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Location: Ten Questions for the Muslim Next Door
Discussion: exposure irony
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noach |
exposure irony
Dec 9 2008, 7:33 AM EST
[apologies if this is a repeat posting]An excellent, well-written piece - an expose, you might say, of the irony and duplicitous/ignorant meaning behind the book. This is reflected in the newly-demonstrated irony of the approbation on the front cover which speaks in passing of "exposure to the Other" as a remedy for fear and ignorance. Well, just change the proposition "to" to "of" and you have a neat subtitle. Thanks for this good work, and I look forward to reading more from this site. 7 out of 13 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Posted Anonymously |
1. RE: exposure irony
Dec 15 2008, 11:10 PM EST
I think this article and the ten questions are very legitimate. However, I don't believe that the book's author is necessarily duplicitous or ignorant. Certainly, Bible followers don't take all the teachings of the Bible literally and most accept the fact that much of it was written with respect to the "times" and the "times" have obviously changed. Muslim followers have varying views on the teachings of Islam, just like Christians whose views and beliefs range from left to right. As far as honor killings and such, heaven knows there was a time, even in our young nation, that it was impossible to convict a husband of raping his wife, and pretty damned difficult to get a murder conviction against a man who killed his wife if there was any evidence of her adultery. Times change and views change for all religions. The author just speaks to the views and interpretations of the modern American Muslim woman.
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noach |
2. RE: exposure irony
Dec 16 2008, 4:00 AM EST
Anon: I understand what you're saying, but I don't think that the Islamic and Bible traditions are necessarily parallel or equivalent.If the author claimed simply to be expressing her personal take and interpretation of the Qor'an, you would have your point. However, she claims much more than this. Kamala, along with mentors Spencer, Pipes and many others who have taken the trouble to learn about Islam in more depth, argue (I'm paraphrasing) that while there may be moderate Muslims, and while they may have in mind a tolerant, pluralistic faith content to serve God alongside other life-respecting religions, there is no such thing as moderate Islam, nor does the peaceful vision correlate with the central teachings of all the main schools of Islamic tradition. What each of these ten question does is ask the author how the moderate peaceful faith she has in mind actually corresponds to those teachings. It is to be feared that it is no longer - if it ever was - just a matter of whose more or less civilized interpretation is being followed. If this is true, then one must look for other explanations of our author's material. These suggest that insofar as she is well-meaning and honest that she does not fully present to the public what is already known and available to others. Who knows? - she may even be kidding herself. 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
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kamala_kamala |
3. RE: exposure irony
Dec 16 2008, 2:14 PM EST
Well said, Noach. To the anonymous poster, I recommend you read Ms. Ali-Karamali's book. The book's aim is not to "speak to the views and interpretations of the modern American Muslim woman." Its goals are to "clear away the misconceptions about Islam." Some of my questions are simply about facts -- e.g., McVeigh's "Christian fundamentalist beliefs," what Qaradawi did or did not say about Bin Laden, what Bin Laden says his own motivations are, and what respected Islamic sources say about Aisha's age at consummation. These facts have nothing to do with anyone's opinion of modern Islam or Muslims. And, if some her errors were made in good faith (perhaps she's never heard of Bukhari?), well she's had ample opportunity to correct them. Why hasn't she? 3 out of 3 found this valuable. Do you? |
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noach |
4. RE: exposure irony
Dec 16 2008, 6:59 PM EST
While we're on this subject:I'm thinking about doing some research in comparative religion, between Rabbinic Judaism (which is my background) and the main schools of Islamic tradition. Take for example, choosing that one-liner which says everything essential about one's religion in a sentence, and opens the door to learning more. In Islam, without doubt, this is the intent of the shahada - the declaration of the unity of God=Allah, the prophethood of Muhammad, and by implication the submission of the reciter to this absolute rule. From a Christian standpoint, it may well be sufficient to proclaim God is Love, without necessarily adding that God is also One and Jesus is His Redeemer. The very simplicity of the three-word formulation implies multiple concepts as one, including God's Oneness, the universality of faith in Him, and the promise of redemption through His Love for us. And in Judaism, which you might call the mothership of Christianity and Islam, there is "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One". Out of interest, there is an alternative "take" on this Torah one-liner - or should I say, one of many subsequent "takes", none of which conflict at bottom with "Hear, O Israel". The Talmud (the Oral Law redacted by the Rabbis in the centuries after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE) relates the story of a certain rabbi, Hillel, who was asked by a scornful pagan, to teach him the "entire Torah" while standing on one leg. Politely, without fuss, Hillel said: "Love your neighbour as yourself; that is the entire Torah - all the rest os commentary. Now go and learn." It has been suggested that Hillel's one-legged soundbite affected his hearer so profoundly that he became a convert to Judaism and in turn one of its most learned and humane teachers - like Hillel Do you find this valuable? |
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noach |
5. RE: exposure irony
Dec 16 2008, 7:13 PM EST
Correction: (I was pipped at the post by the word-limit).What Hillel actually said, according to the story, was: "That which is hateful to you, do not do unto others. Tthat is the entire Torah. The rest is commentary - now go and learn." The formulation of this principle in positive terms - "Love your neighbour as yourself" occurs many times in the Written Torah (the Old Testament in Christian Biblical terms). What is remarkable about both the positive and negative formulations is how much they imply about the religion itself. For example, God's Oneness is the "backing principle" for "Love thy neighbour" implying theological and ethical concepts simultaneously. Also, I did not intend to be presumptious when trying to summarize Christianity "one one leg" above. I was only repeating what I had learned at first hand while teaching in mission schools in Southern Africa, from Catholic and Protestant teachers alike. Do you find this valuable? |
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kamala_kamala |
6. RE: exposure irony
Dec 16 2008, 9:18 PM EST
Sounds interesting but way out of my league. I have to keep it simple:Christianity = "What would Jesus do?" Islam = "What would Muhammad do?" Judaism = "What did we do to deserve this?" 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
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noach |
7. RE: exposure irony
Dec 16 2008, 10:47 PM EST
Lovely! Funny + serious too .. Thanks for stimulating me into some writing. Do you find this valuable? |
