese. However, Mehdi seems to have only such sympathy for Lebanese Muslims and not for any other people in this dreadful mess. Israelis, many of whom are Arabs or Muslims (especially in the North), have the right to protect themselves from Hezbollah.” - Stephen

“I thank you for your humility in asking for help over what to do with the petition. In the context of Israel’s response to the kidnapping of its soldiers, Gandhi’s axiom appears more and more relevant: better bad government by a people’s own leaders, than good government from abroad… Honour, justice, ethics, and your credibility all urge your signature on the petition.” - Kenneth

“You should NOT sign a petition that condemns Israel outright but lets Hezbollah off the hook. At this time of increased polarisation, it is more urgent than ever that the rational amongst us hold the line. You have placed your life at risk in order to express independent and rational thought. Do not let go now!

Israel and Hezbollah function as each other’s ‘other’ - each other’s evil. They are both warmongers who encourage and enjoy wars. The games they play are complementary, they need each other. They trade on promoting hatred of the other. One could not survive without the other!

Let us all keep a cool head and refuse to join an army of automatons in the name of Allah, Adonai or Jesus Christ.” - Elletra

Finally, an open letter to Mehdi from someone who went through war in the Balkans:

“… You fear for your friends in Lebanon. I understand your grief and helplessness. I, too, fear for my friends in Tel Aviv and Haifa. I already felt that kind of fear a couple of years ago, when a civil war ravaged my country of origin, the former Yugoslavia. I constantly had to worry about my family. The civil war taught me one thing: that good and bad are not as ‘distinguishable’ as in a cowboy movie.

One of my friends has her parents near Kiryat Shmona, a small town near the Lebanese border that is regularly bombed by Hezbollah from southern Lebanon. Even before this new war, they regularly had to go to the shelters when ‘God’s party’ decided to pound the region with rockets or mortars. Would any other country accept this? Tell me, for I’m at my wits’ end: What would the solution be?

Iran’s president Ahmadinejad says the solution is the destruction of Israel. Don’t you think this message hardens the feelings of Israelis since Iran arms Hezbollah? Why aren’t Arabs and Muslims condemning Iran, which abuses Lebanese sovereignty by commanding Hezbollah’s provocations?

Isn’t it a transgression of the Geneva Convention to hide deliberately — as Hezbollah does — in populated areas, to stock arms near hospitals, in mosques and civilian dwellings? Why is the Arab and Muslim world not protesting? Isn’t the first step to peace the acceptance of one’s own responsibility?

Mehdi, what do you think about getting together and creating a petition that calls for both parties to stop transgressing international law and start talking? May God bless and protect your friends in Lebanon.” - Zvezdan

Your letters - posted August 1, 2006

Posted in Q & A on Aug 01, 2006

Posted August 1, 2006

Irshad needs your advice!

Every day, I face one or another ethical dilemma. For example, should I encourage people to sign a petition that condemns Israel outright but essentially lets Hezbollah off the hook? Normally, my answer would be a clear and direct “no.” But the request comes from a young Muslim man who’s written to me before – and who has always been civil, smart, and nuanced. He deserves to be taken seriously. How, then, to respond? Read our email exchange below and let me know if I handled it fairly…

—

July 22, 2006

Dear Irshad,

I know you’ll probably want to keep neutral on this discussion, and also would want to remind us that there are Israeli lives ending just as tragically in Northern Israel. Still, if at all possible, could you at least a post a link to the petition below? You have always been pretty good at showing both sides of the story.

I feel so helpless when faced by the enormity of what my friends in Lebanon are suffering, and writing letters to editors and protesting where I can seems so pitiful an effort. I hope that again, you can be fair and show this side of the story.

Thank you whatever your decision,

Mehdi

    Petition

    Save the Lebanese Civilians!

    To The Concerned Citizen of The World:

    “Killing innocent civilians is NOT an act of self-defense. Destroying a sovereign nation is NOT a measured response.”

