The New York Times ( January 2012) has a review of Love Insh'Allah a new anthology edited by Ayesha Mattu and Nura Maznavi (Lifting Veil on Love and Islam):
The two editors, Ayesha Mattu and Nura Maznavi, sought to create a book that dispelled the stereotype of Muslim women as mute and oppressed. They gathered 24 portraits of private lives that expose a group in some cases kept literally veiled, yet that also illustrate that American Muslim women grapple with universal issues.
“We are thought of as being submissive and given in marriage to big, bearded men,” said Ms. Mattu, 39, an international development consultant, “while the reality is that a majority of American Muslim women are creative, funny, intelligent and opinionated.”
You can read the full review here.
Saturday, 4 February 2012
British Museums Hajj Exhibition: Media Coverage
The media has been covering the British Museum's newest exhibition Hajj: Journey to the heart of Islam, quite extensively:
The Guardian - Prejudices about Islam will be shaken by this show
Like Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Christians, Sikhs and secularists, some Muslims have undoubtedly been violent and intolerant, but the new exhibition at the British Museum – Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam – is a timely reminder that this is not the whole story. The hajj is one of the five essential practices of Islam; when they make the pilgrimage to Mecca, Muslims ritually act out the central principles of their faith. Equating religion with "belief" is a modern western aberration. Like swimming or driving, religious knowledge is practically acquired. You learn only by doing. The ancient rituals of the hajj, which Arabs performed for centuries before Islam, have helped pilgrims to form habits of heart and mind that – pace the western stereotype – are non-violent and inclusive.
Daily Mail (26 January 2012) - Mysteries of the hajj revealed as British Museum opens exhibition on Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca
"A major exhibition devoted to the annual pilgrimage to Mecca aims to lift the veil on a ritual that has remained a mystery to many in the non-Muslim world.
'Hajj: journey at the heart of Islam' has arrived at the British Museum and curators hope an insight into the historical and spiritual journey will draw in both Muslims as well as non-Muslims.
I think what the exhibition does is to talk about the one facet of Islam we don't know much about and that it's very much about peace"
Financial Times (27 January 2012) - Pilgrims’ Progress
The British Museum’s new exhibition on the Hajj is the most complete such enterprise yet undertaken. In a story that stretches from ancient beginnings to modernity, many of the rituals are unchanging, even if the infrastructure surrounding the trip has transformed dramatically. What was once a perilous voyage with serious risk of illness or loss of life is today administered by specialist travel agents who offer packages with visas and vaccinations included. It is just as well: annual visitors are estimated to top the 3m mark in the next few years. It is a testament both to the enduring hold of the Islamic faith and to the ability of this remarkable event to adapt with the times.
The historical section of the show is a tale of progress forged by continuing devotion (and serves as a corrective to the western assumption that modernity and secularism go hand in hand). There are fabulous accounts of the journey that are, if nothing else, important documents of sociology. The pilgrims of the 19th century, for example, were the first to notice the disparity between their modest surrounds and the wealth, and growing imperial ambitions, of western powers.
Wall Street Journal (27 January 2012): The British Museum's Pilgrimage
A clearer understanding of Islam has become an urgent priority for the West. And this may very well be the closest guide to experiencing one of its central rituals—and, as the exhibition demonstrates, ideas of community, trade and shared knowledge—that any non-Muslim will be able to obtain, since the Hajj itself is reserved for the faithful.
As the exhibition shows, the practicalities of organizing the Hajj are astounding. While the manuscripts and etchings of the 19th century had already identified it as a marvel, the development of first steamships, and then the railways and air travel, made it what Mr. MacGregor calls "on a planetary scale, one of the more remarkable things humans do." A timeline on one wall points out that, while there were around 30,000 pilgrims in the early 1930s, almost three million people now visit Mecca for the Hajj each year.
The Telegraph (04 February 2012) - Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam, British Museum, review
The first thing confronting you as you step up beneath the old reading room dome is an extraordinary aerial photograph of the Ka’aba, the sanctuary in the centre of Mecca, surrounded by perfect concentric circles formed by hundreds of thousands of praying pilgrims, filling not just the immediate courtyard, but the surrounding terraces and vast squares. It looks at first disconcertingly like some huge piece of devotional performance art – if I can say that without being remotely offensive. And at the same time it brings home the fact that with its emphasis on unitary oneness, Islamic art is in essence abstract.
Among many intriguing exhibits, my favourite was an exercise book containing the Hajj diary of a London schoolgirl, written in a rounded girlish hand: “words cannot describe the emotions that are created when one looks at the Ka’aba, such a simple object structurally yet so majestic and awe-inspiring it is difficult to take your eyes off it.”
The sentiments are Islamic, the means of expression a product of the British education system. If this was Britain’s contribution to the vast culture of the Hajj, it made one feel oddly proud.
