Who speaks for Islam?

http://www.levantinecenter.org/pages/releases/who_speaks_for_islam.htm

CONTACT- Jordan Elgrably 610.657.5511
Nile El-Wardani 310.254.5530

WHO SPEAKS FOR ISLAM? WHAT A BILLION MUSLIMS REALLY THINK

New Gallup Book & Public Forum with co-author Dalia Mogahed & "24" producer Howard Gordon Challenges Western Assumptions & Stereotypes of the Muslim World

PRESS PREVIEW - Monday April 28th @ 10:30 am-noon
LOS ANGELES PRESS CLUB
4773 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles 90027. Tel. 323.669.8081.

PUBLIC FORUM - Tuesday April 29TH @ 7:30 pm
MARK TAPER AUDITORIUM, LA Central Library, Downtown
5th and Flower Streets, Los Angeles 90071

"In these fraught days of heightened tension and increasing hostility, few books could be more timely." —Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize winner

[LOS ANGELES, APRIL 9, 2008] Who really speaks for Islam? Based on the largest and most in-depth study of its kind, Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think presents the remarkable findings of the Gallup Organization's six-year poll of the Muslim world-the first ever data-based analysis of the points of view of more than 90% of the global Muslim community, spanning nearly 40 countries and representing 1.3 Billion Muslims.

On Tuesday, April 29, 7:30 pm, co-author DALIA MOGAHED will discuss "Who Speaks for Islam?" with "24" executive producer HOWARD GORDON and special guests in a public forum moderated by KPFK's NILE EL-WARDANI. Gordon is an American screenwriter and producer who graduated from Princeton; his writing/producing credits include "The X Files," and "24."

A press conference on Monday, April 28, 10:30 a.m.-noon, will take place at the Los Angeles Press Club, 4773 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles 90027. Tel. 323.669.8081.

Who Speaks for Islam?

In the largest study of its kind, Gallup's findings challenge popular notions, mainstream media pundits and the inevitability of a global conflict as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue. Despite widespread media coverage of global terrorism from America and Europe to the Middle East and Asia, little is known about what majorities of the world's Muslims really think and feel. What do Muslims say about violence and terrorist attacks? What do they say about democracy, women, and relations with the West? What are their values, goals, and religious beliefs?

Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think by John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed (Gallup Press; hardcover) sheds new light into the "increasing hostility" that Archbishop Tutu characterizes.

Tuesday, April 29, 7:30 pm, Mark Taper Auditorium, Los Angeles Central Public Library, 5th and Flower Streets, Los Angeles 90071. Free to the public, donations welcome. RSVPs required: 310. 657.5511. Visit levantinecenter.org.

This program is presented by the Levantine Cultural Center. It is sponsored by OneNation, a philanthropic collaborative with the vision of fostering a national conversation about the common values we share as Americans, regardless of how we choose to express our spirituality. One Nation sponsors projects—such as this public forum—that challenge stereotypes and misperceptions of Muslims and Islam by shining a spotlight on our shared values, beliefs and responsibilities. This program is cosponsored by the Los Angeles Public Library, Social Sciences Department; The99.org/Teshkeel Media Group, the Muslim-West Facts Initiative; the Muslim Public Affairs Council, Muslims for Progressive Values, and USC's Center for Religion and Civic Culture which promotes research related to the involvement of religion and religious institutions in civic culture, emphasizing the study of religion, cultural pluralism, community organizing, community development and public policy.

MORE BACKGROUND

In the wake of the terrorist attacks on 9/11, U.S. public officials seemed to have no idea whether or not many Muslims supported the bombings. This troubled Gallup Chairman and CEO Jim Clifton, who felt that "no one in Washington had any idea what 1.3 billion Muslims were thinking, and yet we were working on intricate strategies that were going to change the world for all time." Clifton commissioned his company to undertake this enormous research project.

The result is Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think, based on six years of research and more than 50,000 interviews representing 1.3 billion Muslims who reside in more than 35 nations that are predominantly Muslim or have sizable Muslim populations. Representing more than 90% of the world's Muslim community, this poll is the largest, most comprehensive study of its kind.

