q and a

Your letters - posted May 12, 2007

Posted in Q & A on May 12, 2007

Posted May 12, 2007

Friends and foes: Here’s more of your feedback to last month’s PBS premiere of my documentary film, Faith Without Fear. The indisputable star of the film is my mother, who wants me to stop speaking out so much because “sometimes, in this world, the truth doesn’t go too well with people.” But my integrity is more important than my security. Sorry to disappoint, ma. Let me take this opportunity to wish all the proud and worried moms of reform-minded Muslims a HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

“I am an African American woman who converted to Islam over 30 years ago. Do you understand that there are thousands of Muslims like myself who have had totally different experiences from yours, which proves that Islam is a perfect religion with imperfect people, as are all the religions.

I agree that the Muslim world is in disrepair and not only you but other Muslims speak out against social and cultural adaptations that are mistaken for Islamic traditions. But our approach is different. First of all we are not angry with men because we have never allowed ourselves to be oppressed by them. It is the obligation of every woman to learn religion and not be subservient to a man. I know that Islam does not condone male superiority and upholds the rights and dignity of women, and therefore I have never been disillusioned by my religion…

You need to come to terms with the fact that you are angry with men, and then you wouldn’t seek change by going to non-Muslims for support because you know that’s the only audience you have.” - Sheila/Salimah

Irshad replies: Sis, thanks for enlightening me that I’m angry with men and that non-Muslims are my only audience. Does my audience include non-Muslim men? Or am I angry with them too? Perhaps you can have that conversation with the following Muslim…

“As salaam alaykum, Irshad. Tonight I watched Faith Without Fear on PBS. My heart leaped to hear your call for change in Islam today.

I reverted to Islam from Christianity five years ago. While I love the religion that I read about in the Holy Qur’an, I do not see that religion at my local mosque. What I see is more culture than Islam. Equality of men and women before Allah? I have to sit behind a wall to listen to the khutbah [sermon]. I cannot interact with any speaker to ask questions. Women have no voice in the mosque and no seats on the committees. We are invisible. As I am not married, I have no source of information for mosque events or community information. All information is posted on the ‘men’s side.’ This is not the Islam I read about. If I was not so convinced that Islam is the straight path, I would have left it long ago because of what I see at my mosque.

God be praised that there are voices like yours rising up above the fundamentalists… Jazak Allah khair for your wisdom and your willingness to speak the truth, in spite of the personal risk. Ma’salaama.” - Janet

“You are known as a blasphemer, but this film was the first time that I was able to hear from you. Speaking as an American Pakistani Muslim, I enjoyed your documentary very much. I believe it offered some great insight into many issues facing us today, mainly the treatment of women in our religion…

You are absolutely right to say that when we equate debate with division, there is a problem. Another great point was that learning to take offense is a part of living in the larger society. This is what I have learned through Islam. It has taught me patience, civility and trying to resolve differences without resorting to violence. By me not burning flags of the US or cursing the Danish, most would think I am not a ‘true Muslim.’

But as a ‘true Muslim,’ my job is to educate myself so that I may build bridges, try to offer understanding of my religion and be tolerant of others. After all, when Islam began, many Muslims took a lot of ‘shit’ from the people of the region. But they fought only WHEN THEY HAD TO. They endured many tough times and hardships. Nowadays I feel a lot the fighting in the name of Islam is more of an excuse. What bothers me the most is that Islam is supposed to be a peaceful religion… and people of our religion have forgotten that.

Many say that you don’t seek to reform anything. Rather you seek to remake it into something new. What can you say about that? - Salman/Sal

Irshad replies: I say, those Muslims should restore faith with a beautiful passage of the Quran which states, “God does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves” (13:11). I’m keeping the faith, and I invite my critics to do the same.

“I heard your name for the very first time on PBS, watching what I thought is going to be another depressing, violent image of us Muslims on the screen. Then I heard your voice say that more Muslims are being killed by other Muslims than by any body else. Right away I knew I had to keep watching.

As I listened to you, I started to cry. You hit and touched on every point. I never thought I would be alive long enough to see an intelligent, brave and selfless Muslim woman putting herself out there so honestly. You have given me hope. Hope that there is nothing wrong with Islam, but a lot wrong with the people interpreting it so selfishly…

I cried, because I thought I was alone in my questions and frustrations with mullahs who have interpreted Quran to control populations. I cried because you speak with no nonsense love for Islam, us Muslims, and all humanity…

BECAUSE OF YOU I WILL BECOME A BETTER MUSLIM, WHICH IN TURN MEANS A BETTER HUMAN BEING. Please keep up what you have started. I like it when you ask the West to challenge us. That will make us grow.” - Layla

“I feel your program would have been more productive if there was a larger emphasis on the role each specific culture plays in the interpretation of Islam, as opposed to a generalization that all Muslims, regardless of origin and culture, behave and think the same.

I mention this because in my view the Arabic culture and its strict interpretation of the Quran as well as the treatment of women are extremely different from the Persian culture. These societies are from two different backgrounds, and the tribal emphasis on the way of life which plays out in Arabic societies does not coincide with the way of life in a Persian society.

The Persian culture, regardless of religious beliefs, has been a great supporter of equal rights, expression, and higher education amongst all citizens, especially women. As a Persian woman, I am extremely proud of my heritage and its accomplishments throughout history. Within my society and culture I have never felt or observed the various discriminations experienced in other Muslim societies…

Overall, I feel that if we are to change the way the modern world views Islam, as well informing the Muslim world regarding the notion of change and acceptance, we need to emphasize the role of culture in the subsequent interpretation of religion. In my opinion this notion is valid for all the major religions and beliefs.” - N. Fouladi

Irshad replies:I couldn’t agree with you more that a tribal mentality, stemming from the Arabian peninsula, has colonized many non-Arab cultures in the Muslim world. That’s exactly what I attempted to show in the documentary. The fact that I included footage of women being stoned in Iran is not an indictment of Persians but a comment about how tribal practices persist into the 21st century. In your haste to defend your particular culture, please don’t forget to defend the universality of human rights.

