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Newsweek - December 5, 2006
New Chapter Needs New Thinking
By Dr. Maher Hathout
For the first time in Islamic history, millions of Muslims are living a new reality: As a religious minority in non-Muslim Western societies. This new situation requires renewed thinking in Islamic legal and theological scholarship.
The mid-20th century centrifuged millions of Muslims out of the heartlands of Islam and into a whole new world in Western societies as political, economic and educational factors in their homelands sparked an exodus to Europe, Australia and North America.
The result was a new historical reality for Muslims who were previously accustomed to belonging to either the majority, or a very influential minority within their societies. Now, they found themselves living for the first time as minorities within established and advanced non-Muslim majority societies. Another first, Muslims from all the corners of the globe, with all backgrounds, sects and schools of thought began living together in one place indefinitely. Vastly different Muslims co-exist in Mecca during the annual hajj, or pilgrimage, but this lasts only for a few days and for most individuals, just once per lifetime. But to be “stuck together” permanently, as a minority in one place is a new dynamic altogether.
These new realities brought several new challenges.
First to Muslims’ identity.
Second, they also raised questions about integration, assimilation, loyalty and implementing what is perceived as the teachings of the religion. A half century since their arrival in non-Muslim majority nations, different Muslims in Western countries are still struggling with these challenges.
The new legal, social and political circumstances that Muslims face as minority populations in the West have created an urgent need to reexamine Islamic legal principles (i.e. sharia). The question of what is Divine, and hence unchangeable to a Muslim, versus what is manmade and fallible, was always left to the minds of scholars who are themselves the natural product of their historic socio-economic political context. This question – of fixed and flexible within Islamic law – has to be posed and to be answered anew. Thus, very necessary and very exciting developments must be undertaken by Muslim intellectual leaders in their new homes in the West.
It is clear that Islamic law historically was codified to serve a ruling majority, which presents difficult (if not impossible) expectations for a minority group that is trying to establish its place within a new multi-faith, pluralist society.
For example, the Quran was revolutionary in its time for restricting polygamy from an unlimited number of wives--a common practice in pre-Islamic Arabia--to four if they could be treated equally. But given its outright prohibition by law today, a modern Islamic understanding would indicate the practice of polygamy is illegal and therefore prohibited.
In another case, Muslims living in Western societies usually can only purchase homes through interest-bearing loans. While interest is understood by some as usury which is prohibited by the Qur’an, new economic realities and different interpretations should lead to a deep examination of this issue.
When undertaken properly, the interpretation and re-interpretation of Quranic principles and the development of new and modern Islamic law addressing new and modern issues and challenges can be both invigorating and enhancing to all human life. If undertaken by Muslims and for Muslims, this presents an opportunity to “purify” Islam – not by changing the Quran but by embracing the Islamic tradition of dynamic reinterpretation fitting each new day and age.
At the Islamic Center of Southern California, we as concerned Muslim intellectuals initiated what we called “jurisprudence for minorities.” It is a project in progress that could be contribute to the much-needed revival of Islamic scholarship for an ever-changing world.
For Muslims in adopted lands, life will be easier if they avoid imposing on themselves unneeded restrictions and hardships and instead follow Islamic teachings that discourage hardship and promote the development of a moderate and facile way of realizing the goals of sharia, which is what is good for people in this life as well as the life of eternity.
By doing this, minority Muslim populations will not place themselves in either physical or virtual ghettos, but rather will be ready to cooperate in a constructive way with their fellow, non-Muslim citizens. As such, it will not be difficult for any Muslim to avoid what is prohibited by God, nor what is outlawed by humans in any particular time or place.
For Muslims all over the world, this will lead to the needed reform of Muslim people and Muslim thinking--and it will be reform from within, not one imposed from outside.
Dr. Maher Hathout, the author of “In Pursuit of Justice: The Jurisprudence of Human Rights in Islam” (MPAC, 2006), serves as the senior advisor to the Muslim Public Affairs Council and the Chairman of the Islamic Center of Southern California.
Usama:
While Dr Hathout means well, his "easiness" strategy does not tackle the hard realities of the unethical and unjust standards and principles that form the non-Muslim Western societies, namely capitalism. BBC reported today that the rich 2% of the world own 50% of all the world's household wealth. And America, Europe, Japan, and a few other nations constitute 90% of the category of household wealth.