What the data reveals and the authors illuminate may surprise you:

• Muslims and Americans are equally likely to reject attacks on civilians as morally unjustifiable.
• Large majorities of Muslims would guarantee free speech if it were up to them to write a new constitution AND they say religious leaders should have no direct role in drafting that constitution.
• Muslims around the world say that what they LEAST admire about the West is its perceived moral decay and breakdown of traditional values - the same answers that Americans themselves give when asked this question.
• When asked about their dreams for the future, Muslims say they want better jobs and security, not conflict and violence.
• Muslims say the most important thing Westerners can do to improve relations with their societies is to change their negative views toward Muslims and respect Islam.

The research suggests that conflict between Muslims and the West is NOT inevitable and, in fact, is more about policy than principles. "However," caution Esposito and Mogahed, "until and unless decision makers listen directly to the people and gain an accurate understanding of this conflict, extremists on all sides will continue to gain ground."

Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think is an important book that challenges conventional wisdom and sheds greater light on what motivates Muslims worldwide. It is a must-read for anyone committed to creating peace and security in our lifetime.

About the Authors
John L. Esposito, Ph.D., is a leading expert on the Muslim world. He is University Professor and a professor of religion and international affairs and of Islamic studies at Georgetown University and the founding director of Georgetown's Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding in the Walsh School of Foreign Service. He is also the past president of the Middle East Studies Association of North America and of the American Council for the Study of Islamic Societies and a consultant to governments and multinational corporations. Esposito is editor in chief of The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World and Oxford Islamic Studies Online. His more than 35 books include What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam and Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam. He currently resides in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Jeanette P. Esposito, Ph.D.

Dalia Mogahed is a senior analyst and executive director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies. She leads the analysis of Gallup's unprecedented study of more than 1 billion Muslims worldwide. Mogahed also directs the Muslim-West Facts Initiative, through which Gallup, in collaboration with The Coexist Foundation, is disseminating the findings of the Gallup World Poll to key opinion leaders in the Muslim World and the West. She travels the globe engaging audiences on what Muslims around the world really think. Her analysis has appeared in a number of leading publications, including The Economist, the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy magazine, Harvard International Review, Middle East Policy, and many other academic and popular journals. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband, Mohamed, and two sons, Tariq and Jibreel.

Counterintuitive Discoveries in
Who Speaks for Islam? Who Speaks for the West?

• Muslims around the world do not see the West as monolithic. They criticize or celebrate countries based on their politics, not based on their culture or religion.
• Dream Jobs
When asked to describe their dreams for the future, Muslims don't mention fighting in a jihad, but rather getting a better job.
• Radical Rejection
Muslims and Americans are equally likely to reject attacks on civilians as morally unjustified.
• Religious Moderates
Those who condone acts of terrorism are a minority and are no more likely to be religious than the rest of the population.
• Admiration of the West
What Muslims around the world say they most admire about the West is its technology and its democracy - the same two top responses given by Americans when asked the same question.
• Critique of the West
What Muslims around the world say they least admire about the West is its perceived moral decay and breakdown of traditional values - the same responses given by Americans when posed the same question.
• Gender Justice
Muslim women want equal rights and religion in their societies.
• Respect
Muslims around the world say that the one thing the West can do to improve relations with their societies is to moderate their views toward Muslims and respect Islam.
• Clerics and Constitutions
The majority of those surveyed want religious leaders to have no direct role in crafting a constitution yet favor religious law as a source of legislation.

Adapted from Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think by John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed; Copyright © 2007 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.

Advance Praise for Who Speaks for Islam?

"Who Speaks for Islam? quantifies the mutual misunderstanding between the West and the Muslim World, allowing us all to take the first necessary step in bridging the dangerously widening divide." —Howard Gordon, Executive Producer of the Academy Award winning series "24"

"As our world spirals out of control with greater violence and misunderstanding between the West and the Muslim world, Who Speaks for Islam? cuts through the conflicting rhetoric of politicians and pundits and presents the often-silenced voice of Muslims everywhere. I cannot imagine a more important or more badly needed intervention." —Deepak Chopra, author of Peace is the Way

"The data presented in this book are not only arresting, but indispensable. Who Speaks for Islam? should be required reading for policy makers, journalists, broadcasters, teachers, students, and scholars." —Karen Armstrong, author of A History of God

"At once incisive and provocative, this book is brimming with valuable insights into what Muslims think about religion, democracy, women's rights, extremism, and Muslims' relations with the West. This is a must-read for pundits and policy makers, specialists and non-specialists, American or Muslim." —Vali Nasr, author of The Shia Revival: How Conflicts Within Islam Will Shape the Future

