ReligionDispatches - Hussein Rashid

Dowd Misses the Muslim World In Her Backyard

Hussein Rashid — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:20:01 PST

She didn't need to go to Mecca to learn about Islam.

If Corporations Are People, Why Shouldn’t They Get the Responsibilities, Too?

Hussein Rashid — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 06:11:01 PST

A meditation on the Citizens United case.

Talking Religion in the Military

Hussein Rashid — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 22:01:01 PST

We can't talk about radical Islamism without addressing fundamentalist Christianity in the armed forces.

T-Shirts and Minarets: The Rending of the Social Contract

Hussein Rashid — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 07:19:01 PST

Two current cases involving religious (in this case Islamic) symbolism show the perilous relationship between religion and politics in civil society.

In Wake of Ft. Hood Tragedy, Few Recall Good Muslim-American Soldiers

Hussein Rashid — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:05:01 PST

Those who denigrate the service of Muslims in the US military only compound the tragedy.

Marxism Meets Al-Azhar: Can You Listen to the Qur’an on Tape?

Hussein Rashid — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:22:01 PDT

A religious scholar in Egypt recently warned against listening to broadcasts of the Qur’an, as the mediating influence is disrespectful to the text. But what of disregard for human agency?

From Demonization to Objectification: Killing the Burqa

Hussein Rashid — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:03:01 PDT

The hijab has gone from symbol to object, and the people associated with it are that object. Alex W. attacked and killed a piece of cloth.

Bloomberg is Right to Say No to Muslim School Holidays

Hussein Rashid — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:35:01 PDT

Though it sounds good just on its face, NYC Mayor Bloomberg has made the right decision by threatening to veto the proposal to add two Muslim holidays to the school calendar. And no, it’s not a pander to Jewish voters.

The Qawwali-Gospel, a Cross-Cultural Musical Experiment

Hussein Rashid — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:22:01 PDT

Attempts at the recent Muslim Voices festival to reinvent the qawwali, of having it cross-fertilize with other musics, made the concert seem so promising as a closing event.

The Obama/Muslim Smear Strikes Again

Hussein Rashid — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:29:01 PDT

A “security expert” writing at the Washington Times claims, without any evidence, that Obama is a Muslim.

Muslim Voices Festival: A Teahouse, and a Shakespeare Play

Hussein Rashid — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:49:01 PDT

Two examples of transposition from one culture or location to another, and both work surprisingly well.

Muslim Voices Festival: Story-telling For a New Millennium

Hussein Rashid — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:24:01 PDT

The story-telling tradition may be a dying art form but a performance by Mahmood Farooqi, with star-power lent by Naseeruddin Shah, made a strong case for the future.

Muslim Voices Festival: A NYC Street Souk, and Sufi Dances

Hussein Rashid — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:03:01 PDT

A street fair disappoints, and a Sufi dance leads to befuddlement — but still, the conversation is advanced.

Muslim Voices Festival: On the Scene

Hussein Rashid — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:23:01 PDT

This festival, running now in NYC, is an example of the kind of border-crossing that art can inspire. Our coverage of the festival starts today.

Updated: A Response to President Obama’s Speech in Cairo

Hussein Rashid — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:09:01 PDT

From his initial greeting, peace be upon you, to the way Obama framed his address, there were resonances in the speech for both Islamic history and American history.

Intellectualized Islamophobia

Hussein Rashid — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:08:01 PDT

A new form of bias against Muslims is taking shape, one that masks as “objective” and based on observation.

A Revolutionary Plea in the Wake of Attempted Synagogue Bombing

Rabbi Justus N. Baird, Hussein Rashid — Sun, 24 May 2009 19:01:01 PDT

Four young Muslims attempted to bomb a New York Synagogue committed to interfaith work. A Muslim and a Rabbi point to the bad theology behind terrorism and the path forward.

What Obama Might Say in Cairo

Hussein Rashid — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:42:01 PDT

Here's the speech I would like to hear, as though it were sketched on the back of an envelope. I imagine him speaking from Al-Azhar Park...

Release the Torture Photos Now

Hussein Rashid — Sun, 17 May 2009 14:23:01 PDT

Withholding them at this point further fuels the idea that we have done something so horrible that it cannot be seen. This notion is a powerful recruiting tool for terrorists.

A New Muslim Statement Against Torture

Hussein Rashid — Mon, 04 May 2009 13:41:01 PDT

RD blogger Hussein Rashid, disturbed by the silence of the American Muslim community on torture, drafted this statement. Who will sign?

Why No American Muslim Response to Torture?

Hussein Rashid — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:40:01 PDT

If American Muslims do not oppose torture and participate in the conversation on American morality, they become a special interest group with little relevance. But within Islam there is a strong religious case to be made against torture.

Nuancing the Fear of Islam is Smart, Not Political

Hussein Rashid — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:01:01 PDT

The word Islamophobia is used so broadly that it risks losing its meaning; fear is not the same thing as hatred.

Who Are The ‘Religious Progressives’— and Why Use Such an Odious Term?

Hussein Rashid — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:39:01 PDT

In the debate over what it means to be a religious progressive, the terms of the religious right have been adopted and a new way must be forged.

What Can Academics Do About Islamophobia?

Hussein Rashid — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:41:01 PDT

Quite a bit, as it turns out. Whether as public figures or educators, academics can, for example, help refute the work of high profile Islamophobes whose expertise lies outside of Islam.

Fearful Saudi Conservatives Flexing Muscles

Hussein Rashid — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:05:01 PDT

As the Saudi leadership makes motions toward liberalizing the state a conservative leader makes an interesting argument.