Why MuhaMMad Matters?

issue 2 vol.1December 2012

Recognising Other-ism

UK £3.00

Why Muhammad matters

Ashura rituals trapped in

cultural baggage

The Redemption of the

‘American Dream’

2 3

In brief

6 News

Life & Community

8 The US election

The non-mention of the “Muslim vote: underlying perceptions in US politics by Ali Jawad

10 Educating our future generation

Ibrahim Aarif describes ways to prevent Muslim children from falling into the faithless social wayside

12 The New Faith Schools

Alia Azam talks about state funding and diversity in provision for faith-based schools

14 Muslim Organisations and Social Networking

Zahra Halabi on the importance of social networking for Muslims

15 Meet the Masumeen – With Class 786

A new children’s book

Youth Matters

14 Solutions

Mirsaed recalls the dilemma of a young Muslim girl being pressured into enter-ing a potentially problematic relation-ship by her parents

Arts

18 Poetry Poetic Pilgrimage

In the Spot Light Mohammed Ali

Music Mecca 2 Medina

HeritageIznik Pottery 15th to 17th century

Places to be Musee Du Louvre Paris

Politics

22 Fallen Warriors of Senseless Wars

Reza Murshid explains how the princi-ple of retribution, works in the light of a new scandal enveloping a high ranking American army general.

24 The redemption of the ‘Ameri-can Dream’

Omid Safi explains why Americans should neither celebrate nor mourn the recent presidential election.

Opinions

26 Recognising other-ism

The West’s perception and treatment of the East is bound by its reliance on a discourse that is inescapably political, says M Haghir.

28 Civil Society and the rule of law

Muhammad Katmi claims that as part of the struggle to attain a degree of civility in Muslim society modern no-tions and practices must be allowed to flourish.

30 The Evil of Alcohol

The prevalence of idleness, pauperism, and crime in the USA are traceable to the evil of alcohol says Hamid Wagar

Feature

32 Christmas’razzamatazz belies its true significance

Tahereh Shafiee reminds Muslim parents of the real significance of the Prophet ‘Isa(a) and of his role as a prophet of God.

Cover

34 Why Muhammad(s) matters

Omid Safi provides the keys for under-standing Muslims’ connection to the Prophet Muhammad(s) and explains why he is held in such high esteem

Faith

38 The centrality of the Prophet Muhammad(s) to Islamic spir-ituality

The Prophet is a Messenger not only because he brought a message from God but because he himself is also the message of God; says Ahmad Haneef

Contents

Disclaimer: Where opinion is expressed it is that of the author and does not necessarily coincide with the editorial views of the publisher or islam today. All information in this magazine is veri-fied to the best of the authors’ and the publisher’s ability. How-ever, islam today shall not be liable or responsible for loss or damage arising from any users’ reliance on information obtained from the magazine.

islam today magazine intends to address the concerns and aspirations of a vibrant Muslim community by providing readers with inspiration, information, a sense of community and solutions through its unique and specialised contents. It also sets out to help Muslims and non-Muslims, further understand and appreciate the nature of a dynamic faith.

Publisher: Islamic Centre of England 140 Maida Vale London, W9 1QB - UK

ISSN 2051-2503

Chief Editor Amir De Martino

Managing Editor Anousheh Mireskandari

Health Editor Laleh Lohrasbi

Art Editor Moriam Grillo

Science Editor Hannah Smith

Events Editor Mohsen Biparva

Layout and Design Alireza Bahmanpour

Design and Production Isthmus Press

ContributorsAhmad Haneef Alia AzamAli JawadGhazaleh KamraniHamid WagarIbrahim AarifM HaghirMirsaedMuhammad KatmiReza MurshidOmid SafiTahereh ShafieeTaraneh EskandariM S BahmanpourYasser AhmedZahra Halabi

www.islam-today.net

Information info@islam-today.net

Letters to the Editor letters@islam-today.net

Contributions and submissions submit@islam-today.net

Illustration by Batool Abbas

December 2012

Published Monthly Vol. 1 No. 2

4 5

This year the Islamic New Year fell on 16th November. This date is introduced by the first month of the Islamic

calendar known as Muharram and the current year is 1434 of the Hijra era. In many societies the advent of the new year is a time for celebration and the starting points for new resolutions, an opportunity to put behind us all the bad memories of the past year.

Celebrating the coming of the New Year can be a rather extravagant event across Europe and the Western world. In con-trast Muslim nations do not attach so much importance to the beginning of the year.

Muslims attach more significance to other celebratory dates known as Eid, all of which are related to events in the life of the early community and repre-sent the fulfilment of specific religious rituals. It is not unusual for Muslims to pass the first of Muharram like any ordinary day.

However outside its chronological posi-tion, this month is of considerable commemorative importance since it was during its first ten days that an his-torical episode took place in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar, approxi-mately 50 years after the demise of the holy Prophet Muhammad(s). The event in question is known as the tragedy of Karbala and it marks the killing of the

Prophet’s grandson Husayn ibn Ali(a) by Yazid, a despotic ruler of the time.

Without going into the details of this event whose knowledge should be the responsibility of every truth seeking Muslim, I shall limit myself to say that in less than fifty years from the demise of the Prophet of Islam, the leadership of the Islamic community had been taken over by a powerful oligarchy determined to rule by force and intimidation.

This was in sharp contrast with the exam-ple of a benevolent government such was the one established by the Prophet himself. Husayn ibn Ali(a) represented a last stand against the subversion of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad(s). A true spiritual heir of the Prophet, he denounced and opposed the rule of Yazid by inviting people to reflect and compare two symmetrically opposed representations of existence: on one side the Prophet of Islam with his radiant and illuminating reality, whose objective was to bring out the best in humanity, and on the other side, Yazid, represent-ing the materialization of the darker side of humanity, a true concealer of divine truth.

Regrettably the obfuscators of real-ity exist today just as they existed at the time of Yazid, except now they are much more sophisticated and the means of control at their disposal are more insidious and inconspicuous.

To speak the truth even if it is against one’s own interest is the ultimate expression of selflessness and in today’s world it is a rarity, especially in politics where the order of things responds to the Machiavellian premise that the objective justifies the means. Today’s objectives are mostly motivated by self-interest (‘national interest’ in political parlance) with little room for real justice let alone universal moral values.

In pursuing world justice it is not easy to stand against those who behave unjustly especially if they are big and powerful. There is no country in the

world at present that can be taken as a role model; they all fall short for one reason or another. But reason dictates that the bigger and more powerful a country is, the greater is its responsi-bility towards the implementation of justice.

As islam today prepares to print its second issue, there are indications that there is nothing to celebrate in this Islamic New Year nor in any other impending New Year. The people of Palestine, who have come to represent one of the longest cases of injustice and continued oppression, are once again on the receiving end of massive use of force by an occupying entity that calls itself a democratic state. Criti-cism must also be levelled at Arab nations who have failed miserably to use all the means at their disposal to put pressure on the international com-munity to act now. But why should we expect this? Most are themselves involved in systematic large scale oppres-sion of their own nationals

The situation on the ground looks bleak for the foreseeable feature and the memory of Husayn(a)’s struggle evokes hope that from the ashes of destruction and loss of innocent lives a new spirit of resilience will be nour-ished. This on its own is enough reason to keep the memory of the Karbala trag-edy alive.

The presence of thousands of people of different faiths and ethnicities dem-onstrating outside Israelis embassies worldwide represent rays of hope that the Palestinian cause is no longer only a Muslim issue but one that concerns eve-ryone committed to the struggle against oppression who hopes that oppressors everywhere will be brought to account for their actions, no matter how power-ful the nations that support them. Only when this happens will it make sense to rejoice and celebrate our respective new years. •

Editorial

40 The hierarchy of knowledge and the Prophet’s teachings

Yasser Ahmed talks about education and edification as important tasks undertaken by the Prophet Muhammad(s)

42 The Prophet Muhammad(s): an Environmentalist

Hannah Smith explains that modern principles of environmentalism exist at the core of the Islamic pattern for life, and the last Prophet Muhammad(s) was a leader in this field

44 Ashura rituals trapped in cultural baggage

Anousheh Mireskandari talks about physical mortification as a form of iden-tification with the suffering of a religious personality.

46 Religion and science, a match made in heaven

Saeed Bahmanpour claims that the 21st century will usher in the return of religion, as the planet is still in need of answers

Interfaith

48 ‘Shared notions in our com-mon Abrahamic faiths’

A letter from Church of St. Mary de Cas-tro, Leicester

50 London Citizens: a continuous commitment to civil engage-ment

Stefan Baskerville reports on the latest assembly of West London Citizens.

51 Homelessness ends here

An interfaith project between Crisis and Mahfil Ali (SICM)

23rd to 29th December, 2012

Science

52 Physical reality: is it all in the mind?

The way in which human beings per-ceive the physical world is ultimately a product of their own consciousness says Hannah Smith

54 Tracking the twists and turns of hurricanes

Randy Rieland explains why weather scientists have become more willing to publicly acknowledge the uncertainty of their forecasts.

Health

56 Medical breakthroughs

Medical breakthroughs in recent years have set the foundation for further un-derstanding of the human body but Dr Laleh Lohrasbi believes we have only touched the surface.

58 Dementia, the national crisis

Some 800,000 elderly people suffer from Dementia in the UK at a cost of over £23 billion per year. Dr Lohrasbi says the government is beginning to get to grips with the problem.

59 The invisible danger of mobile phones

Places

60 The Al-Irsyad Mosque, Padalar-ang, Indonesia

Taraneh Eskandari illustrates the con-temporary renaissance in mosque archi-tecture

What & Where

64 Film Review

Mohsen Biparva reviews the box office movie ‘Argo’

66 Events

THE PurSuE OF WOrLd juSTICE

Glossary of Islamic Symbols The letters [swt] after the name of Allah[swt] (God), stands for the Arabic phrase subhanahu wa-ta’ala meaning: “Glorious and exalted be He”.

The letter [s] after the name of the Prophet Muhammad[s], stands for the Arabic phrase sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam, meanig: “May Allah bless him and grant him peace”.

The letter [a] after the name of the Imams form the progeny of Prophet Muhammad[s], and for his daughter Fatimah[a] stands for the Arabic phrase ‘alayhis-salaam, ‘alayhas-salaam (feminine) and ‘alayhimus-salaam (plural) meaning respectively: (God’s) peace be with him, her, or them.

Contents

Amir De MartinoChief Editor

In brief

6 7

Tennessee Muslims celebrate long waited opening of mosque After years of public opposition, court battles and even threats, the Muslim community in the south-eastern US state of Tennessee has finally celebrated the opening of a long-sought mosque to accommodate their religious needs.

The opening ceremony was attended by officials, Christian leaders as well as Muslim residents.

The mosque was the centre of fierce pub-lic opposition since plans for building the Muslim worship place were unveiled in 2010.

Opponents have sought court rulings to stop the mosque building, arguing that Islam is not a religion protected by the US Constitution, and that the mosque would promote the Shari`ah.

After a long court battle, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order in June to allow the Muslim community in Tennessee to use the mosque for wor-shipping.

At least 35 mosque projects- from Mis-sissippi to Wisconsin - have found foes who are battling to stop them under different pretexts, including traffic con-cerns and fear of terrorism.

Islamophobia Studies journal launched by university of California, BerkeleyThe Islamophobia Research & Documen-tation Project at UC Berkeley announces the launch of Islamophobia Studies

Journal, a bi-annual peer reviewed aca-demic periodical focusing on emerging research and analysis about the nature of Islamophobia and its impact on cul-ture, politics, media, and the lives and experiences of Muslim people.

Muslim lady told she needs bank escort because of her hijabThe Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is calling on Tulsa’s Valley National Bank to review its “inappropriate and dis-criminatory” policy that treats customers wearing religious head coverings differ-ently than other patrons.

A Muslim customer of the bank reported that she was singled out by bank offi-cials because of her religiously-mandat-ed headscarf, or hijab.

She was allegedly told she would not be able to enter the bank unless accompa-nied by a bank employee to and from the teller because of a “no hats, no hoods, no sunglasses” policy.

Valley National Bank has confirmed in a letter to CAIR that it is not their policy to single out women who wear a head-scarf, whether for religious reasons or otherwise, but that the policy applies to everyone including nuns and Jews.

Award ceremony of ISESCO Science and Technology PrizeThe winners of the sixth Islamic Confer-ence of Higher Education and Scientific Research; held on the 20th of November in Khartoum, received their prizes from the Vice President of the Republic of the Sudan, Dr Al-haj Adam Yussuf.

The ISESCO Science and Technology Prizes for 2012 were allocated in recog-nition of the distinguished works in Ba-sic Sciences and Technology.

The winners are:

•Dr. Reda Shibli, from Jordan, for Biology

•Prof. Dr. Abel Maharramov, from Azer-baijan for Chemistry

•Prof. Dr. Begen Yesimov, from Kazakh-stan, for Geology

•Prof. Dr. Tasawar Hayat, from Pakistan, for Mathematics

•Prof. Dr. Abdeslam Hoummada, from Morocco, for Physics

•Prof. Dr. Uda Hashim, from Malaysia, for Technology

The laureates each received an ISESCO Gold Medal, a $5,000 cash prize, and a certificate acknowledging their achieve-ments.

Muslim Council calls for a peaceful and dignified protest against current aggression

The Muslim Council of Britain voiced its concern at the inability of the UK government to condemn the Israeli government for its attacks on Palestin-ians in Gaza. Dr Shuja Shafi, the Deputy Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain said: “Israel has attacked and killed innocent civilians in Gaza. Our Foreign Secretary has said that Israelis “have the right to live without fear of at-tack from Gaza”. So do Palestinians.... It is time for our government to be an honest broker in this process and not side with a government clearly guilty of murder.” Dr Shuja Shafi added: “It is right and proper to lobby our govern-ment to act justly on the Israel-Palestine question. We must do so peacefully and with dignity. The MCB is also calling for media outlets to report the situation in Gaza fairly and without prejudice.

Hamburg recognises Muslim holidays The northern German city of Hamburg has recognised Muslim religious holidays in what constitutes a major achievement for the sizeable community in the Euro-pean country.

Under this agreement, authorities will recognize `Eid Al-Fitr, `Eid Al-Adha, and the Day of Ashura as official holidays.

The agreement still awaits final approval by Hamburg’s civic parliament, in which Scholz’s centre-left Social Democrats hold a majority. The opposition Chris-tian Democrats and Greens have already welcomed the accord.

“This is a historic day for Hamburg, but also for Germany,” said Zekeriya Altug, chairman of the Hamburg association of the Turkish-Islamic association.

According to government-commissioned studies, around 4 million Muslims live in Germany with Hamburg alone being home to 150,000 Muslims.

France sets remembrance date for Algerian war victimsFrance has set March 19 as the annual date of remembrance for victims of the 1954-62 Algerian war to mark the con-flict that ended more than a century of French colonial rule in Algeria. This is a diplomatic gesture to Algeria before a visit by President Francois Hollande in December.

In May 8, 1954, Muslim protesters in Sétif organised to demand Algerian independence. What began as a march became a massacre: the protesters mur-dered more than 100 European settlers, or pieds-noirs, and French armed forces retaliated by killing (according to various estimates) between 1,000 and 45,000 Muslims.

The fixing of a remembrance day, exactly 50 years after the war ended, is symbol-

ic, but groups representing relatives of victims of the war have said it will not fulfil their demand for a full apology by France for its colonial past.

demonstration in Paris against ‘Islamist extremism’News Agencies reported that hundreds of French nationalists demonstrated in Paris against Islamist extremism, chant-ing the French anthem and saying the religion has no place in the country.

Several weeks earlier, dozens of far-right French activists stormed an un-finished mosque to protest immigration policies that have made France home to Western Europe’s largest population of Muslims. The protest was organised by a nationalist group called the Republican Resistance.

French Islamic school teaches imamsDeep in the wooded hills of Burgundy in central France, an unusual institute is training unusual students: aspiring French imams who hope to minister to the country’s large Muslim population. After seven intensive years of study, only 10 or so students graduate each year from the European Institute of Human Scienc-es de Saint-Leger-de-Fougeret. Interior Minister Manuel Valls recently backed the initiative. The project goes back 20 years to when the Union of Islamic Organisa-tions in France, converted a former children’s holiday centre into their insti-tute. The idea was to provide an alternative to the recruitment of foreign imams, who often spoke no French and had little or no knowledge of French lifestyles.

France

UK

Germany

USa

KhartoUm

By Ali jawad

The Non-Mention of the “Muslim Vote”; underlying Perceptions in uS Politics

8 9

Shortly after the re-election of President Obama, an exit poll by the Council on American-Is-lamic Relations (CAIR) showed

that more than 85 percent of American Muslim voters picked the Democrat can-didate Barack Obama for a second term in office. His Republican rival, Mitt Rom-ney, recorded a meagre 4.4 percent of the Muslim vote according to the poll.

As in the 2008 campaign, the “Muslim vote” did not feature in the media this time round despite the significance of Muslim voters in swing states such as Virginia and Florida. Today, there are roughly 2.6 million Muslims in the US

representing about one percent of the overall population. However, Muslims make up a larger percentage of the electorate in key swing states. The non-mention of the “Muslim vote” was there-fore expressive once more of underlying perceptions in US politics. Indeed dur-ing this year’s round of campaigning one of the most shameful attacks on Islam appeared in the shape of the ‘Innocence of Muslims’, the blasphemous film at-tacking the personality of the Prophet Muhammad(s).

Admittedly, the challenges faced by Amer-ican Muslims are very similar to those faced by other communities and groups.

In an analysis published on Al-Jazeera, Sam Bollier notes that the ailing econ-omy and its impact on the quality of life are the “number-one issue” for Muslims. Nevertheless, it would be a gross over-sight to regard the economy and growing unemployment as the only major issues affecting Muslims in the United States today.

A quick skim through commentary piec-es by right-wing policy analysts would be enough to establish the above. In fact, Muslims in Western Europe can easily identify the discourse emanating from those quarters, since they are them-selves targets of similar vituperations.

An article by Jerry Gordon in the New English Review for instance, claims that Obama’s re-election strategy hinged on cosying up to Muslims. According to the author, the strategy implied the in-troduction of Shariah courts, the devel-opment of mega-mosques in Christian strongholds and ultimately the transfor-mation of parts of America into “‘no go’ Shariah controlled areas”. This absurd and outright nonsensical discourse has a name for it: Islamophobia.