"Who Speaks for Islam? teaches us about one of the most important issues of our time. The book contains many surprises about how Westerners and Muslims view one another." —Jessica Stern, author of Terror in the Name of God and Academic Director of the Program on Terrorism and the Law at Harvard Law School

"This is an important book. Years after 9/11, politics and quick judgments continue to stand in the way of a clear-eyed view of the Muslim world. Not so for Esposito and Mogahed. They provide powerful evidence and compelling logic that shows Muslims around the world have many of the same hopes and dreams, and face many of the same issues and concerns, as other people do." —Robert Pape, author of Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism and Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago

"Who Speaks for Islam? could not be more timely. It provides essential insights into the thinking and attitudes of a large part of the global Muslim population on critical issues such as democracy, theocracy, extremism, jihad, women's rights, and the prospects of cooperation or conflict between the West and the Muslim world." —Ambassador Edward P. Djerejian, former assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs; founding director, James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University

Reservations strongly suggested as seating is limited. Call 310.657.5511 or online at levantinecenter.org.

Media contacts: Jordan Elgrably, 310.402.8866 or Nile El-Wardani, 310.254.5430.

Hate Sermons from Pulpit

Hate Sermons from the Pulpit.
Mike Ghouse, May 2, 2007

It is our duty to keep law and order and faithfully guard the safety of every citizen. Hate is one of the many sources of disrupting the peace in a society and it is our duty to track down the source of such hate and work on mitigating it. We have an obligation to maintain a balance in the society

We lose that balance and that elusive equilibrium if we let hate mongers, hate sermons and hate lectures creep in our societies.

The Muslims have been diligently cleaning up the hate sermons from happening in their communities in the United States and Canada. I can recall one incident last year in Canada where one such alleged hate monger Yaseen Sheikh was not allowed to land in Canada and was sent right back to his home; The United Kingdom. The Muslims are making serious efforts to prevent radical preachers from making any speeches in their communities and their Mosques. I am sure some one slips by here and there, but the vigil is there and the guard is on. Islam is about bringing a balance to the society, and American Muslims are vigorously fighting to prevent the Mosque pulpit to ever go into the hands of hate generators.

Hate peddling is unfortunately human, and doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with religion, any religion.

As all the religions teach to overcome hate, here are some quotes about doing unto others;

Bahai: Lay not on any soul a load which ye would not wish to be laid upon you, and desire not for any one the things ye would not desire for yourselves. Writings of Baha'u'llah

Buddhism: Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful. Udana-Varga 5, 1

Christianity: All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:1

Confucianism: Do not do to others what you would not like yourself. Then there will be no resentment against you, either in the family or in the state. Analects 12:2

Hinduism: This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would not have them do unto you. Mahabharata 5,1517

Islam: No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself. Sunnah

Jain: "Living beings (souls) render services to one another" or in short "Live and let live."

Judaism: What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellowman. This is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary. Talmud, Shabbat 3id

Sikh: All humans are same and so we should treat them all the same – Guru Gobind Singh

Taoism: Regard your neighbor's gain as your gain, and your neighbor's loss as your own loss. Tai Shang Kan Yin P'ien

Wicca: Harm None

Zoroastrianism: That nature alone is good which refrains from doing another whatsoever is not good for itself. Dadisten-I-dinik, 94, 5

As we pledge one nation under God with liberty and justice for all, we have to look into each other and look at ourselves, and lift ourselves up from the hate pit and come together on a level playing field of goodwill and generosity.

The business side of faith has thrived on ridiculing others faiths and manufacturing a devil out of thin air. There is a misplaced spirituality in operation; our faith is the best, because others aren’t. Wow, what logic! Arrogance and Spirituality are inversely proportional; one cannot be religious when there is an element of arrogance in it. Other faiths don’t have to be bad for mine to be good. My little daughter says if there is no negative selling how would the business of Church survive? How would you grow congregations and the monies that come with it? Shamefully hate and fear binds the people, even though much of it is manufactured. Who has the time to question? A majority of us do not really hate anyone, nor do we care for those sermons, we go there as a social event and often honoring the courtesy of invitation. However, the extremists among us cash on it, they know what binds us.

