Lego (about which I occasionally blog lovingly) has been accused of racism for alleged similarities between its Jabba the Hut lair set and famous Turkish mosques. Lego Accused Of Racism Amid Claims Jabba's Palace Resembles Istanbul's Hagia Sophia Mosque (HuffPo):  A Turkish community in Austria has accused Lego of racism amid claims a model from its Star Wars range resembles a renowned mosque. The model in question is Jabba’s Palace – a dome topped structure housing the … [Read more...]

There's an unexpected signed op-ed in The Gray Lady defending hijab. Indian Muslim woman's rights activist, Ayesha Nusrat reflects on the benefits off wearing hijab, two months after adopting it, in "The Freedom of the Hijab." I respect hijab, but don't consider it fard (obligatory) today. Nusrat makes some profound points: In a society that embraces uncovering, how can it be oppressive if I decided to cover up? I see hijab as the freedom to regard my body as my own concern and as a way … [Read more...]

I just posted something new on Tikkun Daily.   … [Read more...]

For those who are French-enabled, I thought I'd share a great radio skit that's stirred up controversy in France. There's a new humorous skit on French public radio called A votre écoute coûte que coûte (which I'd translate as "Listening to you, whatever the cost [to me of doing so]") about radio call-in show on health issues hosted by two insufferably smug and superficial experts (a doctor and a psychiatrist who are married). This particular episode involves a … [Read more...]

The collection of essays by American-Muslim men that I mentioned before—and to which I myself contributed a piece—will be published in a few months and is now available for pre-order. Its title is now All-American: 45 American Men on Being Muslim. It now boasts a foreword by the trailblazing US Congressman Keith Ellison. Kudos to the book’s editors Wajahat Ali and Zahra Suratwala.   Here’s the current Amazon blurb on All-American: 45 American Men on Being Muslim: … [Read more...]

Came across a helpful if a bit sketchy overview of the schools of thought within the Muslim Brotherhood, a movement that’s on Western observers’ minds these days. According to “The Muslim Brotherhood’s Trial of Pluralism” by Ibrahim El-Houdaiby in the Egyptian newspaper Midan Misr, there 4 streams: Islamic Modernism in the mold of Muhammad Abduh (and later Mahmud Shaltut) that “rejects the authority of turath (accumulated heritage of Islamic sciences), and calls for the return … [Read more...]

This has no relevance to Islam, American politics or the price of fish, but as an ardent fan of H.P. Lovecraft, I have to give this delightfully obscure and unexpected mashup a nod.  Octimus Prime and the Autobots are up against their fiercest, most spine-tingling foe yet: Cthulhu! As if that's not entertaining enough, the Autobots are Steampunkified. I haven't bought a comic book in ages, but the surreal novelty and unbridled geekery of this title may change that.  A panel … [Read more...]

A very timely report from the trenches of the War on Terror. Al-Qaeda's most insidious plot yet: the peaceful decoy Muslims! The Onion News: "Al Qaeda Populating U.S. With Peaceful 'Decoy Muslims'" The sad thing is that this is barely satire, in some circles of American politics and media. The Orwellian notion that Muslims who are to all appearances and by all conventional standards  squeaky-clean, "normal" and "moderate"--but who do not enlist … [Read more...]

Followed a link from someone's Facebook page to the Taleef Collective website and watched some of their videos. Judging by the brief interviews there, the Taleef Collective looks like an innovative community initiative that strives to create a social space that appeals to and meets the needs of American-born Muslims, and which doesn't reproduce all the religiously unnecessary and/or culturally out-of-place practices and hangups that make many immigrant-run mosques in American less … [Read more...]