“Today, there are roughly 2.6 mil-lion Muslims in the uS representing about one percent of the overall population. However, Muslims make up a larger percentage of the elec-torate in key swing states.”

Islamophobia is a major issue today in Western Europe and the US, and it is unmistakably connected to the decade-

long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It seeps into the domestic reality of Mus-lims in the western world as blowback from the global war on terror, and con-sequently amplifies the weight of foreign policy in the electoral mindset of Mus-lims.

On the subject of foreign policy how-ever, academics and analysts have long argued that the party divide is largely a difference of form rather than sub-stance. During Obama’s first term, his administration expanded the arena of battle into Pakistan through its AfPak strategy. Deadly drone attacks have be-come the norm in Pakistan and Yemen killing hundreds of innocent civilians. The military overthrow of the former Libyan government and covert support for a military conflagration in Syria have all been achieved with the extensive sup-port of the US administration. Support for tyrannical monarchical dictatorships in the Arab world has also continued under Obama. On the issue of Israel, the facts are arguably even more scathing.

Former White House diplomat Dennis Ross summarised Obama’s contributions to the Jewish state as being “without precedent”.

Nevertheless, one possible explanation for why Muslim voters picked Obama over Romney was the fear of a return to the kind of reckless stewardship wit-nessed under Bush Jr. In the final analysis however, Muslims in America will hope that the second Obama term is marked by the confidence and bravery to realise some of the hopes and dreams uttered when he first broke on to the scene. A less sensationalist political climate, a more tolerant mainstream media and a more rational and fairer foreign policy outlook would perhaps summarise the basic expectations of American Muslims for the second Obama term. •

Ali Jawad is a human rights activist and politi-cal analyst with a keen interest in international diplomacy.

educating our

FuTurEGENErATION

10 11

By Ibrahim Aarif

The role of parents and teachers has been a con-stant feature of debate in Western Europe’s discourse on education. Blame has variously

been apportioned to parents, schools and gov-ernment as all struggle to find the reasons for the generation of under-achieving and undisciplined children. These are indeed complex issues that have direct impact on the society we live in..

From an Islamic perspective children have been entrusted to us by God and the Qur’an asks us to pray to God to be blessed with well-behaved offspring. The health of the Mus-lim community relies on educated, disciplined and committed Muslim citizens who will play a full and active role in the social life of the community. In Islamic teachings the education of children is afforded just as much importance as nourishing them.

The Qur’an refers to the advice given by the Prophet Luqman(S) to his son; “O my son establish regu-lar prayer, enjoin what is just, and forbid what is wrong: and bear with patient constancy whatever betide you; for this is firmness of purpose in the conduct of af-fairs. And swell not your cheek for pride at men nor walk in insolence through the earth; for Allah loves not any arro-gant boaster. (Qur’an 31: 17-18)

Stressing the essential part that parents play in the intellectual devel-opment of their children, the Prophet Muhammad (s) states that; “A child is born as a Muslim, it is the par-ents who afterwards make him ..... an unbeliever”. It is not a cliché when we say that “the mother is the first teacher”. The neglected role of fathers in the upbringing of their children is also highlighted by the Prophet: “No father has given his child anything better than good manners.” This shows that parents

serve as the primary role models for their children and it is through the example set by parents that first and foremost the child’s pattern of con-duct will develop. However the up-bringing of a child can be viewed as a partnership between parents and teachers with each supporting the work of the other.

In recognition of the growing prob-lem, the government has decided to give back the necessary tools to teachers to enforce discipline were necessary. Accepting that the school is an important training ground for our children we should not expect schools and teachers to mould or

indeed change the characters of our children to conform to Islamic ide-als.

The majority of children are sent to state schools that operate under different principles. For an Islamic upbringing we have to rely on supple-mentary schools and on our efforts at home. Parents cannot expect their children to be diligent, have good manners and practise Islam prop-erly if they themselves behave in the opposite way.

Islam gives mothers a crucial role as educators requiring them to cul-tivate the qualities of piety, thirst

for knowledge and good character in their children. This education should not be the responsibility of schools and teachers; indeed parents should supplement and reinforce what is being taught at school.

Some social problems can often be traced back to the fact that parents have heavily relied upon schools for the social education of their chil-dren. A child who goes back to an empty and uninviting home, whose parents show no interest or take no active part in his school life, is not as diligent, well-organized and dedicat-ed as the child whose parents take an active interest in his schooling.

Unfortunately the facts presented to us prove that many Muslim par-ents in the UK are not as equipped to take up their responsibilities as they should. Often they lack communication and relationship build-ing skills to help their

children grow up in a non-Muslim environment.

Providing classes to train parents to be more effective educators is a step in the right direction. What is required is a joint effort of parents, teachers, family and supplementary schools to help towards preventing Muslim children from falling into the faithless social wayside of many of their non-Muslim contemporaries. •

Parents cannot expect their children to be diligent, have good manners and practise Islam properly if they themselves behave in

the opposite way.

The New Faith Schools

Muslim schools, which togeth-er constitute the largest new faith-based group within the state funded school sector,

would perhaps not provoke so much criticism if their pupils were predomi-nantly white and issues of race were not at the centre of this controversy.

The new faith-based schools are emerg-ing in a climate of greater parental choice and increased availability of state funding to support choice in education. However the new faith based establish-ments, for example Muslim, Sikh or Greek orthodox institutions that have joined the state sector since 1998, all share issues of ethnicity to an extent not experienced by the earlier Christian and Jewish schools.

Ironically there are a substantial num-ber of community schools which due to local demographics contain large numbers of Muslim pupils, yet are not seen as threatening because they have not been deliberately set up to provide an Islamic education.

Faith based schools are be-ing chosen by parents, who see them as promoters of the religious values practised in the home. What unites rather than divides faith based schools and their communities is that they all share a desire to perpetu-ate faith and this is often associated with cultural and linguistic heritage.

In defining what we mean by a faith based school the description offered by the Humanist Philosopher’s Group is a useful starting point. A faith based school is an institution which:

‘Intentionally encourages its pupils to have a particular religion and which

regards such encouragement as a sig-nificant part of its mission … the defining feature of religious schools … is that they attempt to instil particular religious beliefs in their pupils.

Another way of describing this function is that of ‘religious nurture’ as opposed to ‘religious education’. In a faith school, knowledge should be seen within the context of a religious and moral frame-work placing emphasis on belief in a spiritual being and morality, in addition to intellectual development.

Interestingly the Education Reform Act (1988), which introduced the National Curriculum, conceived of education as a balance in which the spiritual as well as the religious growth of the child should be fostered. However religion does not permeate schools in the way advocated by religious groups. Multi faith education has been criticised for watering down

the essential ingredients of all faiths by reducing them to their behavioural and cultural phenomena rather like Morris dancing - people wearing funny clothes doing funny things.

But the success of Muslim schools cannot be denied. Of the 172 plus independent Muslim schools created in England and Wales during the last 20 years, some have gone on to become well-established institutions.

Ministers are interested in identifying the ingredients for this successful ethos

and ‘bottling’ them for other schools to emulate. This ‘hidden curriculum’ con-sists of teacher expectations and beliefs and unspoken rules for social interac-tion likely to determine peer attitudes and acceptance.

In terms of the growing demand for Mus-lim schools in Britain, one can pinpoint five basic reasons:

- They are seen as providing a safe edu-cational environment.

- The curriculum incorporates faith-based principles, which ensures an Islamic ethos permeates the school.

- Specialist training in ‘religious sci-ences’.

- Raising academic achievement, espe-cially among children of Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds who have been found to be performing signifi-cantly below the national average.

- Single sex education con-tinues to be an aspiration for Muslim parents who see the phasing out of such schools as contrary to their values.

During a visit to the Islamia school in north west London, Prince Charles paid a tribute,

saying: ‘I really do believe that the Isla-mia school is an important model and it will be interesting to see how many more develop in the future. You are ambas-sadors of a much-misunderstood faith. You have much to tell people in a secu-lar society like ours.’

Just as the Catholic school system has an inclusive mission of social justice and promoting the common good, Muslims reject the image of faith-based schools as being segregated and inward looking. Rather a faith based Muslim schooling

is entirely compatible with the principles a a democratic and socially caring society. Indeed all the evidence suggests that pupils from Muslim schools go on to be proactive citizens contributing to their societies.

Children’s values are influenced by the ex-amples that are set by the teachers in their relationships, attitudes and teaching styles. Developing a political/ideological under-standing that shows tolerance and respect for other cultures, religions and displaying an active interest in community affairs are likely to be encouraged by teachers who themselves are committed to their faith.

Muslim schools strive to focus on the great value placed on the acquisition and pur-suit of knowledge in Islam. The Quran reads “My Lord increase me in knowledge’ (20:14). Islam is not simply a world religion but it is also an all-embracing way of life requiring submission to God and adher-ence to religious principles which lead to harmony and happiness in the hereafter. Muslim parents aspire to keep their children faithful in the face of perceived Western materialism and permissiveness.

One may also ask whether the failure of community schools to take religion seri-ously is a contributing factor in the growth of faith-based schools. Reports show that there are still a substantial number of religious education lessons taught by non-specialists in secondary schools.

There needs to be a pragmatic response to faith-based education that addresses the reality of the influence and success of faith based schools among some communities but one which also recognises the views of those who advocate better accommodation of their views and beliefs within reconstruct-ed and culturally sensitive community schools. Good schools are popular and poor schools are not, regardless of whether they have a religious character. The challenge for the future will be to sustain within each school what is academically and morally acceptable to both the school itself and the outside community. This will require each school to be open to criticism and dem-onstrate an active commitment to social justice and to make a positive contribution to the pursuit of social harmony. •

Aliya Azam holds an MA in Islamic Socie-ties and Cultures from SOAS University and a PGCE from the Institute of Education. She is currently Head of Science in Al Sadiq and Al Zahra High Schools.

12 13

By Alia Azam

What unites rather than divides faith based schools and their communities is that they all

share a desire to perpetuate faith and this is often associated with cultural and linguistic heritage.

‘Tell me how many Facebook fans you have and I tell you how much you are worth.’

Everyday more and more companies and organisations join social networking to promote their services and products. The more networks one joins the more ‘fans’ you get and that is what most com-panies are interested in.

Social Network companies such as Face-book or Linkedin are valued in terms of their population. With around 500 million people, after China and India, Facebook has the largest population on Earth. Twit-ter is not doing badly either. Its users have also increased by 40% in the last two years.

Muslims have shown mixed feelings about the use of such networks and some have questioned the permissibility of joining them altogether. But ignoring this phenomenon may not be a wise strategy for Muslims; a pro-active approach from Islamic institutions could provide positive outcomes.

Marginalisation of people and commu-nities can take various forms and in today’s world; unnecessary self-imposed restrictions can work against us.

There is ample evidence that social

media is an effective tool in increas-ing attendance at events and seminars or providing a good recruiting platform for volunteers - such a necessary compo-nent of charity organisations operating on a limited budget.

There is a marked difference between having just a website and being on a social network. Social media are different; as they are much more mobile and fluid, taking advantage of news feeds that can instantly appear on all sorts of receiv-ing devices. Furthermore one can get instant feedback on how much people like or dislike what you are doing, giving an organisation the possibility to adjust its activities and make better informed decisions.

However, choosing a network clearly depends on the type of the activities involved. For example it would not make much sense for an Islamic cen-tre or a mosque to have a presence in Linkedin while it would certainly benefit those who venture onto Facebook. A five minute video on the activities of a Centre, featuring a friendly-faced scholar giving a virtual tour of the place could work wonders. It is a relatively inexpen-sive way to give people who would not normally have the courage to ask to see

the inside of a mosque, the opportu-nity to look inside. Budget permitting an Islamic centre could invest in more sophisticated video advertising. Once it has been placed on the internet it will work around the clock.

It is vital to be rigorous about updating our social profile. There is nothing worse than having to deal with outdated infor-mation on a network page. A continuous and dynamic presence on the network and a prompt response to members’ enquiries is a must. Keeping up to date with a network page to stimulate interest should not take more than 20-30 min-utes per day.

The purpose of being part of a social net-work for a mosque or an Islamic centre is to get closer to its members and the public. Simple actions such as tagging photos and posting thank you mes-sages for donations or support received can help reinforce the social bonds that already exist.

Muslim organizations need to engage with the general public and youths in particular if they want to be relevant and in doing so they must not shy away from using these relatively new means of com-munication. •

By Zahra Halabi

14

Meet the Masumeen – with class 786 is a book with a mission. A mission to change the current percep-

tion of Islamic books for kids and to bring the stories of the Prophet and his family to life!

Set in modern day Orlando, the book is designed to appeal to 7-12 year old children living in the West.

Meet The Masumeen is the story of a class of unruly students who are allo-cated a new history teacher, Mrs. Hud-da. Each week the class travels back in time to meet the Holy Prophet, Lady Fatema, and the twelve Imams of the household of the Prophet. They watch how the Masumeen behave and inter-act with their friends and enemies and

reflect on their own lives during a dis-cussion circle at the end of each class.

Everything about the book is pur-poseful. From the colloquial language which speaks directly to children to the design and layout of the book which keeps the reader’s interest..

The characters are based on “real chil-dren” like themselves who make mis-takes, who are busy with their school work and who forget when it’s time to learn about Islam. •

Meet The Masumeen – With Class 786The Youths of HIC Orlando, 2006Sun Behind The Cloud Publications

www.sunbehindthecloud.com

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the BeneFitS oFSocial networKinG

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Zahra was a final year student. She had a wonderful personal-ity. Everybody respected her, both Muslims and non Muslims.

Girls wanted to be her and boys were interested in her.

Zahra had received many marriage pro-posals both through her family connections and within the university. For years Zahra refused to even consider mar-riage and would tell her parents that her only concern was to concentrate on her studies. Her parents thought differently. Since Zahra was now in her final year they were keen to make preparations for their daughter’s future.

Despite Zahra’s constant resilience, her parents were eager to find a suitable match for her as quickly as possible. They were very particular about their future son-in-law; they had a well defined idea of whom they wanted for their daughter. Unfortunately Zahra did not share their views.

Her parents had chosen Davood, a close relative and a successful young entrepre-neur. Davood was a fine catch, good looking, well educated and from a respectable family. He ticked all the boxes for a suit-able husband except one, and that was his indifference towards religion.

Davood was an outgoing and free spir-ited person and he believed religion would tie him down. He was not a com-mitted Muslim and his conduct made Zahra worried. She needed stability in all aspects of her life, worldly and spir-itual, and she could not imagine Davood providing that.

Zahra repeatedly expressed her concerns to her parents but they were convinced that she was wrong. They believed Zahra could change Davood once they were married.

Davood was three years older than Zah-ra and her family had known Davood since he was a child. Despite Zahra’s misgivings they had no doubts about his suitability.

Zahra’s parents were old fashioned Mus-lims; it was difficult for them to understand that Zahra’s feelings about her faith were much deeper and stronger than a mere cultural expression. Davood, on the other hand, had absolutely no interest in exploring Zahra’s views on religion. And

despite what her parents believed Zahra remained unsure if she would be strong enough to make him change his attitude towards faith.

“The pressure was so intense that it made her ill. Nobody seemed to be remotely concerned with her dilemma and that was when hesita-tion began to creep into her mind. Confronting so much resistance and indifference, she started to doubt her own self-belief. What if her parents were right? What if she was giving too much importance to her religion?”

At first her parents just wanted her to con-sider the possibility of marrying Davood. Then after a while the suggestion turned to insistence and gradually insistence became an order. The close relationship between the two families made the situ-ation even more complicated. Davood’s parents could not understand what all the fuss was about and they blamed Zahra’s parents for her disobedience.

Zahra argued with her parents daily. Her parents invited Davood’s family over every week and forced Zahra to sit

with them. The atmosphere in the house became unbearable for Zahra. The pres-sure was so intense that it made her ill. Nobody seemed to be remotely con-cerned with her dilemma and that was when hesitation began to creep into her mind. Confronting so much resistance and indifference, she started to doubt her own self-belief. What if her parents were right? What if she was giving too much importance to her religion?

Zahra decided to contact the university counselling service. The counsellors rec-ognised straight away that she was being placed under enormous stress by her parents. It was evident that the parents were asking the impossible of her. Newly wedded couples should help one another to face the challenges of married life as and when they arise; however in the case of Zahra her parents were asking their daughter to commence married life fac-ing a huge problem from the very outset.

The counsellors accepted that the sug-gestion of Zahra’s parents that Davood would change after marriage could not be guaranteed. They believed Zahra should not be encouraged to get into a relationship with a hope that may never materialise. A marriage initiated on a pre-planned and unjustified assumption may have disastrous consequences for both parties.

They encouraged Zahra to pursue her wish to marry someone with a similar understanding of religion as herself - someone who could help her to develop spiritually.

With renewed belief in her convictions, Zahra asked Davood and his family to vis-it her house. In the meeting she explained why she could not marry their son, and why he should not want to marry her ei-ther.

Both families were thankful for her hon-esty. Zahra’s frankness brought them closer together as never before. Davood eventually married someone else and Zahra, though still single and looking for her soul mate, is happy not to have entered into a potentially problematic relationship. •

Youth Matters

SOLuTION

Sometimes situa-tions arise which help people have a clearer view of life and society. There is a Muslim Students Counselling Centre at the University where I study. As I am training in this centre I am given the opportunity to sit in when the files are reviewed. In this section I will talk about some of these cases, hoping to present an oppor-tunity for other youth to find answers to their own problems.

By M

irsae

d

Asalaamu alaikumExcuse meI wonder if you can help meMy name is Sukina Abdul Noor andI am a pilgrim andI travelled here from Abyssinia with a caravanAndI’m searching for a man

I walked over mountains and valleyspast rivers and streamsI walked barefooted from pagan landsOn the backs of camels I rode through desert sandsTo catch a glimpse of this Illuminous Man

They say: Allah is the light of the heavens and earth and this man is His lampShining the light of mercy throughout this landI heard once water flowed free from his handsSo tell me please, where can I find this man?

I want to pledge my allegiance with my right handAndLive my life according to His commandI’m not sure if any of you understand...I’m looking for the Prophet Muhammad(s)Have you seen him?

