Aga Khan Interview

2014/03/12 Leave a comment

Good and thoughtful interview with the Aga Khan:

Some people refer to it as Islamification. I can’t think of one single country where that has succeeded. The reason is the diversity within Islam, the different types of attitudes towards inheritance, towards zakaat. The attempt to bring a Muslim country that has a multiple of interpretations of Islam around one single interpretation of Islam has never worked. They may try to force it. That’s a different issue. I’ve never seen it work where it wasn’t followed by some form of dictatorial government.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/aga-khan-without-a-doubt-i-am-seriously-worried-about-the-world/article17185492/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-exemplary-leader-in-unity-and-pluralism-aga-khan-says-1.2553527?cmp=rss

Text of speech before Parliament here:

I believe that Canada is uniquely able to articulate and exemplify three critical underpinnings of a quality civil society: a commitment to pluralism, to meritocracy, and to a cosmopolitan ethic. A cosmopolitan ethic is one that welcomes the complexity of human society. It balances rights and duties, freedom and responsibility. It is an ethic for all peoples, the familiar and the other, whether they live across the street or across the planet….

Address of His Highness the Aga Khan 49th Hereditary Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims

Only unfortunate aspect was partisan exclusion of other political parties from Toronto event. The Government never seems to learn that when it rises to the occasion, as in the residential schools apology and the Mandela funeral, it benefits; when it plays partisan games, like the Toronto event, the mission led by Minister Baird to Ukraine etc, it loses. It is not the only government to play such games, but seems to show less sense of when and where.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/aga-khan-praises-canadas-commitment-to-pluralism-and-education/article17135632/

And the quasi-trolling of event attendees for political follow-up, while an understandable temptation (not convinced that other parties would behave better) does cheapen the Government:

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/Conservatives+send+email+blast+addresses+harvested+from/9579134/story.html

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Q&A: Irshad Manji on Multiculturalism

2014/03/12 1 Comment

Good short interview with Irshad Manji on Islam and multiculturalism. Continues to surprise me that so many forget that multiculturalism was about integration from both the diversity and equity aspects, and never was about an “anything goes” or extreme relativism. Always in the context of the Canadian Constitution, including the Charter, and overall Canadian laws and regulations.

http://read.thestar.com/?origref=#!/article/531a454bec0691424b000165-q-a-irshad-manji-on-multiculturalism

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/controversial-muslim-writer-says-multiculturalism-isnt-what-it-once-was/article17384146/

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UK: Baroness Warsi ‘saddened’ by rise in Islamic sectarianism

2014/02/21 Leave a comment

Good commentary by Baroness Warsi, UK Minister of Faith:

But she added she feared it was also politics masquerading as religion. “There’s a deeply disturbing political element to sectarianism when negative political forces exploit these differences,” she said. “And this approach takes on an even more sinister tone when sect is equated with nationality or loyalty to a particular country.”

Baroness Warsi, who was appointed the first Minister for Faith by the Coalition, revealed that she had been personally targeted by a gang who accused her of “not being a proper Muslim”. “They didn’t approve of me appearing in public without my face covered,” she said. “They reduced my faith to a list of ‘don’ts’, defined only in the negative, defining their faith in terms of what they were against, rather than what they stood for. I believe that this approach is at odds with the teachings of Islam.”

Baroness Warsi ‘saddened’ by rise in Islamic sectarianism – UK Politics – UK – The Independent.

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The mosque must evolve – The Globe and Mail

2014/02/19 Leave a comment

Good piece by Sheema Khan on the challenges within mosques:

The BCMA [B.C. Muslim Association] is but one of many organizations across Canada that operate on cultural practices imported from abroad, escaping accountability. Many receive charitable status and government grants while their governance structures exclude women. This must change. Government agencies should be more circumspect when handing out grants and charitable tax status. More importantly, Muslims must push for change from within.

The emerging “unmosqued” movement in the United States seems to have captured the frustration of second- and third-generation Muslims with the way their mosques are run. The movement seeks to engender honest debate, discussion and reform of the Muslim community’s most important institution. Issues include transparency of governance, full participation of women and youths and the hiring of imams who understand the North American context. This is a natural step in the evolution of a vibrant, diverse community.

The mosque must evolve – The Globe and Mail.

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UK Use of ‘Anti-Social Behaviour Orders – ASBO’ in case of Muslim Extremist

2014/02/18 1 Comment

One application of quasi-anti-hate speech measures, the case of a Muslim extremist calling his neighbourhood a ‘sharia controlled zone’ with vigilante patrols etc:

The Met said: “Waltham Forest is one of London’s most culturally diverse boroughs with almost half of its 235,000 residents being of a minority ethnic origin and from a multitude of religious backgrounds.

“Discrimination and persecution based on a person’s cultural or religious background is something the police or council will not tolerate.

Chief Superintendent Mark Collins – Waltham Forest borough’s commander – said: “The granting of an asbo against Jordan Horner sends a clear message that extremist behaviour will not be tolerated on our streets.”

The asbo will run for five years and be in effect throughout London.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/feb/15/sharia-law-campaign-muslim-groundbreaking-asbo

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Barbara Kay: Huron College should open up its Islam course, or shut it down | National Post

2014/02/13 Leave a comment

More on the Huron College Islamic preaching course (Ontario university defends decision to kick non-Muslim out of course that teaches Islamic preaching | National Post).

If seminaries have an exemption from a faith test, does an individual course fall into that category? And if some of the courses on Christian preaching at Huron are open to students of other or no faith, why shouldn’t the one on Islamic preaching. And how do other universities with seminaries or theological colleges handle this?