It is the human weakness that allows the propagation of hate, and we shamelessly abuse our holy texts to justify human killing and destruction of the world be it Armageddon, Jihad, Promised land or some such notion to satisfy one’s disruptive mindset. Whether it happens in Church, Mosque, Temple, Synagogue or any place of worship, the silent majority puts up with it and does not speak out. We go to the place of worship to rid ourselves of our sins – the elements of ill-will, malice, hate, anger and other entrapments. The pulpit has become a loading dock for malice and incitement to look down upon others who hold a different view.

Anya Cardell writes (http://www.anyacordell.com). “This follows on the lecture last week by Steven Emerson at Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook, attended and warmly received by about 500, entitled ‘The Terrorists Living among us’. Both Pipes and Emerson have long histories of virulent anti-Muslim efforts. Pipes invented what he calls ‘Sudden Jihad Syndrome’, which he defines as the sudden change of any normal appearing, apparently peaceful Muslim, who may turn on a dime into a radical terrorist. …so I'm not going to cite right now a bunch of similarly appalling assertions from Pipes, Emerson, and their cronies--but they are truly terrifying, adding to the 'open season' mentality currently profiling, stereotyping, smearing, and generalizing all Muslims. I have met the families of innocent men who were murdered in the hate-backlash of 9/11, and know that there are all-too-real consequences of such hate and fear-mongering. “Additionally, a requisite for war is demonizing and dehumanizing the Other, so that we can shrug, rationalize or justify what we call 'collateral damage', and how innocents are caught in the crosshairs or ensnared in big nets, (roundups, detentions, etc.), all in the name of 'security'.”

Should our places of Worship offer space for hate sermons or for bridge building lectures? I hope the sanctity of the synagogue is not violated by the Emerson, Pipes and his likes and no one ought to be allowed to preach hate towards other people.

It is in our interest and the interest of public safety that the sermons delivered at places of worship fill our hearts with love, generosity and goodwill and build bridges for a safe and peaceful nation.

What if we make our speeches in the place of worship a public record? To keep peace, law and order in our country, we need to consider hate speech as a crime. The speech that would permanently place wedges between our communities injects distrust and destroys the concept of one nation under God.

Mike Ghouse is a Speaker, Thinker, Writer and a Moderator. He is president of the Foundation for Pluralism and is a frequent guest on talk radio, discussing interfaith, political and civic issues. He founded the World Muslim Congress with a simple theme: "good for Muslims and good for the world." His personal Website is www.MikeGhouse.net and his articles can be found on the Websites mentioned above and in his Blogs: http://MikeGhouseforAmerica.Blogspot.com and http://MikeGhouse.Sulekha.com . He can be reached at MikeGhouse@gmail.com. Mike lives in Carrollton with his family and has been a Dallasite since 1980.

Trouble with Islam - Rebuttal

The letter below, and the commentary is followed by the article in Wall Street Journal.

Thursday, April 5, 2007
Letter to the Editor
Wall Street Journal.

Dear Editor,

Everything in the paper is not true. I don't know where Mr. Tawfiq Hamid goes to pray, I would like to go there and hear out the hate sermons myself. If some one or Wall Street Journal wants to take up the challenge and prove it by visiting at least 5 places of worship of all faiths randomly and bring an honest report about it, it would serve the truth, then I can say, everything I read in WSJ is true and the reporter's integrity is beyond reproach.

The mosques are open to all, any one can visit them, with a few exceptions, the sermons are always in English. I am working on a proposal that all sermons should be recorded and made available as a public record. Usually, they talk about building one's character, or story of one of the Prophets, and it is usually timed for 30 minutes, then the next 10 minutes goes reciting the verses from Qur’aan.

One should speak up if there are hate sermons and they are a rarity, at least in the United States, if the facts come out otherwise, we have to deal with it.

===============================================================================
Dr.Tawfik Hamid makes an interesting proposition in
trouble with Islam, his article follows my comments.

I have been visiting different Mosques to hear out what is going on, the mosques are open to all, any one can visit them, and the sermons are always in English. In fact, I have proposed that all sermons should be recorded and made available as a public record. The FBI has paid agents visiting Mosques regularly, and a few have known to fake information, just so they can get paid. They are also baiting individuals to say a few things.

