To “save Iraqi Democracy” Bush’s war will target Shias too

Apparently, the Bush administration’s appetite for war and violence is not being satisfied with Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia; it is actually seeking to open new fronts with more enemies. To read more click here.

U.S. Government and American Muslims Define Islamophobia

On December 4, 2006, the national leadership of American Muslims met with key senior U.S. government officials to discuss the state of Islamophobia in America and US Muslim relations. To read the entire report and see an audio visual section click here.

Should Muslims Be Allowed To Impose Islam On Other Americans?

Many Muslim cab drivers in Minneapolis are refusing to allow passengers carrying alcohol in their cabs, saying it is against the Islamic Shariah [law] to do so.

This is an important debate, especially for Muslim immigrants, who come to America with their religious baggage. Are we here to give our families a better life or are we here to convert America into an Afghanistan under the Taliban? Do we want to use American freedoms to learn about Islam and practice it in an intimidation free environment, or use it to spread the disease of religious intolerance? Will Muslim presence in America strengthen it or subvert it? To read the entire article click here.

Democracy Restored!

The first thing to recognize about the current midterm elections is that it was not just a referendum on Iraq, if it was so, both Ned Lemont an anti-war Democrat in Connecticut and Lincoln Chafee an anti-war Republican in Rhode Island would not have lost. This election was about change. Americans are seeking a new leadership, certainly new direction, but perhaps not a shift in values. .. To read the entire analysis click here.

ISLAM IN OXFORD

This article reflects on the unusually positive nature of the Oxford Muslim community. It discusses the challenges they face and includes a photo slideshow and a photo gallery of Islam in Oxford. To read the article click here.

Middle East Crisis: Is The US Part of the Problem?

This article was published in The Daily Star [Lebanon, 07.31.06], The Middle East Online [07.31.06], Alarab Online [07.28.06], Aljazeerah [07.28.06], Altmuslim [07.27.06], OpEdNews [07.27.06], The American Muslim [07.29.06], Naseeb [07.28.06].

We are presently witnessing in Lebanon, the third humanitarian disaster in which President Bush has had a direct or indirect hand. In Iraq over 50,000 are dead and dying thanks to President Bush’s decision to invade and occupy it without the number of troops necessary to secure the country.

In New Orleans, the administrations’ incompetent preparation and slow response exacerbated the humanitarian crisis. And now hundreds of innocent people are dying in a war in Lebanon that could be stopped by the international community if it was not handcuffed by the US President Bush is determined to allow Israel enough time to devastate Lebanon while it seeks to destroy Hezbollah. We may recall that Israel failed to undermine a much weaker Hezbollah even after 18 years of warfare and occupation of southern Lebanon [1982-2000]. Why do we expect success now?

The US has so far achieved only two things in the two weeks since the conflict in Lebanon began, indeed in the month since the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier prompted Israel to unleash its ruthless war machine.

One, it has acted to ensure that no effort by the international community would succeed in stopping the mayhem in Lebanon. Three times the US has subverted the processes of peace, at the U.N., at the G-8 summit and at the Rome conference, where it was apparent that if it was not for Tony, “the poodle’, Blair, the US would have been completely isolated from the rest of the humanity on this issue.

Two, even during the conflict, instead of working towards peace, we are arming one side with rockets and big powerful bombs which, in the words of the Lebanese Prime Minister, are “cutting his country to pieces.” We are even smuggling these weapons through Britain, somewhat like Iran, smuggling weapons to Hezbollah via Syria. Unlike Syria however, Britain is protesting.

The administration claims that the Rome conference helped build a consensus for an international force to prevent future crisis. For those of us who are familiar with the history of the conflict, we know that it was only because of Israeli and American opposition that there is no real international force already in the area capable of policing the borders and keeping all parties peaceful. What Secretary Rice means by consensus is that finally the US has agreed with the rest of the world on one issue involving Israel.

This strategy of American foreign policy to arm, encourage and support extended and open-ended Israeli military action, I am convinced will fail miserably in realizing its goals. By the time Israeli’s finish in Lebanon it will be a pile of debris with perhaps nearly a thousand innocent civilians dead and over a million homeless and displaced. All other major US goals in the region – democracy promotion, support for moderates, winning hearts and minds, undermining support for radicalism – will also be buried under the debris.

