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Kurtlar Vadisi: Irak ("Valley of the Wolves: Iraq"), Turkey's most expensively produced movie at $10 million, generated record crowds last month in Turkey and areas with large Turkish immigrant populations, such as Germany. It also generated labels in the US such as monstrous, blood libel, and anti-American. While this is the same Turkey that has strong relations with Israel and a robust spirits industry, it's also the one that famously snubbed the US by refusing the use of Turkish air bases before the Iraq war started (though they backtracked in 2005). The film is based on a real-life incident where American marines in Iraq captured 11 Turkish soldiers in northern Iraq on July 4, 2003 (they were thought to be involved in a plot to kill an Iraqi politician and were later released). From there, it veers into a fictional story, though it's based on the increasingly negative perception Turks (and others) have of US troop behaviour in Iraq. Due to the large budget, they were also able to bring in some recognisable American actors, such as Billy Zane, who plays the US commander who captured (and insulted) the original 11 soldiers and participates in grisly, indiscriminate killing. And then there's Gary Busey, who - controversially and unfortunately - plays a Jewish American doctor who harvests organs from dead Iraqis for use in the US, Israel, and Britain. Naturally, both actors have since been denigrated in the US for their involvement in the film, which the two defend on free speech grounds. "Have we reached a time when we impose freedom of expression by force?" said Busey's lawyer. Efforts, though unsuccessful, have been made by Jewish groups to ban the film in Germany. It was thought Germany's Cinemaxx chain pulled the movie from its cinemas because of the controversy but the chain claimed they only ordered a two week run. US soldiers in Turkey have been told to stay away from cinemas, ostensibly for fear of political unrest. Adds General Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, "It is a fictitious movie. It clearly does not have any basis in fact, and there is no reason for us to comment on fiction." Not so, says the film's screenwriter Bahadir Ozdener. "Maybe 60 or 70% of what happens on screen is factually true. Turkey and America are allies, but Turkey wants to say something to its friend. We want to say the bitter truth. We want to say that this is wrong." This view is supported by the refusal of a British SAS soldier to work alongside US soldiers in Iraq last week, claiming he witnessed dozens of illegal acts. The Turkish Daily News concurs, saying, "However hostile the film may be, it is more likely to be the product of anti-American feelings in Turkey than the cause of it." Elsewhere, only Jon Stewart seemed to notice the unbearable irony of stereotyping accusations in light of the Arabs/Muslims portrayed as terrorists in Hollywood. Meanwhile, White House spokesman Sean McCormack brushes off questions on what the movie shows about the United States' efforts to garner support in the Muslim world, saying he doesn't "do movie reviews." Others do, however, and controversy or not, there's always a case to be made for entertainment value. "There are few things as healthy as a change of perspective," says one reviewer in the UK. "Go see it - it's as subtle as Rambo and 10 times more entertaining." (More here)
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In 1998, Canadian Muslim filmmaker Zarqa Nawaz made a film called "Death Threat" in which a young Muslim writer fakes a death threat against her to gain publicity for a new book. The plot backfires when publicity of the threat itself eclipsed all else. Enter 2006, when 28-year old Norwegian-born singer Deeyah - of Indian, Pakistani, and Iranian heritage - stated that she has received death threats after releasing her latest video (though given the recent upsurge in issued death threats, this aspect is likely true). She says the song in the video, 'What Will It Be,' is a call for women's rights in Islam - an issue with which many Muslims would otherwise agree. Deeyah, who spends most of her time these days in the UK and America, cut her teeth on Norwegian independent record labels before aiming for the mainstream pop charts. She has christened herself as a "Muslim Madonna" and is, in fact, working with some of her collaborators. As for the video itself, which resembles Dirrty-era Christina Aguilera (erm... we hear), it is notable for two things: a cameo featuring controversial Islam critic Irshad Manji, and an eerie resemblence to Dutch-Somali ex-Muslim Ayaan Hirsi Ali's film "Submission," which led to the murder of