2017年12月22日 星期五

The Perils of #MeToo as a Muslim

幾個重點

1. 生活在西方的穆斯林群體,不可避免受到西方社會大環境的影響。如近期反性侵害運動,在穆斯林社群內部也開始發酵。Tariq RamadanNouman Ali Khan成為爭議性的人物。

2. 穆斯林女性即使包含有學問的女性,也難以在公眾領域發聲。但早期伊斯蘭的歷史,不少穆斯林女性與男性平起平坐。

3. 當前那些穆斯林知識份子與知名教長,他們也是一般人,不是不會犯錯。跟隨他們的信眾不經思考盲目跟隨,無助於穆斯林社群的發展。

This has been a difficult year for Muslims. I’m referring not only to the external forces that buffet us daily—anti-Muslim hate crimes, inflammatory tweets or President Trump’s travel ban—but also to the internal ruptures that have forced us to reexamine our own communities. As the #MeToo movement reveals the names of alleged sexual predators in politics, media, and business, and the #ChurchToo hashtag trends on Twitter, Muslims are also grappling with fresh allegations against revered men. (西方穆斯林不可避免受到西方社會整體大環境影響)

Muslim women are speaking up about Islamic scholars and clergymen who have allegedly preyed on their piety, and their stories are forcing a reckoning about the fallibility of these outsized personalities.

2017年11月14日 星期二

How big of an issue is Islamophobia in Poland?

對波蘭右翼六萬反伊斯蘭示威的幕後報導
Like hundreds of thousands of her compatriots, Anna Lachowska left her native Poland shortly after its accession to the EU in the hope of finding opportunity elsewhere in the bloc.
The journey first took her to Ireland, then the Czech Republic, and later to the UK where she spent a decade living in the capital London.
It was there that she underwent a spiritual transformation leaving the Christianity of her upbringing behind for a faith few in her native land knew much about. 
"Islam showed me God like I had always felt I seen," she told Al Jazeera, describing how the decision prompted a reaction of disappointment from her mother.
Initially heated conversations about Islam, however, turned more conciliatory and eventually Lachowska's mother came to defend her daughter's decision.
"Whenever she is on the phone with some relatives from Poland, if they say something 'anti-Islamic', she bravely argues with them, defends Islam, defends my choice, alhamdulillah (thank God)." (因為在英國入教的波蘭人)

2017年10月26日 星期四

Tariq Ramadan, Islam, and the Presumption of Innocence

無罪推定原則
Note: While our nation is grappling with many high profile cases of sexual misconduct, a parallel drama has been playing itself out in the Western Muslim community (specifically in the UK and the US). This blog was written in response to the alleged misconduct of two high profile figures in thismycommunity, Tariq Ramadan and Nouman Ali Khan. While I wrote this with that specifically in mind, I thought recent events might justify sharing these thoughts with a broader audience.

“The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box.”
—Atticus Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird.
I do not know Tariq Ramadan.
I do not know Henda Ayari.
And when I say I do not know them, I mean that in the broadest sense. I’ve listened to maybe 5 minutes of Professor Ramadan’s lectures in as many years. I maintain what we’ll call philosophical disagreements with his late grandfather, and by virtue of Hassan al-Banna’s late-ness these are disagreements I do not think we will resolve.

2017年10月25日 星期三

Were There Any Female Prophets According to Islam?

關於是否有女先知的討論

Short Answer: There is a difference of opinionThough some scholars are of the opinion that there were no female prophets because “women are imperfect”, “a number of renowned scholars have demonstrated that there were female prophets, as there were male prophets; although they did have different opinions about whom to include in their list of female prophets… It is time to correct the general misperception that no single woman, however excellent she might be, could be equivalent to men in carrying major responsibilities and leading people in the way of good deeds.”

Asalamu Alaikum sister, 
Thank you so much for your question. 

Some scholars say that there were never any female prophets, and their reason is that a prophet is a “perfect” human being, while women—according to them—could never be perfect, despite the Prophet (peace be upon him-PBUH) having made mention of perfect women (see hadith below).