Hezbollah fighters would have been dispersed all over the region, and will be regrouping to fight another day with more men, more support [thanks to elevated levels of anti-American and Anti-Israeli sentiments across the Middle East], and perhaps more deadlier weapons. They will also be more confident and experienced after their current showing. From their performance it is apparent that they are the best fighting force the Arabs have produced in a long time. Perhaps they will conquer Saudi Arabia and Jordan just for fun, while they regroup. The two monarchies probably fear something of that nature and are therefore huddling so closely with the US since this fight began.

I see no light at the end of the tunnel except wishful thinking that Hezbollah will be destroyed and the rest of the world will send their soldiers to defend Israel. It is like the neocon pipe dream of Americans being received as liberators by Iraqis. After seeing the current form of Hezbollah, I will be surprised if any country will volunteer its forces. If President Bush decides to send our troops, the party will move from Iraq to Lebanon. For Al Qaeda and the Jihadis, it will be like a ‘buy one get one free deal’ [US and Israel together in the same fight].

The US will not talk with Syria or Iran because they are “part of the problem”. From the steps taken so far, it is not clear to me if the US foreign policy is really a part of the solution.

Remember the last time when Israel raped Lebanon, Hezbollah was born. It is scary to imagine what the current molestation will yield. American foreign policy is in wrong hands and is heading in the wrong direction. It is not in the interest of global peace, not good for America’s many interests in the Middle East and will not make Israel safer.

What is true for Spiderman is also true for the US – with great power comes great responsibility. As the sole superpower it is the US’ responsibility to maintain the global order and nurture the international system, not become a destabilizing force. American foreign policy is in a way a global public good and by acting in a highly partisan and short sighted fashion in the current Arab-Israeli conflict we are abdicating our status as a global leader.

Muqtedar Khan is currently a visiting scholar at Oxford. He is Assistant Professor at University of Delaware and a Nonresident Fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution. He is a senior scholar with the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding. He is the author of Jihad for Jerusalem [2004] and most recently Islamic Democratic Discourse [2006]. His website is www.ijtihad.org.

Middle East Crisis: U.S. fails to defend its Interests

The escalation in the region is not in U.S. interest. It strengthens anti-Americanism worldwide and fuels radicalism in the Arab and Muslim world. It also reverses hard earned gains in the region such as fledgling democracies in Palestine and Lebanon.

It is a shame that in moments of crisis American leadership does not take decisive steps to safeguard its own interests. The U.S. does not have to abandon Israel to defend its other interests in the region, all it has to do is use its enormous leverage to ensure that Israel’s policies are moderate and prudent and safeguard both Israeli and American interests. To read the entire article click here.

Is the Middle East Exploding?

Israel has responded in a very aggressive fashion to the provocation of kidnapping of an Israeli soldier. It has in return kidnapped over 30 Palestinian parliamentarians [the American press is describing this action as "arrested"] in addition to bombing bridges, shooting cars, power plants and sending tanks across the Israel-Gaza border.

Three things are triggering this:

[1] The new Israeli PM, Ehud Olmert is seen as a novice when it comes to security, he is over reacting in order to prove to Israelis and perhaps to Palestinians that he has not only emulated Sharon on the matter of unilateral separation, but is also capable of a Sharonic military action. The jets crossing into Syria are supposed to signal his willingness to go the distance and also expose the military impotence of the Arab allies of Hamas.

[2] Israel is genuinely susceptible to kidnappings. In the past they have released hundreds of Palestinians in return for a handful of Israelis. This strong response is to discourage Palestinians from making kidnapping a regular means of resistance to the occupation. Kidnapping and targetting of Israeli soldiers may prove to be a more lethal weapon than even suicide bombings, since kidnapping soldiers is military action and not exactly terrorism; it will hurt Israelis without bringing moral condemnation of Palestinian actions as suicide bombings justly do.

[3] This action is another message to the Palestinians that electing Hamas maynot serve their interest, but will bring more mysery.

As fas as Hamas and Mahmoud Abbas is concerned, this is not a good development for them.

[1] This Israeli action will expose the limits of the Palestinian government when it comes to providing security to its own people.

[2] This episode sends the message that even when in power, Hamas is either still a resistance movement and therefore not ready to be a partner for peace, or it is a government incapable of controlling militant action from within its borders. It also faces the risk of Palestinains ultimately blaming Hamas for Israel's brutality. Already Hamas is looking as ineffectual as PA use to.