co-creator Theo Van Gogh (projected imagery, though not of the Quran, is used on her scantily clad body). However, once the threats subside (or not), there's the question of finding an audience for the message and music. "A lot of us are working for women's rights, particularly in the Muslim world. I think we have more self-respect than to dance around naked to make our point," said Hoda Fahmy, who works with an education group for Muslim women in Canada. "It's unfortunate that she has to use those means, because it's true - women are not able to speak up in a lot of these countries." Musically, it goes without saying that the Sami Yusuf crowd will give Deeyah a pass, though she may also find her song too sabre-rattling for the mainstream hip-hop/R&B crowd, too lacking in the Bollywood-inspired sentimentality of bhangra/Indo-pop, and missing the edgy innovation of artists such as M.I.A.. If she still fails to connect, it may be time for more publicity. The Muslim Council of Britain, normally used to commentary on public policy, felt the need to make a public statement about the matter, declaring that she was probably a Hindu. "Her real name is Deepika Thathaal. That's certainly not a Muslim name," said an MCB spokesman. "Our suspicion is that this is all a big publicity stunt." Perhaps this is true, though some Hindu and Muslim names in India have interchanged over generations. But since public statements like these have been the first introduction to Deeyah for many (including us), the girl must be smiling.
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The hysteria regarding the proposed acquisition (now delayed, but still moving forward) by Dubai Ports World (DPW) of fabled British-based port operator P&O is notable for the lack of facts behind it. The deal has turned US politics on its head - conservatives who formerly pleaded with us to "trust the President" have turned on him, and liberals are dabbling in racial fearmongering that would be alarming if applied to other groups. Is the furor really about security? Well, not really. Full responsibility for security at US ports and of the cargo that arrives is - and will continue to be - under the jursidiction of the Department of Homeland Security. As bad as the security situation is, it was just as bad the day before the ports deal was announced. "Much more needs to be done," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) in a statement on the ports. "This includes increasing inspections of containers, improving intelligence, providing federal funding based on risk, and bolstering the physical security of our ports." While true, these factors have little to do with the ownership of the port operator. "The terminal operators do not run security," explained the head of Philadelphia's port. "That is managed by a combination of the U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security, and Customer and Border Protection" (limiting terrorist infiltrators at DPW to attempts at sneaking bombs onto consolidated balance sheets). So is it about foreign involvement in US port operations? Again, not really. Nearly 80% of US ports are managed by foreign companies, who proved long ago that they can manage ports more efficiently - and profitably - than their US counterparts. Nobody seemed to mind before, and - more importantly - foreign management of ports was never considered an obstacle to improving our port security. Probing further still yields few clues (and evidence) for the vehement opposition. For all the protests - Democrat and Republican, congressional and local - there is very little explanation of how the DPW deal actually impacts port security. Part of this is due to ignorance of the complexities of global trade and its multi-layered jurisdictions, which is why some are simply calling for an extended review. Some opponents trot out a dubious rationale - DPW's state-owned status, the UAE's former recognition of the Taliban government in Afghanistan, and that terrorist funding has passed through Dubai banks. But when pushed further for an explanation of exactly how the deal makes us less safe, more vociferous opponents mince no words. "In regards to selling American ports to the United Arab Emirates," says (former) Bush supporter and congresswoman Sue Myrick, "not just no, but HELL NO!" One of the benchmarks of the Bush administration is "free trade fundamentalism" (the US and UAE are on the verge of signing a free trade agreement), and if there's one thing we've learned about George W. Bush over the past five years, it's that he's one of the most stubborn political leaders of the last few decades - which means that the homefront battle on this issue has only just begun.