I had only the moon’s light to guide meI saw signs manifesting at night while stars were shiningListened to the wind whisperingRisingto pray when I heard birds singing

Poetic Pilgrimage

ArTS

18 19

Every month our arts editor Moriam Grillo will explore the wealth of creativity in-herent in the Islamic world and highlight the achieve-ments of contemporary Muslim artists as they con-vey the richness of Islamic culture through the pure principles of the faith.

Moriam Grillo

POETrYWhen we think of poetry that is written for the glorification of God or in remembrance of the Prophet Muhammad(s) we might be inclined to reflect on the works of Mir Dard, Iqbal, Maulana Jalal ud Din Rumi or Ibn Arabi. But I was recently moved by a poem recited by Sukina Abdul Noor, one half of the spo-ken word duo called Poetic Pilgrimage, entitled ‘Seeking the Prophet’.

It was a heart rending recitation that highlighted an individual search in modern times for a man who continues to influence millions of lives today.

Sukina searches for Muhammad in the hearts of believers asking each one she meets if they have seen him, knowing that if they have, she would recognise that truth in their hearts, in their manners and in their actualisation of his example.

The reading was made even more touching by Sukina’s quivering voice and her pausing to collect herself as she, like us, the audience, became overwhelmed by her words. One can not underestimate the impression the Messenger and Prophet of God has left upon mankind. Likewise one cannot underestimate the power such words convey through time.

Seeking the Prophet(s)

See, I’m a pilgrimAndI decided to make this journey one night when I was sleeping

I was dreamingAnd a man appearedHis body was pure light and he was gleamingHe had a beard and was dressed in greenand he had a turban and he asked if I had heard of him

Each of his words was a gem andHe asked me to come follow himForget material wealth and belongingsI didn’t know how much my soul was longingHe said: come to the blessed city of Medinaand ask for himSo now I’m asking: How can I find the Prophet Muhammad(s)

Everyone I asked on my journey had heard of himWhen I mentioned his name every bird started chirpingI saw children’s eyes widenGrown men start cryingTears flowing into riversEach tear representing the love they have inside for himAnd that’s why I’m trying to find him

I heard throughout the land thathe and his companions can be heardreciting words of light and magnificent imageryFitting into the highest literary categoryI heard even his enemies were astoundedby their sheer beautyand took the shahada forgetting war and booty

I met this woman who had the opportunity to meet himHe placed his hands on his withered goats and said ‘Bismillah’Their milk started overflowingfeeding her first then his companionsso I’ll give you her description of him so then you’ll know him...She said: his face was luminous like a full moon

His expression was sereneWhen he is quiet, there is a strange dignity about himWhen he speaks, his words are like sparkling pearlsHis friends obey his every wishAnd listen to his every word...Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam

I even heard that when he touched a childHis perfume would be smelt on them for daysA tree even wept when he went awayI heard a young boy cried when his sparrow diedSo the Prophet(s) stayed and played with the boyUntil his grief went away

ListenAll I want from you todayIs to show me the right waySo I can find a mosque to praySo I can catch a glimpse of this manYou must know his nameIt’s Muhammad(s)

Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam

Brothers and sistersLadies and gentlemenThank you for listeningBut it seems that I just missed himAlas the BelovedProphet of Allah returned to Allah’s KingdomThat means on this earth I’ll never get a chance to see himAllah knows best perhaps I wasn’t meant to greet himI travelled seven and half years to get herebut I will endeavour to learn from his teachings

They say if I look into the eyes of his ummahI should be able to see himSo I am seeking people whose faces igniteevery time they speak of himDo you know where I can find peoplewho care for travelling pilgrimsI’ve come so far and I’m not leavingIn factI’m staying right here in MedinaTo learn the ways of the RasulullahAnd understand the tenets of Allah

I want to spend sterling nights prayingI want to walk the ground that he walked andpray in the mosque where he talkedFrom this dayI vow to live my life in his wayWriting down what I learnAnd any obstacle I face, prayI am trying to learn the Prophet Muhammad’s waysSallallahu alaihi wa sallam

So I can pass them down to future pilgrims...

The Musee Du Louvre in Paris has opened its Islamic Art col-lection to the general public.Consisting of approximately

18,000 pieces, it is the largest collection of its kind in the world. This magnificent col-lection is represented by an eclectic mix of artefacts from across the Muslim world dating from the 7th to the 19th century.

A visit to this extensive display of Islamic creativity spanning from Spain to India is a wonderful opportunity to delve into the bygone world of Muslims and gain an understanding of their traditions, culture and heritage from what they left behind. Iznik tiles similar to the ones mentioned above will be on display here as well as other artefacts from Turkey, all distinguishable by the traditional red, blue and turquoise colours used in this region.

It is an inspirational experience for all ages.

Iznik Pottery 15th to 17th

Musee Du Louvre Paris

HErITAGE

PLACE TO BETHE

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Sharing two of the most popu-lar names in Islamic history, Mohammed Ali, also known as Aerosol Arabic has estab-

lished himself as the leading figure in the contemporary medium of Islamic graffiti. Taking the traditional styles of Islamic calligraphy and merging them with the gritty edge of street art has enabled him to develop a new forum for creative expression and cultural communication.

He began working in this way after becoming disillusioned with his job as a graphic designer creating computer games. He was influenced by Ameri-can subway art and the graffiti street culture of the 1980’s and inspired by the way its presence in social urban spaces questioned ideas of conform-ity. Its conspicuous nature highlighted the presence of a forgotten underclass, taking the freedom of artistic expression away from the wealthy and privileged, and, instead, handing it to the once invisible man on the street. Skilfully, he has diffused the self-centred per-spective of the graffiti artist to a form of social expression driven by self pro-motion.

In its heyday, graffiti had developed into a competi-tive battle to show who could display their emblem or ‘tag’ in the most unlikely of places. Mohammed Ali

has managed to subvert this ideal by promoting the word and negating the self in its wake. Using sayings of the Prophet Muhammad(s) and quotes from the Holy Quran, he has spread the ide-als of Islam globally to an audience that would have remained impatient with other forms of Islamic art.

The cutting edge quality of his work communicates a visual language that responds to a hidden wave of culture and ideals. Through the utilisation of graffiti, he has invited a forgotten world into the realm of deeper think-

ing and positive ideology.

His projects have been used to create arenas for social inclusion as well as defining purposeful undertakings for the underprivileged.

Mohammed Ali’s work is vibrant and embracing whilst maintaining a poetic quality that lifts it from the grey urban landscape on which it resides. The backdrop of suburbia may have condi-tioned us to switch off and remain self focused whilst attempting to navigate a world in which we are bombarded with billboards and pollution. Aerosol Arabic’s work adeptly punctuates the gloom of city life with bright, colourful and positive affirmations which inspire the heart and elevate the conscious-ness of society.

MuSIC

The successful Hip Hop group Mecca 2 Medina was the brainchild of Rakin Niass. A revert of West African decent,

he wanted to respond to a generation that was suffering from the effects of social and moral decay.

Having been part of a successful hip hop group before becoming a prac-tising Muslim, Rakin felt he could no longer continue his craft because it would mean a compromise of his decision to migrate from ignorance to knowledge. From this, Mecca 2 Medina was born. With the addi-

tion of fellow revert Ishmael South. Together with fellow revert Ishmael South he creates a form of music that is simplistic in its production; a simple rhythm is maintained whilst a wealth of pertinent lyrics are tactfully fed to the listener.

“don’t try to mess aroundwith The Lord, with The Master.Yes, you can win herebut not in the Hereafter...” M2M

Understanding what pop youth culture is, M2M use their music as a means of verbal invita-tion to the message of

the Prophet Muhammad(s) and as an acceptable means for young Muslims to feel integrated into popular cul-ture whilst being reminded of higher principles.

Mohammed Ali

Mecca 2 Medina

2120

Iznik pottery is named after the town Iznik which is situated in the west of Turkey. This region created pottery with a meticulous

floral motif in the latter half of the 15th century.

One can observe that the style of motif changed slightly over the years and by the end of the 17th century was more simple and looser in design. The style of this pattern was influenced by the blue and white ware that was available and popular in China during this time.

The colours also developed over time, beginning with the traditional blue, white and turquoise, and then incor-

porating purple and sage green. The purple was eventually replaced by red and the sage green by emerald green. These colours were sourced from natu-ral oxides and mixed silica and other minerals to create glazes.

By the 18th century, the town of Iznik was no longer the centre of ceramic production in Turkey. Through observ-ing historical trends, we can see that each region which produced ceramic artefacts developed its own style whilst being influenced by other countries. This in itself created a cultural exchange which we are still benefiting from today.

FALLEN WArrIOrSOF SENSELESS WArS

Various traditions around the world consider serving in the military synonymous with defending the honour of one’s nation. Kshatriyas, the Indian moniker for war-riors, were expected to be the personification of virtue.

If you go further East, the Samurais in Japan were expected to be men of honour. All Samurais were expected to follow the rule of Bushido, literally “the way of the warrior”. The Bushido code is typified by seven virtues: Rectitude, Courage, Benevolence, Respect, Honesty, Honour and Loyalty. In the good old tradition of Futuwwat in Iran and the medieval Middle East, the Warrior was expected to die for his honour. Chivalry, honesty and helping the weak have been a time-honoured code of ethics for warriors of all nations.

Not only were warriors expected to be honourable, they were also deemed to be men of extreme courage. In the peak of battle, they were expected to unsheathe their swords and gallop towards the enemy lines. They would destroy the enemy or they would be destroyed trying. Victors or martyrs, either way they considered themselves winners and their descendants would live to recount the valour of their forefathers.

The world we live in bears no resemblance whatsoever to the old world. We are, after all, in the post-modern era, a world where good old-fashioned values have given way to instant gratifica-tion and instant results. The warrior of our era gets trained on state-of-the-art flight simulators and attacks his virtual targets on wide-screen video terminals. When the time comes for battle he engages his enemy from an air-conditioned cockpit, and showers bombs from 30,000 feet on adversaries that he will never face. This cowardly warrior dispatches his missiles into “targets” that have been identified by computers and satellites and when they go astray, instead of coming face to face with the horror of his

go astray, instead of coming face to face with the horror of his actions, he dismisses it as “collateral damage”.

It is in such a world that a four-star general , the crème de la crème of the American army, betrayed his loyal wife of 37 years to strike a dalliance with another woman who also happens to be married. His betrayal of his wife, as the inves-tigations unfold, may well have resulted in the betrayal of his country. Who knows what classif ied information was leaked in the heat of passion? The ink barely dried on this scandal when the news networks were abuzz with stories about another US general engaging in “inappropriate” com-munications with another woman.

Both of these generals conducted the US-led war in Afghanistan, the forsaken land that has been fighting for its l iberation for the past three decades, f irst from the morass of Soviet occupation and now from the shackles of Western hegem-ony.

Both generals had been praised for their performance in Afghani-stan. Of course, when they were being praised for their ‘ leadership qualities’ , no one in Washington was concerned about the mess that they were leaving behind in the wake of their war on the innocent Afghanis. Petraeus was never asked how many Afghan wedding ceremonies his drones at-tacked to leave tens of revellers dead and injured.

Perhaps one of these generals should have been asked how under his watch an Afghan mini Mi Lai took place; how a crazed, demoniac American soldier left his military base at night to go to a nearby vil lage and kill 16 people in one night, including innocent children. For those of you who are not old enough to remember Mi Lai , here is a gruesome history lesson. The My Lai Massacre was the Vietnam War mass murder of between 347 and 504 unarmed civil ians in South Vietnam on March 16, 1968, by United States Army soldiers of “Charlie” Company of 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, and the 11th Brigade of the American Division. Most of the victims were women, children, infants, and elderly people. Some of the women were gang-raped; their bodies were later found to be mutilated and many women were alleg-edly raped prior to the killings.

In various religious traditions around the world, there is a concept called “retribution”. The Indians call it “Karma”. The Christians say: As you sow, so shall you reap. The Muslims call it Jaza. What befell these fallen warriors, these highly decorated soldiers, i .e . an arduous path of self-promotion ending in total ignominy, was their just deserts. If you read the papers, don’t be fooled by the photos of Petraeus sitting next to Iraqi kids, smiling as if he is on a picnic. While he was smiling in those photo opps in the well-secured Green Zone in Baghdad, his soldiers were slaughtering fighters in Fallujah, or busy abusing prisoners in Abu Ghuraib.

So if somewhere down in your conscience, you feel sorry for Petraeus and company, please don’t . He is only seeing the tip of the iceberg of retribution in this world. The sad fate that awaits him in the Hereafter, and also awaits all those who have destroyed lives and dreams of poor men and women in Afghanistan and Iraq, is far more horrifying. •

By reza Murshid

Politics

22 23

2524

As someone rooted in the prophetic tradition of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, my concern is with what Christ

referred to as “the least of these”; those who are weak, marginalized, ostracized, and deprived of God-given rights. Accord-ing to the Bible and the tradition of Islam, it is up to the rest of us to become the voice for the voiceless, and to speak for the weak.

So part of my concern is with those we did not hear about or hear from in the US presidential campaign as they are often not organized, not mobilized, and lack the political infrastructure of the NRA lobby, the Israel lobby, and the insurance and healthcare lobby.

I am talking about the poor: poor whites, poor blacks, poor Hispanics, and other

poor Americans. Those who work and work and yet remain entrenched be-neath the poverty line. In this election we heard a lot about the 1% and we heard about the challenges facing the middle class. So if some are the super-rich (getting richer) and some are the middle class (struggling), who is below the middle class? It is the poor, and by and large they were missing from our conversations in the latest election.

We didn’t have meaningful conversa-tions about public education, because while Romney’s disdain for public edu-cation was evident, President Obama also weakened public education. We didn’t have a serious conversation about drones. We did not talk about how the United States - that is to say, WE - have killed about a thousand civilians in

Yemen and Pakistan through unmanned killing machines that drop bombs from the skies on unsuspecting civilians - all of them Muslims. We killed women and children; we killed wedding parties; we classified all adult male victims of drones as potential terrorists. Yet nei-ther Obama nor Romney talked about these faceless victims.

Obama and Romney only argued about Palestine/Israel when it came to who loves Israel more, who loved Israel first, and who will pay Israel more. There was no discussion of how the United States is the single biggest global obstacle to peace in the Holy Land. No one talks about the billions of dollars of military aid that is going to Israel, no one talked about illegal and immoral settlements in the West Bank, and no one talked about

a system of segregation that is creating a de facto apartheid in Israel. There is no powerful Palestine lobby in the United States, and so the daily brutal suffering of Palestinians goes unheeded.

Think about the suffering of people on the East Coast in the wake of Sandy; homes destroyed, no food, no shelter, no electricity, no medicine. This is the reality that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians live with every day in Gaza, which neither Obama nor Romney, the Republicans or the Democrats, seem inclined to address.

“Who is willing to stand up and say that we should not be an Empire, but a responsible citizen of this very small planet?”

Think of the destruction of the environ-ment, the continued release of millions of tons of greenhouse gases into the environment. The gradual warming of the oceans will result in many more superstorms to come, yet no one is inclined to act.

Think about our military spending. The $680 billion a year - not including the cost of wars. Years ago Dr. Martin Luther King told us:

“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military de-fence than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.”

What would Dr. King say to us today? What would Martin say to Republicans and Democrats as they boast that when it comes to arms we outspend the next ten countries combined? I suspect Mar-tin would say that we are well on our way towards spiritual death unless we repent and turn away now.

I do not equate the Republicans and the Democrats. There are fundamental dif-ferences between these two parties, yet there are far too many areas in which the positions of the parties are indis-tinguishable, never more so than in the area of how the United States is function-ing as an Empire in the world today. Who is willing to stand up and say that we

should not be an Empire, but a respon-sible citizen of this very small planet?

Noam Chomsky has a brilliant observa-tion about how consent is manufactured in our society. Chomsky notes that the range of acceptable dissent is narrowed and narrowed, and within that nar-rowed spectrum all manners of vigorous debate is allowed and fostered. That is intended to distract everyone from the much broader realm in which there is

unanimity. I would like to see us expand the field yet again, and have meaningful conversations about issues which affect all of us, and indeed the whole world, but which don’t have a lobby to cham-pion them.

So no, I do not hope for a model of “civil bipartisanship” in this second term of the Obama presidency. I would like to see him, and more importantly us, push for redemption of the American Dream. I would like to see us not reaching out to people who so openly despise women’s rights, Hispanics, Muslims, African-Americans, and the poor, but rather those setting a higher and loftier ground for what we as a people can be.

The American political system is broken, beholden to an absurd two-party system that by definition fosters ideological polari-zation rather than the compromise that a vibrant multi-party system necessitates. Our politics is beholden to the corrosive effect of big money, as reflected in the absurd two billion dollars spent on this election.

So what I wish for President Obama is not to give in to what Dr. King called the “tranquilizing drug of gradualism”, and not to settle for compromise with the bigots who hate a majority of Amer-icans, but keep pushing forward and upward, to that majestic peak of how love appears in public: justice.

And as for us, the citizens of this na-tion, we have to hold our leaders ac-countable if we wish to avoid the Spir-itual Death of America that Dr. King prophesized. The fierce urgency of now demands that we neither celebrate nor mourn the election, but commit our-selves to compassionate, globally aware action here and now, starting today. •

The redemptionof the‘Americandream’

By Omid Safi

The noun ‘Orientalism’ describes a whole edifice erected by the West with the express pur-pose of creating ‘images of the

Other’ who, in turn, ‘Help […] to define…the West [as] its contrasting image, idea, [and] personality…Orientalism is a mode of discourse with supporting institu-tions, vocabulary, scholarship, imagery, doctrines, even colonial bureaucracies and…styles’.

Looking at the current global geopo-litical situation, specifically, the Middle East and the Islamic world, the above quotation is easier to understand now than when it was published in Edward Said’s seminal book, Orientalism, in 1978. It is clear that the media con-sistently projects a Muslim ‘Other’ with which something (anything) must be wrong. For example, in the West’s dis-course about Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy programme it is acceptable for some (indeed many) countries to have nuclear weapons, but it is not acceptable that other nations should even pos-sess the knowledge to develop nuclear energy. Thus, the argument is about the possession of the knowledge rather than the possession of the energy as such, let alone a nuclear weapon. This is a very good example of Orientalism at work, supported by economic sanctions that are themselves also instances of Orien-talism.

