This week's Word for Word features a July 1 panel at the Aspen Ideas Festival. Dalia Mogahed, director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies and Irshad Manji, author of "The Trouble with Islam Today: A Muslim's Call for Reform in her Faith" debated the question: "Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think."
Several issues emerged during this lively discussion. Moderator Jeffrey Goldberg, correspondent for the Atlantic magazine, asked the panelists "Is Islam a religion of peace?" Dalia Mogahed says yes:
"I think we have to answer the question, What is a religion of peace? And I would say a religion of peace is a relgion that prefers peace over war. If that is the definition, then I would say, Yes, Islam is a religion of peace."Another topic of debate was, Who should be responsible for interpreting the Koran? Mogahed said Islamic scholars should be the interpreters. Self described Reform-minded Muslm Manji says that's not enough:
"If you leave a theological interpretation only to a very thin and rarefied layer of elites...all we are doing is cementing or reinforcing this pattern of submissiveness...that we Muslims have had to God's self-appointed ambassadors for 700 years. And frankly, that's not going to change much."We'd like to hear from you. Have a listen to the full program on the Word for Word web site and join in the conversation below.
Who should speak for Islam? Who should be responsible for reforming or reinterpreting the Koran? Is Irshad Manji right to suggest Muslims seek out new interpretations of the Koran? Do you agree with Dalia Mogahed's definition of "a religion of peace"? What will it take for mainstream America to view Islam as a religion of peace?
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Suzanne Pekow
Word for Word
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Comments: 20
I keep saying "can Islam live in a world with personal and economic freedoms"?
Christianty and Judism have learned to adapt to secular government? Can Islam?
Why is the mainstream media so afraid to say anything critical of Islam but will bash Christianity any day of the week?
Why don't "moderate" Muslims in free countries denounce all the stuff the nucklehead Muslims are doing? If they keep quiet, are they truly "moderate"?
I've heard a mullah say that so many Muslims are afraid to speak out against the violent and hateful extremists because they fear for their own lives. They're just allowing evil to spread.
Islam is so NOT a religion of peace. An otherwise peaceful Muslim woman has shown me a Koranic passage she believes commands Muslims to kill all Jews an anothr one commanding the sword for all "infidels".
Furthermore, look at Muslim history. In cinsiderably less than a century, Arabs Muslims had used the sword to spread Islam by terror all the way across North Africa, through Spain and to the borders of France, and deep into Central Asia. When the Muslim Turks overran Christian Bulgaria, they used rape and murder to enforce conversions; likewise in Albania.
As recently as WWI, the same Muslim Turks committed the horrible Armenian holocaust. They used beatings, rape and finally murder to pressure Christian Armenians to convert and finally tried to kill off the whole Armenian population.
Anybody who even faintly thinks that Islam is a moderate or peaceful religions is either determined to lie or grossly ignorant.
It is not unreasonable to ask where are the leaders of Islam, where are the voices condeming those that command woman and children to strap a bomb onto themselves and blow up their own brothers and sisters?
As far as Dalia Mogahed goes she too deserves credit for acknowledging the needs for change within the Muslim faith. I lost some respect for her when she not only cited reasons why the radicals justify killing American citizens she seemed to dignify the reasons why. Her reason was that Muslims are instructed not to attack citizens but since America is a democracy and our tax dollars fund our government, that makes all citizens of America combatants, not citizens.
""" Good points all around. Dorine, to play devil's advocate, have other religions not had similarly bloody histories?"""
Suzanne to compare Islam to the barbaric acts that were taking place back during the Christian crusades hundreds upon hundreds of years ago would normally be offensive. but in this case it is true. You are correct. Christians in the stone age acted like modern day Muslims....
I liked Dalia Mogahed's view that those who should be credited with speaking rights regarding the Koran should need schooling and a license much like a doctor. But in the end it comes down to the individual in my opinion.
"""""Who should be responsible for reforming or reinterpreting the Koran?"""
As answered by the last question.
""""Is Irshad Manji right to suggest Muslims seek out new interpretations of the Koran?""""
I think she was dead on regarding the need for modern interpretations in the modern world.
""""Do you agree with Dalia Mogahed's definition of "a religion of peace"? What will it take for mainstream America to view Islam as a religion of peace?""""
I didn't like Dalia's admission that she doesn't like the term "religion of peace." In my mind I think she is a good person and an important voice regarding not just Islam but a females role. Unfortunately I get the feeling that she is part of the problem because in a subtle way it seems like she sympathizes with the reasons for terrorism. She claimed "a religion of peace" sounds weak and defensive. As opposed to what?
Both Islam and Christianity were spread by the sword. Both were imposed by armed might. I would say neither was a religion of peace.
But then they exist in a context of money and money creates a situation in which violence is the natural outcome, self-destructive as that violence is.
The way to peace is fully detailed in Invisible Hand for those who want peace. For those who just want to complain about war, sorry I interrupted your conversation. (That's probably sarcasm, sorry.)
Agreed. I think advertising dollars play a role there.... they don't want to 'offend'.