The Guardian - Prejudices about Islam will be shaken by this show
Like Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Christians, Sikhs and secularists, some Muslims have undoubtedly been violent and intolerant, but the new exhibition at the British Museum – Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam – is a timely reminder that this is not the whole story. The hajj is one of the five essential practices of Islam; when they make the pilgrimage to Mecca, Muslims ritually act out the central principles of their faith. Equating religion with "belief" is a modern western aberration. Like swimming or driving, religious knowledge is practically acquired. You learn only by doing. The ancient rituals of the hajj, which Arabs performed for centuries before Islam, have helped pilgrims to form habits of heart and mind that – pace the western stereotype – are non-violent and inclusive.
Daily Mail (26 January 2012) - Mysteries of the hajj revealed as British Museum opens exhibition on Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca
"A major exhibition devoted to the annual pilgrimage to Mecca aims to lift the veil on a ritual that has remained a mystery to many in the non-Muslim world.
'Hajj: journey at the heart of Islam' has arrived at the British Museum and curators hope an insight into the historical and spiritual journey will draw in both Muslims as well as non-Muslims.
I think what the exhibition does is to talk about the one facet of Islam we don't know much about and that it's very much about peace"
Financial Times (27 January 2012) - Pilgrims’ Progress
The British Museum’s new exhibition on the Hajj is the most complete such enterprise yet undertaken. In a story that stretches from ancient beginnings to modernity, many of the rituals are unchanging, even if the infrastructure surrounding the trip has transformed dramatically. What was once a perilous voyage with serious risk of illness or loss of life is today administered by specialist travel agents who offer packages with visas and vaccinations included. It is just as well: annual visitors are estimated to top the 3m mark in the next few years. It is a testament both to the enduring hold of the Islamic faith and to the ability of this remarkable event to adapt with the times.
The historical section of the show is a tale of progress forged by continuing devotion (and serves as a corrective to the western assumption that modernity and secularism go hand in hand). There are fabulous accounts of the journey that are, if nothing else, important documents of sociology. The pilgrims of the 19th century, for example, were the first to notice the disparity between their modest surrounds and the wealth, and growing imperial ambitions, of western powers.
Wall Street Journal (27 January 2012): The British Museum's Pilgrimage
A clearer understanding of Islam has become an urgent priority for the West. And this may very well be the closest guide to experiencing one of its central rituals—and, as the exhibition demonstrates, ideas of community, trade and shared knowledge—that any non-Muslim will be able to obtain, since the Hajj itself is reserved for the faithful.
As the exhibition shows, the practicalities of organizing the Hajj are astounding. While the manuscripts and etchings of the 19th century had already identified it as a marvel, the development of first steamships, and then the railways and air travel, made it what Mr. MacGregor calls "on a planetary scale, one of the more remarkable things humans do." A timeline on one wall points out that, while there were around 30,000 pilgrims in the early 1930s, almost three million people now visit Mecca for the Hajj each year.
The Telegraph (04 February 2012) - Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam, British Museum, review
The first thing confronting you as you step up beneath the old reading room dome is an extraordinary aerial photograph of the Ka’aba, the sanctuary in the centre of Mecca, surrounded by perfect concentric circles formed by hundreds of thousands of praying pilgrims, filling not just the immediate courtyard, but the surrounding terraces and vast squares. It looks at first disconcertingly like some huge piece of devotional performance art – if I can say that without being remotely offensive. And at the same time it brings home the fact that with its emphasis on unitary oneness, Islamic art is in essence abstract.
Among many intriguing exhibits, my favourite was an exercise book containing the Hajj diary of a London schoolgirl, written in a rounded girlish hand: “words cannot describe the emotions that are created when one looks at the Ka’aba, such a simple object structurally yet so majestic and awe-inspiring it is difficult to take your eyes off it.”
The sentiments are Islamic, the means of expression a product of the British education system. If this was Britain’s contribution to the vast culture of the Hajj, it made one feel oddly proud.
British Museum: Hajj Journey to the Heart of Islam
The British Museum has an exhibition called Hajj journey to the heart of Islam. The exhibition is on from 26 January to 15 April 2012 and explores British Muslims hajj experiences. There is a page for people's stories:
"I was privileged to make the Hajj of 2011. The moment you enter the Harem Mosque and first lay eyes on the Ka’ba feels like the day you are truly born of life, your soul, heart and eyes soften and ease to the glorious sight. It’s incredible, so many Muslim around the globe pray towards and visualise this point before ever making the journey, now I have returned home I think it is testament to the faith."
"The highlight of my Hajj was to walk with millions of people wearing the same piece of simple cloth, saying same words here I am at thy service oh Lord, here I am, submitting ourselves to Allah. It was very uplifting to be united with people from all walks of life from all over the world as one umah (community) all for the sake of God Almighty. That sudden feeling of Joy once I completed all rituals of Hajj gave me the feeling I was reborn clean of sins and hoping that my Hajj has been accepted."