    Lebanese civilians have been under the constant attack of the state of Israel for several days. The State of Israel, in disregard to international law and the Geneva Convention, is launching a maritime and air siege targeting the entire population of the country. Innocent civilians are being collectively punished in Lebanon by the state of Israel in deliberate acts of terrorism as described in Article 33 of the Geneva Convention.

    The Lebanese people feel left out by the world that is turning a blind eye on the savagery of the Israeli state. Israel does not seem to be capable of approaching any problem outside the realm of the military power bestowed on it by the government of the United States of America and other western governments.

    We are writing you this letter in the hope that this massacre is immediately stopped. It is the universal duty of each individual to defend the innocents and expose the truth. The numerous civilian victims of the Israeli operations are increasing by the hour. The viciousness of the attacks has attained terrifying levels where a child has been cut in three while another was half burned.

    The Israeli war machine, in its blind savagery, is destroying not only our lives but the foundations that could help the civilians survive beyond their massacre. The Israeli Defense Forces are destroying in few hours what Lebanon has spent years and billions of dollars to rebuild.

    Up until now more than 500 Lebanese civilians have been killed and thousands missing under the rubbles , thousands wounded, bridges and infrastructure destroyed, refugees are leaving Beirut in droves and worst of all the enforced siege might lead to a human catastrophe in the next few days. There must be an end to this cycle of violence and continuous violation of international laws and basic ethical behavior.

    Between the blindness of the international community and the deafness of the Arab one, the besieged Lebanese population has no way out.

    Peace begins with justice.

    This petition is going to be sent to all representatives (Senate, Congress, Assembly, etc.) in the USA, Canada, France, Germany, UK and European Union. Moreover, it will be sent to more than 500 media outlets around the world. If you have the contacts of the representatives of your country (not listed above), please email us the list and we will include your country representatives as recipients.

—

July 24, 2006

Dear Mehdi,

Thank you for recognizing that I do try to show both sides (and, often, more then two sides) of the issues. Which is why I’d be glad to post the links to a petition – as long as the petition emphasizes that no party in this warfare is free of culpability.

I will post your petition when it condemns not only Israel crimes but also Hezbollah’s crimes of setting up shop in the middle of busy residential districts, so that any attempt to “take out” Hezbollah will necessarily mean hitting innocent people along the way. Hezbollah has always known this. Why are we not condemning their cruel calculus in our petitions?

I will post your petition when it denounces not just Israeli human rights violations, but also Lebanon’s – for example, the fact that in Lebanon, Palestinians cannot, by law, hold full time jobs, purchase property, or become professionals, thus consigning them to more poverty in the refugee camps. Why do our petitions not point out that Lebanon has a share of responsibility for the anguish that ordinary human beings are experiencing?

Far from being neutral, I am on the side of the people who find themselves trapped by all the criminals – Israeli military, Hezbollah, and elements of the Lebanese government. Don’t even get me started on Syria and Iran!

Mehdi, the moment you send me a petition acknowledging the above, I’ll be the first to post – and sign – it.

Best regards,

Irshad

 —

July 24, 2006

Dear Ms. Manji:

First, I have always respected you and what you do. You remind us that there are multiple sides to acknowledge, multiple issues to address. Not to say that I had forgotten about the Palestinian plight or Hezbollah’s use of human shields when I had previously sent links to the petitions… Hezbollah has brought this upon Lebanon, my only complaint being that it’s hard to sympathize with the Israeli side of things when it looks like the Lebanese have it much harder.

Two points about your letter I find somewhat disconcerting: First, the Palestinian side of the issue is not only not news, it’s hardly relevant.

Israel is not attacking Lebanon because of their cruel treatment of Palestinians. I understand it doesn’t make the Lebanese good people that they do what they do, depriving the Palestinian people of basic human rights, but it also doesn’t make what’s happening to Lebanon somewhat justifiable.