2017年10月5日 星期四

美國穆斯林社群內部議題

最新聲明。

Disclaimer: MuslimMatters Inc. does not have an official position on this matter – we have published the statement below as submitted with comments closed as requested by the signatories of the statement
———–
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
The Messenger of Allah () said, “The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion, and sympathy are like one body. When one of the limbs hurts, the whole body reacts with wakefulness and fever”. (Muslim and Bukhari)
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam: Greetings of peace and may the mercy and blessings of God be upon you: as salam alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu
We come to you as women and men who care deeply for you, our brothers and sisters in faith. We grieve with you at the state of the world today, where so many are suffering from war, oppression, displacement, and deprivation. Prophet Muhammad, may God’s peace and blessings be upon him, said that the believers are like one body, if one part hurts, the whole body is afflicted with sleeplessness and fever.
It is for this reason that any violation of trust and ethics which comes within our community of faith is even more painful and distressing. We all share that distress, and we wish that such violations never happened. But reality is not based on our wishes, and much injustice has continued because of denial. Allah the Most High says,

2017年10月2日 星期一

論男性宣教士與女性穆斯林教眾的權力關係

今天才知道這件事情。剛才與一位在美國生活的朋友通話,大致了解事情的全貌。簡單的說,一位知名的阿訇被控與女性穆斯林在社群媒體的對話有不適當的行為。若不從伊斯蘭信仰角度來看,這個行為並沒有犯罪,在非穆斯林身上是司空見慣的事情。至於引起爭議的要點在於這位阿訇的能見度遍及全美甚至是全球。他在臉書上有兩百萬的粉絲,經常透過臉書、youtube的社群網絡分享他的理念,在全美甚至全球年輕穆斯林眼中是一個頗值得尊敬的阿訇。後來有人爆料這位阿訇,讓許多以他為榜樣的年輕穆斯林感到困惑甚至起而捍衛。

這邊不是要特別針對這位阿訇的個案討論。而是這種男性宣教士利用宣教的方式,達到個人的利益,在美國與英國並不是特案。如這篇文章A Muslim Preacher's Texting Scandal Is Making Some Women Speak Out About Sexism提到的,不少男性宣教士利用職權關係,讓有心學習伊斯蘭知識的穆斯林女性感受到不舒服。

會有這種現象出現與現代科技的進步有關。20年前網路還不是發達,在沒有臉書、youtube的時代,穆斯林學習伊斯蘭教育的知識除了家庭教育之外,只能到清真寺學習。但現在學習伊斯蘭的管道很多,西方年輕一代的穆斯林宣教士利用社群網絡的便捷,隨時隨地上傳個人對信仰的感受與教授伊斯蘭知識。這些宣教士善用現代科技與演講的技巧,吸引不少年輕穆斯林,其中不乏年輕女性。而宣教士在透過社群網絡傳授知識的界線拿捏不當,容易引發後續的難以想像的效應。如女性穆斯林後來不滿,向其他伊斯蘭團體爆料。或是一些本來嫉妒宣教士高人氣的其他穆斯林,趁這個時機棒打落水狗。

先寫到這邊。之後有什麼想法再做補充。



A Muslim Preacher's Texting Scandal Is Making Some Women Speak Out About Sexism

這個是一個很好的教材,探討一般穆斯林女性與男性宣教士的權力關係。

Once you get past the shirtless selfies and the “sugar daddy” boast, the scandal surrounding Muslim preacher Nouman Ali Khan is a rare window into how difficult it can be for Muslim communities to deal with claims of misconduct by leaders, especially when women are involved.

Khan is a conservative, Texas-based teacher whose lively Qur'an lectures draw hundreds of thousands of fans to his stories blending modern-day scenarios with strict interpretations of scripture. He disapproves of men and women shaking hands, promotes marrying young, and chides Muslims who wear “skintight” clothes. 

Shocking claims that he abused his power to pursue relationships with women set off a nasty battle over how to handle allegations of religious leaders behaving badly.
Last week, the accusations — along with screenshots of text messages and photos allegedly sent to women by Khan — portrayed him as an undercover ladies’ man who violated the rigid moral code he advocates. The claims also raise serious questions about whether he might’ve abused his authority in order to approach young women who attended his lectures or studied at Bayyinah, his religious center near Dallas. Khan, who hasn’t been charged with any crime, said in a Facebook post that the claims are a mix of lies and distortions about “communications” between consenting adults after he divorced his wife. Neither Khan nor Bayyinah could be reached for comment.