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The French called it an embarrassment. Archbishop Desmond Tutu called it disgraceful. And the UN released an extensive report, backed by the EU, calling for its closure. It is Guantanamo Bay, the notorious US prison facility set up in the Cuban outpost for housing 500 "enemy combatants," a term that itself illustrates the legal sleight of hand used to bypass the rules of conventional warfare. For four years, the US has relied on the undefined status of the base to create conditions which could not be verified or challenged by anyone, leaving a string of subjective arguments as the only response to those concerned about fair trials or the Geneva Convention. "We have several hundred terrorists," said US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. "Bad people, people who if they went back out on the field would try to kill Americans." Despite this line of reasoning, many Guantanamo prisoners never even saw battle, according to a recent review of US government documents. According to the Seton Hall University report, 55 percent of detainees were not accused of committing hostile acts against the US or UK, 16 percent were Taliban fighters, and only 8 percent were characterised as Al Qaeda fighters. Many of the 250 detainees released (without any clarification of their detention) have confirmed these statistics (some in a new film, The Road to Guantanamo). Still, the US government and military remained doggedly insistent that the detention is legal. "The vast majority of the people who are in Guantanamo are being held under the typical laws of war," said US State Department legal adviser John Bellinger (apparently forgetting the typical public trials mandated). Even America's junior coalition partner hiccuped, with Tony Blair calling Guantanamo an "anomaly" after a government minister implied that Blair agreed that it should be shut down. In fact, authorities did shut down the open-air "Camp X-Ray" part of the base that allowed provocative pictures of orange-jumpsuited prisoners (mirrored in numerous hostage videos from Iraq), in favour of an enclosed prison facility with near total seclusion for the remaining detainees. White House Press Secretary commented that the UN drafting team refused to even visit the base (though he failed to mention that this was because the detainees couldn't be interviewed). "One of the detainees was able to provide key information relating to the London bombings," added a senior US military official at Guantanamo (On behalf of London, thanks for the advance warning). Despite the diplomatic protests and threadbare rationales, it seems unsure how much pressure would still be required to cause the US to throw in the towel. The latest pictures from the original Abu Ghraib scandal released last week may offer an insight. "We felt that it was an invasion of the [Abu Ghraib] detainees themselves to have these photographs come out," said Bellinger, adding that it could also "fan the flames around the world and cause potentially further violence." Publicity beats morality every time.
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When Abu Hamza al Masri was convicted this week of incitement to hatred and sentenced to seven years in prison, few Muslims or non-Muslims were surprised, given the current climate. Famous for his fiery diatribes from the Finsbury Park mosque in North London, Abu Hamza was, along with Omar Bakri Muhammad (barred from Britain since last year), a tabloid hero. With hook-laden hands and a missing eye from a stint in Afghanistan, al Masri is a living caricature that only a... cartoonist could love. Though British Muslims grew weary of the incessant attention to this, he was disliked by the majority of them and few rose to his defense when he was kicked out of Finsbury Park mosque after a 2003 raid (which netted a cache of weapons, false passports, and other incriminating material). An American associate, James Ujaama, was convicted in the US of attempting to start a "terrorist training camp" in Oregon, and formed the key in his 11-count US extradition request that spurred his initial arrest in 2004. Only then was Abu Hamza charged with incitement in Britain. The evidence gathered against him was largely circumstantial - but what circumstantial evidence it was, with a web of shadowy figures linked to him and the Finsbury Park mosque he commandeered in the late 1990's. These ranged from the tragic (3 of the 4 of the "brainwashed" 7/7 bombers were linked to him) to the comically inept (fumbling shoe bomber Richard Reid, "20th hijacker" Zacarias Moussaoui, and his own son, captured and imprisoned in Yemen). Ultimately, what tipped the scales against Abu Hamza was his many recorded statements, gleaned from 3200 tapes seized from the 2003 raid, that explicitly called for the killing of non-Muslims ("Killing of the Kaffir for any reason you can say it is OK, even if there is no reason for it," says Abu Hamza in one famous comment). Abu Hamza refused to recognise the court, claiming it did not dispense Islamic justice (about as defiant as squirming in the electric chair), though he was notably backed in court by a rabbi and vicar. "You helped to create an atmosphere in which to kill has become regarded by some as not only a legitimate course but as a moral and religious duty in pursuit of perceived justice," said Judge Anthony Hughes in his verdict. His lawyer, Muddassar Arani said al-Masri believed he was "a prisoner of faith" destined for a "slow martyrdom." Though the verdict came 5 days after the aquittal of the British National Party's leader Nick Griffin on hate crimes charges against Muslims (he still faces more counts), the conviction was still welcomed by a cross section of British Muslim society. "More people are coming in, they feel more confident," said Asmahl Masoor, who works at the Finsbury Park mosque, since reclaimed by mainstream British Muslims. "What we are seeing very clearly is we will not tolerate Muslims or non-Muslims - anyone creating division or racial hatred between ourselves." Only the UK's Islamic Human Rights Commission even attempted a (contextual) critique. "This (verdict) is creating an environment that can only further alienate the Muslim community," said the IHRC's Massoud Shadjareh. If the UK gives assurances that Abu Hamza won't face the death penalty, his extradition to the US may follow after his sentence is served. Yes, free speech has its responsibilities, whether in a cartoon or a khutba, and with the US running out of domestic fish to fry, Abu Hamza's "slow martyrdom" may soon quicken.
