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You might think that the world's most watched sporting event would help France forget about the "war on terror" as well as the racial and religious tensions that have plagued the country over the past few years, but the ousting of French soccer hero Zinedine Zidane from the World Cup final over a head-butting of Italy's Marco Materazzi has brought it back to the fore. With details only now leaking out (thanks to lip readers), the speculation is that Materazzi dumped insults upon Zidane ranging from calling his father a "harki" (Arab supporter of the French occupation of Algeria) and his mother a "terrorist whore" (Zidane's mother replied that Materazzi should be castrated, while Materazzi denied the "terrorist" remark but admitted insulting Zidane). However, one cannot look at what happened in the final game of the World Cup without putting it in context with the overall relationship between Europe and its Muslim population. Muslims in Europe are often told by their detractors to "fit in" to European society, and the French have been particularly harsh in their assessment of Muslim efforts to integrate (political and cultural obstacles notwithstanding). Much like Muhammad Ali in the US, Zidane has overcome his Arab/Muslim background and a childhood of poverty to become a true French hero. This, despite the fact that the French rightist Jean-Marie Le Pen has attacked the team for being "insufficiently French" (the team has its fair share of Muslims: Thierry Henry, whose parents came from the French West Indies, Senegalese-born Patrick Vieira, and Franck Ribéry, a convert to Islam who prays conspicuously before each game.) The question now is: Will France stand by Zidane, who has given so much through his (previous) sportsmanship and talent, or will he be blamed for putting his dignity ahead of France's desire to win the World Cup? (Early reports are that France has forgiven Zidane for his actions, and his sponsors are starting a "thank you" campaign to help send him into retirement.) Some are praising the fact that Zidane stood up for himself, while others fault him for not showing restraint in the face of insults (he may, as a result, lose his "Golden Ball" award). "My family are very proud of me," said Zidane earlier this year, "but I am very proud of them and where they come from." (More here)
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The association with Islam and terrorism is so complete that every article discussing yesterday's arrest of seven men in Miami for plotting to blow up the Sears Tower - the tallest building in America and designed by prominent Muslim American engineer Fazlur Rahman Khan - is soaked in Islamic terminology, even though there were no actual al-Qaida operatives or Muslim Americans involved. The odd circumstances around the event include a cult-like group named the "Seas of David", which has 40 to 50 members who call themselves "soldiers of God" (but mostly resemble "Kramer" jihadists). They passed their time selling African-American hair care products and, in the words of a group member, "train through the Bible... not only physical but mentally". The cell attempted to contact al-Qaida in order to secure support for their plans, which attracted the attention of the FBI, who supplied a fake al-Qaida operative. Like the 2003 sting operation that foiled an attempt to peddle Stinger missiles to terrorists (another example of a terrorist plot free of actual Muslim involvement), the FBI informant supplied military boots per request of the "Seas of David" and took notes on the unfolding plan, which was falling apart even as the seven men were arrested. Unlike the arrests in Toronto last month, this is a group more Christian in practice than Muslim, consisting of names that would never come up on a "no-fly" list: Narseal Batiste, Burson Augustin, Patrick Abraham ("Brother Pat"), Stanley Grant Phanor ("Brother Sunni") Naudimar Herrera ("Brother Naudy"), Lyglenson Lemorin ("Brother Levi-El"), and Rotschild Augustine ("Brother Rot"). "Nothing in the four corners of the indictment," opines legal commentator Andrew Cohen, "convinces me that these guys were legitimate terrorist wannabes as opposed to a bunch of angry bozos looking lazily for al-Qaeda to hook them up with all sorts of goodies." So when the dust settles, all there will be is an angry Bible study group that tried in vain to contact al-Qaida, with the goal of destroying one of the greatest gifts Muslim Americans have given to the US - not exactly the "terror cell" story Americans have come to expect.