"I made my Umra 7 years ago and to this day the memories send shivers down my spine. It was magical; more magical than Disneyland!! Words alone can't explain the uplifting and exhilarating feeling rippling through myself! My favourite part was when we set foot inside the Haram and my siblings and I were going to lay eyes on the Ka'ba for the first time. We kept our eyes on the ground and only when we reached the courtyard did we look up. Wow. Gobsmacked. Amazing. I could only hear the birds singing and the general hum of people praying; I'd zoned out and no word in the entire dictionary will come close to describing how I felt. Pure, pure serenity :) The overall experience is very humbling. As I'm writing this, I'm smiling."
As well as hajj stories, the exhibition promises "beautiful objects, including historical and contemporary art, textiles and manuscripts". You can visit the websit to book tickets here.
"I was privileged to make the Hajj of 2011. The moment you enter the Harem Mosque and first lay eyes on the Ka’ba feels like the day you are truly born of life, your soul, heart and eyes soften and ease to the glorious sight. It’s incredible, so many Muslim around the globe pray towards and visualise this point before ever making the journey, now I have returned home I think it is testament to the faith."
"The highlight of my Hajj was to walk with millions of people wearing the same piece of simple cloth, saying same words here I am at thy service oh Lord, here I am, submitting ourselves to Allah. It was very uplifting to be united with people from all walks of life from all over the world as one umah (community) all for the sake of God Almighty. That sudden feeling of Joy once I completed all rituals of Hajj gave me the feeling I was reborn clean of sins and hoping that my Hajj has been accepted."
"I made my Umra 7 years ago and to this day the memories send shivers down my spine. It was magical; more magical than Disneyland!! Words alone can't explain the uplifting and exhilarating feeling rippling through myself! My favourite part was when we set foot inside the Haram and my siblings and I were going to lay eyes on the Ka'ba for the first time. We kept our eyes on the ground and only when we reached the courtyard did we look up. Wow. Gobsmacked. Amazing. I could only hear the birds singing and the general hum of people praying; I'd zoned out and no word in the entire dictionary will come close to describing how I felt. Pure, pure serenity :) The overall experience is very humbling. As I'm writing this, I'm smiling."
As well as hajj stories, the exhibition promises "beautiful objects, including historical and contemporary art, textiles and manuscripts". You can visit the websit to book tickets here.
Hajj certificate (detail). 17th–18th century AD. Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art Khalili Family Trust (image source)
Huffington Post: The Last Sermon of the Prophet Muhammad
Imam Abdullah Antepli, the Muslim Chaplain at Duke University writes for the Huffington Post (2 February 2012) on the Prophet's (PBUH) last sermon, describing it as "earliest declarations of human rights in written history":
"For those who can drop their 21st century cultural baggage and read this sermon in its own historical context, one can't help but admire it as one of the earliest declarations of human rights in written history. Almost everything he says in this prophetic sermon was almost unheard of and inconceivable prior to the arrival of Islam. The prophet of Islam addresses some of the core universal values in a society where those values are long forgotten and violated in a systemic basis. The prophet didn't only say but transformed his society, in a very short period of time, remarkably in all the values and lessons that he talks about.
All human beings are equal, racial supremacy is unacceptable, women have rights, socio-economic inequality is despicable and should be fought against and so on. In twenty three years he united a deeply divided and polarized Arabian peninsula, stopped the ongoing bloodshed, restored the dignity of women, minimized the gap between the poor and the rich and more. In his lifetime former slaves become governors of provinces and generals. Centuries old, deeply rooted primitive patriarchal and oppressive cultural practices were wiped out, racism and tribalism were defeated. There is hardly any other religious figure who has been as successful both in religious terms as well as in secular terms as Muhammad.
In this sermon of Muhammad, Muslims find their deep commitment to the universal human values such as sacredness of life and property, equality, justice, peace and more. Upon these high universal values, the religion of Islam was built."
You can read a translation of the semon and the full article here.
"For those who can drop their 21st century cultural baggage and read this sermon in its own historical context, one can't help but admire it as one of the earliest declarations of human rights in written history. Almost everything he says in this prophetic sermon was almost unheard of and inconceivable prior to the arrival of Islam. The prophet of Islam addresses some of the core universal values in a society where those values are long forgotten and violated in a systemic basis. The prophet didn't only say but transformed his society, in a very short period of time, remarkably in all the values and lessons that he talks about.