The one thing I did not show is that “all Muslims, regardless of origin and culture, behave and think the same.” Of course we don’t, and that’s proven by several characters in my film: Arwa, the Yemeni writer who refuses to wear the burqa; Jamilla, who lost her daughter in the Madrid train bombings and denounces Muslim terrorists unequivocally; Mansur Escuadero, head of the Spanish Islamic Commission, who issued a well-researched fatwa against al-Qaeda and – lest we forget – my own mother, who appears throughout the film as a woman of reason, compassion and brio. Hell, her spirited disagreements with me on various issues is evidence that all Muslims don’t think alike!

As Muslims, our problem is not a lack of diversity; it’s a lack of courage to demonstrate our diversity by using our minds freely and speaking truth to power - no matter who’s offended.

“I am a devout Muslim. And so are you. Your continued work is critical.” - Simin

Irshad and some of “the brothers” at the Houston, Texas screening of her PBS documentary, Faith Without Fear.

Your letters - posted May 1, 2007

Posted in Q & A on May 01, 2007

Posted May 1, 2007

Salaam all: I’m still digging out from the avalanche of emails you sent after the premiere of my film, Faith Without Fear. Here are a few your reactions, with many more to come…

“I am a Tunisian but had the chance to be in the States for a few weeks. And what a chance I had just to see your documentary this evening. I was about to go to bed just to wake up early for an exam tomorrow. I found myself stuck to your picture on the TV and could not resist getting out from bed to drop you these lines.

I never felt relieved as I am right now. I thought I was the only person in the world that wants to change the way Islam is being instructed and followed nowadays. In Tunis we have moderate Islam, but the extremism is gaining space and that is what worries me the most. I just wish to have you travel all around the Arabic Muslim countries and debate their way of adopting Islam. I cannot imagine how someone living in the 21st century adopts the 7th century standards.

There should be someone to bring the bright and warm side of Islam to the world. I support all your journeys and paths to reach your and our goal. With your help and the presence of other women, we can contribute to the rescue of our nations to live a good life, not keep waiting for the next life. Thanks for what you are to all of us.” - Nebil

“I am very concerned about the views you project about hijab in your documentary. As a woman who insisted on being an engineer and also insisted on wearing hijab, I have difficulties with women who fight for ‘women’s rights.’ I feel that no one actually fights for a woman’s right to wear hijab.

I have an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering and am pursuing my Masters in Software Engineering as well as working full time as a System Analyst in a Fortune 500 company, all while wearing my hijab. It has not confined me at all. Your film gives the impression that women who wear hijab are weak and oppressed. There is nothing weak about wearing hijab when all odds are against us. I would suggest you speak about women’s rights being violated by secular governments in Turkey and Tunis and France, where women are denied their education simply because they choose to wear hijab.

I am honestly offended by your program and felt the urge to write you something and extend dialogue. You do agree that being rigid doesn’t help anyone, and I recommend taking your own advice and looking at these topics from different angles.” - Efdal

Irshad replies: In your defensiveness, Efdal, you’ve missed a crucial distinction. It’s not that I oppose the right of Muslim women to choose hijab - choice, born of free will, is a beautiful thing. What I oppose is lack of choice, which is clear when hijab is imposed on women. And that’s the case in places like Yemen, which I documented in “Faith Without Fear.” One of the characters, Arwa, chooses not to cover like all the other women. Yet every day she faces harassment, even physical threat, for making that choice.

It’s because I’m pro-choice that I’ve spoken up for the right of Muslim women in Turkey to wear hijab if they wish to. As for France, Muslim women can still wear hijab in universities and private academies. The only places of education in which they can’t is state-funded high schools. When Muslim women in France were polled about this policy, a majority of them said they supported it as a way of helping their daughters make informed choices later in life. Once again, what mattered to these Muslim women was that the hijab be an informed option, not a blind obligation.

So here’s the question I’ll leave you with: With all of your privilege as a Fortune 500 employee, why aren’t you using your voice to condemn violence against Muslim women in Yemen who make personal decisions about hijab - the very violence you won’t face in America for making your own decisions about it?

“I was raised in America in a Christian family but took my Shahada [recitation of belief in one God and the Prophet Mohammad as his final messenger] in 1992. I found the beauty and truth of Islam first in my readings of the Quran and some Hadith, and gratefully remained fairly ignorant of the goings-on of the Muslim community for the first few months.

As I became more entrenched in local Islamic community activities, I struggled to keep my balance and not allow the extreme viewpoints of some to overwhelm me. From 1992 until 2000, I did my best to observe the rituals of daily life. I wore a hijab (never wanted to get near the niqab) out in public and at work, and did my best to keep 5 daily prayers. I look back now and know that my 8-year experiment allowed me to see where my faith is and is not.

I identified with your documentary in so many ways, especially your discussion with your mother about inner prayers as opposed to the ritual prayers. I have had the same discussion numerous times with my daughter. She has learned the ‘rules’ from her father, and she insists on asking me all the time why I don’t ‘pray.’ I tell her the same thing you told your mother. And I feel confident in my views because after 8 years of reciting words in a foreign language and bowing and prostrating in ritual sequence, I can tell you my only closeness to God came from my knowing that I was trying to do what was right. When I gave myself permission to do what I felt was right without the imposition of somebody else’s rituals, I finally found a true, unshakable relationship with my creator.

I am inspired by your ability to debate with the very persuasive fundamentalist leaders around the world. You speak powerfully and uninhibited. It makes my heart burst with excitement, and happy to find a leader emerging who has the ability to cut through the ‘crap.’ I can see your message as a brilliant divine light shining into the dark corners of the Islamic nations.

May Allah help us to help those that have lost their way in the darkness. I only hope that I have the courage to take action when I recognize the opportunity. The time has come for peace in our generation and our children’s, and I thank you for your contribution from the bottom of my heart.” - R.L. Zayed

Irshad replies: As my own mother told me, “You go, girl!”

“One thing disgusted me in your documentary, and it was the treatment that you and your mother received when she visited her local mosque to talk about her faith. The danger you face to engage in Islamic debate is mind boggling, and your contributions should be appreciated.