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While the world's political attention has been focused on Iraq for the past few weeks, a quiet revolution of sorts has been happening in Somalia, the east African state without a functioning government since the 30 year reign of Mohammad Siad Barre ended in 1991. Since then, a handful of warlords have presided over anarchy and lawlessness, famously drawing in the US for its disastrous "Black Hawk Down" battle with Mohammad Farah Aideed in 1993. Poverty, piracy, and a strangely efficient telecoms industry ensued. This week, the Islamic Courts Union, a network of Somalian sharia courts with a growing military, captured Jowhar, a Mogadishu suburb that represented the last stand for the warlords. The ICU had succeeded in part by transcending clan loyalties through religion. With it came the lions share of the country's military hardware and effective control of Somalia by a single organisation for the first time in 15 years. The warlords themselves had seen the ICU coming over the past few years, forming The Alliance for Peace and Counter-Terrorism, a group tailor made for seeking (and receiving) covert CIA monetary assistance (if you can't beat 'em, buy 'em). This was no minor annoyance to the UN recognised fledgling Somali government (which includes Aideed's US-educated son), watching helplessly from the town of Baidoa, 90 miles from Mogadishu. Now, the US has called for a public international meeting to discuss the matter, fearing the ICU could turn Sufi-oriented Somalia into another Afghanistan. Claims have been made that Saudi-style public executions have been held and areas under ICU control harbour suspects from the 1998 US embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania and the Mombassa hotel bombing in 2002. But other analysts point out that the ICU is no Taliban. "Somalis in general show little interest in jihadi Islamism; most are deeply opposed," says a report by the International Crisis Group. "The most remarkable feature is that Islamist militancy has not become more firmly rooted in what should, by most conventional assessments, be fertile ground." Others liken the public mood to the election of Hamas in Palestine (for anti-Fatah corruption reasons) by a population that would likely approve a referendum for a two-state solution. Whatever the eventual outcome, the ascendance of the ICU is an embarrassment to the US, which still seems to prefer perpetuating a sense that Somalis prefer exporting jihadi violence to restoring order after over a decade of anarchy perpetuated by the CIA backed warlords. "It's a turning point for Somalia," said a businessman in Marka, south of Mogadishu. "We just don't know yet which way our country will turn."
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Two terrorism-related raids - one in Canada and another in Britain - have Muslim communities on edge, oscillating between the need to condemn acts of terror in the name of Islam (a bit more forcefully, this time, please) and fending off pressure amid signs of a mounting backlash. The Canadian arrests resulted from a lengthy monitoring of the suspects and came with accusations - all denied - of acquiring three times the ammonium nitrate used in the Oklahoma City bombing and attempting to capture Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and behead him Zarqawi-style if Canadian troops weren't pulled out of Afghanistan. Muslim communities in Canada have generally cooperated with the RCMP, keeping in mind the comparatively nice treatment (Maher Arar notwithstanding) of minority Muslim populations. "Like all other Canadians," said Muslim Council of Montreal President Salam Elmenyawi, "the Muslim community is certainly concerned about issues of security." The same can't be said of Britain, where a nearly simultaneous (but not related) raid didn't go so well. One suspect was shot during an operation that was seeking a chemical device, which has yet to be found. "I understand that they have intelligence and have to act on it," said neighbor Farhana Pandor, "but it is the way the police have gone about it that makes me angry." Combined with the aftermath of the London bombings (and a greater proportion of hard-line Muslims than in the US or Canada), the raid has brought about calls to end Muslim cooperation with the police, which is mainly handled through the UK's major Muslim organizations. Profiles of the accused follow similar patterns to groups in the US (the Virginia "Paintball" group) and the UK (the London bombers): socially and culturally alienated Muslim youth - some of whom are only teenagers - mixed in with older participants who may be more well-adjusted but who adhere to more extreme forms of Islam. Caught between native and immigrant cultures, feeling increasingly frustrated at Western military involvement in Muslim lands, and driven by a black-and-white view regarding Islam's relationship with the West, these tight-knit groups come to a conclusion that violence - whether here or abroad - is the only way out. Whether or not the accused are actually guilty of these alleged crimes is for the courts to decide. Investigations need to be thorough and transparent, and Muslim communities should offer their full cooperation. Similar efforts, however, must also happen within the Muslim community to decide how to respond to pockets of extremism that may, given certain circumstances, metastasize into something worse than words. "This is a wake-up call, especially for Muslim leaders," said Sheikh Husain Patel, an imam at the Islamic Foundation of Toronto. "They were young kids, and they were taken down this road by someone."
