Star Wars: An Islamic perspective The way “jedis” are taught to respect a greater power, fight for the defense of the innocent and bring peace and justice to their society, is also what Islam teaches all Muslims to strive for. By Irfan Rydhan, (from (altmuslim.com) Luke bin Anakin? As most “Star Wars” fans know, director George Lucas took spiritual elements, which are common in most major world religions to create his epic saga of good vs. evil. As a Muslim, I always thought of the “Jedi” as what a true follower of Islam should be like. Never mind the fact … Continue reading Star Wars: Is about Islam?

Muslim parents, have a little faith in music Saudi and Salafi-influenced parents who withdraw children from music lessons should value the unifying power of a good song Inayat Bunglawala guardian.co.uk, Friday 2 July 2010 10.00 BST Article history I adored my first hand-held transistor radio. It was 1981 and the regular Radio 1 playlist at the time included, from memory, Tainted Love by Soft Cell, Happy Birthday by Altered Images (featuring the very lovely Clare Grogan) and, erm, Wired for Sound by Cliff Richard. On Tuesdays at lunchtime, together with some school friends, we would listen to the countdown by … Continue reading Most Muslim parents like others just want to listen to Music

The Importance of Surah al-Ikhlas (Qur’an: ch. 112) Sheikh Salman al-Oadah The 112th chapter of the Qur’an is called al-Ikhlās, which literally means “sincerity” or “purity”. It is given this name since it affirms the purity of faith, uncorrupted by polytheism, and sincerity of worship to Allah alone without partner. It affirms in the most emphatic terms that Allah is One (al-Ahad), the only true God. It affirms that He is wholly Self-Subsisting (al-Samad), and negates any claim that He was born of another or that He has a child. It then concludes by affirming His absolute uniqueness. Allah’s names … Continue reading Surah al-Ikhlas

The Aetiology of American Islamophobia Afpakwar | By Arshad Zaman E PLURIBUS UNUM – The Motto Carried by the American Eagle. America subscribes to the ‘melting pot’ rather than the ‘mosaic’ model of unity—seeking unity from diversity (E pluribus unum: Out of many, one), rather than unity in diversity. Confronted by the ‘Other’ the American way is to absorb or to eliminate; living with diversity is not an option. Historically, race (Native, and African Americans) and ideology (communism) have raised the most profound anxieties among Americans. Muslims have come to be seen as being burdened by both. Until the October … Continue reading American Islamophobia

Eating in the dark by Amber Rahim Shamsi dawn.com Paper crinkles in the dark. One, two, three … a pile of sad, empty wrappers grows like something alive. Here’s a secret: I consume soft, chewy, buttery toffees by the dozen. Not everyday, but often enough. Late at night, when the children are asleep and the day is done, I throw caution and dental health to the wind. It is my secret shame, my loss of control. I realise that it is an uncivilised act, and yet it is oddly comforting. After all, we are told to eat our greens and … Continue reading Making Mullahs Happy – With Food 🙂

Israel’s gay propaganda war In portraying itself as the only gay-friendly country in a homophobic region the Israeli state reveals its own desperation Jasbir Puar guardian.co.uk, Thursday 1 July 2010 13.00 BST Article history Israel’s recent attack on a flotilla delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, killing at least nine people, suggests a growing indifference of the Israeli government to global condemnation of its Palestine policies. Yet at the same time Israel appears to be actively concerned to shape itself as a benign and even progressive democracy. Israel is invested in a large-scale, massively funded Brand Israel campaign, produced by the … Continue reading A Jew, an Arab, and a Homosexual walk into a bar…

Europe can’t afford to alienate Turkey European policy driving the geopolitically sensitive Turkey into the arms of Russia and Iran is ironic, absurd and shortsighted Joschka Fischer guardian.co.uk, Thursday 1 July 2010 17.00 BST Article history The Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stands with Vladimir Putin of Russia. Photograph: Umit Bektas/ReutersTurkey’s “no” last month (a vote cast together with Brazil) to the new sanctions against Iran approved in the United Nations security council dramatically reveals the full extent of the country’s estrangement from the west. Are we, as many commentators have argued, witnessing the consequences of the so-called “neo-Ottoman” … Continue reading Turkey – Time to ditch The EU and Join Russia and Iran?

HUM HINDUSTANI: Flavour of a film —J Sri Raman In the north, Raavan is evil incarnate, and his effigy is burnt during a festival every year. In Tamil Nadu, Raavanan is the anti-hero. Even worshippers of Ram have long seen him as a worthy adversary of the Lord The other day, half-jokingly, a friend asked, “Why don’t you write on the World Classical Tamil Conference? Your column lacks the southern flavour totally!” He had a point. But the subject he suggested still left me cold. A film I saw a couple of days back, however, helps me to put in … Continue reading Raavan

Spiritual malaria? by Nadeem F. Paracha A recent fatwa from a ‘Saudi Council of Muftis’ has this advice for fellow Muslims: Do not say [or write] ‘mosque.’ Always say ‘masjid’ because mosque may mean mosquito. Another myopic case of Saudi malaria perhaps? Certainly.  But that’s not all. The grand fatwa goes on to suggest that Muslims should not write ‘Mecca’ but Makkah, because Mecca may mean ‘house of wines.’  I am serious. But then so are the Muftis. They certainly need to get a life. But I’m not all that surprised by such fatwas that usually emanate from Saudi Arabia. … Continue reading Mullahquitos! Giving Spiritual malaria….

COMMENT: Religious authority and the nation state —Ahmad Ali Khalid It seems in Pakistan the religious hierarchy is dominated by conservatives and more alarmingly radicals, hence the crucial question is, do these clerics represent the wider religiosity of the Pakistani public? The nation state marks a paradigm shift for Muslim societies who have traditionally been ruled by sultanates, self-proclaimed caliphs and monarchs. The concept of the nation state, itself arguably born out of the experiences of the French and American Revolutions, which gave rise to the phenomenon of constitutionalism, codification of a positivist law and separation of powers, has presented … Continue reading Religious authority and the nation state