My nephew came home from school one day and asked, “why do Muslims blow themselves up?” Taken aback, his mother exclaimed a loud, “What?!” Her eight-year-old proceeded to relay the joke d’jour circulating on the playground….
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I shouldn’t take this any further. Apart from not being true, it’s a diatribe that obfuscates something deeper (just as the parallel, but unnervingly more standard retreat, “Where are all the good Muslim men?” does). The degree of intelligent, sincere, socially conscious, and admirable Muslim women I meet is staggering, many of whom in a previous life I wouldn’t have hesitated asking out to dinner to get to know better. Yet, I find myself simply put off by Muslim women. << From the AltMuslimah Archives >>
Read MorePraise for Islamic Erotica is spreading throughout the blogosphere. Whether on liberal news sites or trash-talking hate blogs, the photographic and painted images of veiled U.S. icons and undisclosed Muslim women are circulating rapidly. Although the object of their discussions concern a variety of artists who, together, make up the phenomenon called “Islamic Erotica,” the central figure is Makan Emadi. Intrigued by his work, I visited the artist’s website to read more about his vision of Islamic Erotica. << From the Altmuslimah Archives >>
Read MoreIn March of 2010, two popular blogs featured articles concerning a body of particular concern these days: the female Muslim body. Although the subject of discussion was “Islamic Erotica,” it was nevertheless the Muslim body that was speaking. Writing in The Daily Beast, for example, Betwa Sharma described how Muslim women’s bodies are talking about resistance. Exploring the prohibition of nudity in Muslim art, Sharma introduced her readers to a few aspiring artists whose representations of naked bodies have been branded as artistic acts of defiance against religious restrictions. << From the AltMuslimah Archives >>
Read MoreTen years ago Monday, Americans shared a collective experience of horror as we gathered around our televisions with our families and friends. With our hands clasped over our mouths in shock, we cringed as we watched the Twin Towers topple down like a dusty, soot covered house of cards. After the shared bewilderment, came grief, quickly followed by anger. The free floating rage and resentment needed a target and Muslims, American and otherwise, fit the bill; after all, Osama bin Laden’s band of men had taken their own lives, along with 2,819 others, in the name of Islam.
Read MoreAlthough not a follower of football, I am the first to acknowledge and celebrate the importance of football in this here United States of America. So I was honored to attend a sneak preview of the film and special Q and A session with the cast and crew of Fordson, a documentary film that follows high school football players in Dearborn, Michigan during the last ten days of Ramadan as they prepare to play their rival high school.
Read MoreWith the anniversary of 9/11 fast approaching and the awareness that terrorism is still a real threat for the United States, we should consider what we might do differently to make our country a safer place.
Looking back on the last 10 years, one thing is clear: the violence of terrorism cannot be defeated with more violence. Afghanistan and Iraq are convincing proof of that; both countries remain ravaged by terrorism and al Qaeda forces seem much more resilient than the architect of the war on terror, George W. Bush, ever imagined.
Read MoreAn interview with Robina Niaz, Executive Director of Turning Point
Read MoreTo many of us, it’s a dejavu. It reminds us all about Sr. Aasiya Zubair’s murder in February of 2009.
Read MoreThe month of Ramadan has cued Muslims from all over the United States and the world to take some time out to spread the word about this holy month. While some record their daily experiences on their blogs, others are publishing ye ole “Ramadan 101” articles on webmagazines. Others are updating their twitter feeds with 140 character reflections on what Ramadan means to them.
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