The Trouble with Islam Today
Irshad Manji
Just saw an interview with this woman Irshad Manji (a self-described 'Muslim refusenik') on Newsnight, about her book "The Trouble with Islam Today". She's certainly brave, and has lots of important and interesting stuff to say. She does come across like the Canadian lesbian feminist she apparently is though, it has to be said....
4 comments:
Seems like a very nice lady. I'm reminded of Tariq Ali's call for a 'Muslim Reformation'. Although I'm not a huge fan (some of his pieces on Iraq showed evidence of certain left wing blind spots as I recall) I nonetheless strongly recommend taking a look at this 'Letter to a Muslim'. There's lots of quotable stuff:
'The British prime minister is a great believer in single-faith schools. The American president ends each speech with "God Save America". Osama starts and ends each TV interview by praising Allah. All three have the right to do so, just as I have the right to remain committed to most of the values of the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment attacked religion -- Christianity, mainly -- for two reasons: that it was a set of ideological delusions, and that it was a system of institutional oppression, with immense powers of persecution and intolerance. Why should we abandon either of these legacies today?'
'We are in desperate need of an Islamic Reformation that sweeps away the crazed conservatism and backwardness of the fundamentalists but, more than that, opens up the world of Islam to new ideas which are seen to be more advanced than what is currently on offer from the west.'
Hope this incites you to read it.
http://www.artsandopinion.com/2003_v2_n1/ali.htm
Yup, the Tariq Ali is interesting, definitely more to agree than disagree with, eg:
I've met many of our people in different parts of the world since September 11. One question is always repeated: "Do you think we Muslims are clever enough to have done this?" I always answer "Yes". Then I ask who they think is responsible, and the answer is invariably "Israel". Why? "To discredit us and make the Americans attack our countries." I gently expose their wishful illusions, but the conversation saddens me. Why are so many Muslims sunk in this torpor? Why do they wallow in so much self-pity? Why is their sky always overcast? Why is it always someone else who is to blame?
You get a good idea of what Irshad Manji is like from this:
BBC - Radio 4 - Today Programme Listen Again:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/zthursday_20050512.shtml
0846 Canadian author and feminist Irshad Manji calls for reform within Islam.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_islam_20050512.ram
Interview on yesterday's Today Program with the very interesting Irshad Manji. Depressing police ignorance about the Muslim community is revealed, as is the very real danger of the Muslim Council of Britain's fatuous insistence that terrorism has nothing to do with religion.
BBC Radio 4 Today Program
07/07/2006
0854 How have things changed in Britain since the events of last year? We're joined by Professor Michael Clark from Kings College London and author Irshad Manji.
Listen
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