Reformist Muslim

moving on.

2006-06-04T01:22:00.000+01:00

thanks to anyone who has read this blog. Almost a year and 117 posts later I've moved on. You can find me at gilani.wordpress.com, where I hope to be posting more on politics/sports/popular culture, as well as the subject of this blog. hope to see you their.

Dressing In Drag...In Pakistan!

2006-04-27T01:19:00.000+01:00

This is required reading (and watching I assume - I'll be sure to check it out the next time I'm in Karachi). Also if the neocon drumbeat ever comes around to Pakistan (think! nuclear weapons, taleban type government in some provinces, bin laden sympathisers, state sponsor of terrorism, millitary dictatorship - oh how easy it is to make a seemingly rational claim for war), then Begum Nawazish should serve as conclusive proof that Pakistan does not need invading.

Civil Society In Musharraf's Pakistan

2006-04-04T18:42:00.000+01:00

The military is so secure in its rule and the official politicians so useless that 'civil society' is booming. Private TV channels, like NGOs, have mushroomed and most views are permissible (I was interviewed for an hour by one of these on the "fate of the world communist movement") except a frontal assault on religion or the military and its networks that govern the country. If civil society posed any real threat to the elite, the plaudits it receives would rapidly turn to menace.

This is from a very interesting column by Tariq Ali on the World Social Forum's stop in Karachi. Particularly biting is his critique of NGO's operating in Pakistan. However in this post I would like to focus on his comments on Pakistani civil society.

In my opinion, liberal democracies are successful when there is a diverse and resilient civil society which resists authoritarianism. All governments have authoritarian tendencies, but whether or not they succeed in establishing and maintaining total control is dependent on if those concerned with society are significant enough a presence to prevent it from happening.

I believe this is one of the reasons why Fareed Zakaria's analysis of liberalism before democracy works. A period of liberal authoratarianism allows civil society to develop in a way which is not possible in countries which rush towards democracy before the basic elements of a stable and tolerant society are in place.

It is in this context, that I'm not as skeptical of the current role of Pakistani civil society as Tariq Ali. It is true that today that the TV media in particular are relatively reluctant to openly criticise the government and it's policies.

However in the past year, we have witnessed at least two events where an internal conflict amongst the elite has opened up. Firstly and tragically was the Earthquake, when the TV media in particular could not help but report on the hopeless inadequacy of the government in leading the response effort. Secondly, we saw the lampooning of Musharraf after the seeming failure of President Bush's visit to Pakistan to achieve anything other than some funny pictures and a meaningless speech.

Of course there are problems in Baluchistan, parliamentary politics is a farce and a catastrophic event would in all likelihood set civil society back another ten to twenty years. However for now, the fact that the WSF is in Pakistan at all, gives me reason to hope for what in many ways is still a very flawed country.

Is Democracy Western?

2006-04-02T00:02:00.000+01:00

The belief in the allegedly "Western" nature of democracy is often linked to the early practice of voting and elections in Greece, especially in Athens. Democracy involves more than balloting, but even in the history of voting there would be a classificatory arbitrariness in defining civilizations in largely racial terms. ...[T]there is reluctance in taking note of the Greek intellectual links with other civilizations to the east or south of Greece, despite the greater interest that the Greeks themselves showed in talking to Iranians, or Indians, or Egyptians (rather than in chatting up the Ostrogoths).

The above quote is taken from this article by Amartya Sen (via 3QuarksDaily). He makes important arguments, addressing both non-Westerners and the West. For me the two key themes are,

a) Democracy isn't Western and
b) The West doesn't own democracy.

These overlap nicely to create a coherent critique of the false west/non-west dichotomy. That democracy isn’t just a western concept is an important argument for those who aren’t western.
Sen provides interesting examples, and these need to be emphasised, of leaders such as Mandela and Gandhi who combined modern notions of democracy with their own 'native' traditions which, which while not containing voting, were similar to a democratic system in many ways.

This is not to say all desi's should rely upon such a fusion (although I feel that those who don't are missing out). If some would like to become 100% westernised, that is their choice. However for those who want to continue some of their cultural heritage, adopting concepts such as public reason should not make them feel as if they are 'selling out', or being brainwashed to think in a certain way.

This is where the second point comes in. As Sen points out, seeing Iranian dissidents as 'ambassadors for Western values', is both incorrect and counter-productive. To take an example, why should the Afghan convert to Christianity not be executed for apostasy? I would suggest because as Muslims, we should not consider it either a humane or rational thing to do. This is not to say that the West has nothing to contribute to this discourse - they should make their voices heard. However this should preferably be done in the spirit of reflection rather than conversion.

Cross posted on Pickled Politics.

RSS Feed Now Setup

2006-03-31T18:13:00.000+01:00

Click on the button on the left to get the feed's link to this blog's feed. For those of you not acquainted with RSS, Svend White had a good tutorial and lots of other useful tips a while back. The easiest way to setup a feed for your own blog is to go to www.feedburner.com.

A Letter To Reformist Muslims

2006-03-24T22:06:00.000Z

"It is conceivable, yes, that there are those in the West with as much sadomasochim (or courage, if you will), as the reformists of Islam; with as great a penchant for human rights as the reformists of Islam; with as great a willingness to face off against the edifice of a corrupt theology as the reformists of Islam. We must embrace them as our brothers, be they Latino, Black, or dare I say, white; be they Hindu, Jew, Christian, or dare I say, secular-humanist"

Click here to read the full piece

The extract is taken from an open letter written by Ali Eteraz to fellow reformist muslims. His argument is that while there may be some 'Westerners' with ulterior motives, to be successful the reform project has to accept those non-Muslims who show an interest in changing the world for the better.

Overcoming the threat of those with ill-intent, is a powerful idea which is applicable not just to non-Muslims. One finds it amongst those who are reluctant to let ijtihad devolve outside the exclusive preserve of religious scholars. There is an understandable fear that if religion is to be democratised then there would be widespread chaos which would undermine the basic tenets of Islam.

However as Ziauddin Sardar has eloquently put, when engaging with religion and making progress we must not be constrained by the banks of a river. Instead the future should be imagined as an ocean, where every assumption may be challenged and people can shape their own destiny.

Of course this may lead to the conversation within Islam occasionally veering towards areas which are uncomfortable. Mistakes will definitely be made, but this criticism makes the assumption that things are fine the way they are right now, they are not. In a way, Ali's piece demonstrates that for reformists to be both consistent and successful, we need to open their movement to those who are willing, just as we argue that the application of Islam should also become more open.

Cultural Baggage & Religious Modesty

2006-03-23T12:36:00.000Z

The House of Lords decision in the Jilbab case has elicited a lot of comment. One of the more interesting pieces was written by Fareena Alam at the Guardian's Commentisfree. I'd like to pick up on one paragraph in particular.

For years, Muslims around me have said: "Islam must be separated from culture." While this slogan has deep and well-meaning roots - such as the struggle to teach people that honour killing, often justified with religious excuses, is a cultural practice that is unequivocally abhorred in Islam - the clash between culture and religion is ultimately a false one. This idea of a "pure Islam, free of cultural baggage" is a false one. Religion manifests itself in the realities of life. Must we all neutralise ourselves - even the aspects that do not contravene Islam, to be accepted as "pious"? What is this "one Islam" or "one voice" people call for, and who decides what it says?

I think this cuts to the root of the major clashes within Islam, not only today but for a very long time. For the fundamentalists, modesty is something which has an external standard, judged by God and having only one true interpretation. Therefore any element of culture which gets in the way, is baggage which needs to be discarded in order to obtain 'pure Islam'.

On the other hand for the liberals or more commonly the pragmatists, modesty without its social setting is devoid of both meaning and guidance. Therefore to judge what is modest, one has to take the surroundings into account. After all, if everyone in society thinks that my dress and behaviour is modest, then that is all that should count in determining whether I am modest. Evidence for this can be seen in the fact that women can wear whatever they want in the company of other women. To extend this further, it is possible that people wearing different clothes in different parts of the world can both be fulfilling the requirement for modesty.

The second view of modesty reaches when one reaches the extremes. For example while most people would feel comfortable with an outsider wearing shalwar kameez when in Pakistan, wearing a Burqa in Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan simply because others wear it seems less acceptable. In any case the fact that it is limited to extremes means that it affects relatively few people.

The biggest problem comes from the fact that the majority of the world's population do not live in small isolated communities. For Muslims this is most acutely felt when in living in non-Muslim countries.

An obvious solution is to stick with the lowest common denominator so that you make sure that you remain within certain bounds. Unfortunately this has two problems - firstly it may make integration unnecessarily difficult, but more importantly, if someone chooses to wear clothes which are slightly different but still modest, they can be made to feel as if they are lesser Muslims or not as pious by those who stick with traditional clothing.

Tariq Ramadan has proposed a middle ground to this debate by calling for scholars of the text, to engage in a consultative process with experts of the context, ordinary economists, civil servants, politicians etc. This approach definitely has its merits in integrating traditional knowledge with contemporary secular knowledge. However I'm not sure if it deals with something as personal a decision as what is and is not modest. To conclude, I would agree with Fareena Alam that while religion seeks to make us better humans, that should never mean that it neutralise us as individual human beings.

Critical Thinking - Iqbal's Shikwa

2006-03-20T19:06:00.000Z

I've just finished reading the first part of Muhammad 'Allama' Iqbal's classic 'dialogue' with Allah. Shikwa, or 'Complaint', first published in 1909 is a breathtaking piece of poetry. Seeing the plight of Muslims across the World, Iqbal passionately questions Allah on why he allowed such a situation to develop.

Not suprisingly the idea that God could wrong his people and was not carrying out his plans justly caused quite a stir. Despite the inevitable response of many traditionalists, Iqbal's ideas have lived on and he is revered in Pakistan as her national poet.

I am not advocating that people read Shikwa and hold its text as sacred, or something which can not be questioned. There are some elements to do with conversion and Muslim superiority to which my reaction is somewhere, deeply uncomfortable and profound disagreement.

However to use this a stick with which to attack Iqbal completely misses the point. He was at once both a man of his times and ahead of his times. Above all it was his ability to think freely and outside of the traditional mold while contributing to the discourse of his times which made him great. The fact that his ideas were expressed in aesthetic and powerful poetry simply add to his greatness.

I'll post on God's response to Iqbal soon.

Cross-posted on Pickled Politics

Resuming Blogging

2006-03-20T17:19:00.000Z

I realise that by not posting for over a month I may have lost some of my readership (In fact Sitemeter confirms this). Meanwhile I've also fallen on the TTLB ecosystem, from the lowly heights of lowly insect to a mere wiggly worm. Nevertheless, I have decided to get over the mental block which seems to have come over me and resume blogging. As always, I look forward to reading comments.

Cappucinos and Coconuts

2006-02-14T17:30:00.000Z

We've all heard the term coconut before and to be honest I've always thought it to be rather crude. So when I found the word 'cappucino' in the New Statesman special report on India I was quite intrigued. Apparently in India, a cappucino is someone who is 'white and frothy' on the outside but with deeply conservative and traditional sub-continental 'values' on the inside.

One situation which exemplifies this is that of desi men who have long term relationships with white women and then leave them (or sometimes continue to see them on the side), to get an arranged marriage. Of course this phenomenon isn't limited to desi's. The archetypal rich Arab who 'enjoys' himself in the west while placing severe constraints on his wife and daughters at home is a good example. Neither is it a new phenomenon - the father in Naguib Mahfouz's classic Palace Walk is the ultimate fun-lover with his friends and tyrant at home.

Why is this important? Because all too often traditionalists attack liberals when in fact they are attacking cappucino's just like liberals often attack traditionalists when in fact they are attacking 'maulvis'. All of this muddies the discourse and doesn't allow for clear analysis and debate reagarding the many social questions people face when they encounter different cultures, either through immigration or globalisation. I would be very interested in who people think are some famous cappucino's. At the risk of being scorned, may I suggest Imran Khan.