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The Dirty Dozen (And The Damage Done) - With worldwide protests, the divide between Western understandings of Muslim sensitivities and Western notions of free speech has been illuminated. But at what cost? (Feb 4, 2006)
Won't Somebody Please Think Of The Palestinians? - A Hamas victory in Palestine may not lead to what Israelis fear nor what Hamas idealogues want, but instead a revisiting of the harsh compromises that both sides will have to accept. (Jan 28, 2006)
British Muslims Mourn Scholar & Leader Dr. Zaki Badawi - "I am naturally a rebel," explained scholar Dr. Sir Zaki Badawi, who passed away yesterday at the age of 84. "Irreverence is part of my Islamic culture." (Jan 25, 2006)
A Conversion in Death for Malaysian Everest Hero? - A contested conversion after the death of a Malaysian mountaineering hero sparks a controversy over legal access by non-Muslims to sharia court decisions in Muslim majority countries. (Jan 4, 2006)
Santa Doesn't Watch Muslims, But The FBI Does - Coal is put in the stockings of Muslims this Christmas with the revelation that thousands of their homes and businesses were warrantlessly monitored for radioactive material. (Dec 24, 2005)
Muslim Sorority Seeks Best Of Both Worlds - It's hard to think of of two groups farther apart on the social spectrum than Muslims and members of the Greek system. A new Muslim sorority seeks to change that. (Dec 19, 2005)
Al-Arian Acquitted, But Court Of Public Opinion Still Out - A "controversial" Muslim leader is acquitted, but not before a drawn-out trial that burdened his family and brought embarassing statements into the light. (Dec 13, 2005)
Searching for Islam in a Belgian Female Bomber - Muriel Degauque may be Europe's first woman suicide bomber, but pinning her motivation on Islam alone won't stop other "firsts" from making tomorrow's headlines. (Dec 6, 2005)
In California, Muslim-Owned Liquor Stores Become A Target - On one side, Muslim immigrants say they're just trying to make a living. On the other, an African-American neighborhood struggles to rid itself of an abundance of liquor stores. (Dec 1, 2005)
The Strange Spiritual Journey of Michelle Leslie - When Australian model Michelle Leslie stated she was a Muslim in an Indonesian drugs trial, she gained her freedom - at the expense of her reputation and for an uncertain future. (Nov 28, 2005)
Undoing A Character Assassination - The US found no evidence to link 25 American Muslim organizations to terrorism, but many of the groups have been irreversibly harmed in the process. (Nov 21, 2005)
A Lion Of The Desert: Remembering Moustapha Akkad - For 50 years, Moustapha Akkad - who was murdered last week in a suicide bombing in Amman, Jordan - was the most prominent Muslim in Hollywood. (Nov 14, 2005)
Is What's Good For France Also Good For Egypt? - Lost in the furor over France's treatment of Muslims is the long simmering conflict between Coptic Christians and Muslims in Egypt, with both conflicts stemming from the same intolerance. (Nov 10, 2005)
Paris Is Burning: What's Religion Got To Do With It? - While religious ideology may have a role in other types of violence (i.e, al-Qaida), in this case it just happens to be the faith of the disenfranchised population. (Nov 4, 2005)
Did Ahmadinejad Write a Cheque Iran Can't Cash? - Although Iranian antipathy to Israel is nothing new, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's call to wipe Israel off the map may end up showing the limits of what Iran can actually do about it (Oct 30, 2005)
- More news articles here |
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By Hesham Hassaballa, March 13, 2006