Except a few places of worship, where the congregation is from a single language groups (Jamaat Khana's where Gujarati is spoken), or a few Mosques in Detroit where Arabic is spoken...usually it is mixed gathering. I have been asking members of my groups to let me know if any Mosque delivers any hateful sermons.... so I can see it for myself.

In the last four years I have been active, and going back to my growing up years, I'm yet to hear hateful sermons.

Usually, they talk about building one's character, or story of one of the Prophets, and it is usually timed for 30 minutes, then the next 10 minutes goes reciting the verses from Qur’aan.

This is the rule. There have been exceptions no doubt, but I am yet to witness, when I go, I listen to the sermon keenly. The only objection I had was about four years ago, where an Imam made a comment that women should control their children from being boisterous...(that again, has nothing to do with religion, men say that all the times) which was objected heavily and was told to him not to repeat, and he has not been invited since.

I don't know where Tawfiq goes to pray, I want to go there and hear it out myself and I am willing to do that. But on the other hand, you just have to ignore or challenge the WSJ, to prove it by visiting all the mosques, any time and randomly. I have sent over 50 letters and comments to WSJ in vain - they will publish it, if it is anti-Muslim, one of you may want to try it both ways and see the results.

The fact that politics is deep wherever humans are, it is a blessing. You find the groupizations in gurudwaras, temples and Mosques. There is a push and pull between Indian, Pakistani, Arab, Bangladeshi, Chinese ...and other Muslims, as to who is the boss. As a result sermons are limited to the texts, and are rarely political in nature due to differences.

One should speak up if there are hate sermons... Tawfiq joins the growing line up of people who are cashing by bashing Islam. It is a good money maker, if some one wants to make the money.

Reform has begun, several changes are happening, after I raised hell with the Secular Islam Summit, and for a change, there is a symposium going on with two hard core neo-cons and two moderate Muslims. They have agreed in principle and we have documented nearly 35 pages of straight talk thus far, and I will give them the benefit of doubt that they would publish, if they don't, I will post it to this group.

Mike Ghouse
www.WorldMuslimCongress.com
www.foundationforpluralism.com
www.MikeGhouse.net

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Trouble with Islam

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117556869968257964.html

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ONLINE, APRIL 3, 2007
COMMENTARY

The Trouble With Islam

By TAWFIK HAMID

April 3, 2007; Page A15

Not many years ago the brilliant Orientalist, Bernard Lewis, published a short history of the Islamic world’s decline, entitled "What Went Wrong?" Astonishingly, there was, among many Western "progressives," a vocal dislike for the title. It is a false premise, these critics protested. They ignored Mr. Lewis’s implicit statement that things have been, or could be, right.

But indeed, there is much that is clearly wrong with the Islamic world. Women are stoned to death and undergo clitorectomies. Gays hang from the gallows under the approving eyes of the proponents of Shariah, the legal code of Islam. Sunni and Shia massacre each other daily in Iraq. Palestinian mothers teach 3-year-old boys and girls the ideal of martyrdom. One would expect the orthodox Islamic establishment to evade or dismiss these complaints, but less happily, the non-Muslim priests of enlightenment in the West have come, actively and passively, to the Islamists’ defense.

These "progressives" frequently cite the need to examine "root causes." In this they are correct: Terrorism is only the manifestation of a disease and not the disease itself. But the root-causes are quite different from what they think. As a former member of Jemaah Islamiya, a group led by al Qaeda’s second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, I know firsthand that the inhumane teaching in Islamist ideology can transform a young, benevolent mind into that of a terrorist. Without confronting the ideological roots of radical Islam it will be impossible to combat it. While there are many ideological "rootlets" of Islamism, the main tap root has a name -- Salafism, or Salafi Islam, a violent, ultra-conservative version of the religion.

It is vital to grasp that traditional and even mainstream Islamic teaching accepts and promotes violence. Shariah, for example, allows apostates to be killed, permits beating women to discipline them, seeks to subjugate non-Muslims to Islam as dhimmis and justifies declaring war to do so. It exhorts good Muslims to exterminate the Jews before the "end of days." The near deafening silence of the Muslim majority against these barbaric practices is evidence enough that there is something fundamentally wrong.

The grave predicament we face in the Islamic world is the virtual lack of approved, theologically rigorous interpretations of Islam that clearly challenge the abusive aspects of Shariah. Unlike Salafism, more liberal branches of Islam, such as Sufism, typically do not provide the essential theological base to nullify the cruel proclamations of their Salafist counterparts. And so, for more than 20 years I have been developing and working to establish a theologically-rigorous Islam that teaches peace.

