Named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most important innovators of the 21st century, Dr. Ramadan represents a new generation of Islamic reformers.

So is all this controversy surrounding him really warranted?  Well, you be the judge.  Check out his interview with George Stoumboulopoulos of The Hour.

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“I don’t think that God sent us prophets and books to fight about these books and these prophets.  But they were telling us, actually, how to live together.  If we ignore those teachings…whichever faith you belong…then I think we’ll be finding ourselves in an even deeper mess”

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Contrary to what you might think, recent discussions about him have nothing to do with him potentially being the first black president.  Rather, it all has to do with his name.

Believe it or not, there have been numerous online and radio discussions regarding this issue.

As the media would like to emphasize, Barack’s middle name is Hussein, a popular middle eastern name that means, the handsome one.  However, for some, this is a cause for grave concern.  As one individual puts it “is America ready to elect a president with the name Hussein?  Oh the irony”  Is this really ironic?  Not in the very least.

For others, it’s not really the middle name they have an issue with, but rather his last name;  Obama…sounds way too much like Osama.  

I kid you not, this is actually a huge problem for some of the American people.  So how exactly does this affect his capability as a politician?  Well your guess is as good as mine.  

Personally I find the whole uproar about his name a non-issue.  After all, isn’t a rose by any other name, still a rose?

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In his opinion piece, Chowdry states:  Today those that seem to wave the flag of Islam the most, and should ‘Allahu Akbar’ the loudest, are so often those who do so whilst advocating the slaughter of innocents.

Osama Bin Laden.  Ayman al-Zawahiri.  Hizb ut-Tahrir.  Al-Muhajiroun.

Following the publication of this article, a reader sent in a comment stating, “Contrary to what Mamoon Chowdry has insinuated, Hizb-ut-Tahrir ideologically supports non-violent means in overthrowing dictators of Muslim countries and for the re-establishment of the Caliphate…(the reason) they are banned is because they want to re-establish the Caliphate, which is the GREATEST threat to Western Imperialists.”  He also went on to state “maybe, instead of parroting groups/individuals that are banned/negatively portrayed by the oh so truthful Bush-Blair duo, writers should do proper research; their credibility-and that of the magazine is at stake.”

So naturally, this prompted me to do a little research and present to you my findings.

What is Hizb-ut-Tahrir?

Hizb-ut-Tahrir is a global Islamic political party that was established in 1953 under the leadership of its founder – the scholar, political thinker and judge in the Court of Appeals in al-Quds (Jerusalem), Taqiuddin an-Nabhan.

In the Muslim world, Hizb ut-Tahrir works at all levels of society to bring the Muslims back to living an Islamic way of life under the shade of hte Khilafah (Caliphate) State following an exclusively political method.

Hizb ut-Tahrir adopts the methodology employed by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) when he established the first Islamic State in Madinah.  The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) limited his struggle for the establishment of the Islamic State to intellectual and political work.  He established this Islamic state without resorting to violence.  He worked to mobilise public opinion in favour of Islam and endeavoured to sway the political and intellectual elites of the time. 

Despite the persecution and boycott of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the early Muslims, they never resorted to violence.

The party is therefore proactive in disseminating the Islamic intellectual and political thoughts widely in Muslim societies so as to challenge the existing status quo that exists there.The party presents Islam as a comprehensive way of life that is capable of managing the affairs of state and society.  The party also expresses its vieww on political events and analyses them from an Islamic perspective.

The party disseminates its thoughts through discussion with the masses, study circles, lectures, seminars, leaflet distribution, publishing books and magazines and via the Internet.

In the West. Hizb ut-Tahrir works to cultivate a Muslim community that lives by Islam in thought and deed, adhering to the rules of Islam and preserving a strong Islamic identity.  The party does not work in the West to change the system of government, but works within the boundaries of the system.

The party also works to project a positive image of Islam to Western society and engages in dialogue with Western thinkers, policymakers and academics. (www.hizb.org)

So from these articles, Hizb ut-Tahrir is a group that does not promote violence and that seeks to project a positive image of Islam to Western Society.

If that is the case, then why is this group banned?  Why, according to Wikipedia, is this group defined as an Islamic terrorist orgazination?

From the brief research that I have done, the conclusion that I have drawn is that these categorizations are a result of the actions of the more extreme members.  We must remember that we are a time where anything affiliated with Islam is often judged by the actions of the more extreme individuals.  According to Imran Khan of Newsnight (BBC), a website affiliated with this group propogates more racist and violent actions.

So was Mr. Chowdry right to include Hizb-ut-Tahrir in the context that he did?  I’m not one to say, after all it was his opinion piece, not mine.  However, I urge you to do your own research and come up with your own conclusion.

Now to say that the credibility of the magazine is at stake, I beg to differ.  ParadigmCafe seeks to establish itself as a forum for Muslims to voice their opinions, interests, concerns, and experiences.  We are here to promote open and respectful dialogue, while at the same time clarifying any misconceptions about Islam and of Muslims, that are out there.

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Yeah you could say “well his name is a clear giveaway to that fact,”  but think of the impact this headline would have had:  Muslim Economist Awarded Nobel Peace Prize.

When a Muslim achieves something great, it does not seem necessary to mention the fact that he is a Muslim, and if it is mentioned, it is downplayed somewhat.  By the same token, when a Muslim is responsible for something negative, well then that’s the first thing that is pointed out. 

Unfair?  Definitely…but then again, nobody ever said the world was fair. 

What to do about this predicament?  I wish I had the answers.  All I know is that we have to work that much harder to make sure that all information presented is accurate and fair. 

I know I know, easier said than done.