At first, I had hope in Dr. Wafa Sultan and her stinging criticism of the Muslim World. I had hoped she would shed light on the darkness in which the Muslim World today is wallowing and help it out of this darkness by showing it the light of true Islam. I had hoped this international sensation would add to the debate raging within the Muslim World between the extremists who - with their murderous tactics - threaten to destroy the Muslim ummah and the reformers to wish to save it from utter destruction. Unfortunately, however, I was wrong. (More here)
By Maliha Masood, March 6, 2006
Women in veils. Praying men. Headscarves and burqas. Mosque and minaret. No other images seem relevant when it comes to portraying Muslims in the mainstream press. This is not to dispute or deny the reality of veils and prayer, but to focus exclusively on such imagery alienates Muslims as strange people with odd habits. It creates a visual shorthand of the "other" designed to cater to what the Western media is used to seeing or what it wants to see. Anything that doesn't fit is dismissed as a red herring. That is to say, there can be no surprises about how Muslims look and behave. (More here)
By Mohamed H. Sabur, February 27, 2006
Growing up as an American Shiite Muslim in the United States, the annual recounting of the killing of Imam Husayn, the third of 12 Shiite Imams to succeed the Prophet Muhammad, had a profound effect on my socialization. What struck me then - and even more now after the Al-Askari Mosque bomb blast - was in learning that Imam Husayn was killed by a purported Muslim, the Umayyad caliph Yazid. The popular repeated notion in recent years that Islam has been "hijacked" is a foreign construct. As a child, the hijacking of Islam was recounted each year with Imam Husayn's saga. The story engrained in me the notion that the enemy within myself and within my community is far more erosive, far more threatening than any external, non-Muslim threat. (More here)
Why Is Halliburton Building Internment Camps?
By Sheila Musaji, February 26, 2006
Nobody is talking much about it, but moves have been made to develop a network of detention centers in the US.
President Bush And The Rule Of Law
By Hesham Hassaballa, February 26, 2006
If we compromise on our values simply because our enemy is brutal and inhuman, then everything that has been done on behalf of America will have been for nothing.
Reflections Of An American Muslim Soldier
By Nasir Cray, February 21, 2006
It's time to let Zarkawi and his associates know that peace-loving Muslim communities will not tolerate the loss of their families to their stupidity and dreams of ill-gotten glory.
Guantanamo Bay: Injustice Continued, Justice Denied
By Irfan Yusuf, February 19, 2006
The longer the detainees remain behind bars without charge, the less credible the case against them will seem to the outside world and to an independent impartial judiciary.
Your Islamophobic Fist Must Stop At My Muslim Nose
By Khalil Bendib, February 17, 2006
Let us remember to never cross the line into hateful bigotry in the name of an abstract absolute. The freedom to swing your Islamophobic fist must stop at my Muslim nose.
A Letter To Southwest Airlines
By Omar Ahmad, February 16, 2006
A frequent Southwest Airlines flyer questions their "match list" for Muslim-sounding names (including his) only to find out there's no federal policy to use one.
Cartoongate: Déjà vu All Over Again?
By Ibrahim Abusharif, February 16, 2006
Just as Medieval Europe created fear-fantasies about Jews, "Christ-killers" who apparently ate children, so too did they produce a miasma of animus directed toward the Prophet Muhammad
The Sufi Electronica of Niyaz: Music to Smash Idols
By Ali Eteraz, February 12, 2006
In the Sufi-inspired music of Niyaz, the serenity of Islamic mysticism exists even if the words were to disappear and only the voice were to remain.