The West shaped the world of today: drew the borders, enforced them by treaties, sanctions, worldwide alliances and military might. The West helped install the many ruling dynasties and powerful elites in much of the Muslim world. The West dominates global trade, global monetary policies, and monopolizes technological and scientific expertise. The world of today is essentially how the West defined it. Muslim people who believe there can be better and believe that Islam offers solutions to the poverty, injustice, moral economic, political corruption, cannot just "take it easy" and 'go with the flow'.
They are driven to show the world there is another way to live: without compounding interest, without the dominance of moral economic political corruption, without artificial borders designed to divide, weaken, and exploit.
If Dr Hathout wants the "easy path", that's his business. But God has stated over and over again the path of the Prophets and Messengers of God and the believers that follow them is a hard steep difficult path.
Posted December 5, 2006 10:34 PM
VICTORIA:
I did not see the sentiment that you've derived from this post. He did not say take it easy-or follow the easy path. Islam is not a religion of hardship, but moderation. Hardship and ease are both extremes.
In an effort to be islamically correct. I myself impose undue hardships upon my life. But I take no pride that it is a nobler path- for me it is actually easier than tackling the hard questions the Doctor is asking, and it seems is coming up with solutions for.
There is enough judgment coming from all quarters, please let us not attack or denigrate each other.
salaams
Posted December 6, 2006 4:05 AM
MM Shoura:
At inception, Islam was most progressive in its era. After centuries of stagnation, it is time to evolve. Those were the dark days of Islam. They are behind us. It is refreshing that this call is now made; it is time to take leadership, time to take control of our destiny in Islam for the sake of the next generation, specially for those of us living in the West. This is not to be interpreted as "Easy Path", or "Go with the Flow". We do have our ways; it is our Islam. Fiqh and wisdom can prevail. We just need to apply good thinking to our new reality.
Well done Dr. Hathout.
Posted December 6, 2006 8:17 AM
Haidar Shah:
Reform in the Muslims' mindset is what we need today & not reforming the faith and its principles, irrespective of whether the adherents of Islam are living as a majority &/or minority. Ample historical data is available for both circumstances.
The good Doctor advocates adaptation & fitting-in. Islam advocates embracing what is good from whoever & wherever but "changing" all that is unhealthy, wherever & for whoever.
Examples of polygamy & usury does not amply demonstrate the intellectualism of good Doctor. What he may have challenged himself is an issue such as the total animalistic promiscuity now embraced in the modern western society as 'tolerance' ... The very idea of "marriage" & the "institution of marriage" is now altered in the West.
Reinterpretation[s] of neither the Quran, nor the Bible nor the Torah would allow or tolerate violating the honor of human species rather hold them accountable.
Pollyannish is our good Doctor, not as he claimed to be an intellectual.
Posted December 6, 2006 9:56 AM
Reuven Firestone:
Islam is a complex and sophisticated religious-ethical system, but as Dr. Hathout articulated it so well, it emerged as a majority system and has little experience as a minority religion. It would behoove Muslim thinkers to engage in discussion and dialogue with those of other religious-ethical systems that found ways to function well in the minority. When Judaism transitioned from a majority to minority system in ancient Iraq, it developed the concept, "dina de-malkhuta dina," meaning that in many economic and social matters, the law of the land is also the law of the Jews. However, in ritual, moral-ethical and purely religious matters, the law of Judaism remains the law for Jews. We can all learn positively from one another.
Posted December 6, 2006 10:05 AM
Junaid:
Dear Dr. Maher Hathout,
In history, this is NOT the first time Muslims find themselves as a religious minority in a non-Muslim society. Even during the time of the prophet (pbuh), Muslims migrated to a Christian land for different reasons. And there have been many other cases in Islamic history where Muslims were a minority in other non-Muslim societies. Some of the differences as compared to present times are:
1. Proportions of the populations
2. Muslims lack the knowledge and understanding of their way of life (Islam)
3. Muslims don’t follow the rules/teachings of Islam as the early Muslims did
Whether the land is now west or east; the message of Quran and teachings of prophet do not change for entire world and for all times.
Isn't it a fact that a vast majority of Muslims and especially non-Muslims are ignorant of the true message of the Quran? Therefore, how can you expect justice and peace in the world?
If the intentions of your organization are sincere then please direct efforts to first understanding then serve the people by helping them understand the true message of the Quran - because it is a living EVIDENCE of word of God – UNCHANGED and for over fourteen hundred years. If anyone accepts or denies; so is their choice as there is no compulsion in religion.