[3] For a while now the public opinion in the West, particularly in Europe was shifting in Israel's favor, possibly Israel's overreaction may once again remind that Europeans that even though the Palestinians have voted for Hamas, they still are victims and live under a brutal occupation.

Please comeback for more updates as the situation develops.

Mosques with Foreign Flags: Islam in America and Germany

There is room for Islam in America and Germany. We can and we will build bigger and more spectacular mosques in the West, but there is no place for Saudi flags, or Turkish or Pakistani flags in Western mosques. They have their embassies and that is enough. They should not be allowed to use our mosques. To read the entire article click here.

Two Theories of Ijtihad

As tensions between the Muslim and Western worlds continue to grow, there is one largely overlooked area of activity that may play a role in building bridges: ijtihad. While ijtihad can be a tool for understanding Islamic principles in a way that fits the needs and challenges of individuals and societies, there is no universal agreement on its proper role. To read more click here.

Hamas's Victory: Positive for All

While I recognize the potentially explosive situation with Hamas, I humbly submit that Hamas' victory may very well prove to be beneficial to all concerned parties. It is common wisdom that a peace deal acceptable to Likud is acceptable to all in the U.S. and Israel. Similarly, a peace deal acceptable to Hamas will be acceptable to all in the Arab and Muslim world. To read more click here.

American Muslims and the Rediscovery of America's Sacred Ground

This is a chapter from a new book on religious pluralism in America. It explores how the American Muslim community has negotiated the idea of pluralism and America's public sphere while mainstreaming Islam. To read the chapter click here or on the title.

BEGGARS IN HIJAB IN THE HEART OF EURABIA

I was shocked to see this rather young and dignified woman push a Starbucks coffee mug into my face. She was begging! To read more click here.

India the Emerging Management Giant

India’s low investment high yield educational strategy is paying off big as a result of globalization. Indians armed with English, educational degrees and a strong desire to excel are exploiting every global opportunity. They easily edge out people from most of the developing world by being more education conscious and compete favorably with the first world by providing adequate services at significantly low cost. ...... To read the entire article click here.

U.S. FOREIGN POLICY AND AMERICAN MUSLIMS

This is a one hour interview of Prof. Khan by Marty Moss-Coane of Radio Times on US Policy in Iraq, The Arab-Israeli conflict and American Muslims [Oct. 14. 2005]. To listen to this show via Real Audio click her.

KAREN HUGHES AND AMERICAN MUSLIMS: An Alliance Against Extremism

Karen Hughes, widely recognized as one of the most powerful people in America , essentially because of her proximity to and influence with the President, met with an influential group of American Muslim leaders in Chicago on September 1st and kicked off the 42nd annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America. She not only listened to them, as she had promised, but also engaged with them in a frank and open discussion and won many allies in the Muslim community. To read more about the substantive discussions at the meeting click here:

Special Issue on Debating Moderate Islam

The Fall 2005 issue of American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences is a special issue on Debating Moderate Islam. The contributors to this excellent issue include Ariel Cohen [Heritage Foundation], John L. Esposito [Georgetown University], Graham Fuller [Retired CIA Analyst], Abid Ullah Jan [ ICSSA], Muqtedar Khan [University of Delaware], Ali Mazrui [Suny Binghamton], Mahmood Mamdani [Columbia University], Louay Safi [ISNA], Feisal Rauf [Cardoba Initiative], Taha Jaber Al Alwani [SISS], and Hakan Yavuz [University of Utah]. For information on how to get a free copy click here.

American Muslim Organizations Condemn London Attacks

The American Muslim Perspective has compiled the condemnations issued by major American Muslim organizations. To read them click here.

LONDON ATTACKS QUESTION OUR HUMANITY

Islam was sent as mercy to humanity, yet some merciless barbarians insist on sullying its teachings by unleashing the evil that corrodes their own souls. Can we find a way to deal with these tragedies in such a way that it does not lead to more deaths, more violence, more anger, and more hatred?

Our reality today questions our humanity, can we reassure ourselves that we indeed constitute a civilization. .. MORE... http://www.ijtihad.org/london.htm

Struggling for the Souls of Islamic Schools

In the end, the goal of liberal American Muslim leaders is to combine what is, in their minds, the best of their two worlds. They'd like to preserve their Islamic identity while democratizing Islam, and use their beliefs to change American society and foreign policy. And the key to achieving those goals, they believe, is to create a network of quality Islamic schools from the elementary through university levels, modeled on Roman Catholic schools, that provide both academic and religious schooling. To read the entire article click here..