Clash Of The Uncivilized
By Imam Zaid Shakir, February 9, 2006
Why are we calling for a "Day of Outrage" when our Prophet has instructed us repeatedly not to become angry? Why not a "Day of Familiarization" with the Prophet?
Emotional Torture, Untamed Violence and Intellectual Terrorism
By Dr. Aslam Abdullah, February 6, 2006
We showed our weakness in controlling our emotions when Salman Rushdie insulted our Prophet. We have repeated the same mistake.
Through The Looking Glass: The Danish Cartoons
By Sheila Musaji, February 4, 2006
Does one have the right to make fun of religion? Where is the line between freedom of speech and censorship? And what are appropriate responses?
Stupid Cartoons, Even Stupider Reaction
By Safiyyah Ally, February 1, 2006
Why are we so exciteable anyway? The cartoons, horrendous though they may be, need not affect a Muslim's impression of the Prophet.
Preserving Our Heritage
By Firas Ahmad, February 1, 2006
It is often the case that Muslims are so busy trying to return to a "golden age" that they have forgotten what exactly constituted its many virtues.
In Hamas Victory, An Opportunity for Change
By Muqtedar Khan, January 31, 2006
What can be a more spectacular advertisement for the idea that democracy makes politicians out of terrorists than the electoral victory of Hamas in the recent Palestinian elections?
On Holocaust Exploiters, Deniers, & Heroes
By Mas'ood Cajee, January 27, 2006
On this Holocaust Memorial Day 2006, Mas'ood Cajee reflects on the politics of memory and why Muslims should represent the best of Islamic tradition and spirit.
The Shame Of "Honor Killings" In The Muslim World
By Hesham Hassaballa, January 23, 2006
From where did this come? Where in the Qur'an does it sanction the murder of a woman on the mere accusation of adultery? What sort of barbarity is this?
Open House at the Mosque
By Hamzah Moin, January 21, 2006
You busted yourself vacuuming and shampooing the mosque's carpet only to realize the non-Muslims forgot to take their shoes off. Flip man.
Look For Comedy Elsewhere
By Zahir Janmohamed, January 20, 2006
As offensive and racist as Brooks' humor often is, the most offensive part of his film is that it fails to deliver what it searches for: comedy.
Why My Daughter Should Have MLK Day Off
By Hesham Hassaballa, January 18, 2006
If it weren't for brave Americans like Dr. Martin Luther King, immigrant Muslims would not have been able to establish themselves and build mosques and Islamic schools.
Sleeping Cell
By Wajahat Ali, January 16, 2006
Perhaps if we know our enemy, we will know ourselves and become the "good Muslim" and the "good American." Too bad most of us are sleeping.
The Middle East In A Post-Sharon World
By Shaik Ubaid, January 16, 2006
Mr. Sharon most likely will not return to a normal life, even if he were to survive. This has serious ramifications for the Middle East and the world.
Fear And Loathing In The MCB
By Zahed Amanullah, January 12, 2006
The poorly conceived battles fought by the Muslim Council of Britain threaten to cause lasting damage, but the group forges ahead regardless - despite a string of embarassing failures.
Bill O'Reilly, Pat Robertson And Religion In America
By Firas Ahmad, January 9, 2006
If Americans want to be religious, let them be religious. But at the very least provide a decent alternative to Pat Robertson.
Eid And The Friendly Employer
By Mazen Hashem, January 4, 2006
Mazen Hashem explores the difficulty of explaining to non-Muslims which day Eid will fall on when Muslims haven't figured it out for themselves.
Finding Wisdom In A Christina Aguilera Song
By Hesham Hassaballa, January 1, 2006
The Prophet taught us that "Wisdom is the 'lost animal' of the believer. Wherever it may be, the believer belongs to it." This means that we must find wisdom wherever it may reside.