Pickled Politics

2006-02-13T17:34:00.000Z

I will be guest-blogging on Pickled Politics for the next month (my first post will be up shortly). However I will continue to post those pieces and comments which aren't appropriate for that site on this blog.

Disgrace

2006-02-08T10:26:00.000Z

Apparently a delegation of Danish Muslims to the Middle East added this photograph to a dossier of the Danish cartoons (for more click here). This dishonest attempt to incite violence deserves to be condemned and I think an apology is in order. Meanwhile Iran's biggest selling newspaper has created this despicable cartoon contest (via Secular-Right India).

Voting Open For Brass Crescent Awards

2006-02-07T21:06:00.000Z

Voting is now open for the 2nd Annual Brass Crescent Awards presented by City of Brass and Altmuslim. Even if you don't vote, its worth scrolling through the nominees and exploring some of the blogs you may not have come across before.

More On The Cartoon Controversy

2006-02-06T16:51:00.000Z

Three more comments on this mess. Firstly, I think this little publicised incident supports my earlier contention that it was right to criticise (albeit not threaten) newspapers who published the cartoons gratuitously. Muslim Week

An anti-Semitic cartoon in a Muslim paper, which depicts Israel's acting Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, as a hook-nosed figure wearing a giant Star of David, last night drew protests from MPs and Jewish groups. (for more click here)

Muslim Weekly deserves to be condemned. Especially at a time when relations between Britain's Muslim and Jewish communities are sensitive, publishing an anti-Semitic cartoon is morally repugnant and will only contribute to anti-Jewish feeling. I feel that the Danish newspaper's actions falls into a similar category.

Secondly, I was listening to Radio 5 Live yesterday and the editor of Der Spiegel which published the cartoons in Germany, said that he regarded the cartoon of the Prophet with a bomb in his turban as a political statement about Islam. This to me is telling of the anti-Muslim sentiment of those responsible for the cartoons.

Thirdly, Sunny at pickled politics points out that for once the Muslim Council of Britain had something sensible to say in condemning the hateful protesters in the London. This to me is indicative of the fact that those holding up the wretched placards were thugs who constitute a fringe element of Muslim society.

Finally also on pickled politics, Hari Kunzru has a superb piece dealing with all the issues presented by the controversy including his own experiences of 'middle-class racism' in Denmark.

Blasphemy Laws

2006-02-06T14:19:00.000Z

I have another post on Der Spiegel and the cartoon crisis coming up, but before that I would like to deal with the suggestion that there is a need for countries which don't have Blasphemy laws to implement them.

In Pakistan, Blasphemy laws were introduced by General Zia-ul-Haq, a military dictator who lacking popular support tried to use religion legitimise his rule (famously, the question in his sham referendum was, Yes if you are for Islam and No if you aren't).

Not surprisingly, Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code has largely been used as a weapon by religious extremists to harass and intimidate their opponents. Often the use of the law is not even political - but used by scheming people to attack Christians with whom they had a personal dispute.

I sense that the Blasphemy law is something which isn't important to the majority of Pakistani's. However the threat from fanatics and the lack of any clear political gain has led to successive governments staying well away from it.

When Nawaz Sharif was Prime Minister, he disregarded threats of unrest and changed the weekly holiday from Friday to Sunday without any catastrophic consequences. Given the current global environment, it would be a bold and positive move for General Musharraf to stand up to the embassy burning elements and repeal the Blasphemy laws. I suspect the negative fallout would be minimal and the General's credibility would be enhanced. Unfortunately, I don't see it happening anytime soon.

For more on the issue, here are two excellent pieces from Prof. Akbar S. Ahmed and renowned Pakistani columnist Ardeshir Cowasjee.

Update On Baluchistan

2006-02-05T00:15:00.000Z

The situation in Baluchistan continues to get worse. The BBC reports that tribesmen have succeeded in blowing up a gas pipeline. It would be interesting to know if the American government has raised the matter with President Musharraf.

Update: The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has published this illuminating paper. A must read for all Pakistani's skeptical of Baluchi grievances.

Film Review - Khamosh Pani (Silent Waters)

2006-02-04T19:43:00.000Z

When I started this blog, I didn't think that I would be writing a review of a Pakistani film. Although Pakistani drama serials have traditionally been highly thought of, its film industry or 'Lollywood' has catered to cruder tastes. Going to the cinema isn't considered to be a respectable pastime and a couple of years ago, the police even raided a Karachi cinema on the grounds that it was a den of prostitution!

Khamosh Pani isn't a typical Pakistani film though. Originally intended to be a documentary, the movie contains incisive social commentary to go along with superb acting and a thought-provoking plot.

Set in a small village in Punjab during the early period of General Zia's military rule in Pakistan, the film revolves around Saleem, an initially aimless, carefree 17 year old and his relationships with his mother and girlfriend, while exploring themes of religious extremism and communalism.

The New York Times reviewer didn't think much of the film until the 'fundamentalist wind blew in'. I think this misses the point - the first half hour which is very amusing shows the everyday concerns of ordinary people, thereby putting the rise of fundamentalism and its corrosive effects into perspective.

Particularly interesting is the fact that the director Sabiha Sumar (for interviews click he re), decided to have the first screening of the movie in the village where it was filmed. Given the sensitive nature of some of the issues, she may have been justified in thinking that it wasn't worth the risk. However not surprisingly, the villagers enjoyed the film, it went through without a hitch and a traveling cinema was created to take the film to other parts of Pakistan as well.

With the KaraFilm Festival becoming a permanent fixture, films such as this one being made and the independent television media becoming more robust, there are positive signs emerging from Pakistan. Khamosh Pani although optimistic in places, provides a cautionary tale of how progress can be halted if religious fundamentalism is manipulated by those in power. I think it deserves a large audience both in Pakistan and abroad.

Cross-posted on Desicritics.

The New Great Satan - Denmark???

2006-02-01T12:03:00.000Z

For an excellent roundup of Muslim opinion on the cartoon controversy, you can visit Thabet's blog here.

As to what I think, firstly I would suggest that simply causing offense should not be sufficient for a big fuss to be made about anything. Otherwise, Sikh protests forcing the play Behzti to stop playing would probably have been justified, as would Christian protesters complaining about Jerry Springer the Opera being broadcast on the BBC.

As Svend White points out though, the context of these cartoons is the very real increase of xenophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment in Denmark, and increased anti-semitism and Islamophobia in significant segments of Western Europe. The cartoons themselves are just a symptom of this and Steve makes a good point at avari/nameh, that an appropriate response by the Danish Prime Minister would have been to acknowledge the increased Islamophobia in his country, which has made such incendiary cartoons being published without widespread condemnation possible.

Unfortunately it seems to me that the unfortunately inevitable threats of violence has made this into a false, 'our free speech v. dangerous fundamentalists' debate (I'm not sure many people are actually proposing government censorship). Andrew Sullivan see's it this way and puts it in the same catalogue of events as the Rushdie fatwa and 9/11. This is an unfortunate exaggeration, (although the Rushdie case should serve as a reminder for the need to be careful when choosing objects of scorn) but the major problem with this is that seems to make apologising for the original cartoons into an appeasement of the threat of violence which doesn't do anyone any good.

Random Musings On A Hajj Completed

2006-01-31T13:30:00.000Z

Thabet at Muslims Under Progress recently returned from Hajj and has posted his comments and observations here.

I enjoyed this one in particular,
"Who said the Saudi authorities don't know anything about irony? I mean, why else would they build an Intercontinental Hotel outside the Haram at Makkah and call it Dar al-Tawhid?".

Although this was disturbing albeit not completely surprising,
"The incident at the Jamarat could be avoided if people were taught -- or bothered to learn -- the significance of the various rites of the Hajj. Instead people are selfish. One of my relatives was caught up in the incident and says she saw people literally climbing over other people to get away from the area. I only found out about the full extent of the incident when I returned to Makkah around Asr time and received a phone call from my worried sister."

Thoughts On Baluchistan

2006-01-30T18:43:00.000Z

Sepoy at Chapati Mystery has an excellent essay on the origins and present state of Baluchistan's disaffection with Pakistan. With most eyes focused on Afghanistan and Kashmir, Baluchistan doesn't get a lot of attention, but if it isn't handled properly it could have significant local and international repercussions.

One of the things which I find interesting about the matter is the fact that there isn't really an educated elite which is heavily involved in the resistance, which comes almost exclusively from tribal leaders. This brings to the fore many of our attitudes towards less developed regions of the World and in particular the tension between reform and self-determination, respecting indigenous culture and promoting Human Rights. The difference in this case is that both parties are part of the developing world and it isn't easy to lay the blame on a powerful foreign entity.

Personally, I would be worried about the state of affairs in an independent Baluchistan. However if the Pakistani government denies it opportunities of economic development and engages in a systematic repression of its people, I don't see how it can make a moral claim to the land considering the historical background of the case.

President Musharraf has made a lot of his 'enlightened moderation' - he needs to put it into practice here. Get the Baluchi's to the negotiating table, arrange a more equitable distribution of its natural resources and put in place economic policies which encourage economic development in the area. The Baluchi's must feel involved in the process - if not, then as Sepoy points out, we may be on the path to another Bangladesh and more instability in a region which could do without it.

Cross-posted on DesiCritics

Crossing the Border: The Normalisation of Indo-Pak Relations

2006-01-26T07:43:00.000Z

The normalisation of Indo-Pak relations continues. We’ve already seen the opening of the Kashmir border despite terrorist attacks in India, L.K. Advani visiting Pakistan and yet another cricket series being played in exemplary spirit.

The latest piece of good news is the creation of a bus service linking the Punjab. The most obvious benefit is increasing cultural encounters and creating greater understanding between the two peoples. Having said that, I think that this has been overestimated. The number of people who can take advantage of this service is not that big, and those who do usually already have family or friends on the other side of the border, or are doing so to visit religious shrines.

What gives me hope are the attitudes of the two governments which allowed the bus service to be created. Without a doubt Manmohan Singh doesn’t seem to have achieved much in his time as Prime Minister, while everyone has their own opinion of President Musharraf, but the peace process is something which transcends these concerns.

It would help solidify India’s position as a politically mature nation to go alongside its growing economic strength. At the same time it would provide Pakistan some much needed stability, while the prospect of increased trade with India would certainly help its economic development. It would also serve to demonstrate that the ‘updated Caliphate’ argument which seeks a Muslim confederacy, is a utopian vision which is not the best way to achieve progress in the Muslim world. Pakistan needs greater trade and cooperation with India not Algeria.

This does not mean that there aren't problems in both countries. Pakistan in particular struggles from increasing sectarian violence and has not effectively resolved the problem of Baluchistan. India meanwhile has to find a way of achieving in stability in places like Bihar to go along with the prosperity which it has achieved in other parts of the country, while also ensuring that communal tensions do not get out of control again.

However despite these other problems, there is no doubt that the Indo-Pak rivalry has overshadowed the other ones. From unnecessary military expenditure to the ever present threat of war, it has created a situation in which domestic problems have been ignored in supposedly trying to deal with the ‘other’. These problems will continue to exist even with greater co-operation, but rather than hindering each other's efforts, the two countries will be able to help in dealing with what are very similar problems.

Cross-posted on Desicritics

Desicritics

2006-01-26T07:34:00.000Z

Just a quick plug to Desicritics. It is a spin-off of Blogcritics with a south-asian focus. I will also be posting on it as well and I think its quite interesting as you have a mixture of 'subcontinental' and 'western', Indian and Pakistani, left and right, on a whole range of issues in one place.

Osama's Book Club

2006-01-22T20:34:00.000Z

Does anyone really think that reading this book will help us better understand Osama? If they want to know more about Al-Qaeda they should read Olivier Roy or Faisal Devji.