But if the intentions are otherwise, like many who came and passed away with passage of time; who changed bible, torah, and tried to change message of Quran, the Quran will never be changed.
Feeble minds always want to and always will try to change and relax the rules rather than follow and just obey the rules of God.
May God guide us all!
Posted December 6, 2006 10:59 AM
Lori:
I thank God for Dr. Hathout, and his work. Not only is his work critical, but his respectful tone, his evident compassion and fairness speak volumes about the kind of leadership that the true Islam can contribute to the world. If our Prophet (peace be upon him) were in the world now, he would speak in just these tones, and it would be clear to all people what the true nature of Islam really is, and its enormous potential for leadership in a world that is sorely in need.
A few months ago I read a remarkable book that explored the truly fundamental Islamic virtues, those virtues for which Muslims revere our Prophet (pbuh). They were not the martial or righteous tones which we Muslims too often show to the West. I was SO moved, and so inspired by these. I saw immediately that there need be no clash of civilizations, and it occurred to me in a rather breathtaking rush of understanding that the world now quite desperately needs what Islam has to offer. And that we are at a moment in history when Islam has the opportunity to refresh itself by returning to its original character and LEAD the world into a new era worthy of supporting the highest expression of what it means to be human.
Here is the litany of virtues that so moved me in this book -- the true original character of Islam: Trust, Trustworthiness, Truthfulness, Sincerity, Repentance, Forgiveness, Accountability & Responsibility, Compassion, Mercy, Charity, Patience, Perseverence, Forbearance, Modesty, Discretion & Humility, Purity, Clarity, Intention, Discernment & True Knowledge, Gratefulness, Generosity & Kindness, Responsiveness, Justice & Conflict Resolution, Creativity & Beauty, Courage, Strength & Vigilant Awareness, Contentment, Love, Inner Peacefulness, Courtesy, Chivalry, and Noble Character. (Source: The Book of Character, ed. Camille Helminski, published by The Book Foundation.)
This is the character modeled by our Prophet (pbuh). I know that these are virtues we can all agree on. If the images of Muslims that the media show the Western world were of this character, if the way we spoke to each other and to the world demonstrated these virtues, the true character of Islam would be evident to all. May we hold ourselves responsible for following our Prophet's example.
May God bless Dr. Maher Hathout, and speed his work.
Posted December 6, 2006 1:10 PM
Whatever:
This is not true. Mosleems (in millions) have been a serious minority in India for hundreds of years if not more. Please correct your facts.
Posted December 6, 2006 3:40 PM
Joseph:
While I appreciate the effort at tolerance made by the author, he never addresses any of the deeper philosophical problems with Islam. Islam is devoid of any kind of speculative theology that might give conceptual unity to its practice; it's just a set of rules.
I've read the confessions of Augustine of Hippo, the Gospels, parts of Maimonides' "Guide to the Perplexed," the Baghavad-Gita, the Diamond and Heart Sutras, and the Koran, and I can safely say that Islam is the only religion of the religions represented by these writings making no attempt to understand the relationship of God to man and man to God by applying reason to its scripture and history. The pinnacle of Islamic theology is the Ash'ari school of thought, which rejects the possibility of rationally analyzing religion; it destroyed the Greek influenced Mu'tazili school of theology, the only Muslim thought resembling speculative theology, around a thousand years ago. In the end, Islam's vaunted rationality consists entirely of rejecting the possibility of being rational about religion.
Islamic theology leaves Islam at an impasse intellectually and historically, and I would like to hear a Muslim scholar at least attempt to explain their faith with the courage and openness of an Augustine or a Maimonides. I don't know if fundamental Muslim beliefs can be reconciled with reality, the contradictions between scripture and history, and the condition of the world, but the onus to try belongs to Muslims. Until Muslims try to understand their faith, I think that there is little hope for a reconciliation of the Muslim world to the rest of the world or an Islamic renaissance.