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Will Minnesota Send The First Muslim To Congress? - With a strong political record in Minnesota state politics, Keith Ellison stands a good chance to become the first Muslim member of Congress. (May 24, 2006)
The Ups, Downs, And Outs Of Ayaan Hirsi Ali - Former Dutch MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali gained notoriety for her statements against Islam and Muslim immigrants to Holland. Caught lying during her own immigration, her credibility lies in tatters. (May 16, 2006)
Muslims And Wachovia: Once Bitten, Twice As Angry - Wachovia Bank cancels the account of a Muslim group dedicated to addressing domestic violence, and a community weary of "guilty until proven innocent" fights back. (May 8, 2006)
The Irony Of Being Hassan Al-Turabi - Sudan's Hassan al-Turabi once advocated for the execution of another Islamic scholar for being too liberal. Now he finds himself in the same situation. (May 3, 2006)
Return Of The Janjaweed, This Time In Chad - Remember Darfur? A few people - including some Muslims - do, and efforts are being redoubled to stem the bloodshed as it spills over into neighboring Chad. (Apr 20, 2006)
Muslim Voices On The Sidelines In Immigration Debate - Despite all the immigration-related problems that have afflicted the US Muslim community, little has been contributed to the current debate on immigration policy. (Apr 17, 2006)
Guess Who's Coming To TV? A Muslim-Themed Sitcom - Will a new Muslim-themed TV sitcom - the first of its kind in America - result in viewers laughing at Muslims or laughing with them? (Apr 5, 2006)
Begum Case Defeat Highlights A Game of Power - Now that a Muslim high school student has lost her case to wear a jilbab instead of the Muslim uniform derived from consensus, many are asking what was really behind it. (Mar 24, 2006)
Kurtlar Vadisi: The Other Side Of Free Speech - After decades of Muslim and Arab stereotyping in film, a Turkish blockbuster turns the tables and portrays Americans and Jews in a negative light. Will calls for free speech diminish? (Mar 11, 2006)
So Who's Hung Up On The 'Muslim Madonna'? - If Norwegian-born Muslim singer Deeyah wants to be the next 'Muslim Madonna,' will mixing Muslim commentary with scantily-clad videos gain her credibility or just cheap publicity? (Mar 2, 2006)
Irrational Fear, Your Ship Has Come In - Perhaps if you didn't understand global trade, the economy of Dubai, or the help the UAE gives the US military, your fear of Dubai Ports World would make sense. But it still wouldn't be right. (Feb 24, 2006)
A Harsher Light Shines on Guantanamo Bay - New pressure on the United States from the UN and others to close its Guantanamo Bay prison may highlight its legal and moral anomalies, but success remains uncertain (Feb 19, 2006)
Abu Hamza al-Masri Begins His "Slow Martyrdom" - With the US running out of domestic fish to fry, Abu Hamza's "slow martyrdom" following his UK conviction on incitement charges may soon quicken. (Feb 9, 2006)
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)
- More news articles here |
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By Irfan Yusuf, July 16, 2006
I grew up thinking how wonderful it was to be an "Indo-Pak" person, to be exposed to so many different faiths and foods and festivals. But I also grew up to learn that being Indian wasn't always this good. My Hindu, Muslim and Sikh uncles often told us harrowing stories of the communal bloodbath that claimed over 1 million lives during the 1947 Partition that created two independent states of India and Pakistan. One image that features prominently in these tails – the image of trains arriving at Lahore and Amritsar, their silent carriages filled with the stench of death. These carriages were communal coffins of innocent Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs massacred by religious militants. (More here)
By Muqtedar Khan, July 14, 2006