Food For Thought

2006-01-22T20:25:00.000Z

"A people whose religion teaches them to despise others, whose heaven is supposed to be ruined by drinking water touched by a neighbour, who have to protect their sanctity by insulting others - such a people deserves no better fate than humiliation."

From the great Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore.

Class & Modesty

2006-01-22T20:19:00.000Z

I’ve also observed other people who are NOT daughters of doctors and engineers agonize over the same issues. Mention “tailored jackets” and “long but elegant modest skirts” and we moslem scrubs know exactly what you’re talking about. The Gap aisles are cleaned out of those $50 skirts before we get to the sales. Scrubs like me can’t afford them Saks tailored jackets. We end up with sagging chenille sweaters and Payless shoes.

I found the above post very interesting. Read the whole piece here.

Tennis In Quetta???

2006-01-22T20:07:00.000Z

Hingis, you know by now, won in straights. What was up with Vera Zvonareva’s tearful meltdown? I felt badly for the poor girl, but it’s like - you’re losing to Martina “One Match from a Grand Slam and Former World No. 1” Hingis, not some qualifier from Baluchistan. Can it be arrogant to cry? Of course not. Vera has issues, as Mary Carillo pointed out, and we hope she finds a way to sort them out. It can’t be fun to get so down on yourself, so often and so quickly.
(From Pete Bodo's Tennis World Blog)

The day a female tennis player from Baluchistan qualifies for a grand slam tennis tournament, I'll be an extremely happy person!

What About Sheesha?

2006-01-20T01:14:00.000Z

Svend White points to the fact that smoking 1 sheesha is the equivalent of 18 cigarettes. Begs the question, is sheesha included in the government's proposed smoking ban? The smell problem (despite the fruit flavours) is still present and presumably workers are still affected by second hand smoke. Does this mean the end of Edgware Road as we know it?

Dance? Of Ballet And Britney Spears

2006-01-20T01:09:00.000Z

It seems to me that attitudes towards dancing (or to be more specific, men dancing with women (come to think of it women dancing with men)) represents one of the major splits in moderate Islam on the place of culture within religion.

Film seeks to be ok, music just about squeaks through, but dance is one of those things which in my view can provide an indication as to whether a person is liberal or conservative (not used in a derogatory way), wants to take religion forward and develop it or bring it back to a stricter interpretation.

As regards my own view, I think modesty is probably fundamental to the issue. For people who regard dancing as being immodest, I'm happy for them to have that view provided it is applied consistently towards men as well as women. However even then I think its important to keep an open mind and not draw lines in the sand.

For instance I think that one can draw a difference between ballet and Britney Spears. One tries to appeal to our aesthetic senses while the other attempts to titillate. In a subcontinent setting, one can apply a similar distinction between Khattak dancing and Lollywood/Bollywood. I would suggest that it is perfectly consistent to both be a classical Indian dancer and an observant Muslim, just like I would suggest that one can be an Actress and a Muslim, or an Athlete and a Muslim (you know who I'm talking about). As always I'll be interested in hearing comments.

The Supposed 'Culture Of Fear'

2006-01-16T09:57:00.000Z

It is fashionable to bemoan the 'culture of fear' which exists in America. I would suggest that this is common to most if not all societies and that pointing out the flaws in others often leads to ignorance about one's own self. For example, in Europe the fear of being like America often leads to a reluctance to carry out much needed economic reform. A lot of continental Europe also has a fear of immigrants which is similar to the fear of black people in America.

A somewhat similar point in a third world context is made by David Ford aka The Artsaypunk (A liberal Canadian living in Pakistan) who says this:

I tend to have strange relationships with servants, as I’ve explained before. Generally though, as my command of the language increases slightly, I’ve become more comfortable with them. They seem to like me, which I think is derived from my unique tendency to treat them like human beings rather than the dirt under my feet that happens to unquestioningly clean up after me. My more skeptical friends tell me that I’m setting myself to be taken advantage of, but oh well, I like trusting people, it makes me feel nice.

In this post, David also narrates one his own very interesting experiences. To finish, my point is not to deny that societies have problems or that some servants might not steal from their employers. However rather than simply being critical of others, it is often best to use that analysis to critically evaluate one's self.

Doing The Maths On Hajj

2006-01-13T01:42:00.000Z

Today saw the latest in a long line of tragedies occur during the Hajj. A lot of people will be waiting anxiously to find out if their loved ones are safe and I hope that they receive good news soon.

It does make me think about the future of the Hajj not in terms of its viability, but the ability of what is essentially limited supply to cope with increased demand due to;

a) the global Muslim population increasing, and
b) international travel becoming cheaper and more accessible.

The current Muslim population is estimated to be 1.6 billion. Given the fact that a majority of these people are on the younger side and that population will continue to increase over the coming years, lets say that 1 billion Muslims will want to perform Hajj. If we say that the average person is fit and financially able enough to be able to perform Hajj between the ages of 20 and 60, that leaves 40 years for them to complete the pilgrimage.

If we divide 1 billion by 40, we can estimate demand for Hajj to be 25 million people per year. This year approximately 2.5 million people made the pilgrimage to Macca and Medina.

Given that the tragedies suggest that the current number is too many, increasing the capacity for people to do Hajj seems unlikely. For obvious reasons changing or increasing the dates for Hajj is a non-starter.

This leads me to conclude that if it doesn't exist already, a situation will arise in the near future when a lot if not most people will not be able to do the Hajj even if they are willing and able to do so.

The point of this post is not to suggest that Hajj is not a fundamental pillar of Islam or that it should be done away with. It is an important part of our religion which reaffirms basic concepts such as human equality and allows for important cultural encounters. However if it is accepted that Hajj will not be performed by the all of the people who are in a position to do it, then the current policy of expanding it as much as people, should not be considered sacrosanct.

If safety and congestion was to be improved by cutting the number of visas to say one million, it wouldn't cause the end of the world. Apart from probably reducing deaths and improving hygiene, it may also add to the spiritual experience of Hajj rather than simply being the obligation which it seems to have become. Comments as always are much appreciated.

Jews, Muslims And The Quran

2006-01-12T16:27:00.000Z

Svend White places the supposed 'natural' enmity between Muslims and Jews in its religious and historical context.

The question of the Quran's view of Jews is a controversial and IMHO generally poorly understood one. I think that when you read the Quran holistically, with an awareness of the historical context in which it was revealed, and with an open mind--something which comes no easier to Muslims than non-Muslims--its message is not at all hostile to Judaism, even if does view Islam as superior to Judaism (which is to be expected--most religions claim to supercede others). There are a number of verses which imply, either directly or indirectly, that Judaism is based on Divine truth and, thus, an ally of Islam against sin and materialism (e.g., verse 22:40 makes it clear that Muslims are to declare jihad to protect churches and synagogues along with mosques because these are places where "Allah's name is oft remembered"). Also, another verse explicitly states that God intentionally created the world in "tribes and nations" (49:31) and yet another declares that "there is no compulsion of religion" (2:256).
[...] There are also verses which speak of enmity with "the Jews". This question is more complex, but they clearly refer to contemporary political problems with some Jewish tribes in the city of Madina (e.g., there was a case where a Jewish tribe in Medina betrayed Muhammad and his community by siding with an enemy inspite of a treaty they'd signed) and not Judaism or Jews for all time. (Sadly, some Muslims--thanks in part to this tragic conflict in the Middle East--fail to remember this crucial distinction, as well, but the failings of Muslims are not the fault of the Quran.)

The entire post is well worth reading, Svend makes a number of other very interesting observations including highlighting the similarities between Judaism and Islam. The blog on which he made his original comments called Velveteen Rabbi is also an excellent one.

Nominating My Favourite Muslim Blogs

2006-01-10T03:03:00.000Z

The nominations for the 2nd Altmuslim/City of Brass awards are now open. You can post your nominations here.

A quick note before my nominations - I've tried to avoid putting forward the 'big names' of the Muslim blogosphere as they have already been nominated. I'll get a chance to vote for them later on. I also recommend everyone check out the nominations thread - its a great way to be introduced to new blogs.

Best Middle-Eastern/Asian blog - The Religious Policeman. Sharp and incisive while managing to evade the Saudi thought police!

Best Group blog - Pickled Politics. British 'desis' discussing british and global politics. The best part is the always lively comments section.

Blog Most Deserving of Wider Recognition - Civil Comment - He always has something interesting to say.

Best Thinker - Thabet . Slightly heavier fare than one is used to on the blogosphere, Thabet's analysis never fails in provoking one's own thinking.

Best Female - Paki Feminist. Absolutely brilliant AND hysterically funny.

Best Post or Post Series - Rape me Musharraf by Paki Feminist. If you haven't read it yet do so now! Pure genius!!

Best Non-Muslim - The Artsaypunk. A aspiring, white, liberal Canadian writer enjoying (most of the time anyway) living in Pakistan. Another blog which is very, very funny.

Best Blog - Procrastination. Super blog - covers a large range of subjects with great skill and posting in Urdu as well makes this the complete package.

My Nomination For New Category
Best Multimedia Blogging - Street Photos. His pictures are always a treat.

After The Prophet's Death

2006-01-08T12:26:00.000Z

It is at this pivotal moment in history that Barnaby Rogerson picks up the story of Islam. Essentially the sequel to his acclaimed biography of the Prophet, Rogerson's new book follows the reigns of Muhammad's first four successors, or caliphs: the zealously loyal early convert to Islam, Abu Bakr; the deeply pious though unapologetically misogynistic warrior, Umar; the kindly yet politically inept septuagenarian, Uthman; and Ali, the Prophet's beloved nephew and son-in-law, the man whose partisans (the Shiatu Ali) would one day launch a wholly new sect in Islam - the Shia. Together, these so-called "Rightly Guided Caliphs" ushered in a time that most Muslims regard as the Golden Era of Islam, a period in which the small community of faith that Muhammad left behind blossomed into a vast empire stretching from the Indian subcontinent to North Africa. What Rogerson's astute scholarship and detailed narrative shows is that this period in Islamic history was in reality far from a golden era.

Reza Aslan reviews Barnaby Rogerson's new book.
(Link via 3quarksdaily)

Forced/Arranged/Introduced Marriages

2006-01-08T12:16:00.000Z

This is an old post but for anyone interested in the subject Zack sums up the issue perfectly. Also the comments section (at least the first half) which contain a lot of first hand experience is also well worth reading.

India - Center Of The Muslim World?

2006-01-07T01:41:00.000Z

The title of a brilliant post by 'libertarian' at secular-right India. Discussing the potential for Indian Muslims taking over the intellectual leadership of the Muslim world, it is daring and very thought-provoking. A must read!

South-Asian Attitudes Towards Homosexuality

2006-01-05T15:58:00.000Z

It seems to me that this issue is only going to get bigger. Was only a matter of time really. The Times has a story here and Sunny had actually pre-empted this on pickled politics a few days earlier.

I think that on the whole Muslims while not agreeing with homosexuality can tolerate it - like most religious Christians or Jews do (bananabrain if I'm wrong please correct me). Where it gets tricky is when it comes to gay Muslims. Johann Hari had this interesting piece a while back which I recommend. I'll post more on this topic later.

More: I think I have an analogy for this. Muslims tend to frown upon sex before marriage. However they can obviously tolerate it otherwise they wouldn't be able to live in any non-Muslim country without going into a frenzied rage. However when Muslims openly have sex before marriage, the whole dynamic changes and you often get horrendous honour killings (I would say this about honour killing though - they are a such a big problem not because of the number of them which happen, but because of the impact they have on those affected). For anyone intereted in the subject, I'd again like to recommend Nadeem Aslam's Maps for Lost Lovers.