But I am sometimes led to believe that your engagement in the debate seems an angry reaction to the ignorance and hypocrisy of the religious establishment (which I sometimes fall into), rather than a sober-headed attempt to reform Islam through Ijtihad.

Although I consider your views in the larger Islamic debate nowadays to be at the other extreme end of the spectrum, I find it valuable nonetheless. You stir more debate.” - Ahmad Saeed

Irshad replies: Uhhh, Ahmad, what’s wrong with reacting angrily to the ignorance and hypocrisy of the religion establishment? Shouldn’t more Muslims be angry about the narrow-mindedness of the guys who run our mosques and run down the dignity of women worshippers? I’m not saying we should attack these guys with baseball bats; just confront them with our consciences. Sorry if that’s not sober-headed enough for you. Sobriety is no antidote to those who are drunk on their own power.

“I am a child and family counsellor. What I have learned in my years of knowing people of many religions is that the inherent power of women, which is so pivotal to the viability of any community, can threaten and intimidate some men. I feel the issue has less to do with religious beliefs and more to do with power struggles within a community suffering from low self-image.

In certain cultures which have been colonized, or have not been allowed to attain intellectual independence by forces from within, there is a need to control and suppress the sexual and intellectual power of their women to avoid further humiliation. Thanks to the generations of self loathing, these men, in despising and abusing their women, also despise themselves because they ultimately owe their existence to a woman.

I am a mother of grown children about your age and like your mom, I ask you to be very careful for your safety. We need you to continue questioning and challenging.” - Anne

Your letters - posted April 10, 2007

Posted in Q & A on Apr 10, 2007

Posted April 10 2007

Faith without Fear follows my journey around the world to reconcile Islam and freedom.

—

Premieres in the US on PBS, Thursday, April 19,
9PM Eastern. (Double-check your local listings.)

Airs in Canada on Global, Saturday, April 21,
8PM Eastern. (Double-check your local listings.)

— 

Learn more about Faith Without Fear.

View a clip of Faith Without Fear.

Trivia: Here’s the “Irshad Manji - Devil in Disguise” pamphlet handed out by a protester in the film.  irshad-manji-devil-in-disguise.jpg

—

Sample of film reviews & media coverage

60 Minutes’ Lesley Stahl screens film with Irshad at NYU:
Podcast | Article

“Wonderful documentary”: Voices Unabridged - E-zine about Women and Human Rights Worldwide

“I am biased against her”: Muslim-Canadian blogger

Leonard Lopate radio show - New York

Irshad debating in Detroit (aka the lion’s den) - YouTube
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
 

Irshad and her mom share a laugh at the Detroit public preview of Faith Without Fear. Editors: Click here to acquire photos from Getty Images.

Detroit Free Press

CBS Radio - Detroit

Paul Harris radio show - St. Louis

Seattle Times

Leslie Roberts radio show, CFRB, Toronto

National Post, Canada

CBC TV: The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos

St Louis Post Dispatch

CBC Radio - Sounds Like Canada

Irshad’s mother doing the Sounds Like Canada interview for CBC Radio

National Public Radio - Washington state

Robert Fulford’s column, National Post, Canada

The Toronto Star

Salon.com

The New Republic Online

Washington Post Online (Irshad’s Q & A with public)

Radio Canada International’s The Link

American Prospect Online

Popmatters.com

NOW Toronto

Slate Magazine

Boston Globe

Orlando Sentinel

Charles Adler Radio Show, Canada [part 1] [part 2]

Victoria Times-Colonist (Canada)

Faith Without Fear is part of the PBS series America at a Crossroads.

Irshad explains to CBS News how ijtihad (critical thinking) reformed a young terrorist – and what Project Ijtihad hopes to do with him now. Watch the video.

Your letters - posted March 29, 2007

Posted in Q & A on Mar 29, 2007

Posted March 29, 2007

Below is an interesting challenge from a Saudi woman who says that Islam can’t be reformed because it’s inherently problematic. But if a terrorist can be transformed by ijtihad, isn’t there hope for the majority of Muslims who aren’t violent? Read my exchange with the Saudi skeptic and decide for yourself.

“Irshad, let me start by saying I read your book more than once. I was born in Saudi Arabia, the heart of orthodox Islam. I know more than most about the religion. I had my independent readings as well and I read and educated myself about religion as a whole. I came a long way since then, as I acquired higher education in the West, took a medical degree, two postgraduate degrees and traveled a lot. I am now an American citizen.

Being a woman with two daughters did not help me much to sympathize with Islam. Of course I know about ijtihad, but I am not sure how far ijtihad can go to change the religion and make it different in a way that my mind can accept.

The Quran is full of many issues that cannot be modified or addressed in any other way. It states the inferiority of women and reflects the sixth century thinking in a non-biased way. It supports a culture that controls women and puts them down, way down. How can that be changed?

You will say that Islam was revolutionary in the seventh century, that it lifted women out of a worse situation. But I have discovered that Islam did not actually free women. In the fifth and sixth century, women had wide economic, social and sexual freedom. Women were acknowledged in poetry by name and they could marry several men simultaneously and choose who would be the father of the child. I am not talking about prostitutes. I am talking about women with tribal standing. Before Islam, women could trade, keep their money, and receive an inheritance that would be equal to, rather than half of what a man gets. Remember Khadija, the prophet’s first wife? Well, she was a woman born into what Islam calls “jahilliya” or “age of darkness.” But she made a fortune for herself during that time. I wonder which one was the age of darkness?

Muslims always say it was not the religion but the way it was used and abused. Guess what? If religion did not allow it by having tools within the system itself that could be used and abused, then people would not able to do so.

All in all, Irshad, you are trying to fix something that is unfixable. I tried for many years to fix it because I wanted so much to unify my many parts and rest my conflicts. I am a very stubborn person and I usually fight for a long time before letting go of anything I believe in, but with this one I truly failed. I respect you for trying to see the light. I hope we can both see it one day.” - May

Irshad replies: May, I can hear your frustration. Many a morning I wake up feeling it too. But I also feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude that you and I live in a part of the world where we can imagine real change, educate ourselves about how change has happened in history, and then go for it in our own time.