Yet it is ironic and discouraging that many non-Muslim, Western intellectuals -- who unceasingly claim to support human rights -- have become obstacles to reforming Islam. Political correctness among Westerners obstructs unambiguous criticism of Shariah’s inhumanity. They find socioeconomic or political excuses for Islamist terrorism such as poverty, colonialism, discrimination or the existence of Israel. What incentive is there for Muslims to demand reform when Western "progressives" pave the way for Islamist barbarity? Indeed, if the problem is not one of religious beliefs, it leaves one to wonder why Christians who live among Muslims under identical circumstances refrain from contributing to wide-scale, systematic campaigns of terror.
Politicians and scholars in the West have taken up the chant that Islamic extremism is caused by the Arab-Israeli conflict. This analysis cannot convince any rational person that the Islamist murder of over 150,000 innocent people in Algeria -- which happened in the last few decades -- or their slaying of hundreds of Buddhists in Thailand, or the brutal violence between Sunni and Shia in Iraq could have anything to do with the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Western feminists duly fight in their home countries for equal pay and opportunity, but seemingly ignore, under a façade of cultural relativism, that large numbers of women in the Islamic world live under threat of beating, execution and genital mutilation, or cannot vote, drive cars and dress as they please.

The tendency of many Westerners to restrict themselves to self-criticism further obstructs reformation in Islam. Americans demonstrate against the war in Iraq, yet decline to demonstrate against the terrorists who kidnap innocent people and behead them. Similarly, after the Madrid train bombings, millions of Spanish citizens demonstrated against their separatist organization, ETA. But once the demonstrators realized that Muslims were behind the terror attacks they suspended the demonstrations. This example sent a message to radical Islamists to continue their violent methods.

Western appeasement of their Muslim communities has exacerbated the problem. During the four-month period after the publication of the Muhammad cartoons in a Danish magazine, there were comparatively few violent demonstrations by Muslims. Within a few days of the Danish magazine’s formal apology, riots erupted throughout the world. The apology had been perceived by Islamists as weakness and concession.

Worst of all, perhaps, is the anti-Americanism among many Westerners. It is a resentment so strong, so deep-seated, so rooted in personal identity, that it has led many, consciously or unconsciously, to morally support America’s enemies.

Progressives need to realize that radical Islam is based on an antiliberal system. They need to awaken to the inhumane policies and practices of Islamists around the world. They need to realize that Islamism spells the death of liberal values. And they must not take for granted the respect for human rights and dignity that we experience in America, and indeed, the West, today.

Well-meaning interfaith dialogues with Muslims have largely been fruitless. Participants must demand -- but so far haven’t -- that Muslim organizations and scholars specifically and unambiguously denounce violent Salafi components in their mosques and in the media. Muslims who do not vocally oppose brutal Shariah decrees should not be considered "moderates."

All of this makes the efforts of Muslim reformers more difficult. When Westerners make politically-correct excuses for Islamism, it actually endangers the lives of reformers and in many cases has the effect of suppressing their voices.

Tolerance does not mean toleration of atrocities under the umbrella of relativism. It is time for all of us in the free world to face the reality of Salafi Islam or the reality of radical Islam will continue to face us.

Dr. Hamid, a onetime member of Jemaah Islamiya, an Islamist terrorist group, is a medical doctor and Muslim reformer living in the West.

Khutbah Competition.

AA,

This is a great initiative, Insha Allah it may become a catalyst in developing a new practice of thoughtful, time sensitive Khutbah's. Let's reduce every sermon into writing as we will have records of it. Indeed, all the great speeches made in human history were written first and delivered next. It is a great trend to follow.

It will also inculcate the habit of speaking for Muslims of all hues, without any biases. This is a crtical need of the hour. I urge all to participate.

Khutbah Competition
Muslims for Progressive Values announces

The Al-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz (Malcolm X) Khutbah Competition

Feb 8, 2007 Los Angeles, California

Vie with one another in doing good works. Wherever you may be, God will gather you all unto Himself: for, verily, God has the power to do anything.” [The Qur’an, 2:148]

Invite (all) to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for your Lord knows best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance. [The Qur’an, 16:125]

In light of these Qur’anic verses, Muslims for Progressive Values announces the establishment of the al-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz (Malcolm X) Khutbah Competition, an annual competition and award for excellence in sermon writing for North American Muslims. Al-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz, one of the best known and best loved American Muslims, was a brilliant orator. His speeches and sermons combined exhortation to justice, dignity, and righteousness, with extraordinary eloquence.

