The Trouble With Islam

United Press International ^ | January 14, 2004 | Arnaud de Borchgrave

[quidnunc]

This could be Osama bin Laden's worst nightmare. Expelled from a madrasa (Koranic school) when she was 14, Irshad Manji's pretty face, sans scarf, graces the cover of her new book and its title — "The Trouble with Islam" — is written inside a strip of duct tape placed over her mouth.

"The reason for our stony silence vis a vis 9/11," she says, "is because Muslims are afraid to explore rationality. We have to rediscover independent thinking, which our religion does not tolerate. Islam has to come to terms with diversity. No one can be immune from universal human rights. The ill-treatment of women, Jew-bashing and the scourge of slavery are all part of fundamentalist Islam."

The book, published in the United States this week (St. Martin's Press), is a Muslim woman's call for reform of her faith. Her parents were refugees from Idi Amin's Uganda. They moved to Vancouver and Manji was sent to a local madrasa at the age of 8.

"Women are inferior and Jews are treacherous," were the two messages "drummed into us as children." She kept asking questions and the teacher kept on repeating that this was conduct unbecoming a Muslim girl. When she was 14, she asked him, "Where is the evidence for a Jewish conspiracy against Islam?" That got her expelled from the madrasa.

"If the Koran is a message of peace from Allah, why did his prophet slay an entire Jewish tribe?" she asks.

"Through our screaming self-pity and our conspicuous silences, we Muslims are conspiring against ourselves," she explains. "We're in crisis and we're dragging the rest of the world with us. If ever there was a moment for an Islamic reformation, it's now. For the love of God, what are we doing about it?"

-snip-

[quidnunc]

This sounds like a book that merits a serious look-see.

[thinktwice]

What we are seeing is the inherent evil possible within mindless beliefs.

[MegaSilver]

This woman was a guest on The O'Reilly Factor a while ago. For the record, she's a lesbian and apparently a feminist. With that in mind, I'm not sure that she'll be able to succeed with her call to reform in the Islamic world (do most adherent Christians listen to the ECUSA or the Jesus Seminar for theological reform advice?).

[quadrant]

Why haven't other Muslims realized that an Islamic movement similar to the Protestant Reformation and the Enlightenment is the only way their faith will survive?

I don't know the answer, but I think its because of the certainty - the inner peace, if you like - that Islam gives to its adherents.
From my Christian perspective that certainty is based on a false and erroneous faith, but I don't deny that Islam is a powerful and compelling narcotic.

[quidnunc]

quadrantwrote: Why haven't other Muslims realized that an Islamic movement similar to the Protestant Reformation and the Enlightenment is the only way their faith will survive? I don't know the answer, but I think its because of the certainty - the inner peace, if you like - that Islam gives to its adherents. From my Christian perspective that certainty is based on a false and erroneous faith, but I don't deny that Islam is a powerful and compelling narcotic.

That plus the fact that they kill apostates and blasphemers.

[Theresawithanh]

Agreed! She sounds very intelligent. I liked her point about their religion needing a Martin Luther.

I didn't realize that girls also went to the islamic schools.

[evad]

For the record, she's a lesbian and apparently a feminist.

How would either of these facts, if indeed they are facts, discredit her?

[Theresawithanh]

I got the idea that she was somewhat of a feminist from reading the article, but didn't know she was also lesbian. Guess that probably means she won't be invited to any islamic panel discussions about how to reform Islam, huh?

Your point is well taken about Christians not going to the ECUSA for theological reform advice, I'm not being sarcastic at all.

[anniegetyourgun]

Are you sure this is the same gal? If so, you're absolutely right. She is not only an affront to Muslims, she would be an affront to most people of faith.

[quidnunc]

Irshad Manji does indeed identify her as a lesbian feminist — she's also sharp as a tack.

But I have seen her interviewed a couple of times and she doesn't criticize Islam from a lesbian or feminist perspective, but rather from the perspective a modernist.

[MegaSilver]

How would either of these facts, if indeed they are facts, discredit her?

Didn't say they did. My point was, given that she lives a rather unorthodox lifestyle for a Muslim, I doubt that the people she wants to listen to her will listen to her.

[nuconvert]

People question quite often why muslims don't speak out against the radicals within their faith.

" She supplied her own answer when she said she had received several death threats."

That is why.
But they are speaking out more and more.

[Montfort]

They would discredit her among Muslims, who tend to be kind of old-fashioned about women's roles (with some notable exceptions relating to women in high political positions).

[MegaSilver]

I got the idea that she was somewhat of a feminist from reading the article, but didn't know she was also lesbian. Guess that probably means she won't be invited to any islamic panel discussions about how to reform Islam, huh?

My point exactly.

Your point is well taken about Christians not going to the ECUSA for theological reform advice, I'm not being sarcastic at all.

Hopefully I didn't unwittingly insult any Episcopalians, though. I was targeting the leadership of that Church, not its members as a collective whole.

[FormerLib]

How would either of these facts, if indeed they are facts, discredit her?

Because they reveal her to be a radical and not the moderate voice that we need to hear from.

[marbren]

How would either of these facts, if indeed they are facts, discredit her?

She is giving up one lie for two other ones

[Cicero]

As the comments so far suggest, Islam won't be easy to reform. This book is published by St. Martin's Press, which is generally "mainstream" or liberal. They accept this woman's criticism of Muslims because she is a woman, certifiably oppressed, and because she claims to be a Muslim herself.

The question is, however, whether she can make these kinds of arguments and still legitimately call herself a Muslim. I wonder how many of the basic Muslim obligations she observes.

The obligations for Muslim women are different than the ones for men, as I understand it. Among the primary obligations of women are to cover themselves up, stay in the house, keep their mouths shut, and obey their Muslim husbands. So, although the idea of a woman criticizing Islam appeals to St. Martin's Press and many westerners, it's unlikely to appeal to Muslims.

[MegaSilver]

Are you sure this is the same gal? If so, you're absolutely right. She is not only an affront to Muslims, she would be an affront to most people of faith.

I'm certain it's the same girl, as I've read about her elsewhere. I agree with O'Reilly, too... she's risking her life by doing this. If I were an orthodox Muslim, I would probably think of her the same way that orthodox Christians think of Bruce Bawer. The difference is that Christianity, unlike Islam, does not have a powerful radical terrorist sect. There are Christian extremists, to be certain, but they are nowhere near as numerous and usually not as prolific as Muslim extremists.

[swarthyguy]

Saw her on TV; smart and intelligent.

On a recent trip to India, she had a fatwa of death put on her head by Bangladeshi loons.

[MegaSilver]

The question is, however, whether she can make these kinds of arguments and still legitimately call herself a Muslim. I wonder how many of the basic Muslim obligations she observes.

I've seen an interview with her; she said she would even challenge the notion that the Qu'ran is the direct spoken Word of God.