2017年9月17日 星期日

Seeking the Muslim Martin Luther Against Calls for 'Islamic Reformation'

作者談到現在一般人對馬丁路德宗教改革的迷思。

根據最新的研究成果顯示

1.中世紀的天主教有彈性,未必壓迫與不寬容。馬丁路德認為天主教教義與中世紀的習俗混淆,無法得到救贖,因此提倡回到經典。(馬丁路德回到經典的論述類似於今日的Salafism)

2. 路德的宗教改革並未立即帶來宗教自由,大部份歐洲仍是屬於天主教信仰。

3. 宗教改革並未帶來現代化。如路德仍相信最後的救贖等非物質的信念。

This year marks the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s Reformation in Germany, a monumental event in Christian history that generated permanent divisions in the body of Christendom. As commemorations of Luther’s Reformation commence throughout the world, it’s likely that some of Islam’s most ardent critics will use the occasion to renew their calls for an “Islamic Reformation.”
Demands for an Islamic Reformation are nothing new, of course. They have fueled the careers of some of the most prominent anti-Islam activists in the West today. This is particularly true for “native informants”: current or former Muslims who use their personal knowledge of and experience with Islam to inform majority populations in the West that Islam really is stuck in the Middle Ages and in desperate need of its own Martin Luther.

2017年7月9日 星期日

Muhammad Ali’s Muslim Faith Is Being Scrubbed From His Legacy

該文指出當前媒體讚揚拳王阿里的人道精神時,卻忽略支撐拳王阿里的精神來源:伊斯蘭

Muhammad Ali, who died a year ago June 3, is remembered as a boxing legend, an Olympian, a civil rights warrior, a humanitarian, and a trailblazer for Parkinson’s disease awareness.
But one central part of his identity is missing from the official Ali Instagram and Twitter feeds: the proud, unapologetic Muslim.
Islam is conspicuously absent from the Ali brand, which is owned and managed by a New York–based licensing company that also owns the rights to Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and other American superstars. In 2013, Authentic Brands Group paid an undisclosed amount for Ali’s intellectual property, including troves of photos and videos, as well as trademarked slogans such as “Float Like A Butterfly, Sting Like A Bee.”
ABG, as the licensing company is known, runs the Ali social media accounts. With more than 2 million Instagram followers, 876,000 Twitter followers, and 11.8 million Facebook “likes,” the feeds are the main conduit for introducing Ali to a new generation of Americans coming of age after his death. His Facebook biography notes "his early relationship with the Nation of Islam," but the role Islam played in his life stops there. There are black-and-white photos of Ali visiting a hospital, embracing Nelson Mandela, and standing next to Martin Luther King Jr. But in the dozens of photos on posts dating back years, there’s not a clue that “The Greatest” was Muslim, an omission so glaring that it seems deliberate.

2017年6月28日 星期三

A Newly Discovered Manuscript and Its Lesson on Islam

纂聖訓的歷史討論

“What does the Koran say about…?” is perhaps the most common question my students ask me in the Islamic history courses I teach. It’s an understandable question, but they will be disappointed with the answer if they hope it will explain how Islam has been interpreted and practiced for all of history.
In the post-enlightenment West, a society historically influenced by Protestantism’s “back-to-the-Bible” appeal, many of my students have grown up imbibing a public discourse obsessed with a religious or civil tradition’s origins and founding documents—the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, the Constitution—and by extension often assume that the only book of consequence for Muslims is the Koran. After 9/11, sales of the Koran skyrocketed. More recently, in the wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting, news outlets from Haaretz to Newsweek ran pieces asking “What Does the Koran Say about Being Gay?” And over the past month, as ISIS called for increased attacks during Ramadan, the Koran was again scrutinized as the source of the violence.

2017年6月7日 星期三

We will not tackle extremism by stigmatising Muslim citizens

Message from Tariq Ramadan

Nothing can justify the killing of civilians, whether in Manchester and London, Kabul or Baghdad. It is important for us to be consistent in our condemnation of these criminal acts, and to maintain our support for all the victims, whoever they are, wherever they live. While the strategy of groups like Islamic State and individuals who commit these horrific attacks is to divide our societies, and to push us towards the perception that it is impossible to live together, it is critical for our leaders to resist sensationalist and divisive rhetoric.