MPV hopes this competition named in honor of Al-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz will encourage other American Muslims to follow in his footsteps, to consider seriously the task of preparing sermons that not only teach, but also uplift and inspire. We hope to promote excellence in writing and delivering khutbahs throughout the American Muslim community, and to foster an environment where excellence in preaching is valued as greatly as the erudition and education of the preacher.

For 2007, two prizes will be awarded:
$1000 for The al-Hajj Malik Ash-Shabbazz (Malcolm X) Prize for Excellence in Sermon Writing, which is a juried competition
$500 for The People’s Choice award for Excellence in Sermon Writing, which will be a popular award based upon rankings given by readers who visit the competition website and vote on the khutbahs.

Additionally, the winners will be invited to deliver their sermons during the first conference of Muslims for Progressive Values, to be held at Sarah Lawrence College June 15-17, 2007. MPV also intends to publish the winning essays in a booklet which will be available to the public.

The judges for the first year include:

al-Husein N. Madhany, PhD Program, Medieval Islamic History and Theology, University of Chicago.
Kerry Gearin, lawyer; advocate for abused women and children
Jack Fertig, columnist; head of the San Francisco Progressive Muslim MeetUp Groups
Laury Silvers, Assistant Professor of Religion specializing in Islam at Skidmore College; founder of progressiveislam.org
Donations to support the competition are welcome; please click here to donate via paypal. Thank you!
____________________________________________

Call for Entries:

The Al-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz (Malcolm X) Khutbah Competition Submission Guidelines:
The competition opens February 15th, 2007
Final Deadline to submit entries is April 30th, 2007.
Winners will be announced June 15th, 2007, at the MPV Conference.

Sermon entries for the year 2007 should describe ways in which North American Muslims can apply Islamic principles to better our world, country, communities, and the lives of family, friends, and others. Special consideration will be given to sermons which demonstrate how North American Muslims, individually or collectively, can take leadership roles in long-term civic engagement efforts. The focus should be on turning hope and good intentions into practical action, with the goal of making Islamic principles come alive to solve problems and move the Muslim community and American society to a better place.

All khutbahs should be between 3000 and 7500 words (approximately 20-40 minutes delivery time), and must be written in English. Qur’an and hadith may be quoted in Arabic, although it is not required. If Arabic is used, translation should be provided. Use of technical language from fiqh and theology, Arabic phrases, and other jargon should be kept to a minimum.The competition is open to all Muslims, of any race, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, and religious affiliation (sunni, shii, sufi, etc).

While imams and chaplains are encouraged to submit entries, no official position, title, or educational background is required of contestants. Judging will be upon the merits of the khutbah, not the merits of the writer.All identifying information (including name, gender, age, ethnicity, and contact information) will be stripped from the written entries before being sent to the judges or being posted on the competition website to ensure a fair competition. In the juried competition, each khutbah will be given 1-5 points in five categories:

content (including clarity, organization, understandability)
use of Qur’an and/or hadith
rhetoric/strength of argument
emotional appeal
relevance to the North American context

Thus, there will be a maximum of 25 points from each judge, or 100 points total. The khutbah receiving the highest cumulative marks will be the winner.
In the people’s choice award, readers will rate each khutbah on a scale of 1-10 (1 being the best, 10 being the worst). Each khutbah will be ranked according to the average of all scores received. In the event of a tie, the khutbah with the largest readership among those who received the top marks will be deemed the winner.

Entries should be in Times New Roman, 12 point, double spaced, and with at least 1 inch margins on all sides. All entries should include a cover sheet with a title for the khutbah, author’s name, address, phone number, and email. Only title, with no personal identifying information, should be on the subsequent pages of the khutbah itself.

Submission to this competition constitutes agreement on the part of the author that the submitted khutbah may be posted on the People’s Choice website and may be included in any compilation/publication of winning entries.

Email all entries to Sabahat Ashraf .
For further information please contact the competition coordinator, Sabahat Ashraf, at iFaqeer@Gmail.com

Thanks.