The energy of my students was electric as we left the synagogue. As a member of an interfaith team of university chaplains and faith leaders at the University of Richmond, my students and I were attending a Friday night service at a local reform synagogue we had been invited to by my Jewish chaplain colleague. It was a unique service that contemplates the nature of the universe and God’s wisdom in the role of creation. Coupled with verses from the... Read more
The first nine days of Dhul Hijjah (the ninth month in the Muslim calendar) are here, a most blessed time leading up to the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Millions are converging in Makkah and its surrounding areas for the pilgrimage. You probably know someone departing for the holy pilgrimage, and may have received messages asking for forgiveness or invitations to send in prayers to be uttered in Makkah, Muzdalifah, Mina, Arafat and Madinah. For other Muslims worldwide, the first nine days of Dhul... Read more
Editor’s Note: Arthur Richards is Altmuslim’s newest columnist. His column, “Tapestry of Faith,” is published in the first week of every month. Faith takes work. Faith is a process, a path that one journeys upon. It isn’t solely a set of beliefs that one has to affirm. Rather, those beliefs are stepping stones to manifesting true faith in one’s actions. Take, for example, the basic belief that there is a God. The affirming of this belief causes one to act... Read more
By Azza Altiraifi The summer of 2018 marks 28 years since the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which mandated the elimination of discrimination against people with disabilities. It is also a reminder of the sacrifices borne by those who literally crawled up the steps of the Capitol to demand the passage of the ADA. This is the legacy of resistance we carry today. Yet, its promise has never been fully realized and its shortcomings have been exploited... Read more
With hotly-contested elections coming up next week in Michigan and Minnesota and elsewhere in the U.S., there has been an upswing of about 90 American Muslim candidates running for statewide or national office in this current election cycle, with about 50 of those still in play after primaries. The Associated Press reported that this is the most American Muslims who have run for office since at least September 11, 2001, with many riding the blue wave in response to the... Read more
Columnist’s note: I discuss reactions to the current United States president in this piece. If you’re not in a frame of mind to read about him, my prayers are with you. If you can soldier through, I think we’ll end this in a better state than we began. Medical professionals have attested to two new challenges in the new administration. The first is the uncertainty over health coverage in the United States. The new administration has been eager to undo... Read more
Most people know of Daisy Khan from when she was the center of the storm surrounding the construction of Park 51–a project that, unfortunately, you probably more easily recognize as the “Ground Zero Mosque.” In her new memoir, Khan takes us through her struggle during that time, but also tells us much more – about her childhood, her marriage, her feats battling women’s oppression the world over. Altmuslimah’s Editor-in-Chief Asma Uddin asked Daisy a few questions about her journey. I’d... Read more
If this is the first time you are reading a translation of the Quran, then you need to prepare yourself for a surprise, because the Quran, even in a translation, is unlike any other book you will ever read. It is an intimidating book for the skeptic who approaches it with preconceived notions, but it can be very engaging to the one that seeks knowledge. (By the way, a translation is not called “Quran.” Only the Arabic original is the... Read more
Freedom of religion is one of the most important rights as protected by our Constitution. However, with the Supreme Court upholding President Trump’s Muslim Ban (what others refer to as the Travel Ban), a clear message was sent regarding whose rights are protected and whose are not. Travelers and refugees from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela and North Korea are blocked from entering the United States. This means that the highest court has sanctioned religious discrimination, bigotry and racism.... Read more
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Dear Trevor, You Got it So Wrong – Pakistan’s Imran Khan is Not Donald Trump
Hey, Trevor. Thanks for thinking of Pakistan. When your book, Born a Crime, was published, we listened to the audiobook as a family. We fell in love with your voice and trenchant critique of the racist structures and culture that ravage people’s lives. An international voice in comedy! We celebrated your arrival on the Daily Show. We followed your satirical commentary on Trump’s Islamophobic policies and cheered you on. Any time we needed a dose of sanity laced with good... Read more