All human beings are equal, racial supremacy is unacceptable, women have rights, socio-economic inequality is despicable and should be fought against and so on. In twenty three years he united a deeply divided and polarized Arabian peninsula, stopped the ongoing bloodshed, restored the dignity of women, minimized the gap between the poor and the rich and more. In his lifetime former slaves become governors of provinces and generals. Centuries old, deeply rooted primitive patriarchal and oppressive cultural practices were wiped out, racism and tribalism were defeated. There is hardly any other religious figure who has been as successful both in religious terms as well as in secular terms as Muhammad.
In this sermon of Muhammad, Muslims find their deep commitment to the universal human values such as sacredness of life and property, equality, justice, peace and more. Upon these high universal values, the religion of Islam was built."
You can read a translation of the semon and the full article here.
Liam Neeson on Islam
Independent Film and Cinema (25 January) quotes an interview with Liam Neeson in which he shares his thoughts on Islam:
"He famously played a cleric in Cal, and was named after a priest, but Liam Neeson has admitted he is now considering converting to Islam.
The Ballymena raised star has told one British newspaper that Islamic prayer "got into his spirit" while filming in Turkish city Istanbul.
He said: "The Call to Prayer happens five times a day and for the first week it drives you crazy, and then it just gets into your spirit and it's the most beautiful, beautiful thing.
"There are 4,000 mosques in the city. Some are just stunning and it really makes me think about becoming a Muslim."
You can read the full article here.
"He famously played a cleric in Cal, and was named after a priest, but Liam Neeson has admitted he is now considering converting to Islam.
The Ballymena raised star has told one British newspaper that Islamic prayer "got into his spirit" while filming in Turkish city Istanbul.
He said: "The Call to Prayer happens five times a day and for the first week it drives you crazy, and then it just gets into your spirit and it's the most beautiful, beautiful thing.
"There are 4,000 mosques in the city. Some are just stunning and it really makes me think about becoming a Muslim."
You can read the full article here.
Friday, 13 January 2012
ISNA and Deaf Muslim Family Conference
The Islamic Society of America recently co-sponsored the Deaf Muslim Family conference:
"As a part of ISNA's ongoing efforts to provide quality education to the community about Islam and create environments in our mosques and Islamic centers that are inclusive and empowering to all, ISNA co-sponsored the Deaf Muslim Family conference last weekend in Virginia. Current and past ISNA Presidents Imam Mohamed Magid and Dr. Ingrid Mattson both spoke at the event, organized by Global Deaf Muslim, and have been very active in their own communities to make them more inclusive.
Imam Magid stressed the importance for our leaders and communities to make it a highest priority to develop programs and accommodations, such as a sign language interpreter during Friday prayers, to better include our deaf community members. Many of them currently attend prayers without the ability to hear and learn from the knowledge that is passed along each Friday.
Dr. Mattson spoke about the Islamic perspective on deafness and the role that our community should play with respect to deaf Muslims. In particular, she notes our responsibility as people of faith to protect the diverse needs of our communities by reflecting that diversity in our leadership. Our ability to see the needs of others is limited by our own perspective, she says, therefore, if our leadership is not reflective of our diverse community, many people's needs will continue to go unnoticed and unfilled."
Learn more here.
"As a part of ISNA's ongoing efforts to provide quality education to the community about Islam and create environments in our mosques and Islamic centers that are inclusive and empowering to all, ISNA co-sponsored the Deaf Muslim Family conference last weekend in Virginia. Current and past ISNA Presidents Imam Mohamed Magid and Dr. Ingrid Mattson both spoke at the event, organized by Global Deaf Muslim, and have been very active in their own communities to make them more inclusive.
Imam Magid stressed the importance for our leaders and communities to make it a highest priority to develop programs and accommodations, such as a sign language interpreter during Friday prayers, to better include our deaf community members. Many of them currently attend prayers without the ability to hear and learn from the knowledge that is passed along each Friday.
Dr. Mattson spoke about the Islamic perspective on deafness and the role that our community should play with respect to deaf Muslims. In particular, she notes our responsibility as people of faith to protect the diverse needs of our communities by reflecting that diversity in our leadership. Our ability to see the needs of others is limited by our own perspective, she says, therefore, if our leadership is not reflective of our diverse community, many people's needs will continue to go unnoticed and unfilled."
Learn more here.
Some 2011 Round-Ups
A few people have posted summaries of some of the Muslim good news stories from 2011:
Muslimah Next Door has posted "The Best ‘Good News’ Muslim Stories of 2011" (also posted at AltMuslim here)
Islamophobia Today has "My favorite 2011 Good News Stories About Muslims"
I hope 2012 brings plenty more good news for Muslim insh'Allah.
Muslimah Next Door has posted "The Best ‘Good News’ Muslim Stories of 2011" (also posted at AltMuslim here)
Islamophobia Today has "My favorite 2011 Good News Stories About Muslims"
I hope 2012 brings plenty more good news for Muslim insh'Allah.
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