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I remember when I first undertook this project, I thought I would have the site up and running within a month tops.  I didn’t realize all the work that would be required to have my vision materialized, but alhamdulilah it all worked out

Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to send me their feedbacks and for their support.  It was all very much appreciated.

Until the next blog…..

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A couple of months ago, I was at a dinner party with some friends.  During the course of the evening one of the other dinner guests came up to me and asked me if I’d like a drink.  Before I could even answer the question, one of my friends intercepted and said “she doesn’t drink, she’s Muslim.”  I guess it took him a while to realize that I really don’t drink, because he came back a couple of more times asking me the same question.

The End

No, I’m only joking with you…there’s more to the story.  Actually the funny part occurred at the end of the evening.  Before leaving, this particular guest came up to me and said, “Samira, I just wanted to congratulate you for…” and then went on to mumble something about being brave, taboo…

First of all what is this taboo nonsense?  And second of all, why is he congratulating me?  I can’t think of anything too out of the ordinary that has happened in my life that would warrant a congratulations…hmmm maybe he’s just congratulating me for being the fabulous person that I am…

Something tells me that that’s not the case, so to get to the bottom of this mystery, I blurted out “what are you congratulating me for?”

He replied “I’m congratulating you for coming out tonight, I know how it’s taboo, and I thought it was really brave of you”

Wha??  Is he kidding me?  He can’t be serious!!!  Taboo??  What exactly is that suppose to mean?

Now here’s the scary part, this individual holds the highest academic degree possible in the field of sciences.  You would think that someone that educated would be a bit more enlightened, but sadly that was not the case.

The End (for real this time)

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I’ve met quite a few corporate people who share the similar opinion, that in order to climb up the corporate ladder one must indulge in a little bit of alcohol.  I’ve been told by some finance people that taking a client out to a bar or a restaurant for some drinks makes it easier to close a deal; I’ve been told that when attending these networking parties, if you don’t drink, sometimes it makes it all that harder to fit in; and finally I’ve been told “when you’re out with the partners and CEOs of a company and they offer you a drink, you just can’t say no.” 

The overall impression that I got from these discussions, is that in order to fit in with the ‘big boys’, one would have to pass a certain rite of initiation.  In order to move up the corporate ladder, or to get that promotion, one would have to prove themselves both professionally and socially. What’s ironic though, is that the majority of the people who I spoke with, don’t drink in their personal lives.  In fact, they don’t care much for it.  

So what do you guys think?  Is it true that in order to move ahead in the corporate world, one would have to start indulging in a little alcohol?  Have you ever been in a situation where you noticed that because you’re not drinking, it held you back a little or perhaps you were left feeling a bit excluded?  If you’re out with the CEO and partners of a company and they all offer you a drink and won’t take no for an answer, how do you handle this situation?   

I know, I know too many questions…but hey, I want to know…

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My Take on Fundamentalists and Fundamentalism – Yahya Abdul Rahman

Fundamentalism has nothing to do with religion.

In fact, one does not have to believe in God or any religion to be a fundamentalist.

Fundamentalism is a mindset or a particular way a person interprets what they see around them, and in turn determines their course of action.

Fundamentalists tend to to be rigid and will not accept any other interpretation of how things are other than their own.

They adhere to a set of principles – sometimes codified in a book or articulated by some charismatic leader – and they refuse to waiver from those principles even if they have been proven wrong.

In fact, they are never wrong, and that is why they are called fundamentalists in the first place.

Everyone else is wrong, stupid or an agent for some other vested interest and, as a result, they – the non fundamentalists – cannot see the true reality.

Underscore THE true reality.

Fundamentalists build a wall of virtue around themselves and they are the only true purists.

Everyone else is tainted.

They have been to the top of hte mountain and their “eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

They are impossible to deal with and every argument one uses against them merely further confirms what they already believe to be true.

Thus, their position is irrefutable.

They do not believe in compromise as – once agin – that would demonstrate that they other side may have a point.

If you even suggest to them to have an open mind then you are an apostate from “the cause” or an enemy that must be silenced at all costs.

They are usually vulgur and abusive in their language, but can dress their presentation up a bit when the need arises.

They may call themselves Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindus, atheists, anarchists, environmentalists, left wing, right wing, centrist, fascist, democratic, socialist, progressive, and every other kind of “ism” one can think of.

They are NOT out to save the world, but to make it in their own image and will spend all their energies doing so.

Generally, they are very sad people but are convinced of their rightness, so the sadness is a necessary sacrifice for a higher cause.

How one arrives at such a state of mind is a subject of a lot of debate.

I think it is their means at finding concrete and ready made answers in a complex world and this gives them a sense of security – a sense of smugness that they are right and have seen the light.

One thing is for sure it is a very miserable way to live one’s life.

The label “fundamentalism” is hurled at members of the Muslim community quite frequently as it is currently as effective way to bludgeon Muslims into silence.

Ironically, those making the accusations are – for the most part – the worst kind of fundamentalists themselves and possess those characteristics which have been outlined above.

Oh, yes, I forgot to mention, fundamentalists, while claiming moral superiority, are the worst form of hypocrites one can imagine.

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Oh well…lesson learned and time to move on.  By the way, for those of you who tend to procrastinate every now and then, we have a great article in our lifestyle section featuring advice from life coach Mr. B, on how to overcome this bad habit. 

Actually I should rephrase that last sentence:  We WILL have a great article from our all-knowing, in-house expert once he gets the information to me.   So Greg, when will I be getting your words of wisdom?  

Anyhow, I am beat…so I guess this is what will constitute my first blog…not too exciting, but it’s a good start

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