Second, while I agree that Hezbollah hiding in dense residential areas is deplorable and the reason for part of the high death count, when you consider that I know, from first hand reports from friends there that they attacked Baabda, Jounieh, Zouk, Alley (Maronite Christian areas) Shtoura, Zahle, and Tripoli (Sunni Muslim areas) that point loses some of its power as well. Claiming that the Sunnis or the Maronites may have aided Hezbollah is very easy to dismiss. Also, considering that a large number of the dead were killed trying to escape the South, admittedly Hezbollah territory, and you begin to wonder how many actually died shielding anything of value to Hezbollah.

Furthermore, a while ago I wrote with concerns about the Hirsi Ali petition on your site. I mentioned that the writer seemed to equate Islam with evil, and many of the signatories agreed. Your response, partially edited:

“I agree with you that the author of the petition, and many of its signatories, are taking an all-or-nothing approach. They see absolutely nothing redeeming or salvageable about Islam. I respectfully part company with them on this front. However, I’ve come to realize that we in the progressive movements make a big mistake if we avoid supporting each other simply because we disagree on a few matters. The fact is that that you and I are working for the same overall goals as the dyed-in-the-wool atheists who slam Islam. You and I are working for freedom of conscience, humanity in faith, and an appropriate separation between religion and politics. Having spoken with Ayaan on any number of occasions, I can assure you that these are her values too. The rest, as they say, is politics.”

It seems, to me at least, that in certain cases, it is ok to post a petition that you admit has inflammatory and negative messages as long as it serves a good end, where in another, the end of saving Lebanon is not to be served unless the petition includes severe self condemnation and reduces Israel’s responsibility in the matter. Rereading the petition, it seems the author does not deny the Israeli’s the right to self defense, only that the excessive measures it has taken seems to help no one. Israel should answer to the same international laws that the world insists Lebanon adheres to.

Again, I respect you and the validity of the points you wrote to inform me of. I do not find them reason enough to dismiss the petition, as outlined above, but I again respect your choices.

Sincerely,

Mehdi

—

July 30, 2006

Dear Mehdi,

Today of all days, when an Israeli air strike has reportedly killed 60+ innocents, I’m more sympathetic than ever to a petition like this. I denounce murder, no matter who perpetrates it. And this is not a conclusion I’ve reached since the latest air strike. As I explained in my earlier message, I stand with those who are victimized by all the sides, including criminal elements in the Israeli Defense Forces.

Problem is, the differences that you and I have are not simply semantic. They have everything to do with factual accuracy and therefore my own journalistic integrity. Perhaps you have the luxury of viewing this war as an activist. Activism is necessarily polemical. It’s the very opposite of a “measured response.” By contrast, I’m not an activist in the conventional sense. I’m a journalist who insists on going to where the preponderance of evidence takes me. That necessarily means I have to weigh the facts (and propaganda) from every camp. So when major facts are missing from a response, such as the petition you’ve asked me to post, my journalist duty is to probe what’s not being said. Taking into account the missing information, I then have to draw my own conclusions.

In my previous message, I already gave you two examples of what’s not being said in the petition. You dismissed one of my points as irrelevant. You accepted the validity my other point but decided that this is not enough to make the petition lop-sided. What, then, about additional facts missing from the activist analysis - facts that, if acknowledged, would lead to a more “measured response” on your part?

Here’s what I mean: When the petition below announces that “Lebanese civilians have been under the constant attack of the state of Israel for several days,” that’s only partially true. One missing fact is that Lebanese civilians who are CHRISTIAN have complained that they are under attack by Hezbollah and not just Israel. See, for example, this story in the New York Times.

Mehdi, is the pain of Christian civilians less worthy than that of Muslims? If not, why are activists trivializing these reports of Hezbollah’s horrors?

The first email you sent me about the current war expressed your personal feelings of powerlessness to do anything substantive. In the spirit of being pro-active and imaginative, I have an idea: How about putting aside the petitions that people are sending to you and writing your own “Manifesto for a Measured Response Among Activists” — a manifesto that recognizes the military terrorism and civilian anguish of all sides, as well as the need for people of good faith and sincere convictions to stop demonizing each other’s nations?