(Speculative theology entails taking as small a set of assumptions as possible and trying to understand the way in which the world evolved from those assumptions and man's place in the world. For example, in some Christian and some Jewish theology, Genesis is understood to be a figurative account of the relationship of God to man and man to God. Christians might claim that Genesis implies that God creates man for the active animation and extension of creation, and to this end God equips man with reason, emotional awareness, a capacity for faith, and free will, the ways in which God creates man is his own image. You have personal experience with God's motive for creation; you create because creation gratifies you, and you feel gratified by creation because you are made in God's image. Genesis implies that man turns from God in the Garden of Eden when he eats the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, essentially when he passes judgment on creation, and the rest of scripture explains God's plan for the reconciliation of God and man, the redemption of his beloved creation. The Bhagavad Gita explains Hinduism with perhaps even greater philosophical depth with an emphasis on order and chaos as opposed to the Judeo-Christian emphasis on good and evil. Buddhism has similar, perhaps even greater, philosophical depth. What are the basic questions about the nature of existence that Islam tries to answer? How does it answer its basic questions? Frame the philosophical discussion in any way that you please, but until Islam answers these questions for itself at least, it will remain in a state of intellectual and, more importantly, spiritual rigor.)
Posted December 6, 2006 5:15 PM
Ahmed Vanya:
The fundamental problem with traditional Islamic Law is that on many critical issues it is seriously at variance with basic universal humanitarian ethics.
Slavery, polygamy, concubinage, child-marriage, usury, freedom of conscience, corporal punishment and on a number of vital issues Islamic Law as understood and accepted by mainstream Muslims gives solutions which are not acceptable by almost all societies in this day and age.
The problem is traditional Islamic Law is based on the twin pillars of Quran and Sunnah (Practice of the Prophet) and hence frozen in time.
The new model of Islamic Law should be also be based on two pillars:
One pillar should be the Revelation received from the scripture (Quran,Hadith/Sunnah) and the second pillar should be all the Signs provided by our Creator through the ages which we have learned through all the Arts and Sciences.
Therefore, Muslims should reject polygamy or slavery, not because these are unlawful according to Western standards or they are hard on some societies, but because the accumulated experiences and knowledge that all human beings have gained throughout ages say that
these acts are plainly unjust and unethical.
Once Muslims are prepared to broaden their horizon and look outside the box by critically evaluating, and then also, provide check and balance to the traditional sources of religion, with the latest knowledge gained by our senses, only then, there is any chance of seeing a genuine Glasnost and Perestroika in the Muslim world.
Posted December 7, 2006 12:52 AM
Ahmad-u.:
First, I myself am a Muslim-American. Born and raised in the United States. But I find that at the end of the day, I only associate myself with one thing, humanity. And by doing so, I am automatically fulfilling the obligations of Muslims. This is the reason why Islam came to Earth, to us mankind. It was to set things straight.
Now I want to make two clear distinctions. I am in no way saying this is the view of Muslim-Americans only, nor amI saying that the Islamic Sharia law is the only way to live in this world.
Everything Dr. Hathout said I find to be very objective, very well-thought out, and really reflects the very idealogies advocated by Islamic law.
Of course, you will have those people that will beg to differ, that will discredit, and that will seek a negative tone to Islam, and not to mention, look at the glass half empty with the defense being realism.
Religions do evolve. YES THEY DO. HOWEVER....the QURAN was brought down to Earth not to be changed. And interestingly enough, God does not say "Thou shall not change the Quran", God has said, "Thou will not change the QUran" So the question here is not about whether we are going to change the religion or not.
We won’t. It’s that simple.
But what we can modify and adjust, is everything else. What we need to learn from is the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). And for those that do not know, Sunnah is the teachings and lifestyle of the Beloved Prophet (pbuh).
We understand we are in a different structure of society, when compared to that of Arabia at that time. So therefore, we need to adjust. And Dr. Hathout is right.
Islam was not merely brought down to give rules, as previous misstatements have been made in the comments before here.
Islam is about the bigger picture, its about taking a step back for a second and looking at life, seeing what is around you, understanding where you fit in, understanding that we Muslims have a job here in this world, to be good people, to be the ideal people that God wanted us to be. So when adjustments are made we are making them in conformity with Islamic teachings.
I believe change is not necessarily a bad thing. When the people in authority in this world change things, or structure them differently, whether its Western or Eastern powers, the only thing Muslims need to worry about is changing with them.
Bottom line: Don’t sacrifice your beliefs for the sake of society, but co-exist for the sake of humanity, understand your purpose, and let others live theirs.
Islam says so.
Posted December 7, 2006 10:38 PM
Joesph:
"My answer to those who ask 'What was God doing before he made heaven and earth?' is not 'He was preparing Hell for people who pry into mysteries'. This frivolous retort has been made before now, so we are told, in order to evade the point of the question. But it is one thing to make fun of the questioner and another to find the answer. So I shall refrain from giving this reply. For in matters of which I am ignorant I would rather admit the fact than gain credit by giving the wrong answer and making a laughing-stock of a man who asks a serious question."