Bemoaning New Age Hippies

2006-01-04T16:11:00.000Z

It all adds up to an archetypal - if unusually poignant - case of east-west misunderstanding: a west earnestly looking eastwards for an ancient spiritual wisdom, which it receives through the filter of sexed-up translations that most Persian scholars regard as seriously flawed, and which recreate a Rumi wholly divorced from his Islamic context; while in the east, a Republican Turkish government anxious to integrate Turkey with Europe bans Rumi's Sufi brotherhood as part of its attempt to embrace a west it perceives as rational, industrial, intolerant of superstition and somehow post-mystical.

Dalrymple on Rumi. By any chance, did anyone see the documentary?

Karachi In Pictures

2006-01-04T15:52:00.000Z

For those interested, there are some brilliant photos of Karachi at the organic brew blog. They provide a great insight into the wonderfully diverse reality of everyday Karachi life.

Photo's of the blogger's journey through other parts of Pakistan can be found here, and he also puts up excellent photos of other places as well as occasionally articulating his thoughts in words.

More On Anthony Browne

2006-01-03T13:36:00.000Z

Found this 'gem' of a piece by Anthony Browne who wrote the political correctness book called 'The Triumph of the East'. A story on how Islam is planning to take over the world.

Some hilarious quotes, albeit worrisome that some of it seems to be conventional centre-right thinking.

On Yousaf Qaradawi,
'He is probably the closest thing in Islam to the Pope, but I haven’t recently heard the Pope call for the overthrow of all other faiths.'

I disagree on many issues with Qaradawi, but anyone remotely familiar with Islam would know that Qaradawi is no where near being Islam's 'Pope'. Of course not a single mention in the piece of men such as Tariq Ramadan who is very popular amongst British Muslims of all persuasions.

On Conversion
'Butt the difference is that Christendom has by and large stopped conquering and converting, and indeed in Europe simply stopped believing. Even President Bush’s most trenchant critics don’t believe he conquered Afghanistan and Iraq to spread the word of Jesus.'

I suppose if you sat people down for an extended discussion on the end of the World they would profess some uncomfortable opinions. The fact is though that this does not enter the everyday existence of most people, just like Rapture whilst popular amongst some Christian Evangelicals does not figure in the daily life of the average Christian or the return of the Messiah isn't of everyday concern to the ordinary Jewish person.

On the Crusades
'The Pope keeps apologising for the Crusades (even though they were just attempts to get back former Christian lands) while his opposite numbers call for the overthrow of Christendom.'

I personally think that many Muslims place an excessive focus on the Crusades. However to deny the savagery that occurred and to apologise for it as 'just attempts to get back former Christian lands' is absurd.

On Building Churches
'In Saudi Arabia the government bans all churches, while in Europe governments pay to build Islamic cultural centres.'

If Mr Browne wants to equate European Governments with Saudi Arabia that's his wish, I think most Muslims have a more positive view of Europe than that.

On another Holocaust? I think this is more misguided than sinister but still.
'In the last century some Christians justified the persecution and mass murder of Jews by claiming that Jews wanted to take over the world. But these fascist fantasies were based on deliberate lies, such as the notorious fake book The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Now, many in the Muslim world are open about their desire for Islam to conquer the West. '

As I've said before such comments are essentially self-fulfilling prophecies. People making them are not defending 'reason' and 'truth', but simply trying to place their own often bigoted ideas on a pedestal. As Faisal Devji says, a lot of new Muslim extremism in Europe is essentially 'ethical' and therefore not sticking firm to liberal values and battling extremism with extremism only undermines the claim that liberal democracy is a superior form of political organisation which has a place for everybody except the violent.

Defending Political Correctness

2006-01-03T07:05:00.000Z

Anthony Browne of Civitas has published a book bemoaning political correctness, how it is a 'heresy to liberalism' and is 'poisoning the wells of debate in modern Britain'. Given the seemingly positive responses to this line of thinking on the morning radio programs and the utter inadequacy of the responses of the person from the Muslim Council of Britain, I would like to look at Mr Browne's claims more closely.

Firstly there are some things which everyone can recognise as ridiculous. For example teachers supposedly telling children to call the blackboard the chalkboard. These are straw men not worth defending.

More interesting is the claim made by Mr Browne that the politically correct truth that women earn less than men due to sex discrimination is actually a result of different work/life choices and career breaks. The first problem with this is that he is setting up a false dichotomy - just because women may take career breaks does not mean that sex discrimination is not a factor in unequal pay. Secondly, I've listened to at least 2 phone-ins on Radio 5 recently which have discussed the various factors leading to unequal pay with strong representation from small businessmen who have argued that maternity leave imposes costs on their operations which they can not deal with. This is on a BBC channel which is supposed to be the bastion of decadent political correctness.

Another claim made by Mr Browne is that the 'explosion' in HIV is due to African Immigrants rather than the politically correct truth of it being a result of more teenagers having unsafe sex. The biggest problem here is the lack of nuance on a very sensitive matter. It suggests terrible HIV carrying Africans bringing their diseases into this country. The statistics suggest otherwise.

The number of new HIV cases acquired in Africa was around 3000. The black population in the UK is over 1 million - you can do the math. On top of this a lot of this was actually a result of British or British born people of African descent acquiring it on their travels abroad rather than direct immigration. At the same time there has been a significant rise in the number of other STD's in the U.K which have largely been acquired in the U.K. I wouldn't deny that HIV infection in Africa is not a problem, but to suggest nothing is being done about it because of political correctness is stretching it.

The biggest leap which the book makes is the idea that political correctness has led to ghettoisation which has created a climate for the events of 7-7. I think the events this summer in France which is by no means politically correct (its recently passed legislation saying that more time should be given to the benefits of Imperialism), served to demonstrate that ghettoisation can take place despite attempted forced integration. To then make the leap to violence seems completely irrational which is strange as 'reason' is what the author seems to be trying to rescue.
Apart from this it is worth bearing in mind that political correctness can mean different things in different places. Despite the protestations of the right-wing blogosphere in America that the MSM is fundamentally biased against them, as Haroon points out in this post, it can be 'career and social suicide' in America to criticise the occupation of Palestine and a prominent right-wing journal once got away with labeling Edward Said the 'Professor of Terror''.

To conclude, I think a guest on Radio 5 put it nicely yesterday when he suggested the link between people towards whom society is geared i.e. white, middle class men being the most prominent critics of political correctness. You don't really hear the same complaints from the traditionally disadvantaged minorities. T0 me this is they key as political correctness is about tolerance and enabling minority communities to have their voice. In a sense Mr Browne is slightly conflicted on this point as well because he argues that once upon a time politically correct may well have been necessary which suggests that in itself being pc is not a problem. However I don't think that he can speak for others when he claims that prejudice does not exist anymore.

Film Review - Live And Become

2005-12-31T02:10:00.000Z

You may not have heard of it, but Live and Become is a must see. As a friend of mine said, it is a film not about politics but about humanity.

It begins with a young Ethiopian boy pretending to be Jewish, trying to gain entry into Israel during Operation Moses. The film then proceeds to track his life in Israel as he and his adoptive family deal with a variety of issues ranging from communal problems such as racism, religion and misogyny to individual issues of love, identity and friendship.

Spanning a large amount of time in real life, there was a danger that this film would fizzle out and lose some of its impact. However the balance is very well maintained with the three actors playing the lead role of 'Schlomo' perfectly believable as one person. The supporting cast led by his parents are superb and his spiritual and adoptive grandfathers put in charming turns adding a bit of wisdom to the film.

The best movie I've seen this year, Live and Become is streets ahead of even very good films such as The Constant Gardener. It may not be on at a cinema near you, but if it is be sure you don't miss it.

Reflections On The Idea Of A Caliphate

2005-12-30T14:29:00.000Z

Firstly for those wanting facts about the Caliphate, Thabet examines the significance of 1924 here.

Some of my comments are on his blog, but I'd like to reflect on this point. Considering that Yazid's reign as Caliph of the Ummayad Dynasty included the illegitimate slaughter of Imam Husayn and his family at Karbala, was the Caliphate legitimate and if so what was it that gave it authority?

On the one hand you have the grandson of the Prophet who following the agreement between Muawiya and Imam Hasan had a legitimate claim to be the Caliph. On the other hand you have someone attempting to inherit the Caliphate which in itself is antithetical to Islamic values.

The person with the legitimate claim is murdered and yet people continue to pledge allegiance to the usurper. The essential point for those who regard 1924 as a cataclysmic moment is that just because someone has the title of the Caliph does not grant him moral legitimacy. The fact that there have been so many Caliph's has had as much to do with power and the use of the title to win popular acclaim then with religion.

This is why modern claims to create a Caliphate are ill founded - they completely ignore that whoever is the Caliph will be in control of a disproportionate amount of unaccountable power. As I said in my earlier post, Muslims in Muslim-majority countries tend to see this and have patriotic as opposed to pro-Caliphate feelings.

A Caliphate state as envisioned by those who currently promote it would most likely be a USSR type entity with an autocratic centre subjugating many in the name of ideology. I would suggest that if there ever was to be a pan-Islamic Caliphate, the only plausible system would be a collection of democracies somewhere along the lines of the EU.

Madrassah's, Fundamentalism And Jihadism

2005-12-29T21:35:00.000Z

I just read William Dalrymple's essay on Madrassah's in the New York Review of Books. It covers an impressive range of issues from examining the alleged link between Madrassah's and global terrorism, to placing the Madrassah in the historical and political context of the Indian Sub-continent.

Much of what Dalrymple says, simply puts into words what a lot of those familiar with the sub-continent intuitively feel. Putting this line of thinking to a Western audience is an important one which should not be under-estimated. However what makes the piece a must-read is the historical analysis which supplements the discussion of current events and the unification of his experiences in both India and Pakistan. His next book on Bahadur Shah Zafar, is the first in a quartet on the great Mughals and I am very much looking forward to reading it!

Touring Pakistan (More Interesting & Less Dangerous Then Popularly Imagined)

2005-12-22T15:49:00.000Z

Cricket in this day and age provides a unique window into some of the most diversified cultures on the planet. Pakistan and India, through the medium of cricket, have recently discovered that, despite three full-scale wars and a nuclear stand-off, they actually have more similarities than differences.

And something similar has happened to England on this brief but eye-opening trip. The range and depth of the welcome that the tour party has received has busted a few myths for sure, and given the grim events in London last July, there could really have been no more timely moment for such a high-profile act of bridge-building.

Andy Miller looks back on the England cricket team's tour of Pakistan. (For the full article click here.)

Why Intelligent Design Is Not Science

2005-12-21T15:04:00.001Z

Yesterday's historic judgment by Judge John E. Jones III in the case of Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District, clearly and coherently describes why Intelligent Design can not be taught in science classes.

Judge Jones goes through very thoroughly what science is, how intelligent design is not science, how ID in making its arguments twists the theory of evolution and why even if intelligent design was correct in pointing out gaps in the theory of evolution (which it isn't), it would still provide no positive evidence for the intelligent design hypothesis.

For those unconvinced, pages 64-89 of the judgment which deals only with the science is necessary reading. For those interested in the plaintiffs and the background to the case, this is found from pages 3-7. The rest is American constitutional law dealing with things such as the Establishment Clause and the Lemon tests.

To conclude, I'll quote part of Judge Jones' brilliant conclusion.

'their (id advocates) presupposition is that evolutionary theory is antithetical to a belief in the existence of a supreme being and to religion in general. Repeated in this trial, Plaintiff's scientific experts testified that the theory of evolution represents good science, is overwhelmingly accepted by the scientific community, and that it in no way conflicts with, nor does it deny, the existence of a divine creator.

To be sure, Darwin's theory of evolution is imperfect. However, the fact that a scientific theory cannot yet render an explanation on every point should not be used as a pretext to thrust an untestable alternative hypothesis grounded in religion into the science classroom or misrepresent well-established scientific propositions.'