I would post and publicize such a manifesto because it’s about recognizing our shared humanity rather than compelling decent people to dig in their heels and stop talking.

Remember the message you sent me last February about the Danish cartoons? You wrote, “I feel the cartoons accomplished what they set out to do: stop the dead lock in conversation and get people talking again. Say something, anything, but don’t stop talking.” Amen, brother.

I look forward to your “Manifesto for a Measured Response among Activists.”

Your letters - posted July 3, 2006

Posted in Q & A on Jul 03, 2006

Posted July 3, 2006

Dear friends and foes:

From time to time, I post your comments without much response from me. It’s not my replies that speak volumes; it’s the dramatic differences in your views. You’re proving that Islam’s future is up for debate. Sometimes hilarious debate. My favourite statement from below: “Here you are, a self-proclaimed ‘Muslim’ turning on your own people! How do you sleep at night? Undoubtedly beside a white woman.”

“u say ur not zionist agent but most likely are getting paid by them. i dont think u have a problem with islam but [with] yourself. because of your perverted sexuality u have to die according to islam, and u cant face that. why does god hate me! well he doesnt we do. shave your hair off, id say ud look better but u still be a freak. may the curse of allah be upon you.” - Anonymous

“I want to thank you in the deepest terms. I’ve studied most religions and found only mixed truth and power hungry priesthoods. For a long time I was lost in the occult. I came to your book while studying Sufism and trying to make sense of this crazy world situation. I must confess I haven’t finished reading your book yet because within the first 100 pages it became clear that there is a place for me in Islam, so I converted and picked up the Qur’an.

I’ll get back to your book after my first pass through the Quran. I was turned away from Islam when I lived in Saudi Arabia as a child. Ijtihad was the missing piece that brought me home. Come in thirst. Go in peace.” - Davi

“I’m a Muslim. I just want to say thank you for your efforts, leading me to look once more into my faith and realise that the nonsense people like you are spreading is nothing more than what God has warned us about 1400 years ago…

After studying ‘liberals’ like yourself for some time (and taking the same stance), I realised that no matter how they spice up their dishes, the food is always rotten. The arguments – their entire spectrum of beliefs – carry the same faults as those of every individual who has strayed from what God’s faith ordains along the ages. They sold the Truth for their heart’s desire.

I realised that if I went on as you did, to match every bit of politically correct trash with what I wanted Islam to be, then I would be fooling no other than myself. I wonder how long you have been doing that, Irshad? You will not change the world. You will not alter the Right. Have the courage to think again.” - Ahmed

“Sis Irshad, I live in Malaysia and I just finished reading your book. Earlier in my life, when I first started my work, I also felt that Islam as practiced now needs reformation. It is the understanding of Islam that is wanting. People dare not question anything pertaining to this, so we are stuck to fixed ideas. Evolution and progress pass us by. Other people subjugate us. Because of this, some Muslims retaliate, but the manner may be wrong in Allah’s view. Almost every day I read of Muslims killing Muslims in Iraq and other places. How sad. At least in Malaysia, we generally see Muslims as Muslims, not as Sunni or Shia.

Maybe the path to heaven is more certain if we open ourselves to ijtihad and understand our religion better. Improve ourselves in our relationship with God and with our fellow man and woman. Your voice for ijtihad and reform encourages people like me, who before this dare not be so loud in their opinions.” - Azam

“Why don’t you leave us alone and convert to Christianity? Please leave us on a wrong path and continue with your true path which seems to be engulfed in confusion. Stop making money through Islam, pleasing your masters from the West. You will never be white, you are not even covered, you are a shame to Allah and His Messenger. On the Last Day all these masters of yours that you are trying to please won’t save you before ALLAH.” - Bashir

“I am a Muslim from Pakistan. I came to Canada to feel the freedom of speech, freedom of thought. I had to leave my country because of my outspoken attitude. I had to save my thought process. The Muslim world needs more people like you, and I consider myself lucky to be part of your school of thought.” - Dr. N. Saleem

