Aisha Khan Islam and the Americas shows that Islam, like all other religions, is not simply oppressive, an “opiate” of false consciousness, aggressive, or anti-modern. It is, instead, a multi-textured worldview, a window into history and society.
Tag Archives: Islam
How the Hijab Has Grown into a Fashion Industry
Faegheh Shirazi Nike, in fact, is not the first corporate brand to champion the hijab.
The Power of Names
Hussein Rashid While some of this discussion may seem to be semantic, it is about the power of naming. The questions of power and control depend on the ability to name. Without proper naming, we see conflict where there is none, and read politics as theology.
Seven Questions for Amir Hussain
Amir Hussain I’ve always been fascinated by the life and work of Hank Williams Sr. . . the most underrated American theologian of the 20th century.
“New Muslim Cool” as Teaching Tool
Kelly J. Baker In one song, they rap, “We don’t care about the Patriot Act,” and in another, they state, “bin Laden didn’t blow up the projects–it was you.”
Indian Summers: “You’re a Bloodthirsty Sepoy, Man!” Edition
Michael J. Altman and Ilyse Morgenstein Fuerst This is our second in a series of discussions about the PBS Masterpiece series Indian Summers, airing Sunday nights at 9 pm EST on PBS. Sacred Matter’s managing editor Michael J. Altman and Ilyse Morgenstein Fuerst, assistant professor of religious studies at the University of Vermont, will offer their reviews of the series as it airs in the United States. Don’t miss their analysis of episodes 1 and 2. NOTE: THERE ARE SPOILERS
Peace, Love, and World Religions?
Brian Pennington In 1893, Presbyterian minister John Henry Barrows opened the inaugural World’s Parliament of Religion in Chicago by inviting the first-ever assembly of religious leaders from across the globe to join him in a “act of common worship” and to sing Isaac Watt’s Trinitarian re-write of the 100th Psalm. This less-than-catholic invocation, which concludes with the call to “Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost,” was followed by a similar gesture when Cardinal James Gibbons recited the Lord’s Prayer, which Barrow declared the “universal prayer” that would open each of the Parliament’s seventeen days.
“Islam” is Not a Person
Hussein Rashid There is an idea of “Islam,” as a signifier of something foreign and threatening, that continues to plague American discussion of the religion. It is part of the shooting in Chattanooga, and it part of the debate around the Iran nuclear deal. This view of Islam has been part of how America has defined itself since the founding of the country.
Images of Muhammad
Hussein Rashid “What does Islam say about images?” It is a question that seeks to understand religion through unitary and static prescriptions. At its core, the question is about what is “Islamic.” Such a question is problematic because a community of believers decides what the religion means. Because human beings are involved, there will be differences. While there are boundaries for who a Muslim is, such as belief in monotheism, the prophethood of Muhammad, and observance of certain ritual and legal obligations.
The Ghosts of Malcolm X
S. Brent Plate
A strange set of coincidences brought Malcolm X into my life in the past month, some invisible force of history that compelled a fusion of events. It was only a month ago that I realized February 21 was the 50th anniversary of his assassination, but energies were in play long before then that brought me to encounter Malcolm’s powerful ghosts. They arrived in buildings, books, bodies, and films.