What we have here is the creation of definitions. That is to say, we define an entity as ‘x’ then highlight its prob-lems and contrast it with our own en-tity which does not suffer from those problems (or, if it has any, they are, by definition, different in kind or not as bad as those of entity ‘x’). Western consciousness views Muslims from the

perspective of the so-called modern and contrasts this with what it sees as backward Middle Eastern culture. This view is achieved through the discourse of Orientalism.

The idea of discourse in Michel Foucault, whom Said followed, is intimately bound up with ideas of power and knowledge. Foucault was concerned with the ques-tion of the ‘…presentation of the order, stability, authority, and regulatory power of knowledge’. In this context he endeav-oured to understand how ‘statements’ acquire ‘their social and epistemological status’ and how these ‘statements’ end up ‘as accomplished work [and] as disci-plinary convention.’ In this way, Foucault traced the development of various types of ‘institutions’ through statements that are ‘extended’ from them. He found that power through knowledge leads to dom-ination. Consider, for example, the Arab

Spring, and compare the coverage by the Western media of recent events in Syria with their relative silence on the actions of the Bahraini and Saudi regimes against their own protesting masses.

There are many Western institutions in which active Orientalism is at work, be it economic, educational, social, cultural, or military. Two of these present them-selves as pillars, without which today’s Orientalist phenomena could not be sus-tained. These are Orientalist scholarship and the media reflecting that scholarship.

For Western Europeans, specifically for those in Britain and France, the need to know about Islam and its people, lands, languages, cultures, is bound up with the Western desire to define itself as the opposite image of the Other, an image of ‘us’ in contradistinction to ‘them’, and this process has been going on for cen-turies. In this context it is not surprising

turies. In this context it is not surprising that a whole branch of human studies has been cultivated under the banner of Oriental Studies.

Western scholars research the Orient, for-mulate and analyse ideas about it, make findings and judgements on the basis of which Western governments then decide what actions they need to take in order to serve their interests. The Oriental Other is, here, only the subject of study, very much like matter in a chemistry lab. All these processes occur within a Western culture with the complete normalcy of scientific research and are accepted by society at large. This is how ideas about the Orient and the Oriental have come to acquire the sta-tus of irrefutable knowledge and how that knowledge has been produced and owned by the West.

Thus, the West has a feeling of ownership over the Ori-ent and all this is applied within a framework of ‘accomplished work [and] disciplinary convention.’ The West now believes it knows the Orient and can therefore claim ownership of it so that if the Oriental has the audacity to object, it is attacked, culturally, eco-nomically, psychologically, linguistically, socially, and philosophically. And, if none of these work, there is always the

military option. This is one meaning we can decipher from media reports that ‘all options are on the table’.

Even so, how do Orientalist ideas find their way into public consciousness? The Western viewer/reader of a pro-gramme/article about the Middle East is given pieces of information that have resulted from an Orientalist process. Although aspects of Western Oriental understanding are factual, this alone is less than adequate for an accurate

understanding of the Other. What the ordinary Western person watching TV or reading the newspaper is not directly conscious of is the existence of a whole Orientalist edifice with specific purposes and agendas behind the information being put out. S/he does not know that s/he is as much subject to Orientalist discourse as are the Orientals, with the difference that the former is manipulated by the

results of Orientalism whereas the latter have already been manipulated as the very substance studied.

It is also interesting that the Oriental-ist culture of the Western world is so pervasive and so absolute in its convic-tions that accuracy appears to have only a partial priority. Thus, as Said noted, the US TV network CBS reports the Shi’ite event of Ashura in Moharram and equates it to ‘Mohammad’s challenge to world leaders’, thereby producing a

false consciousness in the Western viewer. Moreover, Western reporters are often unable (or unwilling) even to pronounce Middle East-ern names correctly. So, for example, ‘Ghotbzadeh’ is ‘changed…to…Gaboozaday’ or ‘Beheshti [to] Bashati’

In these circumstances we may legitimately question the motives of the West and, in so doing, question a machinery designed to pro-duce not knowledge, but

perceptions that serve certain interests. By the same token, the motives of those Muslims who question the way they are portrayed by the West may be attributed to the knowledge that, in Western con-sciousness, Muslims, ‘…occupy space…as a negative value. They are seen as a disrupter of Israel…Insofar as they have any history; it is part of the history given to them…by the Orientalist tradition, and later, the Zionist tradition…Isolated from everything except the past created for him by Orientalists, the Muslim is chained to a destiny that fixes him and dooms him to a series of reactions.…However, the Muslim Middle East is also the easiest manipulated oil supplier.’

Thus, we arrive at an understanding of forces at work which want to chain the Muslim world to its Western-created non-history and lack of identity. This is the function of Orientalism. Seen in this way, it is hardly surprising to see a Mid-dle East in constant turmoil. We need to ask, who benefits from this turmoil? And, what would the West lose in the face of a peaceful Middle East? •

The West’s perception and treatment of the East is bound by its reliance on a discourse that is inescapably political, explains M Haghir.

Although aspects of Western Oriental understanding are factual, this alone is less than adequate for an ac-curate understanding of the Other. What the ordinary Western person watching TV or reading the newspa-per is not directly conscious of is the existence of a whole Orientalist edifice with specific purposes and

agendas behind the information being put out.

Opinions

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rECOGNISING OTHEr-ISM

CIVIL SOCIETY ANd THE ruLE OF LAW

The notion of civil society is one which continues to be revisit-ed as the human political and social experience gains more

momentum. It has claimed more ground in modem societies, especially those which have recently acquired a taste for democracy. Perhaps the word “civil” is a contrast to “military” which implies rigid-ity similar to that adopted by armies. In a civil society, the rule of law is the main point of reference in disputes and disa-greements among the citizens. The per-sonality of the ruler becomes a symbol of a political executive. Citizens expect him to uphold the rule of law in a strict sense. All are equal in the eyes of the law. Much has been said about the fea-tures of a civil society whose attributes have been widely discussed. A society in which the three wings of government are truly separated and in which the gov-

ernment becomes a mere servant of the people is one that most people aspire to achieve. By the same token, those whose main ambitions are to exploit human and material resources with unbounded selfishness bear little passion for the idea of civil society. It is therefore para-doxical to witness the rise of the busi-ness class and multi-millionaires to the echelons of power.

It is widely believed that conflicts of interests often lead to corruption avnd unbalanced governance. Civil society is sometimes viewed with suspicion by some thinkers and religionists. It is seen as a product of modern western culture and is therefore perceived as being al-ien to their cultures. In particular, there is a new class of religiously oriented thinkers who look at modern ideas and notions with either disdain or suspicion. They may be right in assuming that the

terminologies imply a degree of seculari-sation, but they must also realise that modern terms and notions are the prod-uct of other people’s civilisations and cultures. Muslims are merely recipients of these human achievements. We like to introduce the idea that the human race is both an integral part of existence and its achievements are public property for all inhabitants of the globe. Many of the main attributes of modem times are the product of western secular civilisa-tion. Banking, democracy, human rights, educational systems in their latest forms are alien to the original Islamic culture. However, they can be adapted to the needs of Muslims with relative ease in many cases. If these notions are “puri-fied” i.e. de-secularised, then there will be no serious impediments in attempt-ing to make use of them in accordance with Islamic values.

Early Islamic civilisation managed to make the most of previous cultures and civilisations. Works of the Greeks and Romans were translated, adapted, modified and finally adopted by Mus-lim thinkers and scientists. This may be one of the reasons behind the success of the early Muslim scholars in marry-ing the genius of the human race with the ideals of Islam to create one of the most productive civilisations on the face of this earth.

It is a well-known fact that European philosophers became acquainted with Aristotle through the work of the Mus-lim philosopher, Ibn Rushd (Averroes). He had presented the works of the Greek philosophers in three different forms which were later studied by the Europeans. Ideas were thus transformed by the early Muslim scholars in a way that brought them into line with Islamic

thought. The idea of civil society may not be a pure one from an Islamic per-spective, but it can be cleansed of any impurities and presented in a form that is based on Islamic teachings. The idea of a society in which people are equal in law and their identities are recognised and respected, where human dignity is preserved, power sharing is practised, dialogue forms the vehicle for collective stands and the decision making process, human rights are observed, equal oppor-tunities are preserved replacing crony-ism and favouritism, is an appealing one and Muslims are well suited to adopt it in their societies.

As part of the struggle to attain a degree of civility in Muslim society, modern no-tions and practices must be allowed to flourish. The elite are charged with car-rying out this mission among the masses. Non-governmental organisations are yet

another symbol of modern civil society and must be encouraged. Transparency, accountability and responsibility must be practised in these societies. Refusing to adapt to such notions is a precondi-tion for the rise of dictatorship and au-thoritarianism. Islam is a strong religion that can embrace human endeavour, en-hance it and take it forward.

The way ahead for the human race in general and the Muslim community (um-mah) in particular starts from the ac-ceptance that all are equal in the eyes of law. This is a central concept in Islamic injunctions which view all members of the human race as being equal and only faith in God distinguishes people from one another. Equality is a holy concept that necessitates the establishment of the rule of law in our societies. •

“As part of the struggle to attain a degree of civility in Muslim society, modern notions and practices must be allowed to flourish.”

By Muhammad Katmi

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THE EVIL OF ALCOHOL

30 31

The idleness, pauperism, and crime existing in the uSA are, traceable to the evil of ‘alcohol’

Everyone knows, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, that drink-ing alcohol is considered a sin in Islam. Consuming alcohol is

listed as one of the major sins for which punishment in the Hereafter is prom-ised.

This law was legislated gradually. God revealed the prohibition in stages.

First the Quran states: “O you who have faith! Do not approach prayer when you are intoxicated.” (Qur’an 4:43).

The Quran then states: “They ask you concerning wine and gambling. Say, there is a great sin in both of them, and some profits for the people, but their sinfulness outweighs their profit.” (Qur’an 2:219)

Finally, the Quran arrives at prohibition: “O’ you who have faith! Indeed wine, gambling, idols and the divining arrows are abominations of Satan’s doing, so avoid them, so that you may be felicitous. Indeed Satan seeks to cast enmity and hatred among you through wine and gambling, and to hinder you from the remembrance of God and from prayer. Will you, then, relinquish?” (Qur’an 5:90-91).

This verse clearly prohibits the consump-tion of alcohol. In it there are ten forms of emphasis: First, the verse addresses the believers. This means that faith and drinking alcohol are incongruent. Sec-ond, alcohol is mentioned next to clear instances of prohibitions, such as gam-bling and idol-worship. Third, the term abomination is used to describe alcohol. Fourth, drinking alcohol is introduced as a satanic activity. Fifth, the phrase ‘so avoid them’ is clearly ordering believers to refrain from drinking alcohol. Sixth,

the phrase ‘so that you may be felicitous’ shows that one cannot be successful if he consumes alcohol. Seventh, Satan wants to create enmity amongst man-kind through alcohol. The tools of Satan must surely be prohibited. Eighth, the phrase ‘to hinder you from the remem-brance of God,’ is another emphasis. Whatever causes one to forget about God is impermissible. Ninth, alcohol keeps one from praying. And tenth, the phrase ‘will you, then, relinquish’ is also a form of emphasis.

It is narrated that Imam Baqir(a) said: “Disobedience to the order of God is mostly due to alcoholism. The alcoholic abandons prayer. He can even commit incest under the influence of alcohol; he loses his senses.”

Alcohol abuse manifests itself both physically and psychologically. Physi-cally it is manifested through loss of balance, impotence, numbness of the feet and hands, tremor,

and even blindness. Psychological man-ifestations include a loss of intellectual ability, impaired ability to learn, and mental confusion.

Alcohol abuse leads to cirrhosis which in turn leads to liver failure, liver can-cer, and even death. It can also lead to chronic inflammation, pneumonia, kidney and urinary tract infections, and kidney failure. Alcoholism also affects the heart because it leads to high blood pressure increasing the risk of heart fail-ure or stroke. It also causes sexual problems in men.

The dangers of alcohol have been heav-ily debated in the US throughout its history. In the early 1800s the Ameri-can Temperance Society spearheaded a movement trying to ban alcohol in Amer-ica. They advocated that a prohibition of alcohol would help prevent domestic violence meted out by alcoholic hus-bands. The first state to ban alcohol was Kansas in 1881. After the ban a woman named Carrie Nation gained notoriety for enforcing the provision by walking into saloons, scolding customers, and using her hatchet to destroy bottles of liquor.

“Some three million violent crimes happen each year in which the victim states that the offender is under the influence of alcohol.“This issue was seen in court for years to come. For instance, Justice Harlan wrote in Mugler v. Kansas 1887: “We cannot shut out of view the fact, within the knowledge of all, that the public health,

the public morals, and the public

safety, may be endangered by the gen-eral sue of intoxicating drinks; nor the fact established by statistics to everyone, that the idleness, disorder, pauperism, and crime existing in the country are, in some degree…traceable to this evil.”

The national prohibition of alcohol started in 1920 with the 18th amend-ment. This prohibition lasted 13 years until the beer companies, led by Anheuser-Busch, were able to use their influence and repeal the amendment. After the amendment was repealed states were allowed to keep the ban. Mississippi was the last state to lift the ban in 1966. It might be unknown to most, but there are still many counties in the United States which prohibit the sale and consumption of alcohol. 8 per-cent of America is currently ‘dry’. Almost half of Mississippi remains dry. 55 of the 120 counties of Kentucky are dry.

The federal United States recognized, as do these counties, that alcohol is a danger to society. Take the following statistics into consideration. Some three million violent crimes happen each year in which the victim states that the offender

is under the influence of alcohol. Two-thirds of the victims of attacks by an intimate partner state that their partner was intoxicated. Close to 40 percent of the people who end up in prison state that they were drunk when they com-mitted their offences. There are about 17000 alcohol related fatalities while driving under the influence (DUI) each year; this translates to one death every 31 minutes and close to 40 percent of the total traffic fatalities each year.

In conclusion it should be said that in addition to the consumption of alco-hol being prohibited (haram), it is also considered an impure (najis) substance, therefore a Muslim cannot drink, sell, buy - even for someone else - make, deliver, transport or even use any proceeds derived from it. •

Hamed Waqar was born into a non-Muslim fam-ily, grew up in America, joined a gang and went to prison. He later found Islam in prison and after being released he joined the Seminaries (Hawza Ilmiyyah) in Lebanon and then Qum. Today he is a scholar serving the community. He works on trans-lation and editing of Islamic texts.

By Hamid Waqar

Feature

Christmas is just around the cor-ner and this year as ever every-one is subject to a barrage of advertisements.

The hard sell and frivolity which domi-nates Europe and most of the Christian world from October to January, under the pretext of the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ(a), are a means to an unholy end. Shop windows are so radiantly and cleverly displayed at this time of the year that it is impossible to escape them with-out conceding to a purchase. Television commercials are also carefully designed to encourage adults to buy expensive pre-sents for their children.

In this ‘smart’ world of commerce, inno-cent children are seen as fair game for manipulation and exploitation in what should be a season of good will and char-ity. The character of today’s Christmas as merely a commercial enterprise with an annual multi-million pound turnover from turkeys, puddings, crackers, toys, cards, trees, and Father Christmas out-fits can hardly be denied. It is the most celebrated feast in Christianity although its religious character is weakening all the time. Ask any child or even their parents why they celebrate Christmas and you might be in for a nasty shock!

This important celebration has under-gone a massive transformation since it was first conceived. At the beginning of the third century the celebration of the birth of Jesus was known as the Epiphany and fell on 6th January. It included the commemoration of his birth, the visit of the Magi (‘Wise Men’ the Persian priests),

and all of Jesus’ childhood events, up to and including his baptism in the River Jordan by John the Baptist. This date was kept by the Orthodox Church, but the Catholic Church of the West assumed the 25th of December as a fixed date for the birth of Jesus(a).

Other customs of a non religious nature soon crept in, such as the Christmas tree. Soon after his marriage to Queen Victo-ria in around 1880 Prince Albert brought one to England from Germany and the idea caught on. Later during the Victo-rian period Father Christmas or Santa Claus also appeared for the first time.

The earliest date for stocking-filling is recorded in 1850 and Christmas cards also became popular at that time. Both Christmas carols and Christmas cards portray the nativity scene in Bethlehem with the baby Jesus lying in a manger in a stable, watched over by Mary(a), Joseph and the shepherds. Others depict the arrival of the three wise men or kings from Persia, bearing gold, frankincense and myrrh for the baby king.[mentioned in the New Testament: Luke Ch.2 v.1- 20 and Matthew Ch.2 v.1-23].

“The character of today’s Christmas as merely a commercial enterprise can hardly be denied.”

There is no reference in the Qur’an to the nativity scene of popular western folklore, although the circumstances of Jesus’ birth are mentioned in some detail. One of the earliest Qur`anic chapters revealed to the Prophet Muhammad(s) in Makkah is entitled Mary (Maryam in Arabic) and has a section devoted to the annunciation, concep-tion and birth of Jesus. The reverence in which Jesus(a) and Mary(a) are held by Muslims, combined with the poignancy of the circumstances, the moving tenor of the text, and the melodious rhythm of the verses in the original Arabic, have earned this passage universal appeal in the world of Islam. The story is found in surah Al e Imran, 42-52. We are told of the circumstances in which the Prophet ‘Isa(a) was born. Mary(a) received sustenance and relief from the pangs of childbirth from the dates of the palm tree under which she sat in order to give birth. Concerning this, Qur’an says: “And shake towards you the trunk of the palm tree, it will drop on you fresh ripe dates: [19:25].

Mary(a) was unique in the sense that she gave birth to a son, ‘Isa, who was creat-ed by a special miracle. The angel Jibril (Gabriel) appeared in the form of a man to announce to Mary(a) that she was to be the mother of a pure son although no man had touched her. The birth took place in a remote spot under a palm

tree. ‘Isa(a) soon demonstrated that he was no ordinary child. When the morals of ‘Isa’s mother came under question, because she had borne a child out of wedlock, he came to her rescue. By a miracle he spoke to his mother from his crib to defend her. He preached to his accusers:

“I am indeed a servant of God. He hath given me revelation and made me a Prophet. And He hath made me blessed where so ever I be, and hath enjoined on me prayer and charity as long as I live. He hath made me kind to my moth-er and not overbearing or miserable. So peace be unto me the day I was born, the day that I die and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again).”