-- The Confession, Book XI, Section 12
-- Augustine of Hippo
I think that I struck a chord with the author of the last post when he characterized as a misstatement the description of Islam as merely a set of rules. I'm glad that the author recognized my challenge, however, he still didn't answer any of my questions or offer an argument to refute my claim.
If Islam is not simply a set of rules, how do you explain Muslim practices? For example, what is the meaning of circumcision? I can tell you precisely what circumcision means to messianic Jews and Christians and why Christians no longer require the practice. I doubt most Muslims can offer a reasoned explanation; they're likely substitute for an explanation an observation that the Koran requires it.
Of course, questions about the reasons for particular practices are of little importance compared to the larger questions of speculative theology for which Islam seems to offer no answers at all, at least no answers that make any sense. Why did God make man? Why is there evil in the universe? What is the position of reason in the universe? You can't hide from these questions, and they should keep you awake at night.
When I've talked to Muslims in the past and asked them these questions, I invariably receive the same answers. Muslims will tell you that the Koran says that God created man to serve Him and that the Koran says that God tests man with hardships. The problem is that no Muslim that I've ever met can answer the obvious follow up questions. Why would an omnipotent God require servants? If an omnipotent God required servants, why would He create imperfect servants or servants with free wills? Why would God reward a short lifetime of faithful service with an eternity of His service to His created subject?
I keep checking this board for an answer, but I don't expect to ever get one. Sadly, no one is more receptive to a good, sound explanation than I am. If you have answers, I'm all ears, but I won't let anyone hustle me with hand waving about superior virtue and culture. I've already made the leap of faith: I believe in God. Now I expect to hear reason rather than dogma. Here I am! Convince me! Convert me!
Posted December 8, 2006 3:43 AM
Allahsservant:
Unfortunately this is what happens when a non-Muslim ran webiste promotes the thought of Muslim scholarly interpretation from a non-scholar. Dr. Hathout is a Doctor and has contributed in many social ways to our communities, but in no way shape or form is someone who I would turn to for advice on Islamic Law or Fiqh for he is not trained in this manner. He is a Doctor as in a physician.
It is true that all one needs to know to be a good Muslim is little. But it is also true that to be a scholar of Islam requires appropriate and serious training.
It would be prudent on our part to not follow the other prominent world religions and compromise our beliefs because( for an immigrant living in the West) it makes your daily life more palatable for you.
What our country has always been about and for is for the right to stand up for what one believes and to be able to live one's life with dignity as one is so long as it is not ill-defined with not letting others live in peace as well.
You cannot change Qu'ran to suit one's needs or it is no longer Islam. It is something else.
Riba is Riba bottom line no matter how one wishes to were different….
Dr. Hathout, I would implore you not to sell your deen for such a small price.
Posted December 10, 2006 12:42 PM
Joseph:
The last post made only an oblique reference to the questions in my previous post, and instead of attempting to answer my questions, the author resorted to an evasion. After admitting that one needs to know little to be a good Muslim---in fact the less, the better---she implies that becoming a scholar of Islam clears up all of these questions. Again, I ask how? Where are all of these Muslim scholars who are prepared to answer questions of speculative theology directly rather than claim that the questions are blasphemous or inappropriate?
I also want to take this chance to clear up one thing. Jurisprudence, which is a kind of scholarship dealing with the application of the law to new situations and in Islam includes interpretive frameworks like the Doctrine of Abrogation, is different from speculative theology. Islam has jurisprudence in spades---so does Judaism and Catholicism---but as opposed to Judaism and Catholicism, it has almost no theology. Theology is important, and you can't ignore it or pretend that it's the same as jurisprudence.
"It is not the purpose of this Treatise to make its totality understandable to the vulgar or to beginners in speculation, nor to teach those who have not engaged in any study other than the science of the Law---I mean the legalistic study of the Law. For the purpose of this Treatise and of all those like it is the science of the Law in its true sense."
-- The Guide to the Perplexed, Introduction to the First Part
-- Maimonides
Posted December 10, 2006 7:00 PM
Allahsservant:
Joseph:
I was not responding to you but to Dr. Hathout only.