Film Recommendation

2005-12-17T18:41:00.000Z

In light of my earlier post on the problem of their being a lack of Muslim scholars with enough scientific knowledge to tackle important current and future ethical issues, I would like to recommend the film Gattaca.

Surprisingly enough given its cast (Ethan Hawke, Jude Law, Uma Thurman) and its director (Andrew Nicol who recently directed the excellent Lord of War), this film did not get a lot of attention when it came out eight years ago. This was a shame as it touches upon a world which is quite possible in the foreseeable future. A world in which genetic selection by parents is commonplace, in which those with the right genes win and those with the wrong ones go through life as under-class 'de-gene-erats'.

Overall this is a great film. The issues are dealt with in an unpredictable plot, the cinematography is beautiful, and the acting superb; particularly impressive is Jude Law in his pre-Alfie days. A final point to persuade you that this is film is not star-trek like scientific fiction and is well worth watching - Gore Vidal also stars in it!

Where The Caliphate Is Strongest

2005-12-17T13:16:00.000Z

It seems to me that the idea of the Caliphate is more popular amongst young Muslims in the U.K and other Western countries than in Muslim majority countries. One possible explanation is that Muslims in Muslim majority countries have strong nationalistic feelings which override the idea of a pan-Muslim state which would undermine their interests. This is definitely the case with Pakistanis, many of whom feel that they are treated as second class citizens by Arabs.

On the other hand the experience of some British Muslims, is isolation from the state and disillusionment with the culture of their parents, which they regard as backward and not relevant to them. Identity then comes from being Muslim as opposed to being a 'British Muslim' or 'British Asian' or 'British Asian Muslim'. Not surprisingly, trying to leave behind the 'cultural baggage' of one's parents leads to a puritan or fundamentalist form of Islam.

Perhaps a historical parallel can be drawn with the Khilafat movement in British India in the 1920's when many Muslims struggled alongside Gandhi to try and prevent the Ottoman Caliphate from being dismantled. This was while the British were by and large dominant, the idea of Pakistan had not been developed leaving Muslims to look abroad for identity.

Interview With Faisal Devji

2005-12-14T22:45:00.000Z

The Guardian has an interview with Faisal Devji here.

The Blog Is Back!

2005-12-14T01:19:00.000Z

Sorry for not updating the blog recently. Unfortunately I've been rather busy, but I'm happy to say that I should be posting regularly throughout winter. During my time away from the blogosphere, I have managed to read Faisal Devji's Landscapes of the Jihad.

Approaching the subject matter from a fresh perspective, Devji makes some brilliantly unique arguments. For example, he puts forward the idea that suicide bombings are best understood as 'ethical' actions, divorced from traditional political objectives and therefore have more in common with global movements such as environmentalism than traditional Islam.

It is this sort of original analysis combined with some necessary historical perspective which makes this such a fascinating book to read.

Harun Yahya: An Invitation To Ignorance

2005-12-07T16:32:00.000Z

Meticulously footnoted and written in scientific jargon, the works of Harun Yahya are becoming increasingly popular all across the Muslim World. The pen-name of a Turkish gentleman by the name of Adnan Oktar, Harun Yahya books (as well as cds, dvds and videos) seem to have filled a need for urban, relatively well educated Muslims trying to confirm their faith through reason. The reason I am writing this piece is that despite the fact that his science is flawed, Mr Yahya seems to be succeeding in promoting his flawed message.

One of Yahya's favourite tactics is to use quotations from Western scientists to show that rather than simply making things up, he in true conspiracy theory style is putting the pieces together which the 'evolutionists' have tried their best to hide.

Given the closeness of Yahya's opinions with that of the intelligent design movement in America, it is not surprising that in a presentation I went to, particular emphasis was placed on Michael Behe's controversial book, Darwin's Black Box. However as Prof Kenneth Miller points out, the stunning aspect of this is that Behe moves away from a lot of creationist theory and actually accepts the idea of a 'common ancestor' as the best way of explaining the development of life on Earth.

Behe's central argument in favour if intelligent design is that there are certain elements of the cell in particular which are so irreducibly complex, that they could not function if you removed one element. As these individual pieces do not have any obvious uses apart from as part of their particular structure, they could not have come about through evolution.

One example that both Behe and Yahya use is that of the bacteria flagellum. Apart from the seeming absurdity of trying to challenge evolution by focusing on something so small, the thesis does not take into account the fact that when evolving from something simple to complex new pieces may evolve which are seemingly integral to the functioning of the body but in fact are simply enhancements.

A good example of this is the eye. It used to be held up by creationists as an example of something which could not possibly have evolved. Yet computer modeling has shown how the transformation from simple focal cells to a fully developed eye could have taken place in a relatively short period of time.

The point about the above arguments is not to try and demonstrate that God doesn't exist. Prof Miller for instance, despite being one of Evolution's staunchest public defenders is a practicing catholic. Rather, I would suggest that religion is not something rational but by definition an 'act of faith' and trying to juxtapose the two only leads to some very serious problems.

Firstly there is the danger of unwarranted trample by those that buy the Yahya argument. This is not helpful when it comes to tolerance and acceptance of other cultures and societies. Secondly, it can also inculcate a skepticism of science and technology which can only be harmful when one looks to the development of many Muslim majority states.

For more on what Darwin's theory of evolution and its implications, I'll refer you to this excellent website maintained by PBS in America. As far as books go, Richard Dawkins' The Blind Watchmaker is probably the best place to start.

Poor Poetic Polemics In Pakistan

2005-12-05T21:55:00.000Z

This is too funny not to pass on. http://www.guardian.co.uk/pakistan/Story/0,2763,1657964,00.html.

But wait, that's not it! The guardian piece misses out the 'george w' bit. The full text of the poem is available at this blog .

Sufi's, Mullah's and Musharraf

2005-12-03T10:06:00.000Z

"Ten o'clock on a cold Monday night in the Pakistani city of Lahore, and there are strange scenes outside the Alhamra Cultural Complex. Men are dressed as horses, others are inside giant puppet-like structures, all are shuffling into position alongside a red carpet. Around them dozens of armed police and special forces are keeping the crowds at bay and checking there are no cameras. The president, General Pervez Musharraf, is going to a concert."(keep reading)

The excerpt is from a fascinating piece in the Guardian covering an international cultural festival which recently took place in Pakistan. Particularly interesting is the idea being pushed by the likes of the festival's organiser Faizan Peerzada of promoting Sufism, which is inherently tolerant, as a means of counteracting the rise in fundamentalism.

This isn't as naive as it initially sounds. Sufism was a crucial element in the spread of Islam in the Indian Sub-continent in the first place. However it's influence gradually began to decline as it was attacked both by western-influenced elites who were skeptical of it's mysticism and religious conservatives who saw it as straying from the teachings of Islam.

While I would place myself on the rational side of the above spectrum, I believe that to discount the Sufi tradition for being irrational is a mistake as it underestimates it's enormous spiritual power. To finish I'll recommend the article again - Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan references aside, it provides a more nuanced account of Pakistani society than most Western analysis, and for more on Sufism, I would suggest this article by William Dalrymple which explores how the age-old conflict between Sufism and Wahhabism is playing out in modern India.

Why Egypt Voted For The Muslim 'Brothers'

2005-12-01T13:48:00.000Z

Calabash has some interesting analysis on the Egyptian elections on his blog. Not surprisingly, it seems that by voting for the 'brothers', most Egyptians are hoping for the creation of jobs and better social services rather than increased religion in government.

Unfortunately I strongly doubt whether the Ikhwan will be able to deliver on this and it looks like the Egyptian people will have to experience such a government, before being able to discount its viability (For example, how do the Brothers intend to reconcile the importance of the tourism to the Egyptian economy with bringing their interpretation of Sharia law?).

I think it goes to show that if you suppress all alternatives like the Egyptian government has systematically done, and don't back it up with decent economic progress (like Singapore perhaps), then the utopian alternative becomes a lot more attractive than it should.

Hopefully, Egypt's electoral system will be further liberalised before Hosni Mobarak's regime is forced from power, enabling other political parties to establish themselves enough so that they can provide a legitimate alternative to both the Brothers and Mobarak. Given the popularity of the Brothers in the elections, this needs to start happening now. Otherwise, it may be too late and America's quest for stability in the Middle East by financing the Mobarak regime may well end with a fundamentalist government in stead.

Suicide And Euthanasia In Islam

2005-11-28T21:48:00.000Z

A somber topic, but I came across this article by Dr Abdulaziz Sachedina of the University of Virginia, on the 'right to die' in Islam, which I found very interesting. Whilst not downplaying the importance of debates on foreign policy or social integration in Western societies, the focus on the above issues has led to a lack of discussion on cutting edge ethical problems such as Euthanasia.

On this particular issue, if one goes along with the conclusion reached by Dr Sachedina that Islam permits the withdrawal of treatment, (provided there is proper consultation between doctor and patient) but forbids the direct taking of life, then there is not much of a problem as most countries have laws which correspond to this. However, the Netherlands has already legalised Euthanasia, the state of Oregon in the U.S has passed right to die legislation and it is not inconceivable that similar laws will be passed in other countries, especially in Europe.

If such a situation arises, there seems to me to be no where for an ordinary Muslim to go to seek ethical guidance on this. Apart from the fact that there is very little debate, even if there was debate, it is not clear that there are enough qualified scholars who have the scientific wherewithal to deal effectively with such problems. Passing judgment on things such as stem-cell research, therapeutic cloning and genetic engineering, without the requisite scientific knowledge is going to lead to to seriously distorted outcomes which may have huge implications for future generations of Muslim.

Muslims At Hogwarts???

2005-11-24T22:14:00.000Z

So it turns out that Padma and Parvati Patel in the new Harry Potter movie are played by two, second generation, Bengali-British girls (Read more here). Surprisingly, considering the fact that their part sees them accompanying Harry and Ron to the 'Yule Ball', there has been no fuss, no fatwas and definitely no burning effigies by anyone in the Muslim community.

This leaves the following possibilities;
a) Muslims don't read/watch Harry Potter (I think we can safely discount this one)

b) Muslim parents who have taken their kids to see the film heard the names Padma and Parvati and have assumed that the actresses playing them are Hindus. (Again implausible, but you never know)

c) This just isn't a big issue for most Muslims in this country. Muslim kids like Harry Potter just as much as the next child and most Muslim parents if told that their children were offered parts in a film of this magnitude, rather than considering this sinful would be proud of their children just as I'm sure that Shefali's and Afshan's are. (For those who are wondering it says somewhere that one of their father's is quite conservative but this didn't get in the way of participating in the film)

I'm going for option (c) and while not trying to paint an overly rosy picture, I think that it suggests that while there may be problems, Muslims are integrating and figuring out how to live in today's Britain just like all other immigrants have in the past and are doing so today. As for the fear-mongerers on both sides - there is no 'clash of civilisations', let's be proud of our individual heritage and cultures but more importantly unite in our common humanity.

Dealing With Iran

2005-11-24T21:46:00.000Z

Timothy Garton Ash has an excellent analysis of how to deal with Iran based on his own travels to that country. The first point if followed should prevent any future American administration even trying to use the idea of humanitarian intervention in invading Iran.

"I love George Bush," one young woman told me as we sat in the Tehran Kentucky Chicken restaurant, "but I would hate him if he bombed my country." I think that this quote nicely demonstrates, that even the most pro-American Iranians would not like their country to be bombed as part of an American invasion.

At the same time, Garton Ash does not under-estimate the potential problem of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. His solution though is not to use force but to engage with Iran while holding a 'big stick', for Europe and America to work together on the matter and to apply standards in restricting nuclear proliferation consistently.

Perhaps the most important point though is this, that the west must be,
"Consistent, too, in recognising that our policy must be addressed as much to the people as the regime. For every step we take to slow down the nuclearisation of Iran, we need another to speed up the democratisation of Iran."