The Qur’an left us in no doubt that ‘Isa(a) is a Prophet of God and the son of Mary-am [4:171-172). He was a great spiritual leader and teacher. Annual exhortations from Christian leaders to ‘put Christ back into Christmas’ – the charity and

prayer announced by the infant Jesus - seem to fall on deaf ears, although many Christians deplore the present state of affairs. The word Christmas means the mass or feast day of Jesus Christ, a time to recall the Divine message brought by one of God’s Prophets, but in reality it has become little more than an excuse for exchanging presents, attending par-ties and generally having a good time.

The ubiquitousness and glimmering appeal of modern day Christmas makes it very tempting to get caught up in all the razzamatazz. However at this time of year Muslims should remind themselves of the real significance of the Prophet ‘Isa(a) as a Prophet of God bearing the same essential message of God’s Unity that was brought by all the Prophets before him and the virtues to which they exhort-ed their followers. •

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CHRISTMAS’ razzamatazz Belies its True Significance

By Tahereh Shafiee

Cover Story ? WHY MuHAMMAd(S)

MATTErSBy Omid Safi

34 35

It has become commonplace to ac-knowledge that we live in an intercon-nected world. Yet it is not just goods, people and ideas that now flow freely

across the world; it is also the religious in-sights, sensitivities, and prejudices of our fellow human beings that we increasingly encounter. This is particularly relevant to the case of Muhammad(s), probably the least known and most misunderstood of all the founders of the major world religions.

The geopolitical reality of our world means that many Muslim-majority countries dominate international news, and this has resulted in a hitherto unseen interest in Islam among many people. The interest is also more per-sonal for many: in the United States alone, some six million Americans profess to follow the Islamic faith, about the same number as there are American Jews or American Orthodox Christians. Perhaps a similar number of Americans now have Muslims as members of their families. Worldwide there are some 1.3 billion Muslims. Wheth-er some of us [Muslims] think of ourselves primarily as citizens of a country first or citizens of a shared planet, it is simply part of being an educated citizen to have accu-rate knowledge about the faith of Islam, and Muhammad(s) stands at the centre of this faith. There is no way of being familiar with Islam without taking a long, hard, and close look at the figure who is so beloved by Muslims and yet often equally vilified by many non-Muslims.

For some Christians, however, the idea of God having reached out to humanity after

Christ remains an enigma. Muhammad(s)

remains for these Christians a theo-logical challenge. In lashing out against Muhammad(s), they seek to affirm the special relationship they believe God has established with humanity through Christ. Yet this vehe-mence has prevented them from being able to see Muhammad(s) in the light of history and faith and from understanding Islam on its own merits.

The polemics against Muhammad(s) today may be unoriginal, but they have in fact changed since the days of medieval theo-logical polemics. The modern reality is both more complicated and more urgent. The medieval polemicists against Muhammad(s)

might be forgiven for having lacked reliable scholarly resources or for having had no personal contact with Muslims who might have persuaded them that Muslims are in fact human beings. Today’s polemicists cannot claim any such ignorance.

On the one hand, one can turn with great confidence to an abundance of books, inter-net resources, experts, and documentaries for information about various aspects of Islamic teachings, history, and society. Yet ironically, the same proliferation of media has resulted in a dilution of the standards of scholarship. It can sometimes be hard for the untrained eye to detect which books were written by scholars trained in the field of Islamic studies and which were com-posed by prejudiced bigots who have found a new victim and an additional target for their hatred. Prejudice and hate are fluid, ever seeking new victims. In days past, Jews

Jews and African Americans would have been the target; today it is Muslims, and God alone knows who will bear the brunt of xenophobia in the future.

In the closing decades of the twentieth century, many young Christians in North America could be seen wearing bracelets that bore the initials WWJD-WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? It was a simple though remarka-bly effective pietistic and commercial success. The claim was as simple as it was irresist-ible: that the best ethical guidance for every faithful Christian is to contemplate how Jesus would treat the person one was encounter-ing or how he would behave if he found himself facing one’s own situation.

This represented a modern adaptation of a far older tradition, that of the “imitation of God”. In the Jewish tradition, there had been “You shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2). In the Christian tradition, there had been “There-fore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). At times this imitation of divine manners also became embodied in representatives who walked the Earth, in the following of Christ, and in the Catholic tradition the saints. The approach of seeking to embody the loftiest ethics by imitating the most luminous souls is not unique to Christianity. For more than a millen-nia before WWJD showed up on bracelets, billions of human beings participated in a similar ethical and legal self-questioning: WWMD–WHAT WOULD MUHAMMAD DO?

“Say; if you love God, follow me, and God will love you.” (Qur’an 3:31)

Imagine a civilisation where aspiring to Mu-hammadi ethics is considered the noblest ethical norm. Imagine intellectual tradi-tions charged with the task of tracing a lofty pattern of behaviour - the ideal model of human conduct - all the way back to Muhammad(s). This community and its intel-lectual traditions have in fact characterised Islamic civilisation as it has sought to embody the Sunna, ‘the path’ of the Prophet of Islam.

To this day, the language of “the path” has a life-giving and immediate resonance for Muslims. In fact, a text devoted to celebrat-ing the memory of the Prophet in the twelfth century makes this exact analogy. Entitled “The Healing” (al-shifa’), this volume states that the celebrated phrase “Straight Path” (al-sirat al-mustaqim) that shows up in the opening chapter of the Qur’an is none other than Muhammad(s) himself. In other words,

36 37

for the author of al-shifa’, when Muslims beseech God to “guide us to and keep us on the Straight Path,” they are asking to be guided to Muhammad(s). Muhammad(s) is the cool oasis of faith and seren-ity on the journey back to the Divine Beloved. This is the goal of the community of Muhammad(s) to be led to Muhammad(s) and from Muhammad(s) to God.

One saying of Muhammad(s), much beloved by Muslims, is that he was sent to bring completion to the “nobility of manners”. The word for “nobil-ity” (makarim) in Islamic discourse has to do with generosity, as well as remaining ever-mindful of God. In other words, the goal for this model of ethics is to connect one’s dealings with other human beings with the existential awareness that we are, at all moments, in the very Presence of God. How would we act if at all times we were mindful of being with God? This is the model of spiritual excellence and beauty (ihsan) embodied by Muhammad(s) that is referred to in the Qur’an as a “lovely example” (uswatun hasana): “You have indeed in the Messenger of God a Lovely Example, for anyone whose hope is in God and the Last Day, and who engages in the frequent remembrance of God”. (Qur’an 33:21)

Here is one of the keys for understanding the Mus-lims’ connections to the Prophet. Muhammad(s)

does not merely drop the Qur’an at the front door of humanity. He lives the Qur’an, he embodies the Qur’an, and as his wife Aisha said, his nature is the Qur’an. Muslims do not connect to Muhammad(s)

simply to learn disembodied hadith statements; they look to him to embody the very meaning of the connection with God. This is why for Muslims the key spiritual and intellectual guide to answer-ing every legal and ethical dilemma has always been to ask: ‘what would Muhammad(s) do’?

As Muslims expanded from being the citizens of a small Arab community centred on Muhammad(s) to a cosmopolitan community living on every conti-nent, they were forced to deal with new cultures, challenging situations, fresh dilemmas, and excit-ing opportunities. The question of “what would Muhammad(s) do?” was never intended to be a fos-silised and fully codified system, but rather a way of preparing the community of Muhammad(s) to live in a global and perpetually changing world. It is this creative reimagining of what Muhammad(s) would do that has in part allowed Islam to expand and become indigenous to so many cultural contexts. •

Omid Safi is Professor of Islamic Studies at University of North Carolina and author of “Memories of Muhammad: Why the Prophet Matters” published by HarperCollins (Nov 2010)

Faith

THE CENTrALITY OF THE

PrOPHET MuHAMMAd(S) TO

ISLAMIC SPIrITuALITY

Most people, including many Muslims, view Islam in an exoteric sense. That is, they see Islam as simply a set of beliefs and ritual observances by which Mus-lims hope to gain salvation after death. But they know very little about Islam as an esoteric or spiritual path.

Although modern western societies might be more alienated from religion than most, they tend to regard with greater reverence the mystical paths of religion. Buddhism for example, came to be known to the West through the ori-ental martial arts, Zen poetry, and even through fiction. Hinduism is also sympa-thetically looked at because of Ayurveda, Yoga, and meditation. Outwardly, these two religions are far more alien to the Western psyche in terms of spiritual tradi-tions, and the socio/cultural environment that supports their beliefs; nevertheless they are seen in a more sympathetic man-ner than Islam.

Because of Western man’s practical predisposition he is more favourably disposed to religion through its esoteric teachings and practice. No longer rooted in a cosmos where heaven and hell are realities woven into his worldview, he becomes focussed on the here and now. He is no longer interested in religion for eschatological salvation. He becomes interested in religion if it could open his eyes and get him to see the higher reali-ties while he is in this life. The practical aspects of esoterism attract him, with its process and exercises, spiritual-master guides, the clearly defined goals it sets out to achieve and the experiential knowledge that comes from it.

The Prophet Muhammad(s) said, “Die before you die”; for dying to the lower tendencies of worldly life opens our inner eyes for us to see. Without spiritual sight, religion becomes only dogma and ritual. What modern man craves is spiritual insight, not arguments for the existence of God.

God tells the Prophet in the Holy Qur’an, “Say, ‘If you love God, then follow me. God will love you and forgive you your sins, and God is all-forgiving, all-merciful’” [Qur’an 3:31]

In Islamic spirituality, this following is not passive where one says ‘I follow X’ mean-ing ‘I agree with the policies or position of X,’ - it is a complete following. It is

in essence following his way of life and implementing it in one’s own life right down to the smallest detail.

This is so because he is the most com-plete model for mankind. As the Qur’an says, “In the Messenger of God there is certainly for you a good exemplar (uswatun hasanatun) for those who look forward to God and the Last Day and remember God much” [Qur’an 33:21]

“The Prophet, as the epitome of human perfection and the Perfect Man par excellence, is therefore nothing less than the incarnation of the Beautiful Names of God in creation.”

As seen from the point of view of Islamic metaphysics the universe is the self dis-closure of God, for it is the sum total of His signs and works. Thus each aspect of creation is the expression of one or more of the Divine Names of God, or the asmaa al-husnaa, the Beautiful Names. Since creation exists as a hierarchy, the higher levels of being are expressions of more of the Beautiful Names at higher levels of intensity. In this hierarchy, the Perfect Man is at the apex and thus he is the reflection of God in creation. It is for this reason that the angels and the jinn were required to make obeisance to Adam after God taught him “all the Names” [Qur’an 2:31]

The Prophet, as the epitome of human per-fection and the Perfect Man par excellence, is therefore nothing less than the incar-nation of the Beautiful Names of God in creation. In this respect the Qur’an describes him as possessing “a tremen-dous character” [Qur’an 68:4]

From this perspective, the first attes-tation in the two attestations of the declaration of faith which is to bear witness that there is no god but God, is the declaration of God’s oneness. Whereas the second attestation, which is to bear witness that Muhammad(s) is the Messenger of God, is, in essence, the proof of God, not that the Proph-et is God, but that he is evidence that points to God by virtue of his tremen-dous character. Therefore the Prophet is Messenger not only by virtue of bringing

a message from God but also because of the fact that he himself is the message of God. When asked about the character of the Prophet, his youngest wife Aisha replied, “His character was the Qur’an.”

As the manifestation of the Beau-tiful Names of God, the Prophet Muhammad(s) becomes the beautiful model for Muslim conduct. He said “God is beautiful and loves beauty,” so emulat-ing his beautiful conduct is the means of attracting God’s love which is the goal of all spiritual paths. There are many levels to this prophetic beauty. The first level is on the level of following the exoteric law or shari’ah. The next and deeper level is on the level of cultivating decorum (adab) or the beauty of outward behav-iour; thus it is said that whenever the Prophet spoke to someone, he always faced them directly and he would so give that person his complete attention that the latter would think that he was the only object of his attention and nothing else mattered. The third and yet deeper level is the beautification of the charac-ter by the elimination of negative traits and the establishment of positive ones with the teachings and actions of the Prophet as a model. He is reported to have said “I was only sent to perfect the ethical personality.” The fourth level is spiritual rigour in following the spiritual practices that he taught in taming the unruly soul so that once it is at rest it is capable of reflecting the Presence of God.

Ignorance of Islam feeds stereotypes of the religion as legalistic and literal-ist without any spiritual subtlety and makes the common man susceptible to negative propaganda against it. This negative attitude extends to the Prophet Muhammad(s) as well who is now increas-ingly perceived in the most damning ways imaginable. These attitudes could be neutralized by presenting Islam as a spiritual or esoteric path. In knowing about this path the observer would realize the central role of the Prophetic lifestyle and teachings in the inward struggle toward spiritual progress thus leading to a greater perception of his beautiful character. •

BY AHMAd HANEEF

38 39

The hierarchy of knowledge

&the ProPhet’s teachings

In numerous verses of the Holy Qur’an we see how Islam considers education and edification to be im-portant tasks of the final Prophet:

“Allah certainly favoured the faith-ful when He raised up among them an apostle from among themselves to recite to them His signs and to purify them, and to teach them the Book and wisdom.” (Qur’an 3: 164)

The fundamentals of the Prophet’s educational teachings encompass many principles: God’s Unity, human nature, the purposefulness of creation, man’s limited-ness, freedom, and eternal life. If we refer to the Holy Qur’an and the Prophet’s conduct we can see that his educational instructions and activities have been carefully established considering the above human realities. The Prophet’s mission was to call people to believe in the Unity of God, to refine human char-acter, explain the purpose of creation, and clarify the method to attain eternal salvation in a way that people would desire to achieve it willingly.

Like other prophets, the Prophet of Islam was sent forth to develop man’s innate nature (fitrah) which is necessary to attain perfection and salvation. This primary nature refers to the way God has created people. In other words, human nature is innately endowed with the ability to recog-nize God.

Proceeding from this foundation, any teacher of Islam should define an approach in which all the educational activities concur with the individual’s pre-disposition. Teachers and parents should consider the fact that education is seen as a form of enlightenment in Islam, pointing towards fulfilment of the innate needs of man. The purpose of education is to develop the trainee’s own talents and his/her God-given capabilities. Educa-tion should be imparted in a way that leads to the growth and development of the intellect; it is a form of empower-ment.

The Prophet’s strategy for education starts from this basic understanding - that all humans are born with this divine disposition and if their primary nature is not transformed or contaminated, their nature will guide them to realize life’s principal goal; to journey toward God the Most High.

Incorrect education and external influ-ences can blur human nature, hindering its development and growth and leading it astray. If we refer to religious texts, we see that a great deal of instructions in Islam have been developed taking into consideration the above premise.

There is no command or regulation in Islam which is in opposition to this nature. All its ruling and teachings are in perfect harmony with man’s capa-bilities and aim to enrich his character, strengthen his willpower and elevate his soul.

Explaining the logic behind the sending forth of the Prophets, Imam Ali(a) says: “Then Allah sent forth His Messengers and a series of His Prophets toward people to fulfil the pledge of His crea-tion.”

The main reason for sending the Proph-ets was to guide individuals to realise the demands of their own nature and act according to what their inner-self invites them to do.

The attainment of perfection exemplified by the life of the Prophet Muhammad(s) is within the possibility of human abilities. As the perfect teacher and the perfect human being, the Prophet Muhammad(s) is the ultimate personification of Islam and an example to emulate not only for the people of his time but for future gen-erations.

The Holy Qur’an says to the Prophet Muhammad(s): “So set your heart on the religion as a people of pure faith, the origination of Allah according to which He originated mankind (There is no altering Allah’s creation; that is the upright religion.)” (Qur’an 30:3)

In His infinite mercy God has provided mankind with all the necessary means to reach perfection and has showed it the way to reach this goal: “He said, ‘Our Lord is He who gave everything its crea-tion and then, guided it.” (Qur’an 20:5)

This kind of guidance in the Holy Qur’an is termed general creational guidance. It applies to all of God’s creation. Every-thing from the moment of coming into existence is moving naturally towards per-fection. The planted seed of a rose, given the right conditions, will naturally develop its potentiality, turning into a beautiful plant. As far as the human being is con-

cerned, the general creational guidance concept applies in a different form. In the case of man his natural disposition, which is common to all other creatures, has to contend with another God-given faculty peculiar to him alone; free will. This can be briefly described as the abil-ity to take decisions and to be the owner of one’s own actions within an overall system governed by God. In His infinite mercy our Creator has also granted the human being an additional educational support to help offset the possibility of going wrong: the teachings of prophets and above all the teaching of the Seal of Prophets, Muhammad(s).

Imam Ali(a) summaries the entire pro-cess with these words: “Throughout the course of time many people perverted the trust which Allah granted them and ignored His station and took partners alongside Him. Satan turned them away from knowing Allah and kept them aloof from His worship. Then Allah sent His Messengers and a series of His Prophets toward people to fulfil the pledge of His creation, to recall His bounties to them, to exhort them by preaching, to unveil before them the hidden virtues of wis-dom and to show them the signs of His Omnipotence.”

Although knowledge extends across many fields developing into many scienc-es, the acquisition of knowledge related to the nature of God, the purposefulness of creation, the afterlife remained for centuries at the top of the hierarchy and the teachings of the prophets were con-sidered a valuable treasure for the whole of humanity. With the advancement of secularization modern society came to reject such teachings as irrelevant.

In the Islamic tradition the Prophet Muhammad(s) is considered the City of Knowledge as well as the best of teachers and as such what he taught is the best of knowledge. This doesn’t mean that all other types of knowledge are useless but rather that all other types of knowledge are subordinate to it. This was a con-cept well understood by early Muslim scientists who were able to flourish and amaze the world by basing their quest of knowledge on the above premise. •

As the last Messenger of God, one of the main missions of Muhammad(s) was to establish the foundations of an educa-tional system for his community (ummah).

BY YASSEr AHMEd

40 41

Prophet Muhammad(s): an ENVIRONMENTALISTEnvironmentalism is often thought of as a modern phenomenon, Hannah Smith explains that modern principles of environmen-talism exist at the core of the Islamic pattern for life, and Islam’s last Prophet, Muhammad(s) was a leader in this field.