CIA agents Wanted for Kidnapping:

The now unfolding crisis triggered by an Italian judge who has issued arrest orders for 13 individuals allegedly associated with the CIA highlights European anger at what they see as America’s disregard for European laws. The case involves a practice called “extraordinary rendition” – which basically means that Americans kidnap individuals allegedly linked with terrorist groups and take them to countries that use torture to extract information. Clearly there is more to the case. To read click...

Supreme Court Decision on Ten Commandments is Shallow and Unwise

The US Supreme Court issued a split decision on the constitutionality of religious symbols on public property. While they voted 5-4 to rule that display of Ten Commandments inside courthouses was inappropriate endorsement of religion, they also ruled 5-4 that display of Ten Commandments outside the courthouse on government land was acceptable. .. [ Click for More ]

Bravo! CAIR: Better Late Than Never

CAIR has announced that it will distribute a “Women Friendly Mosques” Brochure. This document is perhaps the most enlightened statement that CAIR has ever issued in its eleven-year history. This is a good beginning for their new Chairman, Dr. Parvez Ahmad. I hope that this document is a promise of more progressive thinking to come from CAIR. The document is meekly titled as a brochure when in fact it is a document that clearly lays down a new mosque policy for American Muslims. To read more click here...

Quran Desecration: Far Worse than Abu Ghraib

This is worse than Abu Ghraib; Abu Ghraib represents the physical and psychological torture of a few Muslims, Quran desecration represents the spiritual, emotional and psychological torture of all Muslims. To read more click.

Epistemological Hijab

The Epistemological Hijab - the barrier between women and Islamic sources - has fundamentally rendered the articulation and enforcement of Islamic laws undemocratic. This undemocratic tradition privileges men and exploits women. Its reconstitution is important and more so now than before.

Is Muslimwakeup.com Undermining the Progressive Muslim Movement?

Most American Muslims seem to sympathize with the causes that underpin the philosophy of Progressive Muslims, but they strongly disapprove of MWU’s style. Click to read more:

Islam in the West: The Threat of Internal Extremism

The presence of a persistent anti-western extremism within a small minority of Western Muslims exacerbates the plight of Western Muslims and undermines all their efforts to improve relations with the broader Western communities and allay fears that Islam in the West is a threat to democracy and security. To read more click here.

He helped Build Interfaith Bridge

Op-Ed Published in USA Today, April 6th, 2005.

Today, through the efforts of John Paul II as a pioneer in interfaith bridge-building, Muslims, too, feel as though Catholicism has started to reciprocate and recognize Islam and Muslims as partners in spirituality. To read more click here.

Message on the Death of Pope John Paul II

I want to express my condolences to the Catholics of the World on the sad demise of Pope John Paul II. He was truly a world leader. For nearly a quarter century he was a beacon of freedom, religious tolerance, and inter-faith relations.

In a world despiritualized by materialism, secular fundamentalism and religious extremism, he was a champion of moderation and peace. He was a friend of Islam and Muslims and we shall always remember his bold positions on the Middle East crisis and the war against Iraq.

One of his many legacies will be his outreach to Muslims and I hope that his successor will not only continue in the same spirit but will also move forward to further emphasize the good relations between the Catholic Church and the Muslim World.

Are Pakistanis less prejudiced than Indians?

I was disappointed to read that when Pakistan beat India in a Cricket match this week in Bangalore they were rewarded with silence by thousands of cricket fans in the stadium. In contrast when India beat Pakistan in Karachi the crowds there roared with approval for the Indian team’s excellent performance. This culture of blaming Pakistan for all of India's problems, which often does not distinguish between Pakistanis and Indian Muslims may one day cause a terrible holocaust in India which will make the genocide in Gujarat 2002 look like a picnic. To read the entire article click here.

Is President Bush dumping the neocons?

Is President Bush getting rid of the neoconservative ideologues who supposedly shaped his response to 9/11? It may appear so. First he packed of John Bolton, to the UN and now Paul Wolfowitz to the World Bank. Douglas Feith, widely believed to be responsible for doctoring the intelligence on Iraq's WMDs is leaving soon. The Wolfowitz, Feith and Bolton firm easily constitutes the core of the neocons in the Bush Administration. Does their departure signifiy change of policy, from war mongering to diplomacy?

