‘What Do You Think You’re Fighting for?’ An Interview with Anwar Ibrahim



There is a pressing need for us to look closer at ourselves and ask how and why our societies and political systems could have allowed this to happen. For me the absence of democracy, transparency and dialogue within the Muslim world is one main reason.

Why America Needs Rumi



Perhaps it is somewhat surprising then that one of America’s most widely read and best selling poets has been a devout Muslim mystic born eight centuries ago in Afghanistan – Maulana Jelaluddin Rumi.

Asghar ‘Ali Engineer's Quest for an Islamic Theology of Peace and Religious Pluralism



Engineer’s creative approach to the Qur’an offers us an alternate way of imagining Islam and Islamic rules for relations between Muslims and others.

Dawn



Plumes of smoke and wisps of fire Rise from ashen domes and spires. When will this horrible civil war end? When will the wounds of history mend?

Wahhabism and the Illusion of a Golden Age



I had high expectations that Algar would blast away the clichés and superficialities and get to the essence of Wahhabism. Unfortunately, this was not the case. Although well written, the work suffers from several major flaws.

For The Mothers' Eyes Only



But you were in a hurry And they needed their martyr! And so I lost my sunshine

Globalizing Dissent: Arundhati Roy in Seattle



Praising the American people for coming out in protest to the Iraq war in huge numbers, Roy stressed the importance of confronting the threat of empire-building.

Omar Ahmed: Napster, Florida Pilots & The FBI



Then he whipped out a badge, identified himself as FBI and asked if he could talk to me. I asked why and he said it was based on an anonymous phone call. I was wondering who I pissed off enough to call the FBI.

Inner Stability that Accomodates Change: Towards Multiple Understandings of the Qur'an



Generally it is believed by many, if not all, Muslims that there is one authentic interpretation of the Qur'an. It is far from true.

Measuring Justice by One Yardstick: Muslims Should Hold Muslim Governments Accountable for Injustices



Even when one can not make a difference materially, it is still important to speak out against all atrocities. And it is more difficult—therefore, more important—to speak out against atrocities committed by one's own kind.

Writer Issues Call for 'Appropriate Actions' Against MWU!, Accuses Us of 'Sowing Terror'



The author begins his parade of lies with the claim that the Neocons have forged an alliance with "opportunists" calling themselves moderate, liberal, and progressive. So there you have it--if you consider yourself any of these, then watch out--you're in bed with the Neocons and you didn't even know it.

Pakistani Democracy: Between a Rock and a Hard Place



We are caught between those who while being committed to the democratic process are detrimental to it because of their corrupt ways and those who may offer clean governance but are dangerous because of their ideological intransigence.

Struggling, and Finding Compassion



Then, in what seemed like a determined effort to embarrass me, he said to no one in particular, “I remember him from when he was a young angry man, always talking about fighting. Now he talks about compassion.”

The Bizarro Umma



Welcome to the Bizarro Umma, where down is up, forward is backward, and wrong becomes right.

In the Name of God: An Open Letter to Muslim Extremists Who Kill in Our Name



It is very difficult for me to write this, but I am compelled to do so, because my conscience demands that I speak out. I despise silence more than I fear reprisals for holding the views that I do.

Mixed Prayer



Walking toward the stairway something caught my eye in the men’s section. I didn’t think much about what I’d seen until about half way up the stairs when it hit me—there was a woman sitting in the men’s section!

Stop Punishing the Innocent In Iraq: Free the Two Simonas!



By Naeem Mohaiemen "Ciao Naeem, Difficult days. My friend Simona was taken by the war. I was with her in Kosovo, I was with her in Iraq. I can't sleep anymore. Now the war has invaded my personal life....

Can You See My Voice? A 'Modest' Manifesto



Muslim women are being used, with or without their consent, to wage a resistance movement designed to use them as props in counteracting western colonialism.

September 6th Had Direct Bearing On September 11th: Breakfast at Lahore



By Seeme Gull Hasan To the chagrin of my husband, I always forget my wedding anniversary date. In fact, I have been known to mix it up with my engagement date. In this fumble of memories, there is one...

The Australian Embassy Bombing in Jakarta: "Friends" That Indonesia Doesn’t Need



The bombing of the Australian embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, has served yet another blow to a country that is already struggling as best as it can to recover from the economic and financial crises of 1997-98, and the aftermath of the Bali bombings a couple of years ago.

The Voice of God is Hamza Yusuf: The 2004 ISNA Convention



This year the ISNA people gave me complimentary registration and an invitation letter from Secretary General Sayyid M. Syeed. And my books now had smooth covers, perfect binding, bar codes and an ISBN number. So yeah, punk is dead.

"An Example to Live By": Asra Nomani at the ISNA Convention



As this petite, lovely woman spoke in a gentle and measured tone, I noticed how she kept her head held so high, so regal, as if she was aware of what was about to come.

Time for Muslim Organizations to Campaign for Women's Rights in Mosques



Islam is at a crossroads, much like the place where the Prophet Muhammad found himself when he was on the cusp of a new dawn with his migration to Medina from Mecca. Medina became “the City of Enlightenment” because of the wisdom with which the Prophet nurtured his community, or ummah. In much the same way, the Muslim world has the opportunity to rise to a place of deep and sincere enlightenment, inspired by the greatest teachings of Islam.

Counterfeit Cleric: Religion and Crime in Modern-Day Iran



Jaded and increasingly apathetic toward the Islamic Republic, many Iranians nowadays often find amusement sneakily mocking clerics on the streets of Tehran. Behind closed doors, Iranians have ridiculed mullahs and their triteness. With the release of The Lizard (Marmoulak), the subject is no longer private, breaking the long-established taboo of making fun of the Iranian religious authorities in public.

A Just Malaysia at Last? Anwar Release and Prime Minister's Moves Show Major Positive Shift



For a country where nothing much happens most of the time and the national pastime seems to be shopping and watching pirated DVDs, Malaysia is still capable of surprising some of us once in a while. This week – within a space of 48 hours – two startling things happened.

Even with a Kerry Victory, Progressives Need to Look Past November



No matter the outcome of the elections, there will be much work to be done—on that, all of us should agree.