By Ali Asadullah Author’s note: In part one of this series, I addressed fundamental ways in which Muslims, seeking to defend Islam and portray it in a positive light, often fail in their comparison of Muslim extremists and the Ku Klux Klan. I explored the manners in which the former and the latter are indeed representative of their respective religions within the context of time and place. Now I would like to examine how this extremism arose and the type... Read more
By Hamza Khan The bottom line is this: Arab and South Asian Muslim power brokers need to take a step back and empower a much more diverse generation of Muslim leaders in the USA. We’ve already begun the transition here in Montgomery County, Maryland, with a movement among our county’s 100,00 Muslims to bring in voices from the African immigrant, convert, Indonesian, Iranian, Latino, Turkish and Turkic communities, who combined make up a whopping 60 percent of Muslims who live... Read more
By Dr. Ali Naqvi “Will you continue to use it … ? [the name Malcom X]” – Reporter “I will continue to use it as long as the situation that produced it exists.” – Malcom X Hajj Malik El Shabazz broke into a large smile at the absurdity of the question; the African Americans in the audience joined in. The reporter, who was present as an incarnation of power, looked on confused. It may have been that the reporter seemed... Read more
Editorial Note: With BDS continuously in the news, especially in light of the 2016 U.S. Presidential campaign, Altmuslim is hosting a two-part series arguing for and against the movement, which aims to use boycotts, divestment and sanctions to force Israel to abide by international law and end its occupation of Palestine. In this article, Kristin Szremski makes the case for BDS. The case against BDS, is written by Umar Lee. By Kristin Szremski Why are we still having this conversation in... Read more
Editorial Note: With BDS continuously in the news, especially in light of the 2016 U.S. Presidential campaign, Altmuslim is hosting a two-part series arguing for and against the movement, which aims to use boycotts, divestment and sanctions to force Israel to abide by international law and end its occupation of Palestine. In this article, Umar Lee makes the case against BDS. The case for BDS is written by Kristin Szremski. By Umar Lee In the 1980s, Presidential candidate Jesse Jackson was... Read more
By Furqan Shaikh In the current climate of political rhetoric against Islam and Muslims, it can be hard to remember that the United States has always been a country that has respected and acknowledged the contributions of people, places and ideas from outside its borders. While we often think of its inheritance from Greece or Rome, here is a quick tour of five surprising places where Islamic history, verses, or symbols have been represented and recognized by US institutions. 1)... Read more
By Saud Inam May is Mental Health Month. We many not think about mental health and wellness goals as part of our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being, but we should. If you are a person of faith, your iman can be a large part of how we achieve and maintain good mental health in addition to other non-spiritual practices. Here are a couple of tips to help you achieve good mental health and wellness this May (and for the rest of... Read more
Editor’s Note: Charles Turner is Altmuslim’s newest columnist. His columns will be appearing in the third week of every month. By Charles M. Turner I took my seat at the end of the table and introduced myself to my hospitable hosts. I had lost count long ago of all the times I had spoken about Islam to a local Christian congregation. I knew the questions they would ask, the concerns they had and the narratives they had heard. This being... Read more
By Yusra Gomaa Bare, grey walls tinged with a hint of yellow inside this familiar Moroccan orphanage. Crib after crib lined up next to one another with no spaces in between. Toddlers, laying silently on their faded green polka-dot sheets, likely funded by a charitable relief program. One child, perhaps walking now, is sprawled face-down with his mini-fleeced blue jacket, sleeping peacefully, his back rising and falling with each deep breath. Two other wide-eyed boys stand on wobbly legs and... Read more
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White in America vs. White Among American Muslims
By Charles M. Turner When you’re white, conversion to Islam can be accompanied by excessive fanfare. That was my experience as a recent convert. My coming to Islam seemed to be just as emotional for friends and strangers alike as it was for myself. I was often taken aback by the praise I received for my decision, and many often claimed that the act itself was proof that I was so much more pious than “natural born” Muslims. Of course,... Read more