Polemic Against Islamophobes

2005-11-23T11:18:00.000Z

DA at Crimes of Aquinas has posted an excellent polemic, in which he rails against some ignorant but worryingly popular conceptions of Islam in America. As I've said in some of my earlier comments, The silent Muslim majority facing up to problems within our own societies, needs to be accompanied by commentators in the West arguing against their own reactionaries as David Aaronovitch did in the column which I linked to a couple of days ago.

One particular piece of propaganda which I've come across on the web is the book Islam Undressed by Vernon Richards(who I couldn't find more information on). Someone (preferably an American Religious Conservative) needs to do a thorough fisking of this book as running a google search on it suggests that it is quite influential in conservative circles and may influence those who have defended the Bush administration's authorisation of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

The Message of Fazlur Rahman

2005-11-21T01:04:00.000Z

Thought I'd link to this piece from 2001 in the Free Republic, on the life and work of Fazlur Rahman, who was without a doubt one of the great Muslim thinkers of the twentieth century. The piece itself is slightly long and academic in nature but if you can get through it it's very rewarding.

Reza Aslan In The LA Times

2005-11-18T17:10:00.000Z

I've mentioned before how Reza Aslan is potentially a very important Muslim thinker as he does not have the baggage carried by the likes of Irshad Manji and Salman Rushdie and because his views are rather sensible and likely to appeal to a majority of Muslims. In this piece in the LA Times, he does not disappoint untill the last two paragraphs.

Firstly as Sepoy at Chapati Mystery points out, saying that Islam does not have an equivalent to the Catholic tradition of excommunication while technically correct, does not take into account the treatment of groups such as Ahmadis.

Secondly there is the somewhat tangential analysis of offering low-level Jihadists a chance to get out of jail if they renounce violence. This may work in some cases, but it seems to me to be a rather dangerous policy to implement. Is it possible to monitor the behaviour of such people when they leave prison?

Thirdly, after recognising the impotence of clerics in preventing disillusionment with moderate Islam, he suggests that they somehow have the power to 'turn back the tide of Jihadism' by recognising that 'they are far more threatened by the rise of Islamic terrorism than is the West' without analysing how mere recognition would help. After all in his piece he documents quite well the failure of pronouncements against Terrorism to have a substantial impact. It seems to me that with most clerics having lost authority, there needs to be a reforming movement from the bottom-up by ordinary Muslims.

Despite the criticism, the article till then is definitely worth reading especially if you're unfamiliar with ideas of the 'near' and 'far' in enemy in Jihadist thinking which in my opinion are best analysed in Gilles Kepel's works on radical Islam.

Article Up On AltMuslim

2005-11-18T17:00:00.000Z

Just to let you know that my piece on Muslims For Sharia Law:An Interesting Paradox is up on altmuslim. Hopefully there will be a lively discussion in the comments section so I would encourage people to check it out.

Update: A slightly modified version of this article (my changes not theirs) is now up on pickled politics.

Pakistani's Supporting The England Cricket Team???

2005-11-15T19:58:00.000Z

Couldn't resist linking to this hilarious and heartwarming piece by Andrew Miller in The Times.

Most unexpected quote:
“I am praying for England with full zeal and zest,” Nayyur Abbas, 18, said as he sat with his cousin, Haroon Shehzad, 16, in the top tier of the Waqar Younis enclosure. On his face was painted a St George’s Cross and on his walls at home are posters of Andrew Flintoff. “He is a great attacking bowler,” Nayyur enthused in the manner of a true connoisseur.

If you enjoyed reading that, then I'd suggest Andrew Miller's tour diary on Cricinfo here.

The Bogeyman Of Eurabia

2005-11-15T01:06:00.000Z

Excellent piece in today's Times by David Aaronovitch on 'sensible people saying ridiculous things about Islam'. He makes the argument that while not a fan of the term Islamophobia since being a labelled by 'some of the more intellectually challenged Muslim pressure groups', items such as last week's Spectator are creating an unjust fear of Islam.

Of course Aaronovitch does not come from a completely relativist perspective and suggests that there is a middle ground where 'dialogue and debate can both exist alongside a muscular defence of certain values' such as democracy and human rights (in particular women's rights).

I tend to agree with him and would add that the 'clash of civilisations' discussion merely plays into the hands of extremists whose mission is to convince normal, moderate Muslims that ultimately they can never live in a liberal, democratic society without facing racism and prejudice and that the answer lies in creating some sort of utopian Islamic state constructed on a false reading of history and a vivid imagination.

Therefore as Aaronovitch says, the clash of civilisations is a self-fulfilling theory and western pundits so eager to fight extremism must be extremely careful if they are not to unwittingly perpetuate it.

Free And Equal Under The Quran

2005-11-09T02:33:00.000Z

I recommend that people read the excellent piece by Havva G. Guney-Ruebenacker over at altmuslim. Her argument is that while the Quran contains 'universal humanist principles', the 'frozen-in-time' approach to Sharia has meant a shift from the Quran advancing women's and human rights to becoming a tool for misogynistm.

This argument rests upon the view which I agree with that the Quran provides a moral framework from which we can create legal codes based on the challenges that we face and the context that we live in. At the same time there is also an important critique of the likes of Irshad Manji who falsely launch attacks on the Quran rather than on how a time-specific interpretation of the Quran has come to be wrongly accepted as Sharia.

While I'm not sure how strongly proposals for the Iraqi constitution such as
'the legislator may make laws based on Islamic law, only to the extent that these laws do not contradict the principle of equality of all citizens before law and do not violate any of the fundamental rights protected in the Constitution' will resonate with Muslims, it is an interesting and innovative approach which has a fighting chance of gaining widespread acceptance amongst the Muslim population.

To finish, here's a snippet from the article which I think provides a coherent justification for 'reformist' readings of Islam.

'We need to admit that the early Muslims were human generations, who had their own faithful heroes and hypocrites, their good and bad, ugly and beautiful, glorious and flawed aspects. We need to openly reject the wrong Qur'anic interpretations of our past scholars, in the same way we proudly embrace and praise their great achievements and contributions to humanity in all fields of human development.'

Pakistan Postpones F-16's Purchase

2005-11-04T16:32:00.000Z

This may not seem like much, but I'm hopeful that it provides a precedent in terms of looking at defence spending more carefully in the future. With nuclear weapons already in place, Pakistan could afford to cut back on quite a large amount of millitary spending without sacrificing national security.

General Musharraf needs to realise that just like western governments may not be donating as much because they haven't seen the television pictures and that western tourists weren't affected he is guilty of the same thing. Every year, millions suffer as they are forced to live in inadequate conditions without access to clean water and healthcare provision let alone education.

However as the Pakistani media can not focus in on this in the same way that they have on the plight of the earthquake survivors, not much is done to make the life of the common man easier. It may be being naive, but perhaps the suffering of the Earthquake survivors will lead to future budgets cutting down millitary spending and on the whole being slightly more progressive.

Who Are The Silent Majority?

2005-11-04T01:26:00.000Z

The silent majority is an oft used expression by Muslim moderates seeking to defend their religion from both Islamic extremists and Christian fundamentalists. However, no one seems to have tried to define who the 'silent majority' are, what views they hold, and why they hold them. In this piece I will attempt to analyse the practises of these Muslims with particular reference to the U.K. and Pakistan, although I would suggest that Muslims all over the world have similar characteristics.

The first aspect of the silent majority that I would like to touch upon is the fact that such Muslims make decisions about religion and how it affects them every single day. How to dress, how to raise their children, whom to interact with, whom to work for - essentially how to live. Their life in short involves compromises and while Islam inevitably informs most decisions, it is not applied in such a way as to prevent pragmatic living and it certainly isn't applied in the same manner by everyone.

On the other hand there is the vocal and visible minority who rather than confront the challenges presented by the modern world head on will try and retreat into a very utopian vision of Islamic practise. One reason why there is often confusion within the Muslim community is that many in the silent majority have an idea that those that profess to form a 'purer' form of Islam are in some way better Muslims and should be admired if not followed. This is despite the fact that the experience of the majority is very different from this minority and their actions do not provide any guidance either physical or spiritual for how we should live or lives.

What is needed to enable a moderate yet robust form of Islam to assert itself is for those who live normal lives to stop being defensive about how they conduct their affairs and to assert a claim that their Islam is as legitimate if not more so than the one espoused by those taking a narrow conception of Islam. Just as Muslims unite in arguing that our religion has been hijacked by terrorists for their own ends, we can also take a stand against those who seek to impose their own literal interpretations on the rest of us. As to what positive action this
might involve?

Perhaps to begin with not to give so much deference to those Imams who give khutbas which are filled with grand rhetoric which has very little basis in reality. Another thing could be to teach children the quran from urdu or english translations so that maulvi's that come to teach the Arabic are not able to fill young minds with superstition and their own prejudices rather than teaching religion. That taking part in local British politics rather than being haram is an
essential part of shaping the community that we live in. That there is nothing wrong with integrating an 'Islamic way of life' with those parts of western culture (and there are many) which are compatible with it.

The list could go on but the point is essentially a simple one. That we should draw guidance not from some utopian fantasy but from drawing on the experiences of the majority of Muslims across the world who are constantly juggling different things and figuring out how to get along.

In this post I've tried to outline some of my main arguments on the subject and I'd appreciate criticisms which would allow me to refine or indeed reconsider some of the ideas that I've put forward. Thanks.

Historic Moment In Kashmir Dispute?

2005-10-29T23:16:00.000+01:00

Pakistan and India have agreed a deal allowing for the opening of the line of control to enable relief items as well as families to cross the border into Pakistan.

Not only is this an important step in itself, but perhaps as significantly it was agreed despite today's terrible bombings in Delhi.

Normally I treat such agreements with caution as it seems that progress is always undermined by increased tension between the two countries in the aftermath of things such as terrorist attacks.

The fact that the bombings did not derail the negotiations suggests a maturing of the relationship between the two states and gives me cause for optimism that further progress can be made in the future.

In the meantime, more needs to be done for the earthquake survivors. For an interesting idea check out this piece.

Harriet Miers Withdraws!

2005-10-27T14:45:00.000+01:00

Maybe I'm being overly cynical but this seems like a tactical ploy to try and divert attention away from the Fitzgerald findings/indictments coming out tomorrow. The question is, will it work?

The Left and The War on Terror

2005-10-27T00:39:00.000+01:00

As someone who considers myself left of centre, acknowledges a 'certain degree of western culpability for spawning groups like al-Qaida', but at the same time feels that prominent polemicists such as Tariq Ali, John Pilger and Robert Fisk focus too heavily on America at the expense of analysing islamo-fascism, I found this piece by Sasha Abramsky at OpenDemocracy articulating many of my views on the fight against terrorism.

As Abramsky says, the analysis of the left is truncated as it stops at a critique of America and assumes that,
'groups like al-Qaida are almost entirely reactive, responding to western policies and actions, rather than being pro-active creatures with a virulent homegrown agenda, one not just of defence but of conquest, destruction of rivals, and, ultimately and at its most megalomaniacal, absolute subjugation.'

In my opinion this 'blindspot' also applies to things such as humanitarian intervention by Western Governments in places like Kosovo and the notable lack of outrage over the lack of action in Sudan.

In terms of finding a response to balance security and maintaining constitutional protections, Abramsky rightly argues that unless those on the left take part in this debate and come up with solutions as to effective and just measures, the likes of Wolfowitz, Cheney, Kristol and Rumsfeld will be able to 'frame the terms of the discussion as they see fit' to disastrous results. Merely critiquing the policies of the 'neo-conservative cabal' will not help fight terrorism or win political power and it is high time that those on the left begin formulating positive policies of their own to respond to the changed realites of the world we live in.