I’m enough of a historian to know that dissidents within Christianity were told (mostly by the Roman Catholic Church) that their religion is immovable. What if they had listened to the status quo apologists who urged them to give up? Would Wycliffe and Huss have ever set the stage for Luther to spark the Reformation - a reformation that, for all its bloody flaws and unfinished business, nonetheless created a “priesthood of believers” and thereby stripped the Catholic Church of its monopoly on truth?

Fast forward to the days of American slavery, when Christians far and wide uncritically read the Bible to support slavery. People of faith who interpreted the Bible as a call for the unconditional end to slavery were often mocked. Take William Lloyd Garrison, the late 19th-century abolitionist whose newspaper, the Liberator, never had a circulation of more than 3,000. His detractors labeled him a dreamer, a radical, an unholy antagonist. Yet Garrison held fast to his conscience, making the following statement:

“I am aware that many will object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh as truth and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think or speak or write with moderation. No! No! Tell a man whose house is on fire to give a moderate alarm. Tell him to moderately rescue his wife… Tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen. But do not urge me to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest – I will not equivocate – I will not excuse – I will not retreat a single inch. And I will be heard. The apathy of the people is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal, and to hasten the resurrection of the dead.”

Hell, Martin Luther King Jr. took heat from Black clergy who accused him of creating “needless tension”, and Lillian Smith, an outspoken opponent of racial segregation, had to be smuggled onto university campuses because her fellow white liberals found her too extreme in the cause of human rights.

Yet in each case, the champions of change prevailed.

May, believe me when I say that I’m not acting from innocent faith alone. I’m also acting from a knowledge of how social change frequently happens. In the middle of change, we sometimes don’t notice what’s actually shifting. It feels as though the status quo is calcifying and that we’re headed for failure. Only after the change comes into focus do we absorb the fact that a process unfolded to get us there.

It’s possible that this is what’s taking place in Islam today. Reform-minded Muslims don’t yet have a movement, but we do have momentum. That’s evident in the evolution of the emails that I’ve received over the past three years. In addition to reading my book, may I humbly recommend that you review the letters archive on this website?

Momentum also shines through in the fact that reform-minded Muslims are now getting together openly, which shows other reform-minded Muslims that they’re not alone. One such group is the Democratic Muslims of Denmark, which recently organized ground-breaking gatherings about secularism and freedom of expression. The Project Ijtihad website, now under construction, will post video clips from these conferences.

Finally, we’re headed in the right direction when angry young terrorists such as Hassan Butt can be transformed and ultimately reformed by the concept of ijtihad. Watch the story of Hassan’s violent past. Then listen to my interview with 60 Minutes about what Project Ijtihad plans to do with Hassan as a way of introducing Muslims everywhere to a brighter future.

Until more experimenting is done with the delicious and deliberate ambiguities in the Quran, it’s premature to conclude that Muslims are beyond reform. I’ll continue pushing the rock up that hill because, as Martin Luther King Jr. said, “I must confess I am not afraid of the word tension. I have earnestly opposed violent tension but there is a type of constructive non-violent tension that is necessary for growth.” Without agitation, there is no tension – and no growth. If causing tension is the miniscule contribution I make to restoring reason and humanity to Islam, may God be pleased with me.

Your letters - posted March 21, 2007

Posted in Q & A on Mar 21, 2007

 

With students at University of California, Santa Barbara

Posted March 21, 2007

People: Before we get to this week’s Q & A, notice that I’ve re-organized some content on the site so that it’s more user friendly. The new section called “Got a Question?” offers instant support to students, queer Muslims, and Muslim/non-Muslim couples. I’ll keep adding to this section as your emails identify your needs and priorities. Enjoy the new resources. Now back to our regularly scheduled dialogue…

The challenges I love most are those that come from fans of my book. Yes, even fans dissent with me! Being clever (which I adore), they take my words and turn them against my arguments. So it is with the young woman whose letter you’re about to read…

“I am 20 years old, living in Morocco. I have read your book in French, Musulmane Mais Libre [Muslim But Free] and it was a chef d’oeuvre [masterpiece]. I cheer. You tell us that we do not have to believe in something without reflecting on it first and without exercising critical thinking. That is what I did when I read your book.

So I would like to say something without making you upset, please. What you say about the USA, I think you exaggerate. If I have understood what you mean, you were saying that Bush’s United States has not done a lot of mistakes. I am especially referring to your statement “il est possible que les americains aient besoin de notre aide pour exprimer leur glorieu potentiel d’humanistes.” [”It may be that Americans need our help to express their glorious humanitarian potential.”]

The USA is not humanitarian at all. The government has not done anything to stop the downsizing of the corporations. I mean, when I hear Nike, for example, exploiting children and earning a lot of money, I think that if the States were reaallllllyyyy humanitarian as you say, they would do something to stop that!!! Moreover, is it humanitarian to turn down Kyoto because some people do not want to save our shared planet?

I am open to your criticisms of what I am saying, and I know you will not hesitate. What I am trying to do here is learn more and more so we have an Islam where everyone can live without problems.” - Zineb

Irshad replies: Merci bien for your passionate message, Zineb. I’m thrilled that you don’t accept everything I wrote; it shows that you have a mind of your own and I respect that about you.

You’re right that I won’t hesitate to challenge much of what you’ve said. For starters, I do criticize America, especially in Chapter 5 of my book. Nowhere do I imply that the U.S. is perfect. That’s why I talk about its humanitarian “potential.” You focus on the word “humanitarian,” but equally important is the word “potential” - by which I mean a capacity that has not yet been realized.

At the same time, humanitarianism does exist in the USA. An American can denounce her country — and her president — with the most vicious, hateful statements and she won’t be thrown in jail or have her tongue chopped off for doing so. In my book, I give the example of Jello Biafra, lead singer of the 1980s punk band The Dead Kennedys. After 9/11, he toured North America and mocked President George W. Bush. He was never “cautioned” by the FBI, CIA or anybody else to stop.

Similarly, the American press is constantly pointing out the faults of American corporations and governmental institutions — from the refusal of the White House to participate in the International Criminal Court, to its dissing of the Kyoto Protocol, to sweatshops operated by Nike and many other (non-American) multi-nationals. In highlighting this fact, I’m actually emphasizing two things: first, for all the hypocrisy of America, freedom of expression still lives; and second, that thanks to freedom of expression, everybody knows America is far from perfect.