We must wait and see who the replacements are. This could just be an excercise in troops rotation. Neocons go out and other neocons come in. There are rumors that either Wolfowitz or Feith will be replaced with another strongly hawkish individual [Eric Edelman, US ambassador to Turkey has just resigned]. Let us hope that things are changing for the better.

Meanwhile, can anybody explain the logic behind appointing hardcore unilateralists to multilateral institutions?

Woman Leading Jummah Prayers: Why am I Silent?

I have received several inquiries on why I have not made any statement regarding the issue of whether a woman can lead both men and women in obligatory prayers and Friday prayers. Here is my brief and general response to them. Click here.

Islamic Horizons: Excellent Special Issue on Allama Iqbal

I was delighted to see the March/April issue of Islamic Horizons, the flagship publication of ISNA [the Islamic Society of North America]. It is a special issue dedicated to the ideas of Allama Iqbal, the visionary philosopher-poet from South Asia. Congratulations to IH for a wonderful issue. To read a full review of the issue click.

MODI’S OPERANDI: American Business and Genocide Linked Again?

One of the most outstanding films of this year was Hotel Rwanda. It gives a glimpse of the horrors of genocide in Rwanda and also reminds us that we did nothing while that happened. If Americans continue to patronize mass murderers like Narendra Modi from India, it is just a matter of time when we will be watching Hotel Gujarat. Hotel Gujarat, a film about genocide in India, will open perhaps with a shot of Narendra Modi being honored by the Asian American Hotel Owners Association. To read the entire article click.

John Bolton is indefensible

Washington Post today published a column by Anne Applebaumanne titled "Defending Bolton,". I read it with great amusement. It is apparent that Bolton is indefensible. John Bolton is rude, arrogant, and extremely hawkish who often adds his personal opinions to policy positions while articulating them and confuses the audience about what is indeed US policy. Since his positions are often more bellicose than those of the government's, he actually makes the Bush administration look more war mongering than it really is.

Applebaumanne's defense of Bolton has three key arguments; (1) UN is undemocratic and a problematic institution, (2) Bolton has often written about the dangers of international organizations and the threat they pose to sovereignty of states and (3) since he is thick-skinned he will not be too upset by the hatred that will inevitably be directed at him. She actually appreciates his undiplomatic characteristics and has nothing positive to offer about Bolton's credentials as a diplomat. It is like applauding the appointment of a barber to the position of surgeon general.

The fundamental problem with Bolton is that he is a diehard unilateralist and strong believer in the use of military force. The UN is premised on the two principles of multilateralism and peace which clash with Bolton's approach to foreign policy. The two are so much out of synch that they are likely to spend more time going after each other than working together. In her confirmation hearing, Secretary of State Condileeza Rice twice mentioned that "the time for diplomacy is now". One wonder what she meant by that.

I think Bolton's defender misses both the politics behind the Bolton appointment and real issues at stake.John Bolton is the darling of the Christian right and he has been foisted on the Bush administration by them. In exchange for their support, the Christian Right demands among other things an important job for John Bolton. Before Condileeza Rice was appointed Secretary of State, Bolton was nominated as the deputy. The first thing that Rice did after her nomination was to essentially say no to Bolton. He did not get the NSA job either and since then the Bush administration has been searching for a position for him.

His appointment as US Ambassador to the UN clearly indicates that neither UN nor diplomacy have any major role to play in Bush's foreign policy. The US's problems with the UN [particularly its refusal to look the other way on the issue of Israel] and its steady resistance to acting as foreign policy agent for the US are well known.

In order for the US to work effectively with the UN, Bush should have chosen a person with impeccable personal credentials who could rise above the mutual dislike between the UN and the US and forge a working partnership and help initiate reforms at the UN. But John Bolton will alienate the UN, fuel anti-Americanism and the strong personal dislike that he will incite towards himself will undermine the ability of the US to work closely with the UN.

The US needs UN support in Afghanistan and Iraq and Bolton could jeopardize that. This is not a wise move.

Arafat's Religious Legacy

Religious, Secular Divide Arafat’s Religious Legacy

By M. A. Muqtedar Khan

Science and Theology News January 25, 2005

Yasser Arafat’s legacy to Palestine, though he is the father of Palestinian nationalism and the last hero of the struggle for decolonization, is complicated.

What is difficult to decipher is his religious legacy. Arafat was a secular leader, but he did not hesitate to use Islam to advance his political causes whenever convenient.To read more click here..