Over the past century humans have become increasingly aware of the degeneration of the natural non-built environment largely as a result

of human endeavour. The decline and destruc-tion of the natural environment includes a great number of concerns: animal habitat loss, decline in animal and plant species’ number and biodi-versity, deforestation, desertification, pollution of land and water by toxic chemicals and waste, cli-mate change and associated species extinctions, weather changes, and flooding. Modern humans have realised the need to consider the impact of human activities upon the land, water, flora and fauna upon which they are dependent for food, water and comfort, and the right of other crea-tures to a natural life.

Nowadays humans approach these issues through modern concepts such as sustainability, conser-vation, and custodianship. Yet the principles underlying these modern concepts, which have been understood by many ancient peoples, are enshrined in Islam through Qur’anic injunctions and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad(s)

who was the human embodiment of the Qur’an.

CustodianshipThe concept of environmental custodianship describes the role of man as carer and steward of the natural world. Modern man has recognised the need for humans to take this role as the human being, who through his much greater intellectual and engineering capacities, is capa-ble of altering natural environments in a way that renders them unrecognisable and unsuitable for other species. Modern civilization has recognised the necessity of maintaining the pre-human state of the natural environment for human benefit such as food, water, medicines, safe dwelling, and beauty. It has also recognised the rights of other creatures because of their similarity to humans through shared experiences such as conscious-ness and sensation.

Such a relationship is directly implied through the relationship between Allah(swt), the created

42 43

world, and man. Allah(swt) created the world and placed man within it as His “vicegerent” or deputy (Qur’an 2:30). Man does not have dominion over the world; every created thing belongs to God and will return to Him:

And to Allah(swt) belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah(swt) is Ever Encompassing all things. (Qur’an 4:126)

It is the responsibility of humans to maintain the natural order of the World and ensure the continued existence of all creatures and wildlife:

The sun and the moon run on their fixed courses (exactly) calculated with measured out stages for each (for reck-oning). And the herbs (or stars) and the trees both prostrate themselves.) And the heaven He has raised it high, and He has set up the Balance. In order that you may not transgress (due) balance. And observe the weight with equity and do not make the balance deficient. (Qur’an 55:5-9)

Islam dictates that other species have a right to a natural and comfortable life, and although humans are allowed to use other creatures for their own gain through consumption and labour, they must do everything within their power to sustain the natural communities of other species and not to cause any crea-ture undue pain or suffering.

“If anyone wrongfully kills even a sparrow, let alone anything greater, he will face God’s interrogation.” (Mishkat al-Masabih)

The Prophet Muhammad(s) even put a ban on hunting, forbidding the hunting of animals for pleasure, an activity which is still debated in secular discussion to-day.

SustainabilitySustainability is another term frequent-ly used in the environmental literature. It pertains to the limited use of natural

resources such that they are not de-pleted, lost, and unavailable to future generations.

Humans are instructed directly in the Qur’an not to waste God’s provision in the world (6:141). And there are numer-ous examples from the Prophetic aha-dith encouraging modest consumption and restoration of resources for future use. For example when the Prophet Muhammad(s) saw that Sa’d was using a lot of water while performing the ablutions, he intervened saying: “What is this? You are wasting water.” Sa‘d replied asking: “Can there be wastefulness while taking the ablutions?” To which God’s Messen-ger replied: “Yes, even if you take them on the bank of a rushing river.” (Mus-nad, ii, 22; Ibn Maja, Tahara, 48, No: 425; i, 147)

In another famous hadith, the Prophet Muhammad(s) instructs the Muslim to plant a tree sapling even if it is the end of the world, demonstrating the impor-tance, sacredness, and rights of all God’s Creation:

“When doomsday comes, if someone has a palm shoot in his hand, he should plant it.” (Mishkat al Masabih)

ConservationEnvironmental conservation can also be observed in Islamic history. Con-servation describes the way in which natural landscapes are preserved for their intrinsic beauty, for the sustenance of creatures which live off them and for the maintenance of ingredients essential or beneficial to humans such as fertile land, medicinal plants, and livestock.

Modern day examples of environmental conservation include various forms of pro-

tected areas such as nature reserves where the type and amount of human activity is restricted. The Prophet Muhammad(s) was a leader in this field: he encour-aged the establishment of protected natural areas or sanctuaries known as himas in Arabic. Himas already existed in pre-Islamic Arabia but the Prophet Muhammad(s) transformed the owner-ship of such land from private individu-als to the local community through Is-lamic law. Upon migration to Medina, the Prophet Muhammad(s) created a conservation area spanning a concen-tric zone of land 12 miles wide around the city where the destruction of trees and plants was forbidden, and within this, a 4 mile-wide zone where hunt-ing was forbidden. Punishments were meted out under Islamic law to those

who transgressed the rules of the sanctuaries including confiscation of trespassers’ livestock, equip-ment and clothes, and the use of any trespassing livestock to feed the local community.

Himas are still in use today in Arab countries where inviolable zones

are drawn up around water resources, forests and land to avoid depletion of the natural resources by human exploi-tation and overgrazing.

It is clear from Qur’anic teachings and the example of the Prophet Muhammad(s) that mankind has a duty to protect, conserve and maintain the natural environment. It is not a coincidence that green is the colour of Islamic civiliza-tion and the dome of Prophet’s tomb is green; it is a reflection of Islam as the natural state and order of the Earth with which humans must maintain and live in harmony. •

Hannah Smith has an undergraduate degree in Geophysics from Imperial College London and the University of Oxford, and a Masters degree in Geol-ogy from the University of Michigan. She currently works as a Physics teacher at a secondary school in London

“If anyone wrongfully kills even a sparrow, let alone anything greater, he will face God’s interrogation.”

ASHurA rITuALS TrAPPEd IN CuLTurAL BAGGAGE

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For centuries religions have tried to make sense of the suf-ferings humans endure during the course of this worldly life.

Illnesses, accidents, corporal pain and mental anguish are but a few of these conditions.

The concept of human suffering has been explained and justified by various religions according to their worldviews. In some religious traditions suffering is seen as a necessary process towards the purification of the soul while in others it is viewed as a means for the atonement for one’s sins.

In antiquity during rites of initiation, purification, and fertility, ceremonial whippings were frequently performed. These often included some forms of physical suffering including floggings and mutilations. In the ancient Mediter-ranean, ritual floggings were practised by the Spartans, and Roman heretics using thongs of oxtail, leather, or parchment

strips, some being weighted with lead.

Identification with the suffering of a par-ticular religious personality is another reason to explain some form of self in-flicted physical pain. At the extreme of this spectrum there are those who have elaborated the theory that self-induced pain in the form of physical mortifica-tion works towards the above mentioned objectives. The most well-known of these groups are found among some Catholic Christians and some Shi’a Muslims.

For the Christians the suffering of Jesus(a) during his last moments on earth is the reference point. The film the “Pas-sion of Christ” by Mel Gibson gives a vivid description of the kind of punishment it is believed Jesus was subjected to by the Roman soldiers.

As a result the observance of the “Pas-sion of Jesus Christ”, with its ritual self-flagellation, has been developed into a culture especially among group of Cath-

olics in the Philippines, South America and in a much reduced form, in Italy. The practice includes whipping oneself with sharp blades, cutting the body with sharp glass, and scratching the skin with needle pads until it bleeds.

“[Self-flagellation] has no prece-dent in the lifetime of the Imams(a) and even after that and we have not received any traditions quoted from the infallibles(a) about any support of this act.” In the world of Islam a similar phenome-non in relation to the commemoration of the Ashura rituals - the martyrdom of the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad(s) - was developed.

Husayn ibn Ali(a) stood up to the tyrant of the day, Yazid, in order to save Islam and humanity from despotism and oppression. After a valiant fight Husayn was beheaded and his body mutilated.

It is said that the beginning of the com-memoration of this event occurred soon after the survivors were released, when family members and close followers of the Alids would gather for supplication and prayers.

As the event became more public espe-cially during the reign of the Buwayhids, (900 CE) reports describe public proces-sions with displays of self-flagellation. A subsequent Shi’a dynasty, the Savafids, also encouraged it as a sign of identifi-cation and opposition to the Ottoman Sunnis with whom they were at war.

The practice of self-flagellation and self harm is considered forbidden in Islam. Nevertheless it has become part of Shi’a Muslim practice and is conducted among a number of Shiites in the Middle East and Asia. Most Shiites usually beat their chests with their hands in a symbolic gesture of pain and sorrow; however the use of metal chains, spikes and daggers

to cut the skin as well as other extreme forms of this ritual are still practised.

After the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979 some progressive and intellectual Shi’a clergymen began to challenge the validity of these commemorations.

One of the leading scholars, Morteza Mutahhari in his book Howza va Ru-haniat, questions the origins of self-flagellations identifying it as a “practice borrowed by the Ghazghani Orthodox Christians from Ghazghan, the region on the borders between Russia and Iran”. He writes: “Blood shedding in its present form has no rational or reli-gious backing.... It is a clear instance of deviation... a mistake. Some people take blades and strike their heads making blood flow – for what? This action is not mourning.”

Ayatollah Khamenei in Ajwabah al-Istifta’at finds no justification for the practice:

“In addition to the fact that it is not

held in the common view as a mani-festation of mourning and grief and it has no precedent in the lifetime of the Imams(a) and even after that and we have not received any traditions quoted from the infallibles(a) about any support of this act, be it privately or publicly, this practice would, at the present time, give others a bad image of our school of thought. Therefore, there is no way that it can be considered permissible.”

It is now the responsibility of the Mus-lims living in the 21st century and in the West to stop being the carriers of cultural expressions that their predecessors have turned into an obligation and instead seek to conduct commemorations in a more acceptable and beautiful manner, that is, in a way that is in congruence with Islamic teachings. •

By Anousheh Mireskandari

46 47

It has always been fashionable to regard religion as something belonging to the past, to a time when man was ignorant, lacking in knowledge, incapable of understanding, and incapable of properly analys-

ing the course of events. Human beings, from the very inception of history, started to learn from nature and find out, through experience, the amazing relationships by which it was governed. This process of new discover-ies and findings was taken by some people to be a good excuse to brand their predecessors as unenlightened and ignorant and to do away with the duties they were sup-posed to perform as purposeful creatures created by an All-Wise Creator.

It is interesting to note, that the early prophets such as Noah and Abraham, as we are informed by the Qur’an, were accused by their peoples as having no understand-ing of their times and of repeating the tales of the ignorant people of the past. Today, those people and their igno-rant beliefs have themselves been turned into tall stories. Nevertheless, the call of Noah and Abraham is still alive and vibrant. And, thanks to the accumulated experience of generations, people have come to the understanding that the more they know, the less they are able to answer the basic questions of existence: Who am I? Where have I come from? Why do I live? What is going to become of me? And, above all, who has created me?

Of course, not all people ask themselves these questions and that is why not all people are religious. However, as long as the human process of reproduction creates men and women who ask such questions, religion reinstates itself in one way or another. The case of the Soviet Union after its collapse is a significant confirmation of this fact. In Tatarstan, a small republic in central Russia where only 18 mosques were officially functioning during com-munist rule, 500 new mosques sprang up immediately after restrictions were lifted. The statistics from other republics and for other religions are comparable. This was despite the atheistic proselytising and educational campaigns carried out vehemently for over 60 years.

Reflecting on such religious trends, and considering the high tide of religious fervour in the closing decades of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century, one can safely surmise that these trends will continue well into the whole of this century.

Two important factors will aid the promotion of religion and intensification of religious feelings in the coming years, both of which are somehow related to science. The first is a general feeling of disillusionment with science, and the second is the ever - increasing separation of reli-gion and superstition due to scientific achievements. The disillusionment with science cannot be appreciated unless one examines the history of hopes and ambitions placed

placed on scientific achievements. Contemplating the future of science in the 18th century, Nicolas de Condorcet pre-dicted that the day would soon come when death could be cured by science, and morality would prevail due to man’s scientific progress. No question would remain, and nothing, even in the fields of human relations, human morality, and human philosophy would persist unless it was addressed, in one way or another, by sci-entific progress.

Death was not cured. Two centuries after Condorcet the morality of the scientific age, in alliance with its scien-tific knowledge, created the fiercest wars ever recorded in human history. The upbeat attitude towards science and technology is now also dead, along with millions of people who lost their lives during the two world wars.

Science is now returning to its proper place as a means, an instrument, and a tool that assists humankind towards its ends, without being able to define those ends. Scien-tists are no longer so ambitious as to allow themselves to address questions such as whether there is a Creator or not; if there is, then what are our duties towards Him; and is there life after death? They do not interfere any-

more with judgements belonging to the ethical domain or issues related to right and wrong. These questions are left to where they have always belonged - religion.

However, in this century religion will, thanks to science, be disentangled to a large extent from many of the super-stitions which once surrounded it. Such superstitions are usually borne of ignorance, from the assumption of dif-

ferent gods and unseen beings having power and control over human life. But such beliefs have been greatly diluted during the past cen-tury. Even those who still believe in such

ideas construe them in a way that insinuates monothe-ism and belief in one and only one God, the Creator of all things. The 21st century promises to usher in the return of religious convictions in a more enlightened way. And not before time. For the planet is still in need of the answers given by divine religions to the big questions most of us continue to ask. •

Saeed Bahmanpour is Head of Research at the Islamic Centre of Eng-land. He is the scriptwriter of a TV series on the Virgin Mary shown on many Muslim television channels around the world.

By Saeed Bahmanpour

rELIGION ANd SCIENCE, A MATCH MAdE IN HEAVEN

“People have come to the understanding that the more they know, the less they are able to answer the basic questions: Who am I? Where have I come

from? Why do I live?”

‘Shared notions in our common Abrahamic faiths’

Interfaith

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IntroductionRecently the Muslim Khoja Shia Ith-na-Asheri Community in Leicester staged a dramatisation of the lives of Jesus and Mary.

We, of St Mary’s, being aware that Mary, to whom our church is dedicat-ed, is mentioned in the Holy Quran (3: 45), and having received an invitation from the Muslim community, felt com-pelled to put in an appearance. We understood that we would be attend-ing a play, or perhaps two plays about the life of Jesus and Mary. Obviously it would be cast in an Islamic per-spective. But it would be useful for us here in Leicester to understand how our neighbours did view Jesus, whom we believe to be the son of God, and of Mary, whom our church calls ‘The Mother of God’.. As you will see, this expectation was fulfilled.

The focus of the evening was to be, fasting, since this was after all the month of Ramadhan. To our surprise it was a Christian Minister who spoke first with great eloquence about the significance of fasting. The Rev’d Ste-phen Sizer had come from Virginia Water to give this sermon; a sermon that would not be out of place in any church around the season of Lent. He started by reminding us that when Jesus Christ had taught the disciples to pray, in the famous chapter 6 of Matthew’s Gospel, they were not to be sad about it. Stephen reminded Chris-tians of our duty to fast on Fridays

and in the season of Lent. He sug-gested that there were three reasons to fast, to increase one’s hunger for God, to apply discipline to our spir-itual life and to purify the soul. He warned us of the dangers associated with getting it wrong; dangers com-

mitted by the Pharisees as in Luke (l8:9); that is of deriving some sort of pride in one’s fasting. This was a very Christian sermon.

Musarrath Wajli, a Muslim, then took the stand to remind us that Jesus, one of the prophets of God, had fasted for 40 days in the desert. This was before the start of his ministry. Jesus’ fasting should be seen as part of his prepa-ration for his ministry. Fasting was a

means of acquiring piety; of humbling ourselves before almighty God.

‘The Fast of Isa and Maryam’ playThe evening was warming up nicely. The first of the plays was ‘The Fast of Maryam, the daughter of Imran’, and showed Mary with her baby initially rejected by her community, and then

The Temptations of Christ, 12th century mosaic at St Mark’s Basilica, Venice

A lETTEr frOM ChurCh Of ST. MAry DE CASTrO, lEiCESTEr

accepted back among her kin. Some-thing else we had not appreciated at the time; the entire script for this play came verbatim from the Quran. The second play was ‘The Fast of Isa, son of Mar-

yam’ and dramatised Jesus’ 40 days in the desert, following his baptism. I also learned that Muslims share with us the belief that Jesus was baptised. John has a name in Arabic which means ‘one who baptises’. The dialogue seemed some-how familiar; I was to be told later that it came entirely from Matthew’s Gospel.

The theme of the plays was set by two quotations from our respective Holy books. The Qur’an tells us (3:183) ‘O ye that believe, fasting is decreed for you as it was decreed for those before you, that you may attain piety’ and Matthew (4:l) tell us that ‘Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted of the dev-il. He fasted forty days and forty nights’.

There followed a sermon by Ali Abbas Panju. Now this was a serious discourse with two themes, I thought. The first was the role of fasting in the life of the prophets in their attempts to approach the ineffable God; the second was to illustrate the holy nature of the month of Ramadhan.

He pointed out that before Jesus had started his mission, he had fasted 40

days and 40 nights in the wilderness. This had, he contended, been an essen-tial part of his spiritual preparation for the most demanding task ahead of him, the Transfiguration of the Lord. Both

Matthew (17:1) and Mark (9:2) in their parallel accounts of this event, tell us that Jesus and his Disciples had just spent 6 days together. Yet we do not know what they were doing, nor why the Evangelists tell us this detail. Mr. Panju’s suggestion was that they were obviously fasting to prepare themselves for their close approach to God on the mountain. Here I was, a Christian Minister, sitting in a mosque listening to an informed Muslim explaining to me an aspect of the Transfiguration which had not previ-ously occurred to me. He explained how all the major biblical prophets, Moses, Elijah and Jesus had used fasting in their spiritual preparation, I will re-read CCC 554, 555* on returning home.

By now it was time for ‘sunset’ prayers. Ladies and gentlemen gathered in their respective ends of the long prayer hall. The prayers were in Arabic, with twin language displays on the screens. We followed the meanings, but were unable to give the traditional responses. It was then announced that the sun had gone down and Muslims were able to ‘break the ’fast’ with the ceremony of ‘Iftaar’ the

traditional communal meal taken at this time.

It had been a long evening, full of spir-itual material for all concerned.

Conclusion Interfaith activity is about appreciat-ing what the ‘other’ religion is about. These plays and sermons succeeded in demonstrating not the differences, but some of the deepest shared notions in our common Abrahamic faiths. The MKSI community had clearly gone to some trouble to plan all the sermons, videos, plays and the publicity. We had been made to think about the spiritual nature of fasting, and had, I think, been surprised by the biblical knowledge pro-pounded during the evening. Although there was no attempt to compare the approaches of the two major religions, it was clear that the two faiths share much in common. •

David Lamb

Note:

*CCC refers to Catechism of the Catholic Church. Sections 554 and 555 refer to a fore-taste of the Kingdom: the Transfiguration.