Interesting Muslim Legal Scholar

2005-10-27T00:18:00.000+01:00

Have read an article by Abdullahi A. An-Na'im and am currently awaiting delivery of his book 'Towards an Islamic Reformation'. I will post my thoughts on the book as soon as I've finished reading it but before then there is an excellent review on Amazon which I suggest that people read.

From everything that I've read about him so far, it seems that Professor Naim is an extremely important Muslim scholar whose work should be read and engaged with by all those interested in the future of Islam.

True Wisdom

2005-10-20T07:30:00.000+01:00

"The power of the Executive to cast a man into prison without formulating any charge known to the law, and particularly to deny him the judgement of his peers, is in the highest degree odious and is the foundation of all totalitarian government whether Nazi or Communist," - Winston Churchill, November 21, 1943, describing what is now legal and constitutional in the United States, under president Bush.

(from AndrewSullivan.com)

Heading Towards A Real Truman Show??

2005-10-19T18:01:00.000+01:00

It's getting closer.

Muslims, Faith and Sharia Law

2005-10-17T21:38:00.000+01:00

The implementation of Sharia Law is a rallying cry issued by traditional Muslims and Islamists from London to Lahore. One argument used by moderate Muslims to argue against Sharia is the point that Sharia as we see it today is largely the implementation of Muslim values by 10th and 11th century jurists to the world that they lived in. Since then the gates of ijtihad have been closed and there has not been much jurisprudential development to update Islamic law so that it can provide guidance in the modern world.

I would not disagree with this, but I think that it is difficult to win the argument against traditionalist Muslims if the debate is shaped in the above terms. Therefore I would ask those Muslims who would like Sharia law the following.

You usually have the most public displays of faith and religion, but if you are so confident of your faith then why do you find it necessary to impose your notions of piety upon other Muslims and Non-Muslims? Surely you believe that on the Day of Judgement you will meet your creator and that he will judge you on the way that you have lived your life - whether you were pious or not, as he will all other people.

However the system of government that gives you the greatest opportunity to practise your religion as you believe you should is a liberal democracy where people of all faiths are given the choice to follow or not follow a religion. If you are a Sunni Muslim then you may well be persecuted in Islamic but Shia Iran. If you are a Shia or an Ahmadi Muslim then you might well be persecuted in Islamic but Sunni Saudi Arabia. We all saw the indiscrimanate nature of the Taliban who didn't seem to give any regard to due process and individual protection.

This is an example of where John Rawl's 'veil of ignorance' comes in. If you did not know whether you would be born Shia or Sunni or Ismaili or Christian, you would hope that the society that you were being born into was one in which all people had equal rights to follow their consciences and to practise their religion. If you were able to live a moral and pious life then I do not think that a benevolent Almighty would send you to hell for not forcing other people into believing what you believed.

There are usually some critiques of this point of view. People argue for example that in a society where lets say girls are allowed to wear miniskirts, there is a corrupting influence which prevents others from freely practising their faith. Among other things though, how does this relate to the ever increasing number of young Muslims 'in the west' who are wearing the hijab and keeping beards. Surely in a society in which they are free to choose they are choosing to live as pious Muslims.

Perhaps one of the reasons why such an argument as projected in this piece is difficult to get across is that there is very little doubt amongst some Muslims that their religion amongst all others is correct. This is despite the fact that scientific advancements and Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection amongst other things cast about the existence of a supreme creator. Of course they don't prove that a creator does not exist but they do add that element of doubt.

I think (hope) that once this doubt enters Muslims minds, instead of reactionary rejection of new(or indeed old) ideas then while still having faith they will not be so quick to try and push their views on others leading to a more open discourse as to the role of government in a Muslim society and hopefully help end the oppression of those millions of Muslims who happen to be minorities within Muslim majority states.

More Info On Earthquake

2005-10-17T11:17:00.000+01:00

For an excellent account on the difficulties faced by aid and rescue workers from someone who has first hand knowledge of the area as well some positive comments on the nation's response to the tragedy Irfan Hussain's column in Dawn is well worth reading.

Earthquake News

2005-10-17T10:54:00.000+01:00

It seems that the Earthquake in South Asia has gone off the front pages of western newspapers a lot quicker than the tsunami. This is probably due to the fact that firstly the tsunami occurred during the holidays when a lot of people were glued to their television sets and secondly that a lot more people had been to or knew people who had gone to Indonesia in particular.

I'm bringing this up not to diminish the effect of the tsunami but to keep people informed that public generosity as well as pressure on governments must be maintained as the Himalayan winter begins to take hold in a very inaccesible mountainous region.

Most estimates now have the death toll at over 50 000 and the number of homeless and ill at 2.5 million. This is a staggering amount and as Andreas Whittam Smith argues in today's Independent, the most pressing concern is helicopters. So far America has contributed 10 while Britain despite all of Tony Blair's humane rhetoric has contributed 0. If someone has an idea as to how many Coalition helicopters are currently in Afghanistan, please post a comment.

Meanwhile to end on a positive note, here is a truly inspiring story.

Earthquake Relief

2005-10-11T13:36:00.000+01:00

Just blogging to encourage people to donate to the earthquake relief. If done within the next couple of days the money will have its greatest impact.

Also I thought I'd link to this. I wouldn't go as far as calling it a silver lining - the rescued children will have lost almost all of their friends, but amidst the thousands dead it is at least something.

You Can Not Be Serious ?!?

2005-10-07T17:07:00.000+01:00

Shocking headline in the Times of India (via IndiaUncut)

Wishful Thinking Anyone?

2005-10-07T17:03:00.000+01:00

Incredibly optimistic article by Gerald Baker in the times.

Science, Punditry & The Blogosphere

2005-10-05T09:28:00.000+01:00

Liberal, secular democracies are based significantly on science and a rational way of looking at the world. Unfortunately I think that too many pundits on both left and right completely ignore the scientific method i.e. carefully gathering facts and then coming up with theories which explain test results or coming up with theories which are then subject to serious scrutiny when doing their analysis.

I worry that the blogosphere is exacerbating this as people, rather than exploring different ideas keep going back to the same blogs thereby reinforcing views which they already have instead of challenging themselves. As a result, bloggers have I think begun to write to appeal to their audience. On the other hand, mainstream newspapers despite their faults at least provide a variety of content with commentators of different political persuasion. Of course I may be wrong so if those of you who read this blog for instance feel that my comments on the blogosphere in particular are inaccurate please let me know.

P.S I'll put some quotes up by some of the great scientists on the scientific method up in a bit.

Awesome Blog Discovery

2005-09-30T23:45:00.000+01:00

Everybody please check out this blog - it is fantastic with such brilliant posts such as 'rape me musharraf' and 'a reply to stupid comments on feminist studies'. (Also don't miss out her take on female pee cups and Pakistani marriages amongst other things)

More On Women In Islam And The Case Of Sania Mirza

2005-09-30T23:04:00.000+01:00

Superb piece on the status of women in contemporary Islamic society, and in particular the treatment of women as property with reference to Sania Mirza by Shabana Mir at altmuslim (also cross-posted at her blog).

Money Quote
"Sania's clothing is an issue because women are still seen as property. "Our women" should not be viewed by others, not because they are women but because they are "ours." It is the same reason why Sher Bano is killed outside the court and Saima Waheed is taken to court by her father for marrying someone on their own and women are killed by husbands for not bringing sufficient dowry"

Asimov on Science

2005-09-29T23:31:00.000+01:00

A quote by Asimov in his New Guide To Science via John Gribbin's Science: A History.

No one can really feel at home in the modern world and judge the nature of its problems - and the possible solutions to those problems - unless one has some intelligent notion of what science is up to. Furthermore, initiation into the magnificent world of science brings great esthetic satisfaction, inspiration to youth, fulfillment of the desire to know, and a deeper appreciation of the wonderful potentialities and achievements of the human mind.

I think there is great wisdom in this and makes things such as this (via 3quarksdaily) and this so much more depressing.

Stop Pestering Old Myopic People!??

2005-09-29T23:08:00.000+01:00

I'm watching Question Time right now and understandably Patricia Hewitt has had a go against Ken Clarke, questioning his record while in government.

But honestly, is there nothing better that Labour has on Ken Clarke that he stopped free eye tests for old people??? I mean, do even old people care about this??

Either
a) Labour is convinced David Davis is going to win,
b) Labour does not believe Ken Clarke to be a threat,
c) Patricia Hewitt and her researchers are thoroughly incompetent.

Answers please (After listening to more Patricia Hewitt I'm leaning towards (c))

Teenage Punks Behind Black Hijabs!

2005-09-24T21:42:00.000+01:00

Seemingly obvious but nevertheless brilliant piece in The Times by Janice Turner on the Hijab as another form of teen rebellion along the same lines 'as a punk's mohican or a goth's black garb'.

Ms Turner makes a number of good points in her discussion with a group of intelligent young Hijabi's. For example she questions them on issues such as equality and various freedoms for people in the U.K. As I've said before, one of the problems in Muslim thought is the association of liberal democracy with sometimes questionable morality. The point is not that a liberal society promotes such action it is that people are given the freedom to choose how they behave. There is often talk about how liberal democracy needs to be adapted to Eastern or Islamic culture. The point is that it will do so automatically - a liberal democracy in Pakistan will have several problems resulting from people exercising their freedom but mass drunkenness is unlikely to be one of them.

The most interesting part of the article though was this argument,

"I suggested they were far more British than they thought. They laughed that living in Iran and compelled to wear the hijab they would probably spend their lives trying to break the rule."

Of course there is no way of proving this but intuitively it just seems right and definitely provides food for thought.

Friday Prayers

2005-09-23T16:42:00.000+01:00

I came out of Friday prayers today and felt there was something refreshingly different. Then it came to me - no annoying as hell Hizb-ul-Tahrir leafleteers were present! There are negative consequences of the government's decision to ban the group but thankfully there are also positives.

Irfan Hussain

2005-09-22T19:18:00.000+01:00

Irfan Hussain is one of Pakistan's top newspaper columnists and his latest piece on occupation, terrorism and counter-terrorism is once again deeply thought provoking.

The point I'd like to make is that even though most would consider Mr Hussain a liberal muslim who is unafraid to take bold positions on many controversial issues, his position on Palestine is very much in line with most progressive and muslim opinion. It strentghens my belief that it is a grave mistake for Americans in particular to simplify the issue in terms of democracy v terrorism.

Palestinian groups should be condemned when they engage in bombing Israeli towns. However the assumption many Americans make is that as the P.L.O was so late in recognising the state of Israel, a peace accord without a solution to the Hamas problem is destined to fail as Palestinians will continue the bombing.

This is a mistake. As the period after the Oslo accords showed, when given the prospect of peace ordinary Palestinians will help their administration in clamping down on the radicals. Most Palestinians are ordinary people who do want peace. Most Isreali's are ordinary people who want peace. To make it happen America needs to be involved as an honest broker.

Has Musharraf Gone Nuts?

2005-09-18T12:32:00.000+01:00

This was the question asked recently by New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof based on the good general's comments on rape being a 'money-making' concern.

My own view of General Musharraf is that given the position he occupies, he is not doing enough to build institutions which can survive his reign, thereby leaving continued good governance to chance. On the other hand, as of right now there are no credible alternatives.

Therefore compared to the return of Zardari or the MMA, I'm reasonably satisfied with his performance. However if an 'enlightened moderate' like Musharraf is going to make such remarks then it is deeply worrying for the future of the country.

(Excellent piece on the BBC website)

Monty Hall Problem Answer

2005-09-16T16:49:00.000+01:00

This is slightly delayed, but I thought that I'd mention that S Abdul Halim has the right answer on the Monty Hall problem about the goats and cars here .

The essential point is that although you might end up with a choice between a car and a goat, the probability of the first pick being either a car or a goat means that it no longer remains a 50/50 choice.

