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Your letters - posted June 4, 2007

Posted in Q & A on Jun 04, 2007

Posted June 4, 2007

A lot of you are asking where you can buy the DVD of my documentary film, Faith Without Fear. It’s now available at the PBS online shop. Just type “Faith Without Fear” in the search engine.

Thank you for the mounds of feedback about my film, not only through this site but also through myspace/irshadmanji. I’m posting a handful of myspace comments below. They come from students, teachers, Muslims and non-Muslims. Faith Without Fear has a universal message, and I’m thrilled that people are “getting” it. Now get the DVD!

“Salaams. Since watching your documentary, I have not been able to get much work done… spent much of my day reading, researching and finding out more about u and what your philosophy is… I am interested, confused and excited like so many others who I am sure you have influenced… Shukran for providing me with something new to sink my teeth into!” - Z

“I am an Egyptian Muslim, first generation, attending college for philosophy and religion, In Sha Allah to be a professor and educate mankind to about the truth of Islam.

It is good to see what your doing. You have a questioning mind. One of the problems with Islam is the people and their misinterpretation of the words of Allah. Unfortunately if a person does not seek answers within themselves and just copycat other Muslims, Islam will stop embracing and start separating one another. It is fear that has caused so much fabrication.

It is funny while watching you on TV, your mom uses the same metaphor my mom uses when it comes to praying: there are rules when worshipping, just like when driving. I answer as you do. Our mothers know our faith is strong. Allah is in my thoughts all day. There is a great peace in that and I hope others will see that. One day.
Muslims will fight us along the way. What helps me is that all the prophets have experienced grief and through the prophets we learn valuable lessons about how one should behave in such situations. Prophets were not perfect, Islam does not teach that they were. They were Human.

We need more people like you. I would love to collaborate on some ideas. May Allah Always protect you In Sha Allah.” - A. Shams

“I am a high school teacher in Louisiana. This year I have several Muslim immigrants in my classes. The Muslims that I have known in the past (on a personal level) have been agnostic or extremely liberal in their own beliefs and practices. The students that I teach have what I would consider a very conservative religious background. Seeing your documentary and subsequently reading your book has given me the insight needed to empathize with my students. Thank-you.” - Jessica

Irshad helps her girls find their voices,
Young Women’s Leadership Academy, Queens, NY

“Just saw your doc on PBS. Being gay and having grown up as an expat in the middle east - and knowing gay muslims - you are a welcome voice!! xoxo” - anonymous

“I normally don’t sit down to watch PBS, especially on a Friday night, lol, but thank goodness I did because omg, I fell in love with u & ur ideas. Particularly the part where u said to a class ‘if the unexamined faith remains unexamined, was it ever worth having?’ That did it for me, like ‘whoa I’ve gotta new best friend!’

I don’t like to define myself as Christian because I no longer wanna clump myself in a select group somehow separate & apart from another… To kinda paraphrase Bruce Lee, ‘I don’t believe in styles anymore… if u don’t have styles then u just say, here I am as an individual.’ Stay strong because you’re a big inspiration.” - Drexel U student

“Very uplifting movie. I’m mexican, 24 yrs old. I’ve never been so ‘up-front’ and ‘interested’ in anything more than Islamic fundamentalism. It is no different than previous religious crusades, in that they have all been man-powered. Muslims have a great deal of good to offer. Your doc showed bitz on how much they offered, especially with the whole Ijtihad piece; so colorful, so vibrant. This coming century-and-on, Islam (the peaceful one) should give the world more of its beauty and bright ideas, as it had done in the past with Ijtihadic reasoning.” - Hopeful

“I wish I could say that the documentary made me optimistic about Ijtihad; unfortunately it just underscored how skewed people can make religion. Not just Muslims or the Koran; Christians can and do interpret the Bible incorrectly as well. The extra frightening thing about the violence of extremists is how martyrdom is a thing to aspire to, an honor. You touched on that. I think it is key to the problem and I don’t think even the people who want peace know how to get around that passion. It is depressing to even think about. Stay safe.” - anonymous

“Your message really resonates with me. I have recently been studying a new I Ching book and it has been enlightening me about the role of guilt and fear in keeping us trapped in the collective ego which runs through all aspects of our lives, including our religions. The collective ego has no life of its own and needs to feed off our true selves… In Faith Without Fear, I could see that the people around you were themselves trapped in rigid thinking by guilt and fear and that you were bravely staying true to your own conscience. I just wanted to say RIGHT ON! And I love the concept of Ijtihad!” - Jonathan

Muslim student Amber teaches Irshad a hint of hood, yo, at Simmons College in Boston