Thursday, April 30, 2015

Islam in the News: Seven Articles and One Video


The Ideology Of Islamic State And The Caliphate’s Importance

The March edition of Atlantic Magazine published an article1 about Islamic State (IS) that examined its theology and ideology. This article along with a paper from the Brookings Institute2 on the ideology of IS form the basis of our report this week.

In this report, we will examine the intellectual foundations of Islamic State, showing how it evolved from two different sources of thought. We will follow this with an analysis of the concept of the Caliphate and the critical importance it has in Islamic theology. A Caliphate is a form of Islamic government which, in some Islamic conceptions, is a universal government for all people. An examination of the eschatology of Islamic State will also be included. The consequences of IS’s ideology will be discussed. As always, we will conclude with potential market ramifications. Keep reading

Survey: Islam Will Become World’s Largest Religion in 2070

At a youthful 1,400 years, Islam is the youngest of the world's major religions — and it's on track to be the largest sometime this century.

That's the prediction from demographers at the Pew Research Center who say high fertility rates among Muslim women and a youth bulge in the faith are fueling its growth.

A Pew survey released this month, “The Future of World Religions,” says that if current trends continue, Islam will surpass Christianity in 2070 to become the world’s largest faith.

A panel of demographers discussed the findings of the report recently during a seminar at the headquarters of Pew’s Religion & Public Life project. Keep reading

German police foil Islamist attack ahead of Frankfurt cycle race

German police said on Thursday they had thwarted a planned Islamist attack, detaining a couple with suspected Salafist militant links, and cancelled a Frankfurt May Day cycle race after they had been seen along the route. Keep reading

Australia foils alleged terror attack for Gallipoli centenary

Hundreds of Australian police on Saturday arrested five teens planning an Islamic State-inspired terrorist attack next week at an event to mark the centenary of the landings at Gallipoli during World War One, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said.

More than 200 police were involved in a series of raids in the southern city of Melbourne in the early hours of Saturday, police said, following a month-long sting operation. Five men aged 18 and 19 were detained. Keep reading

Muslim American Organizations Are on the Wrong Side of History on the Armenian Genocide

During a lavish dinner and reception at the Turkish Embassy for leaders in the Muslim community several weeks ago, myself and some of the other more than two dozen community members found ourselves baffled at the presentations centered on denying the Armenian Genocide. It became clear to me that the event was in fact aimed at currying favor with Muslim Americans and getting their assistance in lobbying against any efforts to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Soon after the event, I started receiving emails that outright denied any kind of systematic extermination of the Armenian community by the Ottoman Empire and urged me to do advocacy on Capitol Hill about the "events of 1915." Keep reading

What Stories Help Us Fight Anti-Muslim Bigotry in America?

The religious community tells a lot of stories. We tell stories from our sacred texts, we tell stories from our history, and we tell stories about what it's like to be a member of our community today.

As co-founder of Shoulder to Shoulder, a national interfaith campaign to combat anti-Muslim bigotry, I am always interested in the stories we tell -- in the media and to one another -- about Islam. More directly, I want to know what stories will help make life in America easier for our Muslim brothers and sisters, and what will fan the flames of bigotry. Keep reading

Ex-Muslim Ayaan Hirsi Ali Proposes 5 Changes to Islam That Could Help Lead Its Religious Reformation

In speaking at the National Press Club on Tuesday, best-selling author, former Muslim and outspoken critic of Islam, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, offered five amendments to the religion of Islam that Muslims should take seriously if they really want to bring about a peaceful reformation to their religion.

In discussing her new book, Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now, Hirsi Ali explained that in the last five years she has seen a wave of Muslims throughout the world express interest in reforming Islam so that it is not brutally oppressive toward women, those who break Islamic law, and religious minorities.

Hirsi Ali, who is originally from Somalia and is a survivor of genetal mutialiation, further explained that Islam needs to follow in the footsteps of Christianity and Judaism, which have both previously undergone their own reformation periods. Keep reading

Also see
NPC Luncheon with Ayaan Hirsi Ali [Video]
I have included one article by a self-appointed defender of American Muslims against "anti-Muslim bigotry" in the United States and an article about an ex-Muslim whose "vitroil" he claims is fueling anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States and the speech she gave to the National Press Club. I have also included a video of the talk. It would appear that in liberal circles anyone who is outspoken about the teaching and practice of Islam that contribute to Islamicist terrorism is perceived as being Islamophobic and purveying hate. This mindset is highly problematic as it treats as hateful the free discussion of Islam and its teaching and practice.

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