“What kind of Muslim are you? In all my practicing years, I have never encountered a ‘gay Muslim.’ Do you believe in the hereafter? Do you believe that you’ll be granted entrance to paradise? If yes, why are you doing your very best to sabotage the Muslim world and all its believers?…

I find it difficult to believe that people actually pay to hear your garbage. Your outrageous ideas belong on some blog page that gets no more than 43 hits in its entire lifespan. It is a stupid and sheltered person who hears you and believes you. No wonder the world is turning against Muslims. Here you are, a self-proclaimed ‘Muslim’ turning against your own people! How do you sleep at night? Undoubtedly beside a white woman.

To think that your message may be making a difference in the way people conceive the Muslim nation makes me sick to my stomach. The unjustice [sic] that you are doing is truly upsetting to any self-respecting woman, Jew, or Muslim. As far as I’m concerned, this is about publicity, celebrity, money and your fascination with hearing yourself speak. Why not use those obsessions to do good? Few women have the ability to heard globally and you are very wrongly misusing this privilege.

What makes you think your extremist opinions are representative of the Muslim nation? This is by far the most disturbing part. Has it occurred to you that most Muslim women are NOT homosexuals and are quite happy with their domestic roles in society? Therefore, you are not entitled to be their spokesperson. If there was a vote to elect you, I didn’t get my ballot.

You are trying to push your distorted views onto others but hopefully the educated will reject them, boo you off the stage and burn your blasphemous books. If you want to be gay, go ahead, just leave the Muslim world out of it.” - Shabana

The final word (for now) goes to a 28-year-old Muslim man…

“I was born and bred in Singapore. I was not particularly religious but I’ve always had the drive to learn more about this religion that I was born into. I enrolled myself (much to the pride of my parents) in a madrassa class. I began to feel dissatisfied with what I was learning. Yes, it was good to know the basics but I needed to know what’s in the heart of the religion. I know it’s frowned upon to study the religion without a ‘teacher,’ but I felt I had to learn this for myself.

So, I began a journey not only of religious discovery but also self-discovery.I was soon filled with pride about what a great religion Islam is and what a privilege that I am called a Muslim. I am proud of what Muslims have achieved in the past…

I was brought to tears while watching the documentary, ‘Islam: An Empire of Faith.’ I imagined what it was like to be in the great gardens of Baghdad, or the great cities of Cordoba or Granada. I was ever so proud, that soap was first introduced by Muslims!

Then puberty hit and more self-discovery followed. I learned that I’m gay!! Horror of all horrors. Am I now condemned to Hell? I did more research and reading, hoping against all hope that someone would say I will not after all go to hell. That God IS merciful. I know for a fact that being gay does not make me a bad person. I was totally disillusioned. I felt my whole world was crumbling around me. How could a religion that I love so much not love me in return? I felt such betrayal, because despite what others may claim, I know I was born this way.

Slowly, my faith in the religion seemed to fade. But not my faith in God. I still believe in Him and all that is good came from Him. I still need God in my life. I still need to believe. I soon realised that the words used to condemn me were the words of man, not of God. Naïve as that may sound, I felt better. I have faith, at least, in MY God.

Then September 11 happened and it made me look for more answers to the question that has been plaguing me for so long: ‘What has caused this religion to be in the state it is now?’ Mind you, I am nowhere close to getting an answer. But searching for it has only reinforced my belief that religion is between me and God. I know that in Islam, like most of the other major religions, we are expected to be part of a community. This I am guilty of. I long ago decided that I will have no part in the community of Muslims. They will hurt me nor disillusion me no more.

And if, at the end of the day, when I am standing before God and He says that all I have done in my lifetime is not “enough,” then so be it. But will I have been worse than those men who claim to be martyrs for having blown themselves up and killing innocent people? Who taught them the definition of Jihad anyway?” - Abdul

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