Anyway, the thing I got from the puzzle is how intuition can get things so horribly wrong. Almost everyone that you give this problem too will immediately say that it makes no difference which door you pick.

For many, even showing the mathematic logic will not leave them convinced. When Marilyn vos Savant initially gave the correct answer, she was inundated with responses by respected academics who criticised her for among other things threatening maths education in America.

Intuition is important - many decisions that we take have to be made at an internal intuitive level. However, we must also recognise logic and reason and this is especially true when states as opposed to individuals are making decisions and that irrationality has to be fought.

When Musharraf Met Sharon

2005-09-16T13:31:00.000+01:00

Hilarious snippet in the Times recounting the brief Musharaf/Sharon encounter at the U.N.

President Musharraf of Pakistan had a politically significant encounter with Ariel Sharon of Israel at a breakfast session. “I was standing and I was in a group and he joined me in the group,” General Musharraf told reporters. “He asked me how I was and I asked him ‘How are you?’”

Pakistan and Israel

2005-09-13T22:18:00.000+01:00

There is a big discussion in Pakistan right now about the merits and demerits of the government's decision to initiate diplomatic relations with Israel in the wake of the Gaza pullout s I thought I'd give my take.

Firstly, I don't think that Israel should have come into existence in 1948 in the way that it did with the eviction of Palestinians from their homes and the taking over of their land. Having said that, that was over 50 years and things have moved on since then. Despite the fact that millions of Palestinians have suffered, there is no sense in inflicting similar hardship on Israelis especially considering the fact that after the horrors of the Holocaust it does make sense to have a Jewish state somewhere in the world.

So, where does that leave a country like Pakistan? I think that no recognition sends out the wrong signals by suggesting that Israel itself should not exist rather than a Palestinian state should also exist. Therefore an ideal situation would be to have official recognition but to adjust diplomatic and economic relations based on the progress of the 'peace process'.

I don't however think that that sequencing of events is wholly possible and so I have to broadly agree with what the government has done. There are also strong arguments to make as to Pakistan acting in its own national interest as opposed to basing foreign policy on some utopian vision of pan-Islamic unity. I don't like to use them however as they suggest that determinations of good and bad should never enter foreign policy decisions which is a very Kissingerian view of diplomacy which I'm not very comfortable with. (On that, The Trial of Henry Kissinger by Christopher Hitchens is a must read)

Chris Patten On The Tory Party

2005-09-13T21:58:00.000+01:00

For anyone interested in British politics and the Tory party, there was an excellent piece in yesterdays Guardian by former Governor of Hong Kong and EU Commissioner Chris Patten. The most important point which he makes which can not be reiterated enough is that in a world of free trade (which tories like), the only way for nation states to excercise sovereignty which they would otherwise have lost is through cooperation through institutions such as the EU. If anyone knows why he never ran for Tory leader, please let me know.

Shazia Mirza and Sania Mirza

2005-09-02T21:01:00.000+01:00

Very insightful piece at gutter.blogspot.com building upon Johann Hari's article in the Independent which featured the work of talented uslim comedienne Shazia Mirza.

It very rightly says that in order for Muslims and especially young Muslim women to be drawn away from fundamentalism, anti-Muslim prejudice must be fought in Western society not only to free people from discrimination, but also so that it can not be used as propoganda to encourage women to rebel against the society in which they live in and adopt a very strict form of Islam which does nothing to help integration.

A key quote - 'But by forcing Muslim girls to choose between their rights as Muslims and their rights as women, we will create more fanatics. It is inevitable'.

Of course even if anti-Muslim sentiment is greatly reduced in society there will still be very strict Muslims who will see only negatives in Western society. However, there comes a point where people who are growing up in a positive environment will come to disregard the anti-sentiment out of hand. If on the other hand they continue to encounter racism and abuse then they may well turn to fundamentalism and in extreme cases violence.

On a similar theme, there is an interesting post at the Gene Expression blog on the role previously played by pilgrims returning from Mecca after completing the Hajj as 'meme fountains'. This might be stretching it, but it seems that there might be an analogy with the previous point with women who are stuck at home and whose main contact with the outside world is through the frustrations of her husbands and relatives. Of course these are often then reinforced through her own limited experiences of the world around her and passed on to the children.

Before i begin to ramble if I haven't started to do so already, just a quick congratulations to Sania Mirza for reaching the fourth round of the U.S Open. She's probably going to be hammered by Sharapova, but that won't take away from the progress that she's made.

Progressive Islam - A Contradiction!

2005-08-29T19:39:00.000+01:00

Came across this piece from Avaris from Nov 2004 on the problems with Irshad Manji and progressive Islam at his excellent blog. Mr Moghul raises some extremely good points. Islam is most definitely about submission to God's will and it is true to a certain extent that Irshad Manji 'validates' Osama bin Laden by quoting selectively from the Quran and Hadith to progpogate her particular viewpoint.

Having said that, at the beginning of the post the writer speaks as to how he doubts that people can have true faith without having doubted it. Unfortunately submitting to the will of Allah also seems to inculcate people with a sense of superiority in their status of superior human beings who will be rewarded in the afterlife. This would not really be a problem if that confidence did not spill over into the world we live in but alas it does.

Therefore, I would suggest that part of 'progression' or 'reform' is about education and a realisation amongst Muslims that whilst they are perfectly entitled to have their faith in God, scientific evidence casts aspersions on this and that at least right now, having a secular, liberal, pluralist and democratic government is the best form of political organisation available to humankind.

That's it for now, I'll be posting more thoughts on a similar theme hopefully in the near future, in the mean time I'll recommend Mr Moghul's blog again.

Holocaust Remembrance Day and the Muslim Council of Britain

2005-08-23T08:49:00.000+01:00

This is a bit late, but I think that its an important matter. The Muslim Council of Britain decided to boycott a Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony on the grounds that the event should recognise Genocide wherever it occurs and not just the Holocaust.

On the face of it, the justification given seems reasonable. Genocide has occurred since then in places like Rwanda and Yugoslavia and the 'never again' rhetoric is pointless if that is not recognized.

There are however several problems with the explanation given by Mr Sacranie. Firstly, he asked for Palestinian suffering to be included as well. Whilst Palestinians have suffered gross abuses of their human rights, to call it a genocide is legally and morally incorrect.

Secondly and more importantly, it is irrelevant when commemorating such an event as the liberation of Auschwitz whether or not genocide has also taken place in other places . What happened under Nazi rule was a crime against humanity and as human beings and community leaders, the MCB should have attended the function as a sign of respect for their fellow citizens many of whom were personally affected by the Holocaust. There is a time and a place for everything and boycotting such an event simply sends out the wrong message to both Muslims and non-Muslims.

Thirdly lets not forget some of the other outrages which have taken place over the last century. Millions of people were killed in Stalin's Russia and Mao's China. Lets hope the MCB's close association with the likes of Galloway have not blinded them to this.

Also while I also disagreed with the War in Iraq, the MCB could also have shown some solidarity and recognition of those butchered by Saddam including the Kurds the Shia's and the Marsh Arabs not to mention the countless dissidents or indeed those murdered gratuitously for the pleasure of Uday and Qusay - Not to justify what happened there, but Abu Ghraib existed before the Americans arrived there.

It is fashionable for those heavily influenced by the likes of John Pilger and Noam Chomsky to blame America for the sanctions imposed on Iraq and the suffering that that caused. However, the whole Security Council was behind that as a means to contain Saddam's regime. The fact that people suffered was due to the abuse of the sanctions by Saddam aided in some cases by those in the west which allowed him to live in luxury while 'his people' died. (This is not to mention that Chomsky constantly denied the Cambodian Holocaust which was also missing from the list of genocides)

Finally, the situation closest to Genocide today is happening in the Darfur region of Sudan. Perhaps Mr Sacranie when explaining his decision to boycott Holocaust Memorial Day should have called on Mr Blair and Mr Bush to form a coalition of forces to intervene in Sudan and put an end to the humanitarian crimes taking place there.

Mind Game

2005-08-21T08:33:00.000+01:00

Here's a mind game for you.

You are a contestant on a game show. There are 3 doors. Behind 2 doors are goats and behind one of the doors there is a car. The aim is to choose the car.

You are asked to choose one of the 3 doors. The game show host then opens one of the doors revealing a goat (It is important to note that he knows what is behind each of the doors and will never reveal the door with the car behind it).

Before revealing what was behind the door that you initially selected, the gameshow host gives you the option of switching to the other door which is still concealed.

Do you
a) stay with your original choice
b) switch to the other door
c) it doesn't matter what you do

Answers with explanations in the comments section please. I'll post the answer with explanation in a few days.

Interview With Ms Chakrabarti

2005-08-21T07:58:00.000+01:00

For those interested, here is a link to an interview in The Times with the Director of Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti.

While I think the interviewer sometimes disingenously adds his own thoughts after an answer which Ms Chakrabarti has given, it is nevertheless an excellent read which brings out many of the main areas of dispute in dealing with terrorists and terror suspects.

Liberty

2005-08-08T20:33:00.001+01:00

Excellent critique of the Blairite response to 7/7 in the Guardian a couple of days ago by Shami Chakrabarti. Liberty is sometimes lumped together by conservative commentators along with the Galloway/Respect/SWP crowd.

This is unfortunate - Liberty is a pragmatic organisation which plays an important role in protecting our civil liberties while Shami Chakrabarti is an excellent conveyor of ideas making rational arguments which are feisty without going near the ideological guff which one sometimes hears.

As an added bonus, she not only discusses the problems of proposed government policy but at the same time offers concrete proposals of alternative measures needed to combat the terrorist threat.

Post on Secular Right India

2005-08-07T18:29:00.000+01:00

Primary Red at Secular Right India has this post, based on some comments I made at his blog on the state of the Pakistani media and the supposed 'battle withink Islam' amongst other things. It's definitely worth a read.

Update on Multiculturalism

2005-08-07T18:22:00.000+01:00

Thought I'd link to a piece by Johann Hari rethinking the benefits of multiculturalism. It seems that its not just the right which is attacking government policy on the matter. I'm not sure that I agree with the the feasibility of some of the conclusions but Mr Hari always makes you think and I recommend everyone to check out his website.

David Davis and Multiculturalism

2005-08-02T20:52:00.001+01:00

So unsurprisingly, David Davis has called for an 'end to multiculturalism'. This is unfortunate.What politicans such as Mr Davis need to foster and encourage is a sense of civic nationalism towards British institutions as opposed to a parochial ethnic nationalism to an imaginary British way of life. He does hint to this end when he speaks of 'a core britishness', but does not spell this out clearly.

These values would include adherence to fundamentals of liberal democracy such as tolerance, liberty, equality and the rule of law. The type of clothes one decides to wear (hijab included) or the cuisine which one eats should not be an issue and in fact diversity in such areas should be welcomed as they provide perspective and lead to less parochialism.

For some ideas as to how politicians can help to inculcate such values in both British born people of different cultures as well as immigrants there is an excellent piece by Jonathan Freedland in The Guardian.

Arab Reform

2005-08-02T20:52:00.000+01:00

That political repression in the Arab world has led to many young people being drawn towards Islamic fundamentalism is now conventional wisdom. One thing which is missed out though is that a religious revival is also a backlash against the failed modernism attempted by the likes of Nasser.

What is often forgotten is that the Arab world did attempt to modernise, but that on the whole, it either went down a socialist path ala Egypt or a fascist path ala Iraq. This has led to modernism as a whole being rejected leading to a yearning for a return to a 'purer' Islamic heritage.

Recently, Egypt has shown signs of development with candidates being allowed to run against President Mobarak. Hopefully, this is not a one off event and continues after the current administration is finished. People need to see a liberal, democratic system working for them before they can fully rid themselves utopian visions of Islamic grandeur.