Nobody, including Watson, has a problem with a course in public speaking about Islam being offered at a college if it is inclusive. He also has no problem with it being exclusive, but offered in a venue such as a mosque or a community centre or a seminary that is not tax-funded. It’s really quite a simple issue. Open up the course or shut it down.

On the other hand, it may be better to have training for Islamic preachers in Canada, rather than relying on imported Imams, less familiar and open to an openly diverse and multi faith society.

Barbara Kay: Huron College should open up its Islam course, or shut it down | National Post.

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UK – Islamic preachers: the pied pipers of sexual apartheid? – Telegraph

2014/02/12 1 Comment

More on the ongoing controversy, and ongoing activities, of fundamentalist preachers and the requirement for gender segregation at UK universities:

The speaker this time was Ustadh Alomgir Ali, a lecturer from Haddad’s Muslim Research and Development Foundation. His audience comprised men at the front and women – the majority of whom waited outside in the rain before the lecture began while the men gathered inside – at the back. Although there were no signs enforcing segregation, he spoke at length in favour of gender division and of a “crisis in society”, with the relationship between men and women in need of correction.

“In Islam, we have laid down certain prohibitions because it leads on to other sins,” he told his audience. “The first important point you must learn at university is lowering the gaze.”

His lecture concluded with some advice. “Brothers and sisters, the important thing is to learn etiquette of modesty, lowering your gaze, avoiding touching the opposite gender and avoiding unnecessary socialising with the opposite gender.”

Islamic preachers: the pied pipers of sexual apartheid? – Telegraph.

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Ontario university defends decision to kick non-Muslim out of course that teaches Islamic preaching | National Post

2014/02/11 Leave a comment

Interesting story about an accountant who wished to sign up for an Islamic preaching course to test whether a non-Muslim could apply but who is opposed to public universities providing such training:

James Turk, the executive director of the Canadian Association of University Teachers, said his group opposes faith tests. The exception, however, is seminaries. It’s reasonable, Mr. Turk said, to require students who are training to be leaders within their religious communities to adhere to those beliefs.

Mr. Watson believes a course on how to preach is better suited for a mosque or community centre than it is for a publicly funded university. The student believes he should have the right to see what Ms. Mattson is teaching, particularly in light of what he believes is a growing strain of Islamic extremism in the community.

Ms. Mattson encouraged Mr. Watson to take one of her alternative courses on Islam and politics instead.

“I don’t know to what extent he has a genuine interest or to what extent he has an ideological commitment to a certain world view of Muslims,” she said. “There are people who have genuine concerns and there are ways for them to engage in discussions with Muslims, or with me, about these issues. I would think the Islam and politics class would have been much more suited to his interests.”

Ontario university defends decision to kick non-Muslim out of course that teaches Islamic preaching | National Post.

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Religious extremism growing at a rapid pace: Marmur

2014/02/10 Leave a comment

Good piece on the struggle between the moderate middle and the radical extremists by Dow Marmur of Toronto’s Holy Blossom Temple:

It has led to a polarization between indifferent secularists and radical extremists. The latter have much more fire in their bellies and are frequently bent on using the democratic system they despise to their advantage.

In Israel, for example, there have been cases of segregated public transport with women sitting at the rear to accommodate ultra-Orthodox men. In Saudi Arabia, women aren’t even allowed to drive a car. Perhaps this has influenced the York student.

The polarization brought about by fanatics plays into the hands of atheists who have a need to point to religion in its most bizarre manifestations as proof of its depravity. There’s thus a perhaps unintended unholy alliance between radicals at both ends of the spectrum that’s further weakening the moderate centre.

The incident at York is a mild, characteristically Canadian version of a worldwide phenomenon. Mainstream churches and synagogues are hemorrhaging throughout the West while radical groups are thriving. Fringe views are allowed to take centre stage.

Optimists believe that this is only a temporary phase. They’re seeing signs of new ways of affirming God that go beyond both liberalism and fanaticism, and espouse values many of us hold dear. I hope that this is more than wishful thinking.

Religious extremism growing at a rapid pace: Marmur | Toronto Star.

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Ethan Cox: More Islamophobia in Quebec | National Post

2014/02/05 Leave a comment

Valid commentary on the tragic case of a women who died when her scarf became caught up in a Montreal metro escalator:

In the case of such a human tragedy, should we not put aside the petty political point-scoring, and the scarcely-veiled racism, for long enough to acknowledge that a woman died, a fact equally tragic no matter what religion she practiced? Ultimately, the responsibility was on the Journal’s editors to exercise restraint, rather than reach for the most inflammatory headline available to them. Instead, they emptied a jerry-can of gasoline all over the tinderbox that is Quebec today, and lit a match. (For those who’d suggest that a complaint to the Quebec Press Council may be in order, no such luck — Quebecor withdrew from that voluntary oversight mechanism several years ago.)

Comments on social media, such as one which celebrated the death and expressed hope it would lead Muslims to learn their lesson about not wearing the hijab in Quebec, are indicative of the prejudice stirred up by this case. Another said simply enough “one less terrorist in Quebec.”

It’s time to take a stand against the creeping scourge of Islamophobia, which is a problem not only in Quebec, where the odious tone of the debate regarding the so-called Charter of Values has put it under a spotlight, but across the country. Because at the end of the day, a scarf is just a scarf, and how it was worn should matter as little as its colour in responding to a tragic accident.

Ethan Cox: More Islamophobia in Quebec | National Post.

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