From Idealistic to Realistic – Millennial Voters in 2012

Last updated on: October 25, 2012 at 12:00 pm By Guest Contributor

By Fatima Ashraf “Hope and Change!” “Yes We Can!” The 2008 presidential election saw one of the highest youth voter turnouts in American history. Between 22 and 24 million young Americans ages 18-29 voted, resulting in an estimated voter turnout (the percentage of eligible voters who actually cast a ballot) of between 49.3 and 54.5 percent. But four years ago, the millennial voters — those born roughly in years between 1982 and 1990 — had extremely idealistic expectations. The introduction... Read more

Raising A Confident Muslim-American Child in the Age of Islamophobia

Last updated on: October 24, 2012 at 3:02 pm By Guest Contributor

By Sabina Khan-Ibarra Raising a child is a difficult feat. Raising a brown child in America is even trickier. Raising a brown, Muslim child in America seems almost impossible. If someone asked me to describe the love of a mother for her child three years ago, I probably used a series of clichés, drawing from what I had read, seen in movies and even witnessed in person. Of course, I had no idea back then; and that is my excuse... Read more

Presidential Debates – What to Watch for as Obama and Romney Tackle Foreign Policy

Last updated on: October 16, 2012 at 4:27 pm By Guest Contributor

By Fawaz Gerges The debate tonight comes at an important time — issues in the Middle East with global significance are developing by the day. Recent events, like the violent protests in Libya and Egypt, Iran’s growing nuclear program and massacres in Syria have brought the candidates’ respective foreign policies, a fringe issue thus far in the 2012 election, to the forefront. Since the killing of Osama bin Laden in May 2011, President Obama has held a strong lead over... Read more

Vote, Because Islam Tells You To

Last updated on: October 9, 2012 at 7:00 pm By Guest Contributor

Election 2012 – American Muslims VOTE! By Rabia Chaudry President Obama bombed in the first presidential debate. But I’m going to vote for him anyway. He said he would close Guantanamo and didn’t. But I’m going to vote for him anyway. He’s increased the drone strikes and civilian deaths overseas, facilitated in the erosion of our privacy and civil rights and supported indefinite detention. But I’m going to vote for him anyway. Before you call me crazy, let me explain... Read more

Hanging with The Muslims

Last updated on: October 5, 2012 at 2:33 pm By Guest Contributor

By Steven Scholl On Labor Day weekend, I spent four days hanging out with 15,000 Muslims at the Islamic Society of North America’s 49th annual convention in Washington, D.C. As one of the few non-Muslims in attendance, I was able to eavesdrop on hundreds of conversations swirling around me, take in several talks by prominent Muslims and attend author Karen Armstrong’s address to the big donors to ISNA. I wish all America could have listened in on these startling and... Read more

The Battle Between the Sacred and the Profane

Last updated on: October 2, 2012 at 9:00 pm By Guest Contributor

By Obaid H. Siddiqui The attacks two weeks ago on the embassies in Cairo (and later in Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Palestine, Yemen and Pakistan), and the truly tragic deaths of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and others, has reignited the false dichotomy of Western values and Islamic beliefs. Once again, right-wing pundits exclaim that Muslims and their beliefs are antithetical to decent, democratic societies. Muslim reactionaries, on the other hand, believe violence and death are a suitable response to the slightest... Read more

You Can’t Complain if You Don’t Vote – Get Out and Vote

Last updated on: September 27, 2012 at 5:53 pm By Guest Contributor

Election 2012 – American Muslims VOTE! By Hussein Rashid The first time I was eligible to vote was when Bill Clinton was running for president for the first time in 1992. I was so excited. In high school, I had great social studies teachers who really instilled the power of civic participation in me. I was on my own at college, and there was a charismatic guy running on America’s liberal party. I voted. My man won. That was a... Read more

Election 2012 – American Muslims VOTE!

Last updated on: September 27, 2012 at 5:54 pm By Guest Contributor

By Zeba Iqbal In 2000, I registered, but didn’t vote. I didn’t care who won. Or so I thought. My silent “protest” against the candidates and the process didn’t feel triumphant. It felt irresponsible. I am glad I didn’t live in Florida in 2000, as my apathy might have determined an election. Looking back, I had no good excuse for skipping out. The truth is, there wasn’t one. To me, both candidates — George W. Bush, the governor of Texas,... Read more

Muslims, You’ve Got a Great Deal of Work to Do

Last updated on: September 13, 2012 at 8:32 pm By Guest Contributor

By Ahmed Younis When you burn the American flag you burn my flesh. When you speak ill of the Prophets of God, you stab me in the eye. Understanding with any clarity what happened in Cairo and Benghazi on Tuesday will take some time as we gather facts and move past the emotion of our reactions. Some facts seem to be clear. Violence and Death in Benghazi In Benghazi, news reports indicate a premeditated attack on the consulate with speculation... Read more

Looking for Love and Finding Awkwardness at ISNA

Last updated on: September 10, 2012 at 3:54 pm By Guest Contributor

By Obaid H. Siddiqui *Names have been withheld to protect the innocent and as to not embarrass the guilty. The 49th annual convention hosted by the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) in Washington, D.C. on Labor Day weekend was a success. It was a full of spiritually- and politically-nourishing lectures; a bazaar full of clothing, jewelry, artwork and Islamic literature and information; and an atmosphere of camaraderie. At least that’s what it was like if you were married or... Read more