But maybe the most important point is that ordinary Muslims in America are treated far better than average Muslims in Islamic countries. In fact, in the last 100 years alone, more Muslims have been tortured and murdered at the hands of other Muslims than at the hands of any foreign imperial power. I document this fact in my book.

My bottom line is this: instead of trying to identify the “perfect” society, let’s accept that none of us is perfect and then engage in self-criticism to begin cleaning our own houses — be they White Houses or mosques. Thousands of American journalists, and millions of American citizens, are exercising self-criticism every day, which is why the US is so deeply polarized right now. Can we truly say that millions of people in the Middle East are openly engaging in self-criticism? Of course not. And that’s an act of betrayal to ourselves as well as to Allah, because as the Quran tells us: “God does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves” (13:11).

Americans are well on their way to doing this. When will non-Americans, especially those in the Muslim world, do the same? With you as a leader of young Moroccans, Zineb, I’m optimistic about the future.

Your letters - posted March 12, 2007

Posted in Q & A on Mar 12, 2007

 

Irshad and Muntasir, fellow Muslim, at Secular Islam Summit

Irshad defending faith at Secular Islam Summit

Posted March 12, 2007

Friends and foes: I recently spoke at the Secular Islam Summit, as many of you know. To watch my speech, click here. Many of you didn’t realize I’d be delivering a pro-faith, pro-Islam message. You blasted me for attending, on the assumption that secularism means atheism or that people who are hostile to Islam should not be engaged with.

I respectfully challenge both assumptions. On the popular Muslim blog eteraz.org, I explain why I went. Click here to read my explanation and participate in the debate.

So why have I not endorsed the St. Petersburg Declaration, the manifesto that came out of this summit? Below is my statement on behalf of Project Ijtihad, the network of reform-minded Muslims that I represented at the summit. This statement is also signed by Raquel Evita Saraswati, vice-president of Project Ijtihad…

—

Project Ijtihad Statement Regarding the Manifesto of the Secular Islam Summit

The Manifesto of the Secular Islam Summit (known as the St. Petersburg Declaration) calls for some things that are necessary and completely compatible with Islam: separation of mosque and state, protection of universal human rights, and the promotion of intellectual diversity.

But in order to be a unifying, effective call to action, the Declaration must include, unapologetically, the voices of faithful Muslims. As Irshad Manji said at the end of her address, ‘this summit cannot be used to alienate people of faith who are on the side of secularism. The question is, how will we ensure that we are on their side?’

In our view, the summit Declaration fails to meet this challenge. It should clarify that secular Muslims are not necessarily atheists or people who have renounced the faith; rather, secular Muslims believe in separating clerics and politics, and this isn’t any less loving of Allah, respectful of the Prophet Muhammad, or appreciative of the Quran.

Our offer to amend the Declaration met with silence. However, Summit organizers have told us that the Declaration could evolve in the coming months. To that end, we propose the following statement be added:

‘Practicing Muslims are an integral and valuable part of the global community, as well as essential to any movement for secular, faith-respecting states that work toward universal human rights. We acknowledge the peaceful observance of Islam to be a legitimate choice for many. We stand by those who embrace an Islam that defends critical thinking, empathy, justice, and non-violence. They are our allies, and we are theirs.’

Irshad Manji
Founder and President, Project Ijtihad

Raquel Evita Saraswati
Vice-President, Project Ijtihad

Your letters - posted February 14, 2007

Posted in Q & A on Feb 14, 2007

 

Little Irshad plays the bride in Kampala, Uganda

Posted February 14, 2007

The Muslim Refusenik Valentine’s series just wouldn’t be complete without a sample of the marriage proposals I’ve been getting lately. To those whom I reject: Please know I’m truly flattered by your attention.

And to those who write to emphasize that they’d never, EVER, marry me: Please know I’m truly flattered by your attention.

I begin this update with emails from fans who regard me as the bride of choice. I end with foes who consider me the bride of Frankenstein. But the final email fits neither category. Sometimes the heart has a logic of its own…

“You are very courage NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. I love freedom, can I ask you: I love to marry you. And I am very sincere. Please answer me. Plus I find you very attractive for me as a man, then let’s have babies in Canada.” - Ali, Montreal

Irshad replies: Thanks so much for your kind words about my courage, Ali. I must say that you, yourself, are a brave soul for proposing marriage to me. I receive far more death threats than marriage proposals! In light of the fact that I could be killed anytime, I don’t think it would be responsible for me to bring children into this world. Children need a stable home life. I can’t provide that. So I sincerely suggest you find another nice girl with whom to have babies in Canada.

“I would like to 2 tell U that U are a beautiful lady, gorgeous n intelligent wiv the right curves. U look scintillating wiv ur hair. U married? Got kids? Til I hear from U?” - Dr. Ariganjoye, Lagos State, Nigeria

Irshad replies: My mother always wanted me to marry a doctor. Hmmm….

“Why not just convert to Christianity? That way I could marry you.” - Jay

Irshad replies: Better still, let’s both convert to Buddhism and have no attachment to each other! (I wasn’t impressed with your proposal, Jay, so I feel no bond. Good-bye.)