Rather than targeting the so-called “Islamist-inspired terrorists”, we should be bringing people together and I mean all people, those with or without faith, in a united front against all senseless acts of violence against civilians, here or abroad. (統一聯合陣線)

To portray such criminal acts as part of an ideological battle between extremist, anti-western Muslims and western people and values risks further alienating Muslim citizens and ignores the fact that Muslims themselves also fall victim to these attacks. This distinction also inadvertently presents the problem as geographic, and restricts our ability to empathise with Muslim-majority societies, where most attacks actually take place.

2017年5月4日 星期四

Fear of Sharia: Harvard project aims to shed light on Islamic law

美國哈佛大學設立伊斯蘭法研究室,收集許多案例。

BOSTON, Massachusetts – As the United States continues to grapple with growing Islamophobia, Harvard Law School has launched a “flagship research venture” to organise the world’s information on Islamic law: SHARIAsource.
The project aims to provide a repository for scholars, journalists and policy makers, by making knowledge freely available, Sharon Tai, SHARIAsource’s research editor, told Middle East Eye.
SHARIAsource hosts scholarly discussions of court cases that have dealt directly with state and Sharia law from all over the world, with a special focus on the US.
“Islamic law is so often seen as an esoteric and impenetrable base of law. There’s this kind of perception of a lack of logic, because it’s based in theology,” Tai continued, “but actually there is a very clear logic behind it. The way it’s laid out historically, it worked well for the societies in which it was applied.”
The project was conceived nearly a decade ago, by Dr Intisar Rabb, Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and a director of its Islamic Legal Studies Programme. The initiative has come to fruition over the past few years.

2017年3月12日 星期日

Muslim Americans Are United by Trump—and Divided by Race

美國穆斯林社群內部,黑人穆斯林與中東裔移民的穆斯林有緊張關係在。

When weary Muslims gathered in Toronto in December for an annual retreat, marking the end of a tumultuous U.S. election year, they probably didn’t expect the event to turn into a referendum on racial tensions within the American Muslim community. But it did.

One session was led by Hamza Yusuf, a well respected white scholar who co-founded Zaytuna College, which claims to be America’s first Muslim liberal-arts college. At the end, he was asked whether Muslims should work with groups like Black Lives Matter. “The United States is probably, in terms of its laws, one of the least racist societies in the world,” he replied. “We have between 15,000 and 18,000 homicides per year. Fifty percent are black-on-black crime, literally. … There are twice as many whites that have been shot by police, but nobody ever shows those videos.”

He went on. “It’s the assumption that the police are racist. It’s not always the case,” he said. “Any police now that shoots a black is immediately considered a racist.”

The backlash on social media was swift and immense. “For black Muslims, hearing this from somebody we’ve all come to love and trust—it was a cold slap in the face,” said Ubaydullah Evans, the executive director of the American Learning Institute for Muslims, who is black.

2017年2月23日 星期四

I Was a Muslim in Trump's White House

I Was a Muslim in Trump's White House

曾經任職歐巴馬政府國安會的穆斯林員工,表示為何她在川普就任第八天,選擇離開國安會體系,以及分享她在國安會任職時的心路歷程。

Rumana Ahmed Feb 23, 2017

In 2011, I was hired, straight out of college, to work at the White House and eventually the National Security Council. My job there was to promote and protect the best of what my country stands for. I am a hijab-wearing Muslim woman––I was the only hijabi in the West Wing––and the Obama administration always made me feel welcome and included.

Like most of my fellow American Muslims, I spent much of 2016 watching with consternation as Donald Trump vilified our community. Despite this––or because of it––I thought I should try to stay on the NSC staff during the Trump Administration, in order to give the new president and his aides a more nuanced view of Islam, and of America's Muslim citizens.
I lasted eight days.

When Trump issued a ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries and all Syrian refugees, I knew I could no longer stay and work for an administration that saw me and people like me not as fellow citizens, but as a threat.