But in regards to your last post. There are many Islamic Scholars. In fact, many American Islamic scholars who are not apologists and can very clearly speak to a theological discourse.
May I recommend some books for you:
Kitab Al-Tawheed by Maturidi
Islam and the Black American Dr. Sherman Jackson
Mughni by Abdul-Jabar
Hope this helps and if it does not please let me know and maybe I can help you out.
Posted December 10, 2006 11:29 PM
Joseph:
AllahServant:
I've read about Maturidi already, and I have no reason to believe that the accounts are incorrect. His work is closely related to the Ash'ari school of thought, basically another form of philosophical skepticism, which is a degenerate form of rationality. (I've also looked at the Athari school, so there's no need to suggest readings from it, either.) Ash'ari, Maturidi, and Athari thought to varying degrees reject the possibility of being rational about religion. While I'll stipulate that the Maturidi school, which appears to be much less common than the Ash'ari school, is less degenerate than the others---by all accounts, it asserts the possibility of rationally concluding that some acts are sinful independent of revelation---by philosopical standards, it's still degenerate. It doesn't attempt to answer any of the questions that I've posed. If you're sure that Maturidi will answer my questions, I'll be happy to read it, but you're going to have to tell me where I can get it in print in English. (It's not available on Amazon.)
If I'm wrong, if these works attempt to answer basic questions of speculative theology, then I think that you should be able to summarize those answers. Could you outline the answers that one of these authors provides? Perhaps, you could even present your own understanding of the answers to these questions. At the very least, you should avow that one of these works provides a coherent answer to the question of why God created man.
I'd love to read a work of Muslim speculative theology. (I'm not prepared to waste a lot of time with inferior works, so I'd like to know that a book will attempt to answer fundamental questions before I read it.) Sadly, most of the encounters that I have with Muslims, either in person or on discussion boards, end with the Muslim asserting that some Muslim, somewhere, knows the answer, a most unhelpful conclusion to the discussion. (The one's that don't end as above end with the suggestion that I go and talk to an Imam. Why don't they relay the questions themselves?) Naturally, the questions are as frightening and daunting to Muslims as they are to the uninformed of any faith, but Islam is different because the Koran doesn't answer these questions directly (in contrast to the Baghavad-Gita and the Diamond and Heart Sutras), and it has no well-known source for speculative theology developed from scriptures (such as Augustine or Maimonides). If you have a commitment to Dawah, I hope that you'll spare me the intellectual snipe hunt and answer the questions or point me to the correct work.
I've set before this forum a simple task: form and answer fundamental questions of Islamic speculative theology. I can complete it for Jewish, Christian, Hindu, and Buddhist theology. In addition to a careful study of the Koran, I've looked at a few other works such as Sayid al-Qutb's "Social Justice in Islam" and Alijah Izetbegovic's "The Islamic Declaration," and despite my sincerest effort, I can't find an account of speculative theology in Islam. The best that I've been able to find are accounts of Mu'tazili thought, which is dead in the Muslim world and doesn't represent the state of Muslim thought and by the accounts that I've read, incomplete compared to Augustine and Maimonides, anyway.
I'm happy to answer questions of speculative Jewish and Christian theology for you. (For Hindu and Buddhist theology, I'll have to go over my margin notes in those works, but if important, I can answer questions about those as well.) Can you answer my questions? Can you gather the answers? Can you recommend the correct work, something in print in English? I took the time to read every word of the Koran, and I gave it a very fair reading to the point of devising my own explanations for passages that seem plainly to imply predestination, so I hope that you'll take seriously my commitment to study and propose only appropriate works or seek references from other people.
(Jackson's work doesn't sound at all appropriate. According to the Amazon summary, it attempts to explain the spread of Islam among Afro-Americans without corresponding spread among caucasians and Hispanic-Americans.)
Posted December 11, 2006 1:40 AM
Allahsservant:
Joseph:
I am not into making Dawah. I am willing to answer your questions and will later today. I am a little under the weather so have some patience please. The Jackson book contains some relevant thought it is not the focus of the book.
Posted December 11, 2006 10:24 AM
Joseph:
AllahServant:
I appreciate the effort and look forward to the replies. You seem to have a lot of courage, and you can certainly depend on my patience. (Perhaps, if this goes far enough, you could venture a rebuttal to Christian or Jewish theology.)……
Posted on December 11, 2006 15:06
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2006/12/new_chapter_needs_new_thinking.html
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