“Will you marry me?… I just want to let you know I admire you, especially the fact that you aren’t afraid to say exactly what you’re thinking, yet at the same time be tactful and intelligent. I endeavour to be more like you in that respect. I haven’t read your book, but I used to watch your program, Big Ideas, when you were still the host and tonight I caught most of your interview on CNN about the state of Islam in the world today. I’m a Bahai, so we don’t share the same religion, but for what it’s worth I consider you as an ally and a sister because we seem to be fighting for the same things.” - Kazim

Irshad replies: You haven’t yet read my book? How, then, do you expect me to marry you?? If you have an iPOD or MP3 player and would like to hear the book being read in my own voice (consider it pillow talk, big boy), you can purchase the audio files from my online store. Hope you’ll listen and get back to me with a more compelling proposal. Take a tip from the next guy…

“I’m a college student at Rutgers. I loved your booked. Finished it in 5 days. The only book I’ve ever finished in less time is Freakonomics (but don’t feel bad, I’m an economics nut…) I just had one moment of dissent. Towards the end, you grouped Malcolm X with the Dalai Lama, Martin Luther King Jr. and Desmond Tutu. I don’t think Malcolm X belongs in that group. The other three espoused peaceful means of protest and promoted compassion and unity among all people. Malcolm X, however, was the poster-boy for segregation through his insistence on black pride and other forms of nationalism that did little to bring unity between blacks and whites. But I loved the rest of the book. Oh, and I love your hair and your Canadian accent. I’ve also decided that if I ever meet a girl who can write as well as you, I’m marrying her.” - Sri

Irshad replies: Point taken about Malcolm. But after completing the Hajj, Malcolm claimed to have undergone a personal transformation in favour [notice the Canadian spelling] of love, compassion and humanity. His public renunciation of previous inflammatory positions suggests some sincerity on his part. Regardless, I dig a boy who disagrees so respectfully with me. If you’re still single in 15 years, will you drop me another note?

 

Now for those who would never, ever marry me…

“Irshad, are you such a queer stupid piece of shit that doesn’t even know what sex you are? You are trash honey, due the right thing and kill yourself. Thanks.” - Abdul

Irshad replies: I’m killing myself laughing over your inability to spell a two-letter word: do. Please, Abdul, clarify my sexual orientation for me. Would you “due” me?

Abdul replies: “I wouldn’t let you near me you repulsive pile of zionist shit. Disgusting joo buttlicking lesbian whore. I just know you are hoping for more filth to write about muslims, you daughter of the dejal. Please be aware that your your time will come soon enough. Satan calls you dear.”

“God you are so ugly. Can you contact a plastic surgeon to see if he can help you.” - Daoud

Irshad replies: I prefer to be a modest Muslim girl and not obsess with my looks. However, I do have a doctor wanting to marry me (see three letters above). Mashallah, if he’s a plastic surgeon, the god of decadence will have answered your prayers! Keep your fingers, uh, crossed.

“First and foremost, the Ismaili are not Muslim, a sect with own brand of religion. So please do not call yourself a Muslim. You are a lesbian cheap whore who loves money. Your principles and views are hardly a prime example in any society. You are loved by the west only because of your views on Islam that earns you money. You along with others will follow the path of hell here and in hereafter.” - Mahmood

Irshad’s note to readers: Even though I’m not Ismaili, I refrained from replying to Mahmood. He wrote me again…

“Did you know in an interview Idi Amin was asked, why are you throwing the Ismaili Muslims fro Uganda, he replied who told you they are Muslim, he said they are the worst and misguided people on earth. Your friend Rushdie and Asra [Nomani] are no different. One has a harami child, I mean outside wedlock, and the other is harami himself. He is the result of many cultures. You must learn about Islam before you open your mouth.” - Mahmood

Irshad’s note to readers: Despite severe temptation to open my mouth, I still didn’t reply to Mahmood. And sure enough, he wrote me a third time…

“I have not read your book, in fact I will never read such trash written by your twisted mind. You are sick-minded, expert in distorting the facts and giving interpretations that suit you to make money. You are not a Muslim by any means and what’s more you have no idea about Islam, your book is proof of that. As far as sexual habits concern, I am not surprise. Your looks put people off sex for life. You are a cheap and nasty opportunists who loves money.” - Mahmood, London

Irshad finally replies: Let me get this straight, Mahmood. You say “I have not read your book” but then you say my “book is proof” that I “have no idea of Islam.” How would you know if you haven’t read it? Stop making this so easy for me, honey. As for my looks putting people off sex for life, you might be right. And I’m down with that: Celibacy ain’t no crime. But my platonic peeps can still have intellectual sex with me. Read the next letter…

“I have to contradict your letter writers. You are very cute (much better than pretty) if you don’t mind hearing it from a straight guy. It was cute that got me to stop skipping channels when I saw you on CSPAN, but it was YOU that got me to stay until the end of your speech and seek further information. Thank you for being you.” - Ben

Irshad replies: Awwwwww, Benny…

Ben sends a PS: “My mother, when she would see a very handsome gay guy, used to let out a long sight and say ‘Oh, such a waste…!’ I’m afraid I did the same thing.”

Irshad replies: My own mother likes to say to me, “Allah meant to make you a boy. But He changed His mind at the last minute and forgot a few things.” She thinks that’s funny. I’ll stick with your comment about being cute.

Your letters - posted February 7, 2007

Posted in Q & A on Feb 07, 2007

 

Irshad’s little sis marries a non-Muslim guy.
(Relax, mom. He’s a doctor.)

Posted February 7, 2007

Welcome to part two of my series revolving around Valentine’s Day. Are you a non-Muslim desperately in love with a Muslim? Is the Muslim about to bail because she or he believes that Islam prohibits inter-faith marriage?

Judging by the number of letters I’ve gotten over the past year, it looks like a lot of you are in this situation. But buck up: the Muslim Refusenik is here to help.

Actually, Dr. Khaleel Mohammed is here to help. He’s a professor of Islam at San Diego State U and an imam who’s studied at traditional universities in Saudi Arabia (for the Sunnis) and Syria (for the Shias). Read his defense of inter-faith marriage from an Islamic perspective, available in English and in French. It truly has the potential to save lives and loves.

Now to your anguish…

“I am a 28-year-old agnostic high school teacher who works with at-risk students. My girlfriend is Muslim and her father has told her that she can no longer see me. Yet she still lives with me (basically) and just lies. It seems that her brothers also lie to their father. I was raised by Catholics and while they lie, they seem to stop this when they get older. They tell their moms and dads what’s going on. Not so with the Muslims I meet. They drink, party, have sex, but keep it under the covers, so to speak.