I'm glad you feel that way, Jeff H., and thanks for your thoughtful responses. I recommend you become a member of the Word for Word groupand continue to contribute to our topical discussions!
It's funny that those who r calling Manji, a brave woman and voice of reason do not tolerate such liberal in our own faith. Look at uproar over homosexuality in Christianity, Gay priest & even woman priest in many popular denominations. and how those who sopek traditions r looked down upon & treated. I myself don't care & turn a deaf ear to those are calling for change in Christianity so how can I expect Muslims not to act in the same way. It's these changes over years that has diluted Christianity to what it is today, merely label for many.
There is a big difference between an individual and the religion they belong to. Individuals can be great and have great potential, but a philosophy or religion might be toxic.
The initial questions was, "What will it take for mainstream America to view Islam as a religion of peace?"
What would convince me that Islam is interested in promoting peace would be if Muslims mourned the 9/11 attacks. If Muslims came together and held demonstrations rebuking the Muslims who would fly planes into buildings, then I might begin to imagine that Islam was actually interested in peace. I have not encountered Muslims who seemed sincerely saddened by the violence of 9/11.
I read about 1 Muslim who tried to motivate Muslims in America to get together and protest what had happened, but he was not joined by many others. Mostly he says he was criticised by others.
If the Qur'an didn't so clearly justify murder and sabotage (Surah 9) then I could imagine that Islam was a religion of peace.
Islam is not a religion that is interested in living in peace with people of other perspectives. Islam is a religion that promotes the control of Muslims over others.
Islam says it is a religion of peace because its end goal is peace, but the means to that peace is manipulation, fear, deception and violence.
That is what is in the Qur'an and that is how Islam emerged as a prominent religion.
"What will it take for mainstream America to view Islam as a religion of peace?"
Islam would have to abandon the Qur'an.
Islam would have to publicly mourn the violence it has brought upon the world from the beginning of its existence until the present. Many Muslims would not dream of committing the attrocities that other Muslims have, but still, as a member of the religion, innocent Muslims should be speaking out against violence and mourning what has and is happening.
It seems to me that Muslims do not do anything for the communities they live in. They want to absorb non-Muslims, but they do not seem to be a blessing to others.
Many organizations run by non-believers, Hindus, CHristians and Jews will help anyone. Muslims do not seem to be open to others.
That has been my experience.
I've read the Qur'an and the Hadiths, so I understand why Muslims would not want to stand up against the violence of other Muslims. Violence is an appropriate response to problems according to the Qur'an, the Hadiths and history.
Mohammed was a warlord... Today if he was around he would be sentenced to death for war crimes.
What will it take for mainstream America to view Islam as a religion of peace?
Islam would have to speak out against their prophet and his blood lust.
All this said, I do not hate Muslims. I say what I say because people deserve better. If I'm not honest about it, I'm not helping anyone. I would just be encouraging the same ignorance that the West has been part of for so long.
We say, "No one is wrong, everyone has a right to believe what they want." Its true - we do have freedom to believe what we want and that is beautiful, but Islam does not support that idea. If Islam spreads in the West, and this can already be seen in Europe and parts of Canada and the U.S., Islam will try to gain power and the rest of us down.
People have criticised CHristianity for being oppressive, and rightly so - I think Jesus would criticize those Christians too - but if Islam gained power in the west, forget the shame of book burning. Islamic forces burn down houses and behead fathers of children as they watch, so they can have those children claim that Allah is God and Mohammed is his prophet.
Islam as a religion is toxic.
Muslims, just like the rest of us, are God's children and they deserve better.
Islam isn't for peace, its for oppression.
Islam views the world like an open sore that must be burned shut - the burning will close the wound and bring about healing. What they don't realize is that the tools they are using (fear, hatred, deception and violence) will never bring about healing - they are covered in filth and that filth just spreads the wound. The sore will never close. Islam causes the world to be a burned up infected mess... all with the desire to bring about peace.
Remember, this is not hatred. THis is honesty. There is a big difference between the two. We do not do any favors to anyone by pretending they are safe when they are not and we have the chance to provide them with the information that will save them.
If this is offensive, please look beyond that. The purpose of this writing is not to offend, but to offer a way out. If you are considering becoming a Muslim, Pray. Pray to see clearly. Read the Qur'an and the Hadiths. Pray some more. Consider Mohammed's actions of violence and ethnic clensing. Ask God openly how to understand what you are reading. Consider the double standards for the consequence of sin when committed by a man vs those same sins committed by a woman. Read with an open mind - the truth will be self-evident.
Maybe you are a Muslim and you know that if you abandon Islam, your life may be in danger. Pray. God will not abandon you. He will provide a way out.
One of the hardest things in life is to choose God over people and social comfort.
Islam teaches that one of the worst things a person can do is to bring shame or pain to their mother. Its a trap. If you leave Islam, you might be opening a door that will bring liberation to your whole family including your mother. You can't honor your mother if you reject God in order to do it. - if you put God first you honor everything else in your life.
I write these words out of hope for those who are either about to fall into the trap, or are already ensnared.
There is a way out.
Love wins. Pray!