The crisis in the Middle East is rapidly reaching dangerous proportions. Unless someone or somebody injects a heavy dose of sanity into the region's affairs immediately, it is likely to escalate into a wider conflict that will make Iraq look like a picnic. The only player perhaps capable of playing this role is the US. But thanks to a lame-duck President, whose credibility at home and abroad is embarrassing, the world's only super power – the natural guarantor of global order – remains like its leader, ineffective and directionless on the global stage. (More here)
By Zahir Janmohamed, July 13, 2006
In the end, Zidane did in fact end his career without regrets. When he head-butted Italian player Marco Materazzi, millions of fans - myself including - all thought it was an action that he would later regret. But in his first interview since the event last Sunday, he apologized to the children around the world who witnessed his reaction but stopped short of showing regret or extending an apology to Matterazzi. "I tried not to listen to him but he repeated them several times," Zidane said. "Sometimes words are harder than blows. When he said it for the third time, I reacted. The reaction must be punished but if there had been no provocation there would have been no reaction." (More here)
One Year Later, The Gap is Greater
By Zahed Amanullah, July 7, 2006
Twelve months after the London bombings, the British government and Muslim leaders have made little progress in combatting terrorism and extremism. Both sides share the blame.
The Problem With "Muslim-Only" Days
By Svend White, July 6, 2006
Community events need to be structured in such a way that they respect Muslim needs and legitimate preferences without catering to illegitimate ones.
Not In My Name
By Hesham Hassaballa, July 5, 2006
According to many people, we should move beyond the past. Fine, let us then talk about the present goings on in Iraq - starting with allegations of raping Iraqi civilians.
Shut Down The Gitmo Gulag
By Hussam Ayloush, June 17, 2006
We are told we are fighting the "war on terror" to protect freedom and rule of law, yet we fail to implement those same principles at Guantanamo Bay.
Is The Death Of al-Zarqawi Really Good?
By Farhan Memon, June 9, 2006
By ending the lives of suspected terrorists in this fashion, the military seems to be writing off sources of potentially valuable intelligence.
Integration Is A Two-Way Street
By Hesham Hassaballa, June 7, 2006
Not only must Muslims be willing to extend their hands to their non-Muslim neighbors, but those non-Muslim neighbors must also be willing to extend their hands in return.
Mosques With Foreign Flags
By Muqtedar Khan, June 1, 2006
With Islamophobia on the rise in most western countries, in your face displays of allegiance to foreign nations can only be described as spectacularly stupid.
Indonesia's City of Soul Mourns
By Irfan Yusuf, May 30, 2006
Irfan Yusuf explores the history of the Jogja region of Indonesia, which is reeling from a major earthquake that has taken over 5,000 lives.
Understanding Muslim Language
By Svend White, May 29, 2006
Svend White outlines five simple rules to decipher just how the media selects quotes from Muslims and interprets their intentions.
Dead Woman Walking
By Shelina Merani, May 24, 2006
Many Muslim majority countries are implementing repressive policies and injustices - from corporal punishments to death penalties - in the name of Islam.
What Are The Requirements To Reflect Over the Qur'an?
By Hesham Hassaballa, May 24, 2006
We're told to read the Qur'an and ponder its meaning, but we're criticized for talking about it - that is, if we aren't considered qualified to do so.
A New Understanding Of "Kufr"
By Hesham Hassaballa, May 14, 2006
Muslims use the word "kufr" and "kafir", but do they really understand their meanings? Could there be more nuanced understandings that remain uncovered?
A "New" Look At Engagement?
By Motazz Soliman, May 3, 2006
As the 'new hyphenated Americans,' it would serve the Muslim population to study the struggles of other minorities who have pursued justice.
Are We Really Supposed To Hate Non-Muslims? (Part II)
By Hesham Hassaballa, May 1, 2006
How should Muslims interact with people of other faiths? What do Islam and Muslim scholars have to say about the matter?