My girlfriend is supposed to be going to Egypt soon to ‘find a husband’ as her father would say, and she accepts this at face value. I am not sure if she will ever change. Her father says they are direct descendents of the Prophet and has the family tree to prove it. So they are held to a higher standard. Help?” - Dominic

Irshad replies: You might remind your girlfriend’s parents that one of the Prophet’s own wives was a Jew. But that’s not my only response. Read on…

“I am a Catholic Italian American. I met a beautiful Arab princess last year. Her name is Gehan. I asked her to marry me some months ago and she said yes. Her father became outraged, put a gun to her head, and threatened to kill her for accepting my proposal. I am a good person and lead a clean life. I love her and respect her heritage. I want her family to judge me by my integrity and character, not by the fact that I am not Arab/Muslim. I have no intention of trying to shove Catholicism down her throat after marriage. I believe we all worship the same God, Muslims and Christians alike. Any advice from you would be greatly appreciated.” - Joe

Irshad replies: Joe, I have the same advice for you as I do for the guy before you and the guy after you. Keep reading - and know that you’re not alone…

“I’m really heart-broken right now because the love of my life, Salima, happens to be Muslim and her family arranged for her to marry someone else. They were extremely disappointed with her because I’m a Christian and, well, I’m not appropriate for her. It’s ‘haram’ [forbidden]. We were together for a while and really loved each other. Then when I came back to the States her family made her cut ties with me and write me emails telling me I was a mistake and all kinds of lies she admitted later when she called me. Now she’s marrying someone else and I just wanna know why Islam doesn’t allow her to be with me. Why can’t a Christian marry a Muslim? I just feel a lot of resentment towards Islam and I figured you might be able to help me.” - C from Dallas

Irshad replies: Brother C, Islam DOES allow inter-faith marriages. Read this, and feel free to send it to your former girlfriend’s family so they know that their bigotry is exactly that: bigotry, not faith. You probably won’t win Salima back, which sucks supremely. But at least you’ll know what to give the parents of the next Muslim woman you get involved with. Forget a dowry. Give them this document.

“I am in love with a Muslim woman. With our personalities, our love, our friendship and our outlook on life, we are made for each other. Each of us have a different religion, and we do not mind. We will not push the other to convert. The only problem is that her parents may fall into the typical culturally biased opinion of it being wrong. Otherwise her parents love me and would want for us to be married. If we have ‘proof’ that this marriage is ok according to a scholar, then we might win their support.” - Scott

Irshad replies: Here’s your proof, Scott. Don’t forget to send me a wedding photo. And, in any moments of marital despair due to differing religions, take inspiration from the next guy…

“I have been married for 50 years to a Protestant whereas I grew up a Catholic. We have found a natural way of accepting each other’s values and live according to common sense principles of human existence, including accepting our society as it is and not as we would like it to be. We pray words of thanks before meals and before we go to sleep, although neither of us goes to church.

If only the ultra-conservative religious leaders were so enlightened as to accept common sense human desire to be a friend to all fellow citizens. Then they themselves would find a new world full of love. To those of you spilling your vicious diatribes of hatred: Get a life!”

Irshad replies: Or get a wife – and love her for who she is, not for the God (or gods) she fears.

“Eight years ago I met the man of my dreams. We fell in love and began an incredible honest and mature relationship that both our families and friends knew about it. I am Sikh, he is Muslim. We began dating with the ultimate goal of getting married and quite often discussed the issue of our different faiths but were honest with each other from the beginning. I told him I would not be able to convert to marry him but I respected his religion and his values so much that I would have no problem with our children being raised Muslim. And he was ok with that too, saying he would never ask me to convert because all that mattered to him was that I believed in God.

But as we both got older his views changed to the point that he said we could not get married unless I became a true, practising Muslim because he was afraid it would be confusing for our children and that he would be going against God. I told him I respected him, I respected his religion, and I wanted our children to be Muslim, but that I needed to maintain my faith in order to maintain my identity. However, I would support him and support his religion in our life every day and would study his religion to better understand it so I could help him in teaching our children. We agonized over this situation for the past two and a half years and were never able to reach a compromise. We broke up less than two months ago and now he plans to marry a Muslim girl, simply because she is Muslim.

Irshad, do you have any information, anything at all that would help us and our situation. I do not believe marrying someone you love is going against God. I understand I am not Muslim, but I truly feel the my morals and values are the same as a Muslim’s. I truly respect Islam because it is a huge part of why I love this man.” - DS

Irshad replies: Sis, it’s at times like these that organized religion breaks my heart. Why do people choose a set of external rules over authentic, organic love? You answered my question, at least in part, when you wrote of your boyfriend that “he was was afraid…” Fear does, indeed, mangle our innate humanity. All the more reason that I’m grateful to Imam Khaleel Mohammed for sticking his neck out and writing this defense of inter-faith marriage from an Islamic perspective. That might just be the information you need to “help us and our situation.”

But wait, many Muslims will now say that Imam K’s argument applies only to the “People of the Book” as defined by the Quran. Not quite, I say. Islam’s holy book tells us that anybody – anybody – who believes in one God and the last day has nothing to fear or regret. Surely Sikhs are among them. They believe in only one God. As expressed in the Japji Sahib, a hymn that contains the essence of Sikhism, “There is Only One God, Truth is His Name, He is the Creator, Protector, Without Fear, No Enmity, The First Entity, Without Incarnations, Self-perpetuating; With the Guru’s grace: Recite!”

So, sister, you’ve got a good case here. Get your man back with this information. I’d like to think he’ll be relieved. But if he refuses the information because labels mean more than love, then thank the one God that you didn’t have children with the dude. Let me know how it works out.

“I’m a 19-year-old Moroccan Jew who’s been involved with an Afghan Muslim guy for the past two years. It’s hard having my parents, who only want me dating/being with a Jew, while my boyfriend’s family are into the whole arranged marriage thing. You’d think that being in such a diverse city like Toronto, they’d ALL loosen up a bit.” - Ashley

Irshad replies: Girl, I don’t know what to do about your own parents. But ever considered giving your boyfriend’s parents Imam K’s defense of inter-faith marriage?

Ashley replies: I just finished reading what the imam wrote. I would show it to my boyfriend’s parents, but they can’t stand me. My boyfriend’s father won’t even look at me. I try to say hi, but he’ll just turn his head. His mother, she’s okay with me. But that’s only because (like my boyfriend’s sister told her) “she has no choice.” It’s really irritating when you get two families hating each other.

