In the Battle Against Islamophobia, We Must Stand with Interfaith Partners

Last updated on: April 4, 2016 at 12:29 pm By Guest Contributor

By Maha Elgenaidi If anyone doubts the strength of anti-Muslim sentiment in the U.S., a poll taken last week by YouGov should settle the issue. It revealed that 51 percent of Americans support a presidential candidate’s proposal to bar all Muslims (except U.S. citizens) from entering the U.S., while a solid plurality (45 percent) support another presidential candidate’s proposal to “empower law enforcement” to patrol Muslim neighborhoods, with only 40 percent opposing. On a more fundamental level, a record 61... Read more

Why is Muslim Fashion and Modest Dressing the Story That Never Ends?

Last updated on: April 1, 2016 at 5:29 pm By Guest Contributor

By Michael Wolfe Standing ovations at TED Talks are not that common. The last one I recall was a magician with a sword who, literally, showed his audience how to swallow fear. Imagine then the collective surprise when Dahlia Mogahed, social science research wonk, mother of two, and a practicing Muslim walks on stage, poised, cheerfully dimpled, in a striking blue Muslim dress and head scarf, and smiling into the footlights asks a full house, “What do you see when... Read more

Why the Quran Protects Against Radicalization: A Rebuttal to USA Today’s Nabeel Qureshi

Last updated on: March 30, 2016 at 11:56 am By Guest Contributor

By Tahir Nasser The dust from the bombs had barely settled in Brussels when the first anti-Islamic articles started appearing in major news outlets. In particular, Christian pundit Nabeel Qureshi was brought out on USA Today to make some rather remarkable claims about the Quran. They were remarkable, not just for their falsehood but for their total lack of originality. As a reply, I could have just sent him this article, or this one or this one, but I... Read more

Don’t Call it Islamophobia, Call it Islamo-Racism – the “Otherizing” of Religion and Race

Last updated on: March 25, 2016 at 5:53 pm By Guest Contributor

By Jaideep Singh February 10, Abdul Jamil Kamawal, a 68-year-old Afghani American man, was bludgeoned to death with a shovel in a suburb of Portland, Oregon. Remembered as “a pillar in the Muslim community,” he had helped refugees settle in the region for over two decades. Abdul Jamil Kamawal He also founded two non-profit organizations that focused on “rebuilding lives and communities in Afghanistan.” The alleged murderer was doing construction on a home owned by Mr. Kamawal. No motive for the... Read more

Women’s History Month: Learning from Wise Women in All Stages of Life

Last updated on: March 21, 2016 at 5:04 pm By Guest Contributor

By Anisha Ismail Patel Its 1991, I am 18 years old, young and impressionable. My sweet sister-in-law Rubina takes me to a women’s charity event being held at the elegant Mount Soche hotel in Blantyre, Malawi. The positive energy being radiated from the amazing role models in the room wraps me around like a warm blanket. I am mesmerized by these talented leaders, speaking and inspiring others. The force of good being infinitely amplified. I am in awe of this... Read more

The Truth About ‘Safe Spaces’ – MPAC Addresses Changes and Criticisms

Last updated on: March 18, 2016 at 5:44 pm By Guest Contributor

By Hoda Hawa Prior to 9/11, the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) had foreseen the problems arising out of extremist views taking hold in some quarters of the Middle East and had issued policy papers on this topic, but it was really in April 2013 after the Boston Marathon bombings that MPAC decided that our community’s response to extremism in the U.S. needed to go beyond condemnation statements. Thus in April 2014, after a year of serious in-depth research MPAC... Read more

Dear Fellow Activists: Be Solution Seekers and Look to the Prophets for Inspiration

Last updated on: March 17, 2016 at 1:35 pm By Guest Contributor

By Saud Inam In this social media-driven age, with the constant flow of information on various topics and issues, it’s easy to get lost, frustrated, confused and burned out. Many activists make the mistake of latching onto virtually every injustice and “joining the cause” by tweeting the hashtag, writing an article or blog post or continuously posting articles or videos about the injustice. While I’m all for raising awareness about injustices occurring in the world, I find it concerning that... Read more

On ABC’s ‘Of Kings and Prophets,’ – Did the Bible Really Say That?

Last updated on: March 15, 2016 at 12:41 pm By Guest Contributor

By Ian Werrett Several weeks ago, while teaching a class on the creation stories of the Old Testament, I asked my students to reflect on the meaning of the Adam and Eve story in the Book of Genesis. After reading the section of the narrative where the serpent engages Eve in conversation, I turned to one of my students and asked what she thought it meant. Without hesitation, she lifted her eyes from the page and said, “This is the... Read more

Not My City, Not My Country: On Freedom of Speech and Shutting Down Trump Rally in Chicago

Last updated on: March 13, 2016 at 3:22 pm By Guest Contributor

By Suroor Raheemullah Malcolm X said: “We need more light about each other. Light creates understanding, understanding creates love, love creates patience, and patience creates unity.” I carried this message on a sign at the protest against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s rally in Chicago on Friday. In later remarks about the protest, Trump called the Chicago protesters “thugs.” We clearly have a very different definition of a thug. When news of the Trump rally at UIC Pavilion first broke,... Read more

VIDEO: Why Muslims Must be Part of the Political Process

Last updated on: March 10, 2016 at 7:48 pm By Guest Contributor

Why should we vote, especially now more than ever? Why should we follow what the candidates, presidential and local candidates, are saying? Why should we do the research? Why should we pay attention to the issues? Why should we inform ourselves? Professor Muqtedar Khan lays out three important reasons why Muslims must be part of the political process. Stay in touch! Like Altmuslim on Facebook: Altmuslim Read more

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