Here I was, a Christian Minister, sitting in a mosque listening to an informed Muslim explaining to me an aspect of the Transfiguration which had not previously occurred to me.

Homelessness ends HereC r I s I s I n p a r t n e r s H I p w I t H m a H F I l a l I ( s I C m )

To ensure Muslims are at the forefront of the fight against homelessness, this Christmas, between 23rd and 29th December 2012, ‘Mahfil Ali’ of Harrow - Middlesex in part-nership with ‘Crisis’, the national charity for single homeless people will engage in a pro-gramme designed to give homeless people in inner London sustainable skills to help them to develop their life skills and stand on their own feet.

The campaign is focused on profession-als who can share key life skills. Mahfil Ali invites doctors, pharmacists, optometrists, fitness instructors, hairdressers, lawyers, accountants or just keen and energetic vol-unteers to sign up to this project.

23rd december - 29tH december, 2012

Shifts vary (see below):

- 23rd to 26th Dec: Female Yoga Instructor - 27th to 29th Dec: CV Writing Instructors - 27th to 29th Dec: Nutrition and Wellbeing tutors

- 23rd to 29th Dec: Health Care –Qualified Dentists, Opti-cians, Pharmacists, Doctors and Nurses

- General Volunteer work from 23rd -29th Dec 2012 in ven-ues around London; Hammersmith, Ealing, Finsbury Park, Stratford, Bermondsey and Deptford.

Crisis is particularly looking for night owls who can help run night shelters.

For more information go to: http://www.crisis.org.uk/pages/voluntcering

To reserve a place, email events@sicm.org.uk.

A CONTINuOuS COMMITMENT TO CIVIL ENGAGEMENTLONdON CITIZENS

51

On Tuesday 13th November West London Citizens held a packed and highly diverse assembly at the Islamic

Centre England. Around 160 people attended from 45 different member institutions of West London Citizens. There were people from Catholic, Angli-can and Methodist churches, Quakers, mosques and Islamic centres, voluntary sector groups, primary schools, secondary schools and colleges. A representative of each tradition shared why their institu-tions are involved in the alliance, as the meeting heard about the importance of bringing people together around the

things they have in common.

Mr Bahmanpour of the Islamic Centre gave a welcome reflection on the history of the Centre and its building, and the importance of working together for justice. Betul Al-Zyadi of City of Westminster College spoke of her pride at the fact the meeting was being held at the Centre and the chal-lenge this represented to misconceptions about Muslims and their participation in civic engagement.

More than thirty other people, including Father George Bowen of London Oratory School, Yasmin Skander of City of West-minster College, and Tess Lanning of the Institute for Public Policy Research, spoke at the meeting. Father Bowen said “On the face of it, we don’t have much in common. We might pass each other on the street without that sense of recogni-tion which is normally the characteristic of a friend, but we have been drawn into fellowship by a shared desire to work for the improvement of our society. And we know that our diversity lies at the source of our power.”

For the West London Citizens this was also an occasion to celebrate the first hotel chain to commit to the Liv-ing Wage, the Intercontinental Hotels Group, as well as two west London local

authorities who are now accredited Living Wage employers: Ealing and Hounslow councils.

Valdemar Ventura, a former cleaner of the Cabinet Office, was also given a plat-form to address the audience. He told how he had been punished for speak-ing out about his low pay and asking for a Living Wage and called for further action to pressure the government to pay the Living Wage to its cleaners in Whitehall.

The meeting was also addressed by young people testifying about the dif-ficulty of finding a job or even work experience, prompting an undertaking from the organisation to commit to researching the issue further. •

Stefan Baskerville is the Community Organiser in the City of Westminster and on the Living Wage team. He has been involved with London Citizens since 2007. He holds a BA (hons) in Philosophy, Pol-itics, and Economics from the University of Oxford.

By Stefan Baskerville

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Science

To mark the first publication of this magazine, I would like to open the science section by examining a scientific theory mentioned in the Qur’an which was a pivotal factor in my conversion to Islam. I hope to provide a modern scientific discussion of the ayah in the Qur’an that refers to mountains having deep roots like pegs. (Qur’an 78:6-7)

52 53

In searching for an explanation of the observed physical world, scientists have been led down a reductionist path; that the behaviour of large objects, for example those that are observable to the naked eye, can be explained by the behaviour of smaller entities such as molecules and atoms. Sci-entists have been able to probe matter discovering increasingly smaller ob-jects or particles that can explain the behaviour of larger bodies. At the high-est level in this model, all matter is comprised of mol-ecules, chemical structures built of different combina-tions of elements; the behaviour of the atom itself can be explained using a model which contains the familiar sub-atomic particles: protons, neutrons and

electrons; and protons and neutrons are similar particles known as hadrons that can be split further into peculiarly named quarks. By colliding commonly occurring particles such as neutrons and electrons at extremely high speeds and energies in particle accelerators, particle

physicists have found that in fact a great number of tiny particles can be brought into existence, many only for a fraction of a second.

However physicists seek to move beyond a particle model and unite the disparate behaviour of the many particles discov-ered thus far with something more fun-damental. Some suggest that different particles are the manifestation of the be-haviour of a different type of object such

as a string that could vibrate and curl in different ways to generate different types of particles. Other scientists suggest that the answer lies in seeking to reduce the nature of reality to its underlying components, for example looking to the way in which particles are described: if the charac-

teristics of a particle are determined for example by its size and position in space, then the particle model can be reduced to locations in space, and then

this dimensional description could be reduced to a set of numbers, and then the numbers themselves reduced to what mathematicians call sets. There is one fascinating corollary of this induc-tive process; that numbers and sets are not empirical objects that can be meas-ured with scientific instruments or the five senses, they are abstract objects that are created by the human mind, leading to the conclusion that reality as we know it is dependent upon the imagination of the human mind.

Quantum behaviourIf the behaviour of matter is examined at the different levels of sizes or scales it can be found that there is clear change in the way objects interact on the macro, everyday scale, and the micro, sub-atomic scale. On the scale of large objects such as cars and humans, the behaviour of objects can be predicted according to the laws of Newtonian mechanics. However when it comes to the level of sub-atomic particles, the position of particles is much less predictable. At this level, the behav-iour and interaction of matter is instead characterised by what scientists call quan-tum behaviour and quantum mechanics. On the quantum scale, particles such as electrons exhibit the following bizarre qualities: they behave both like waves and particles, their exact location is impossi-ble to determine in advance and can only

be assigned a probability, and when they are observed their actual position and movement is disturbed by increasing amounts by the measuring instrument according to the precision of the meas-urement of their location.

The strange wave-particle duality of quantum objects is classically demon-strated in the observation of electrons passing through a slit and hitting a screen. When electrons pass straight through a single slit they hit the screen in a predictable location according to Newtonian mechanics, but when two slits are used, the electrons hit the screen in random locations in time forming a pattern similar to the interfer-ence pattern of a wave such as light, such that that there are clusters of electron colli-sions that could have been predicted if the

movement of the electron were modelled as a wave interfering with itself and then turning back into a corporeal body or particle upon impact with the screen. Consequently physi-cists model the behaviour of quantum objects using a math-ematical wave-description, stat-ing that quantum objects have the potential or are indeed in many or all positions at once like a wave, and then when observed by a measuring instrument the so-called wave-function collapses and the particle behaves like a particle again such that it occupies a definable position

in time and space.

Traditionally scientists suggest that the quantum object ceases to behave like a wave and instead behaves like a particle when it interacts and is measured by its detector such as a screen. All matter is governed by quantum behaviour but on the macro-scale of everyday objects the wave behaviour is not detectable. Fol-lowing this reasoning, the detector of a particle such as a screen or a camera is governed by the probabilistic wave-like behaviour of the sub-atomic object and so are any intermediary objects linking the detector to the human observer. Some scientists claim that the only object in the chain of observation that is not affected by such effects is the non-material conscious-ness of the human mind and therefore it causes the so-called collapse of the wave

function and the perception of particle-like behaviour, leading again to the implica-tion that our human observation of reality is dependent upon human consciousness. Some attributes of particles such as mass and charge would not change according to observation and thus an unobserved world could be described by static physical attributes. It is also possible to argue by another line of reasoning that a quantum theory which relies upon a physical detector to bring about particle behaviour cannot be the fundamental explanation of physical reality because it relies upon the existence of a non-quan-tum object. •

unveiling the fundamental nature of the physical world is the holy grail of science. Hannah Smith

examines a number of lines of reasoning that suggest that the way in which human beings perceive

the physical world is ultimately a product of their own consciousness.

Numbers and sets are not empirical objects that can be measured with scientific instruments or the five senses, they are abstract objects that are created by the human mind, leading to the con-clusion that reality as we know it is dependent

upon the imagination of the human mind.

54 55

Tracking the Twists and

Turns of h u r r i c a n e s

I was having one of those mo-ments of modern life disconnect. I looked down and saw on the weather map the massive nasty-

looking swirl headed this way. I looked up and saw the gentle flick-ering of the leaves on the maple tree out back.

It was a strange feeling, sitting in the quiet while gazing at the likely path of destruction and power out-age misery Hurricane Sandy would wreak over the next few days. But for all the anxiety that brought, it was better to know than not. Eve-

ryone on the East Coast had had three whole days to buy batteries and toilet paper.

Probably some people near the ocean who were told to evacuate would say that it wasn’t necessary and complained about the impre-cision of the computer models that drove those decisions. Truth is though, the science of weather forecasting has become remark-ably precise.

As Nate Silver pointed out in the New York Times last month,

weather forecasters have become the wizards of the prediction business, far more accurate than political pundits or economic analysts. In his piece, titled “The Weatherman Is Not a Moron,” Silver writes:

“Perhaps the most impressive gains have been in hurricane fore-casting. Just 25 years ago, when the National Hurricane Centre tried to predict where a hurricane would hit three days in advance of landfall, it missed by an average of 350 miles. If Hurricane Isaac, which made its unpredictable

path through the Gulf of Mexico last month, had occurred in the late 1980s, the centre might have projected landfall anywhere from Houston to Tallahassee, cancelling untold thousands of business deals, flights and picnics in between — and damaging its reputation when the hurricane zeroed in hundreds of miles away. Now the average miss is only about 100 miles.”

A numbers gameSo why the dramatic improve-ment? It comes down to numbers, basically the number of calcula-tions today’s supercomputers are able to do. Take, for instance, a huge computer operation that came online in Wyoming a few weeks ago for the National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). It’s called Yellowstone and it can run an astounding 1.5 quadrillion calculations per second.

Put another way, Yellowstone can finish in nine minutes a short-term weather forecast that would have taken its predecessor three hours to complete. It will be able to significantly narrow the focus of its analysis to a smaller geo-graphical area, taking the typical 60-square-mile unit used in this kind of computer modelling and shrinking it down to seven square

miles. That’s like cranking up the magnification of a microscope, providing a level of data detail that makes more precise prediction possible. According to NCAR, this is what it will mean in tracking tor-nadoes and violent thunderstorms:

“Scientists will be able to simulate these small but dangerous systems in remarkable detail, zooming in on the movement of winds, raindrops, and other features at different points and times within an individual storm. By learning more about the structure and evolution of severe weather, researchers will be able to help forecasters deliver more accu-rate and specific predictions, such as which locations within a county are most likely to experience a tor-nado within the next hour.”

Breaking it downWhen a supercomputer models weather, it uses millions of numbers that represent such factors as tem-perature, barometric pressure, wind, etc., and analyzes them through a grid system in many vertical levels, starting at the Earth’s surface and rising all the way up to the strato-sphere. The more data points it can process at one time, the more accurately it can gauge how those elements interact and shape weather patterns and movement.

“If Hurricane Isaac, which made its unpredictable path through the Gulf of Mexico, had occurred in the late 1980s, the centre might have projected landfall anywhere from Houston to Tallahassee.”

But Nate Silver contends that one of the things that makes weather scientists better predictors than their counterparts in other fields is their recognition that neither they nor their numbers are perfect. Not only have they learned to use their personal knowledge of weather patterns to adapt to some of the limitations of computer modelling - it isn’t very good at seeing the big picture or recognising old pat-terns if they’ve been even slightly manipulated - but they also have become more willing to publicly acknowledge the uncertainty of their forecasts.

The National Hurricane Centre, for instance, no longer shows a single line to represent the expected track of a storm. Now it provides charts displaying a widening swath of colour indicating areas at great-est risk, a symbol that’s become known as “the cone of chaos.”

By accepting the flaws in their knowl-edge, says Silver, weather researchers now understand that “even the most sophisticated computers, combing through seemingly limitless data, are painfully ill equipped to predict something as dynamic as weather all by themselves.” •

smithsonianmag.com

clockwise from below:hurricane satellite view, New york: the aftermath of hurricane sandy

By randy rieland

Health

MEdICAL BrEAKTHrOuGHS

Medical breakthroughs in recent years have set the foundation for further understanding of the human body but dr. Laleh Lohrasbi believes we have only touched the surface.

56 57

The roots of modern medicine can be traced back to the 18th century but medical science and technology have advanced greatly since. Every year we witness tremendous dis-

coveries revolutionizing and changing human lives. The more our knowledge of human science, its anatomy, dis-eases and cures develops, the more we appreciate that all we know is just a drop of water in an infinite ocean of unknowns.

While scientists of the eighteenth century were trying to discover typhoid and cholera microbes, scientists of our time are fighting to find cures for cancer and Alzheimer’s.

The year 2011 brought many life changing scientific breakthroughs which set the foundation for further development in our understanding of the human body. Here are some of the most interesting and signifi-cant ones:

New once-daily HIV pillsWhile 15 years ago HIV patients had to take about 20 pills a day, this new pill which contains three antiviral drugs allows HIV patients to take one single pill to con-trol their condition. This drug, which is called Eviplera, is now available in 27 countries of the European Union and the UK.

New tablets for Prostate cancerUntil now the only treatment for widespread prostate can-cer in men has been chemotherapy which has many harmful side ef-fects such as nausea, fatigue and hair loss. The Institute of Cancer Research in London has developed a new drug called Abiraterone which has very mild side effects but increas-es survival rate.

A potent Alzheimer’s vaccine Scientists believe they are ready to develop a potent Alzhei-mer’s vaccine against amyloid protein which is responsible for brain inflammation in people with Alzheimer’s. They are confident that the newly found vaccine, PAF1, can be extremely useful if it is administered in the early stage of the disease. Although the vaccine has only

been tested on laboratory animals scientists anticipate developing a general vaccine. They are also working on methods to deter-mine Alzheimer’s in its early stages so that they can immunise people against this fast spread-ing disease.

Skin printerA team at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenera-tive Medicine in North Carolina have completed a Bio Printer which can regenerate skin cells and spray them directly onto the body surface. In this method an indi-vidual’s skin cells are grown in lab cultures and then used to refill the printer. Then the scanner measures the dimensions of the wound and a computer sprays the cells directly into the wounded or burned skin. Experiments have shown that this method speeds up the healing period by up to two weeks.

Brain transplant to fight Autism and Parkinson’s

A study from Harvard University brings hope for Autism and Parkinson’s patients. Scientists have already trans-ferred healthy stem cells from the embryos of mice to the brains of adult mice to successfully control obesity. They believe that their work will be useful in control-ling brain defects like autism, Parkinson’s, epilepsy and spinal injuries.

Boiling Breast Tumours Scientists discovered that boiling cancerous breast tumour cells kills them within few minutes. In this new method called Preferential Radio-Frequency Ablation [PRF] a thin needle like electrode is penetrated into the tumour and an electric current is passed through. The current kills all malignant cells in less than 10 minutes without harming surrounding tissues. This is a one-time treat-ment and is ideal for tumours less than 2cm. The PRF method causes no pain or scars and the patient can leave hospital within a few minutes of being treated.

Cockroaches could save human lives A study by the University of Nottingham in the UK shows that cockroaches - the creatures of waste canals and sewage pipes are in fact so powerful that they can help save human lives. The study found that cockroach-es’ brains contains powerful antibiotic properties that can kill about 90 percent of all living bacteria, with-out harming human cells. This finding has led to the development of a new drug which is considered to have the potential to treat infections that have become drug resist-ant. This drug will be available to the public in 5 to 10 years.

Dr Laleh Lohrasbi is a pharmacologist. She has worked as an editor for the medical section of “Hamshahri”, a daily newspaper in Tehran.

The invisible danger of mobile phones

58 59

“… And we cause whom we will to rest in the wombs for a specified term, then we bring you out as a child, and then you reach your maturity. And among you is he who is taken in (early) death, and among you is he who is returned to the most decrepit (old) age so that he knows nothing after once having knowl-edge…” (Quran 22:5)

Senility which is now more commonly referred to as dementia is an inevitable aspect of old age. For years researchers have been working to find the causes and the cures for disorders caused by old age. Knee and hip replacements enable the injured elderly to carry on walking; lens replacement gives them the oppor-tunity to have relatively good vision; and electronic devices regulate their heart-beat. However tackling incapacity due to mental deterioration is an undertaking of a totally different magnitude.

A century ago, old people would have died of poor health long before any men-tal impairment could have even kicked in. Today due to innovative healthcare measures and advances in medical sci-ences, life expectancy has increased but mental disorders such as dementia have also become more prevalent.

According to a WHO report from April 2012, nearly 35.6 million people live with dementia worldwide, with 58% living in low income countries. This number is expected to double by 2030 (65.7 million) and more than triple by 2050 (115.4 million).

Currently among the ever increasing number of elderly in the UK, 800,000 people live with dementia, costing soci-ety over £23bn per year, twice the cost of cancer. However despite all the efforts by experts and communities to improve the quality of life for people with dementia and their carers, reports show that these patients still live in very poor conditions. The UK government has recognised that the lack of understanding and aware-ness of dementia and poor diagnosis are the main reasons for the crisis.

In March 2012 the Prime Minister, David Cameron, announced that funding for research on dementia, which he called ‘a national priority’, would be doubled by the year 2015.

Following this announcement a £1 mil-lion national dementia strategy aiming for improvements in dementia health care was developed. The targets are increasing early diagnosis, financial rewards for hospitals and delivering optimum dementia care.