My boyfriend and I were thinking about how our wedding would be if we actually DID go that far… It was so sketchy! First of all, where would it take place? A mosque? Or a synagogue? I told him we should just do it in a church. Then no one would get their way and there’s no conflict! Haha.

You should really write a book on this topic. I know MANY friends of mine are in the same situation. Think about it. =)

Irshad replies: Don’t know that there’s an entire book in all of this, Ashley, but there are definitely more angles to explore. Stay tuned.

Your letters - posted January 22, 2007

Posted in Q & A on Jan 22, 2007

Posted January 22, 2007

Friends and foes: Valentine’s Day is coming up and I’ll be devoting the next several updates to encouraging the celebration of love - particularly between Muslims and infidels.

Welcome to the first installment: emails from Muslims who’ve hooked up with non-Muslims.  Many are desperate to know if Islam allows inter-faith relationships. I’ve received so many e’s asking this q that I’ve had a progressive imam, Prof. Khaleel Mohammad, write a defense of inter-faith marriage — from an Islamic perspective. You can download his argument in English ou en Francais.  (Oui, nous sommes très bilingue.) 

If you’re a Muslim who wants to convince your parents that God loves love, present this document to them. Don’t tell them you got it off my site!  All they need to know is that it comes from a Muslim cleric. His name and credentials are in the doc. Now for some moon-struck Muslims…
“I am Indonesian muslim marrying jewish guy.  now have been living in USA for almost 5 yrs.  To my knowledge it is not allowable for muslim woman to marry different religion and also I do not think it is acceptable in muslim community.  what is your knowledge about the above matter?” - jazmine

Irshad replies: Frankly, Jaz, it doesn’t matter what I think.  It’s what your heart tells you that counts.  But if you’re serious about wanting knowledge, read Imam Khaleel Mohammad’s defense of interfaith marriage. He’s got the intellectual chops to bless you big-time.

“I am a progressive liberal Muslim American of Pakistani descent… Of particular interest to me are like-minded imams who will perform Islamic marriage ceremonies for Muslim women marrying non-Muslim men.  I know two of my sisters struggled to find such an imam when it came time to marry their ‘converted’ husbands.  I intend to marry a non-Muslim, non-’convert’ and would like my mother to have some type of ceremony that she can invite her fellow Muslim friends to, but that would not be intolerable to me. Do you have any leads on where this type of clergy might be found?” - Tayiba

Irshad replies: As it turns out, Imam Khaleel officiates inter-faith weddings whenever possible. Click here for his contact info. And don’t forget to send me a wedding photo!

“I am from a Muslim family but I am agnostic and in a relationship with a Muslim woman.  According to her, she is committing a sin being with me and cannot marry me. We are madly in love and want to spend the rest of our lives together.  But she is going to break up with me because she is afraid of making Allah unhappy. I am sure that I am not going to convert to Islam. I can understand her perspective.  What can we do to make this relationship work?  We cannot live without each other and we are both heart-broken.  Please help us.” - Ehsan

Irshad replies: Ok, first things first. You’ve got to give her Imam Khaleel’s document. Or read it to her.  Then she’ll know she’s not making Allah unhappy by marrying you.  Even though Imam K is talking about people of different faiths, the principles he enunciates apply to those who are agnostic as well. After all, to be agnostic doesn’t mean you don’t believe in God; it means you can’t prove (or disprove) that God exists. In that sense, we’re all agnostics. Which means we marry them, too.

“My girlfriend is a VERY faithful Christian.  The closer to her I grow, the more I realize that my parents would ultimately like to see me with a Muslim girl, not because they are any more intelligent, kind, warm… but merely because they possess the same religious credentials. I want to thank you for expressing so eloquently what very many young Muslims have been afraid to do. I also think it’s brilliant how you use direct quotes from the Qur’an, making your points all the more emphatic.  I sense a feeling of relief to know that it is not wrong to think with a liberal mind about Islam.” - Mohammad

Irshad replies: It is NEVER wrong to think, Moe. That’s the difference between faith and dogma.  Faith is secure enough to handle questions.  Faith doesn’t need to threatened by thought.  Dogma, on the other hand, does.

NEXT INSTALLMENT: Letters from non-Muslims who are head-over-heels in love with Muslims. But there’s trouble in paradise.  Why? Stay tuned…

Your letters - posted January 11, 2007

Posted in Q & A on Jan 11, 2007

Posted January 11, 2007

Never again?

Dear Friends and Foes: Mehdi Rafai is a young Muslim who has written to me on many occasions.  We don’t agree on every issue but we respect each other’s passion, faith and humanitarianism.

Mehdi’s latest message to me tackles Muslim complacency about the genocide in Darfur. He’s asked me to post a petition calling on more Muslims to speak up. How refreshing.

I’ve personally signed the petition and ask you to do the same. You don’t have to be Muslim to endorse and circulate this.  You just have to care.

God bless you, Mehdi.

—

PREAMBLE BY MEHDI RAFAI:

On December 21, 2006, TVO’s Steven Paikin interviewed Michael Petrou, senior writer at Maclean’s magazine and author of “Genocide in Slow Motion” on the conflict in Darfur and how it is spreading to Chad. Paikin asked, since the conflict is between Arab Muslims and African Muslims, what, if any, assistance had come from the Muslim world to help the situation in Darfur?

Petrou answered that although help was minimal from anywhere, the West was feeding the refugees, while the only help offered by Muslims was a huge, multi-story mosque paid for by Saudi Arabia in the middle of the poverty-stricken capital of Chad, Anjamina.

In response to this, I have written a petition asking that Muslim countries do more to help with Muslim-against-Muslim conflicts. Muslims seem quick to protest foreign injustices, perceived or real, but when our fellow Muslims are fighting amongst each other, we say nothing. I want to help change that.  Will you join me and Irshad in supporting the petition below?

PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINK:
http://www.petitiononline.com/msaimva2/petition.html

— 

Want more information about Darfur and Sudan?

The founder of Ijtihad Boston has written something you should read. Click here.

Pages (9): Previous 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 7 8 9 Next