The Top Ten Good News Stories for 2005
By Mas'ood Cajee, December 31, 2005
Despite all that happened in 2005, we were inspired and infused with hope and strength we drew from transformative events and people ó whose stories we call good news.
Why Christmas Unites Christians And Muslims
By Irfan Yusuf, December 23, 2005
Christmas should remind us that, despite minor cultural and theological differences, the things that unite us are more numerous than those which divide us.
I'm Dreaming Of A Nasheed-Filled Christmas
By Mas'ood Cajee, December 20, 2005
How do the savvy amongst us cope with the ubiquity of the Holiday Sonic Season? Here are 10 Christmas melodies with suggested lyrics for Muslim listeners.
President Bush And The Season Of Failures
By Muqtedar Khan, December 20, 2005
The Bush administration's signature style has been its supreme self-confidence marked by a hubristic refusal to acknowledge any mistakes ever.
Do We Really Trust In God?
By Hesham Hassaballa, December 19, 2005
A nation that trusts in God knows that God will always lend His Helping Hands so long as it does what is right.
Thoughts On The Sydney Riots
By Irfan Yusuf, December 15, 2005
There, on the screen, were scenes that looked like something out of an LA riot. But this wasn't LA. This was the familiar streets and footpaths of my favourite beach.
Islam in Belgium And America: Between Integration And Discrimination
By Muqtedar Khan, December 12, 2005
While discrimination against Muslims in America has certainly risen after 9/11, it looked insignificant compared to what Muslims in Belgium face routinely.
Is Religion Bad For The World?
By Hesham Hassaballa, December 10, 2005
I thought religion was good for people. I thought God sent down religion to make people better. Should I rethink my infatuation with religion?
Beyond "Munich": The Ten Movies Steven Spielberg Has Yet To Make
By Mas'ood Cajee, December 8, 2005
Imagine if we were in a parallel universe in which Hollywood gave Arabs and Muslims a fair shake. Here are ten films (all based on true stories) that are just waiting for Spielberg's magic.
New Zealand's Muslims Should Help Save One of Their Own
By Irfan Yusuf, December 6, 2005
An Australian imam was instrumental in helping gain the release of an Australian hostage in Iraq. Now that a New Zealander has been taken, Muslims there can help too.
The Diverse Feminism of "Living Islam Out Loud"
By Aisha Sarwari, November 23, 2005
I yearned to land a book where women enunciated their life with such insight that even those deaf to feminism could hear it. It has come from the most unlikely place.
Thanksgiving: American Muslim Heritage Day?
By Mas'ood Cajee, November 23, 2005
Let's make this a day of thanksgiving and remembrance of our heritage as American Muslims, so we can better understand our role in America in these remarkable times.
Four Years, Four Walls, And Forever
By Adem Carroll, November 19, 2005
The over 750 detainees I have known during this time have not all been classified as security risks, yet all have suffered, and so have their families.
Muslims For Sharia Law: An Interesting Paradox
By A Reformist Muslim, November 18, 2005
If you were able to live a moral and pious life, then I do not think that a benevolent Almighty would send you to hell for not forcing other people into believing what you believed.
God's Punishment?
By Hesham Hassaballa, November 15, 2005
Some said Katrina was punishment for the sins of New Orleans, supporting the withdrawal of Israeli troops and settlers from the Gaza strip, or legalized abortion.
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Cartoon debate rages in online forums - "Safiyyah Ally, a Muslim writer, published an article on Altmuslim.com on Wednesday last week, saying: 'I'm quite troubled over the cartoon controversy in Denmark, not because of the cartoons themselves, which I agree are offensive, but rather because of the absurd overreaction of Muslims worldwide.'" (Feb 8, 2006)
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Pods and Blogs - BBC Radio Five Live - "How Britain's Muslim community should deal with extremism has been a hot topic in recent weeks. The guys at altmuslim.com have an interesting transatlantic perspective." (Aug 18, 2005)
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