According to ‘Improving Dementia Care in the UK: Meeting the National Challenge inside government’ a UK health initia-tive, this new strategy will run alongside the private sectors to create 20 ‘demen-

tia

friendly’ cities by 2013 and more than dou-bling the funding for dementia research to over £66 million by 2015.

The UK based ‘Public Service Events’ has organised two series of conferences on dementia in 2012. One was held on October 4th in Manchester and the next conference will be on December 5th in Birmingham. In this conference titled ‘Dementia, the national crisis’ an array of expert speakers will talk on the latest developments and will outline the chal-lenges faced in combating this condition and achieving better outcomes. •

dEMENTIA, THE NATIONAL CrISIS

With 75% of the world population using mobile phones today, claims that they can cause cancer or infertility in men ought to give cause for concern.

In 2000 there were almost one billion active mobile phones in the world; today this figure has reached more than 6 bil-lion.

Mobile phones release radiofrequency energy (radio waves) which can be absorbed by the nearest tissue where the phone is held. Radiofrequency energy is a form of electromagnetic radiation which is cat-egorised into ionised and non-ionised. The ionised one has a higher frequency and is the form of radiation found in X-ray, gamma rays or cosmic rays. Its mal-effects on cellular levels leading to cancer are well established. The non-ionised radiofrequency energies which have lower frequencies contain heat waves from the sun, radio waves and microwaves.

The only effect known for radiofrequency energy is heating as is evident in micro-waves. The radiofrequency emitted by cell phones however is not sufficient to elevate the body temperature. On August 7th 1996 the Federal Communications Commission of USA issued guidelines on cell phone radiation (RF) exposure which is called SAR (specific absorption rate). The maximum SAR for cell phones is set at 1.6 watts of energy absorbed per

kilogram of body weight during an aver-age of 30 minutes when the cell phone is held at the ear. Different mobile phone brands have different SARs, (the actual figure can be obtained from the manu-facturer or reliable websites). The lower the SAR, the less radiofrequency energy is absorbed by the body.

“What is obvious is that rF rays can be absorbed by the body tis-sues including ear, brain , eyes and testes, especially in children whose nervous systems and repro-ductive organs are still developing and therefore are more vulnerable to factors that may cause defects or cancer.”

There are many concerns about carcino-genic effects of radiofrequency emitted by cell phones but to date there is no evidence from studies on animals or humans that this energy can cause cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is respon-sible for regulating the safety of machines and devices that emit radiation, notes that majority of human epidemiologic studies have failed to show a relationship between exposure to radiofrequency energy from cell phones and health problems. Howev-er the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a component of WHO,

has recently classified RF as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”, suggesting that there are some risks associated with can-cer but the current evidence is not strong enough and more research is needed.

Infertility in men is another concern regarding RF radiation from mobile phones. Many studies have already been conducted in this field. Glickman Uro-logical and Kidney Institute, Cleveland, Ohio has conducted a study on the: “Ef-fects of radiofrequency electromagnetic waves (RF-EMW) from cellular phones on human ejaculated semen; an in vitro pilot study”. The study showed a specific decrease in motility and viability of the sperm. The authors believe that keeping the cell phone in a trouser pocket in talk mode may negatively affect spermatozoa and impair male fertility.

Although the research does not dem-onstrate any direct relation between RF rays and cancer, what is obvious is that RF rays can be absorbed by the body tis-sues including ear, brain, eyes and testes, especially in children whose nervous sys-tems and reproductive organs are still developing and therefore are more vul-nerable to factors that may cause defects or cancer. So taking precautions such as minimising the duration and number of mobile phone calls as well as using head-sets, is definitely a wise decision. •

The Contemporary Renaissance in Mosque Architecture

The Al-Irsyad Mosque Padalarang, Indonesia

When one thinks about the architecture of a mosque, domes and minarets are usually the first things that spring to mind. However this was not always the case. The early Arab-style mosques were fairly plain and square-shaped. The Muslim conquest of Persia in the 7th century introduced the first separate brand within mosque design. Inspired by their rich architectural heritage, Persians started to incorporate elements from earlier Parthian and Sassanid palace designs such as the Palace of Ardashir into their mosques. Domes, large archways and minarets were all the results of such inspi-ration, and have come to dominate mosque designs for centuries.

A brief look at some novel landmarks in the past 50 years, such as the Faisal Mosque in Pakistan, the Assyafaah Mosque in Singapore, or the Al-Irsyad Mosque in Indonesia reveals another renaissance of creativity in contemporary mosque architecture.

Words and illustration by Taraneh Eskandari

Places

60 61

What makes this mosque unique in terms of its architec-ture is the use of stacked stones as the main façade to create a tectonic effect, along with the embedding of Islamic callig-raphy expressing the Islamic declaration of faith. This callig-raphy is created by the voids in the stacked stones.

Prayer experience inside the mosque

62 63

The Al-Irsyad Mosque is located in Kota Baru Parahyangan, Padalarang, Indonesia. The project was designed in Bandung, by one of Indonesia’s top architects, M. Ridwan Kamil, of the Urban Indonesia Consultant Firm. The mosque was inaugurated in August 2010, with a capacity of 1000-1500 worshippers.

Inspired by the shape of the Ka’bah, the mosque takes the form of a simple square. The special arrangement of the structural columns makes the façade look like it is not supported by any frame. The most significant fact about this mosque is the absence of a dome. According to the architect, the dome is not an essential cul-tural/religious feature in the design of an Islamic place of worship, and could be eliminated from the design. Contrastingly, the minaret is incorporated within the design in the form of a tall pole-like structure next to the square building.

The bars of light streaming in through the voids illuminate the entire wall with the words of the Qur’an, creating a stunning scene inside the mosque. The voids also allow for natural ventilation so that there would be no need for air conditioning.

Moreover, the surrounding water pool lowers the temperature around the mosque during the hot seasons.

Effect of light penetration through the voids

Stacked stone façade at the praying area

As an alternative to the tra-ditional niche in the wall facing the direction of the Qiblah, the Mihrab in this mosque is in the form of an open ended façade and the pulpit is placed over the pond which covers the Mihrab area.

Finally the wide open space in the façade enables the prayers to connect and appre-ciate the beautiful surrounding landscape, while also represent-ing the “blending with nature” characteristics of the mosque. The globe, with an inscription of Allah at the far end of the open façade, completes the magnifi-cence of the Al-Irsyad Mosque.

Taraneh Eskandari is a Master of Architec-ture Candidate at the University of Toronto. She holds an undergraduate degree in Civil/ Structural Engineering from the University of Waterloo.

Argo for me is the answer to one of the biggest mysteries in relation to the contempo-rary history. Let me make it

clear; it’s not the mystery around the 1979 hostage crisis in Tehran itself. A blockbuster Hollywood film about the Iran hostage crisis has long been over-due.

However the question was how would Hollywood make a feel-good back-slap-ping film about this? That was the mystery. The actual event produced nothing but

humiliation for America. Revolutionar-ies in a third world country undergoing major upheavals had invaded the US embassy, taken diplomats hostage, and there was very little Washington could do about it. The would-be heroic rescue operation called Operation Eagle Claw,

ordered by President Jimmy Carter, ended up being an absolute disas-ter. Diplomacy, negotiation, boycotts, freezing of assets, military force, and mediation; none of them worked.

This is of course what eventually hap-pens to any hegemonic or colonial power when it starts to lose control over colonised or dominated people. As psychoanalysis teaches us, lack of control over the out-side world, or rather realising that we have very little control on things and events, is a key contributor to feelings of

anxiety. Like individuals, colonial pow-ers also suffer from such anxiety. Right after the oil crisis of the 1970s and the Iranian revolution, the hostage crisis was a new low in America’s self-image, a sign that it was losing control in a supposedly easy part of the world.

In the Arab and Muslim world Ameri-cans had not suffered political disasters comparable to those in South East Asia and Central America according to Ber-nard Lewis. He writes: ‘There is no Cuba, no Vietnam, in the Muslim world, and no place where American forces are involved as combatants or even as “advisers”. The event was a shocking trauma and it is painful even after 33 years. Indeed Ameri-cans appear not to be so furious about Vietnam, a war which killed tens of thou-sands of their soldiers, as they are about the hostage crisis even though no one was killed.

The colonial psyche, as we have learned from thinkers like Homi Bhabha, has to

Argo: Hollywood in tHe Age of wAr witHout glory

The colonial psyche, as we have learned from thinkers like Homi Bhabha, has to cope with this anxiety through the pro-cess of stereotyping. Fixing the image of ‘other’, the outsider, by creating ste-reotypes, a series of fixed, unchangeable, easy to grasp and over-simplified images; which provides a false sense of knowing and subsequently being in control. This is what Hollywood is good at: producing and maintaining stereotypes. The image of the savage Iranian has its roots here.

It is important to understand the crucial link between stereotyping and realism. Stereotyping can only happen in a “realis-tic” form, where the medium of art implies some sort of representation of the real thing.

There is not a single un-stereotypical Iranian in this film. The only “good” Iranian is the Canadian ambassador’s housekeeper, who we learn is actually an Iraqi national. The film does not stop at stereotyping Iranians as revolution-ary guards, “militants” and government officials, but also misrepresents ordinary people. There is one pretty long and dis-turbing scene in which an old Iranian shopkeeper in the bazaar savagely fumes and shouts at an American woman who is taking photographs of his shop. Almost all Iranians are either angry or idiotic, always frowning at everyone.

When facing Arabs and Muslims in particu-lar, Hollywood heroes usually encounter a group of savage and at the same time idiotic native people, not distinguishable from each other. In this classic format, the American hero is always on the frontiers of civilisation, fighting with uncivilised people. They could be Arabs, Vietnam-ese, Native Americans, Chinese, blacks, etc. It is also a very common theme that an American hero is assigned to rescue other captured POWs or hostages. The character of John Rambo played by Syl-vester Stallone is one of these heroes who keeps himself busy rescuing American

POWs from Vietnam and Afghanistan. In a sense Argo is the re-enactment of Rambo for the twenty first century, the age of wars without glory; wars with the minimum mili-tary and maximum civilian casualties.

Argo is strikingly similar to Iranian/French cartoonist Marjane Satrapi’s comic-strip book Persepolis (2003). In a similar plot, Satrapi’s story is also about fleeing from the so-called hell of revolu-tionary Iran and getting to the paradise of the west. Stereotypical portrayals of bearded and unhappy revolution-ary guards and black-chador-wearing women abound. The opening sequence in the film, the quick review of Iran’s contemporary history, is even made in comic-strip format. It is as if Satrapi’s book is now the classic reference for the recent history of Iran, even though it is full of factual inaccuracies, which are repeated in the film. Iranian viewers will know that the Revolutionary Guard uniform did not include a hat, nor did its personnel enjoy any rank until well after the end of the Iran-Iraq war.

Knowing that it is not filmed in Iran, the locations are convincing. The bazaar, streets, alleyways, even the embassy compound and Mehrabad Airport are very realistic.

In many ways the movie is different from Antonio Mendez’s book which was the source of the script. For example contra-ry to the comic-strip-style short history of Iran in the beginning of the film, Men-dez believes that the 1953 coup against Iranian Prime Minister Dr. Mossadegh was a popular movement. ‘As historical record shows, the countercoup (yes he calls the Operation AJAX run by Kremit Roosevelt a “countercoup”) would not have succeeded if it hadn’t been for the support of a sizable faction of Iranians.’

I cannot tell which one I liked more; the book or the film. The book is more accurate and more credible as a personal account if you find yourself ready to believe the story of a former CIA agent. •

Book: Argo, Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio, Penguin Books, 2012, Price in UK £7.99

Film: Argo, Director: Ben Affleck, Cast: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cran-ston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, 120 minutes, 2012

By Mohsen Biparva

Film Review

64 65

Iranian revolutionary guards in these hats look more like Cuban revolutionaries

A scene from Marjane Satrapi’s animation film Persepolis (2007)

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6 December 2012

Art and Power: the Arab uprisings and the challenge to authority (Lecture)Charles Tripp, SOAS. Organised by: Sau-di British Society. Professor Tripp will discuss and illustrate the flowering of street art which followed and sometimes influenced the Arab Spring of 2011 and how its effects can be felt today.

Admission free - Pre-registration required

Time: 5:30pm

Venue: Arab-British Chamber of Commerce, 43 Upper Grosvenor Street, London W1

Contact: Email: ionisthompson@yahoo.co.uk Web: www.saudibritishsociety.org.uk

Victorian Britain, the Palestine Exploration Fund, and the Re-awakening of the Middle East (Lecture)Simon Schama, Columbia University.

Organised by: Palestine Exploration Fund (PEF).

Admission free Time: 4pmVenue: BP Lecture Theatre, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG Contact: (To reserve tickets Tel: 0207 323 8181 Email: tickets@britishmuseum.org)Email: ExecSec@pef.org.uk Web: www.pef.org.uk

7 December 2012

The role of the visual in political struggle (Book Launch)Lina Khatib, Program on Arab Reform and Democracy, Stanford University. Or-

ganised by: Centre for Media and Film Studies, SOAS (CMFS). Lina Khatib in conversation with Charles Tripp, SOAS for a discussion on political expression in Egypt, Libya, Lebanon, Syria and Iran. Moderated by Dina Matar, SOAS.

Admission freeTime: 5pm Venue: Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOASContact: Email: dm27@soas.ac.uk Web: www.soas.ac.uk/about/events/

8-9 December 2012

Daleel-ology: An Introduction to the Primary Laws: Ijma’ & Qiyas

Seminar Fee: £35Venue: TBC (London)Contact: Address: MRDF (Sabeel), 56 Greenfield Road, London E1 1EJE-mail: info@sabeel.org.uk Tel: 0207 993 4318Web: www.sabeel.org.uk

10 December 2012

Why write local history in the early Islamic centuries? (Seminar)Harry Munt, Oxford.

Organised by: Department of History, Near & Middle East History.

Admission freeTime: 5:15pm Venue: Arab Room G3, SOASContact: Email: tb31@soas.ac.uk Web: www.soas.ac.uk/about/events/

ISLAMIC CIRCLES CouRSESDelivered by: Professor Sherman Abdul-Hakim Jackson [University of Southern California]

29 December 2012

1) Book launch and course – Sufism for non-Sufis translation of ‘ata’ allah al-sakandari’s tâj al-’arusFew forms of classical Islam are more controversial among modern Muslims than the spiritual discipline known as Sufism. Yet, few expressions of the religion could be more central to its spiritual vitality in the modern world.

Admission freeTime: 9am – 5pmVenue: Birkbeck College, Malet St. London WC1E 7HX

1 January 2013

2) Islam, The West & Challenges of Muslim minoritiesTime: Time: 9am – 5pmVenue: London Muslim Centre (LMC), 46-92 Whitechapel Road London E1 1JX

1 January through 1 March 2013

Disappearing Heritage of Sudan, 1820–1956: Photographic and Filmic Exploration in Sudan The remnants of the colonial experience in Sudan from the Ottoman, Egyptian and British periods.

Oriental Museum, Durham University. (please check University website)

We do not necessarily endorse or recommend any of these events or their contents. It should be clear that the sole purpose of this listing is introduction and not endorsement. We are not responsible for their contents or anything relat-ed to them including their fees or venues. Events might be cancelled or changed without any notice by their organisers. For further information, please contact the organisers.

Friday Nights Thought Forum at The Islamic Centre of England In this weekly Forum discussions are held in a friendly and mutually respect-ful environment, on subjects of general interest.

Date: Every Friday (view announcements on the websuteTime: 7:15pm-9pmVenue: The Islamic Centre of England, 140 Maida Vale, London, W9 1QBContact: Email: core@ic-el.comWeb: www.ic-el.com

4 December 2012

Prospects for a Palestinian (round Table Discussion)

Bassem Ezbidi, Birzeit University; Ina’am R. Al Obaidi, Birzeit University; Mkhaimar Abusada, Al-Azhar University, Gaza.

Organised by: CII - the Centre for International Intervention at the University of Surrey and supported by the British Council and the British Academy. The panel will assess the internal and external politics that shape the prospects of Palestinian statehood, and assess future directions for peace in the region.

Admission free - Pre-registration required Time: 4pmVenue: Lecture Theatre G, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XHContact: Email: m.dumic@surrey.ac.uk Web: www.surrey.ac.uk/cii

5 December 2012

Light from the Middle East: New Photography (talk)Lunchtime lecture: Learn about Light from the Middle East: New Photography, the first major exhibition of contempo-rary Middle Eastern photography.

Featuring 30 artists from 13 coun-tries, it presents a variety of creative and sophisticated responses to the social challenges and political upheavals that have shaped the region over the past 20 years. Ranging from photojournalism to staged and digitally manipulated image-ry, these artists offer multiple viewpoints appropriate to the complexities of a vast and diverse region.

Led by Marta Weiss, Curator

Time: 5:15pmVenue: The Lydia & Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre, Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell, Road, London SW7 2RLContact: General enquiries:Tel: 020 7942 2000E-mail: vanda@vam.ac.uk

Route 181 by Khleifi and Sivan: an exercise in projecting the history of Palestine forward Haim Bersheeth, SOAS associate

Organised by: Centre for Media and Film Studies, SOAS (CMFS). CMFS Seminar Series.

Admission freeTime: 5pm Venue: Room G3, SOAS, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XGContact: Email: dm27@soas.ac.uk Web: www.soas.ac.uk/about/events/

Iran’s Nuclear Programme: A Surge into ModernitySpeaker: Dr David PatrikarakosChair: Dr Roham Alvandi, LSE

Drawing on years of research and access to unique sources, David Patrikarakos will tell the history of Iran’s nuclear programme and the modern history of the country, two stories which, he argues, are inextricably linked

Time: 6:30pm - 8pmVenue: Wolfson Theatre, Lower Ground Floor, New Academic Building, LSE Aldwych, London WC2A 2AE

Lecture in Islamic Art and Culture: The Painted Ceilings of the Cappella Palatina in Palermo

Chaired by: Doris Behrens-Abouseif, SOAS

Jeremy Johns, Director, Khalili Research Centre for the Art and Material Culture of the Middle East, University of Oxford. Organised by: Islamic Art Circle at SOAS.

Time: 7pmVenue: Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS.Contact: Email: RosalindHaddon@gmail.com Web: www.soas.ac.uk/art/islac/

The Nativity Church in Bethlehem - Palestine