Are We Really Supposed To Hate Non-Muslims? (Part I)
By Hesham Hassaballa, April 21, 2006
How should Muslims interact with people of other faiths? What do Islam and Muslim scholars have to say about the matter?
What Muslims Can Learn From Easter
By Irfan Yusuf, April 14, 2006
Easter is about Christ, a great man who saw the inherent worth of all human beings - even tax collectors and sex workers and lepers, those whom the rest of society wrote off.
Literalistic Wahhabistic Sufism
By Shabana Mir, April 13, 2006
The masses are drawn, as flies to honey, to a romanticized notion of legitimate "tradition" that is divorced from the specificity of reality, from compassion, from inclusiveness.
Making Men(ds) With Method
By Ali Eteraz, April 12, 2006
Would it be that the age of the reprehensible and anachronistic was the one that had waned, and the age of the righteous was at hand?
Are The Scholars The Same As God Himself?
By Hesham Hassaballa, April 7, 2006
The ink of the scholars may be more valuable than the blood of martyrs, as the Prophet Muhammad once said - but it is not the Word of God.
Why Is The US Promoting Nuclear Proliferation?
By Zeeshan Hafeez, April 3, 2006
The US agreement to support India's nuclear activities will fuel an inevitable nuclear arms race that will further destabilize the volatile region of South Asia.
Apostasy And Religious Freedom
By Louay M. Safi, March 31, 2006
A Christian or a Jew who converts to Islam is a Muslim and must be respected as such. By the same token, a Muslim who converts to Christianity is a Christian, and must be respected as such.
Converts From Islam: Let God Be The Judge
By Hesham Hassaballa, March 31, 2006
The Qur'an is very clear on this: There's no compulsion in religion. So why is an Afghan Christian convert being persecuted?
Intellectual Apostasy: The Real Issue
By Ibrahim Abusharif, March 29, 2006
The intransigence of the Afghani "judge" of this controversy is out of step with the very legal tradition he believes he's upholding.
Two Theories Of Ijtihad
By Muqtedar Khan, March 28, 2006
Muslim societies today have to distinguish between Islam and culture, retain their Islamic essence and reform dysfunctional cultural habits that hinder development.
An Unearthly Sufi Novel: Irving Karchmar's "Master of the Jinn"
By Ali Eteraz, March 28, 2006
Irving Karchmar's debut Sufi novel, "Master of the Jinn", heralds the arrival of a fresh literary voice to Islam and America. It also signals the revival of Sufism.
The Forgotten Story Of Iman Muhanna Mohammad
By Kelly Izdihar Crosby and Saraji Umm Zaid, March 27, 2006
While we argue about hijab or whether or not women should lead prayers, there are Muslim women all throughout the world that are being victimized by poverty, war, and disease.
Whatever Happened To "No Compulsion In Religion"?
By Irfan Yusuf, March 26, 2006
If Muslim minorities do not stand up for the rights of non-Muslims in Muslim-majority states, their occasional claims to being oppressed minorities themselves will not be taken seriously.
In Search Of The Kuffar ("Infidels")
By Hesham Hassaballa, March 20, 2006
Many Muslims may understand that a kafir is anyone who is not Muslim, a so-called "infidel." It is not that simple.
Dr. Wafa Sultan: A Lost Opportunity
By Hesham Hassaballa, March 13, 2006
As I listened to Dr. Wafa Sultan speak about the crimes committed by Muslims throughout the centuries, I thought to myself, "Here we go again."
The Media And Islam: Reimagining Imagery
By Maliha Masood, March 6, 2006
Maybe all that we are, all that we can ever be, are just ordinary folks trying to live our lives. Now that would be a relief.
"Everyday Is Ashura, Every Land Is Karbala"
By Mohamed H. Sabur, February 27, 2006
Whereas violence against Shiites manifests itself in the form of targeted killings in Pakistan and in Iraq, violence against Shiites in the U.S. manifests itself in the form of hate speech.
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.
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