Sharia Is Neither Islamic, nor Canadian



While the proponents justify the Sharia Board in the name of equal opportunity for the Muslim community, the opponents regard such a move as being contrary to Canadian constitution and anticipate gross violations of Muslim women's right to custody, inheritance and post-divorce alimony.

Stop the Hate: Islamo-Fascism's Battle Against Moderate Muslims



That these hoodlums hiding behind the sullied cloak of pseudo-religiosity can denounce others as murtad (apostates) is bad enough; to add insult to injury they have gone that extra step by issuing death-threats as well.

Myth Over History: Jesus and the Development of Afterlife Beliefs in the Abrahamic Traditions



The unfortunate fact is that we are conditioned to think of religion in terms of orthodoxy, and thus we perceive a problem whenever we cannot find that orthodoxy. But the fact that the Qur'an asserts the identity of the messages of all prophets means that the Qur'an is not interested in asserting any kind of historical orthodoxy. Rather, the Qur'an is interested in asserting a continuity of the Judeo-Christian-Muslim traditions regardless of the lack of historical orthodoxy on afterlife.

New American Muslim Group on Policy Planning Formed, AMGPP Seeks Role in Public Diplomacy



AMGPP will work to bridge the three crucial gaps between the US and the Muslim World, the US policymaking and American Muslims, and between American Muslim interests and their capacity. In all cases the initiative will seek to educate, inform and advise without actually indulging in advocacy.

A New Year's Wish for 2005



The year 2004 is coming to a close, to fade into history. It is a time when many of us are prone to take stock and express our hopes and desires for the future.

Passing the Hat



Assalamu Alaykum Dear Readers, As we end the year, we come to you once again for your support. Next month, we'll be celebrating the two-year anniversary of MWU! In just two short years, you've made us the most popular Norh...

Masjid Taqwacore: Introducing the Kominas



Basim Usmani’s most recent trouble started when the singer of Riff Raff (“a bald fat kid with Henry Rollins complex” as Basim put it) jumped off the stage and started pushing people, microphone still in hand. Basim was right in front and when the kid pushed him, Basim pushed back.

Out of the Box in America: On the ‘Natalism’ Phenomenon



Natalism is about constructing an identity, one that privileges parenthood as the most elevated human activity.

For Saudi Women, Votes Are Keys to the Kingdom



Now that women and supporters of their enfranchisement have had to set their sights on the 2009 polls, it appears that once again the government has offered up women as the bargaining chips to assure ultraconservative clerics that their stranglehold on public mores remains complete.

Miss Overtly Charming Barza Muslim Sister



Was this an "arranged marriage?" Yes. This was an extra special arranged marriage. The bride and her network of American Muslim peers arranged it very carefully so that the groom and his family matched the exact socio-economic, religio-cultural arrangement of her first generation immigrant parents.

A 'Creative Actualization' of the Qur'an: Is It Possible?



Is the Qur'an amenable to “creative actualization” or re-interpretation? Which Muslims might feel free to embellish or re-write Qur’anic passages to better reflect their own struggle with text and tradition? Are there any historical antecedents for such practices?