"Integrating Ireland’s Muslims: Attitudes of Muslim and Irish Elites towards Value Compatibility and the Mainstreaming of Islam"

--Alice C. Ciciora

In this article, the question of whether Islam can mesh with Western society in Ireland is raised. This question has been put forth in many other articles I have read thus far. The reason it is a question at the front of everyone's mind is because of the strain it creates on people's lives: both non-Muslims and Muslims. In Ireland, there is no state religion, but the Catholic church remains a prominent force in the lives of the Irish people. The two religions see different sides of the story. The Catholic church does not believe the Islamic faith to be compatible with Western values so it should not be integrated into mainstream society. The Muslims elites in Ireland feel the exact opposite. While reading this article, I realized that it does not matter who is right in this situation. What matters is that the Islamic people are once again being told to abandon their lifestyle in order to blend in with Western society. It is the Western states who are in constant opposition with the Islamic faith, and for what reason? The Muslim peoples have existed in Europe for hundreds of years, yet there is still no acceptance of them or their religion. Why do Western states feel threatened by Islam? I have made the point that this religion is that of peace and harmony several times in my blog. I feel like it cannot be stressed enough. If the West feels threatened, maybe our values are the ones that need changing. Maybe the reason our two value systems do not mesh well is because we make it overly difficult to be compatible. Just because you accept a religion that may be different from another, does not make the other evil and that especially does not mean you cannot live together in the same world. It is fear that separates us, nothing else.

"Minarets on the Skyline: the culture of the Muslim community"

This article by Ilyas Ba-Yunus and Kassim Kone describes and compares how Muslims in American cities live. The article goes into great detail about the different Muslim communities found in different cities across the US. They are all, for the most part, happily engaging with American lifestyles while also maintaining their religious devotion that shows their sense of community bonding among their fellow Muslims in their neighborhoods. The communities might not all look the same or consist of the same geographically affiliated Muslims, but the sense of belonging remains the same. The most important thing to the people living in these cities, is their devotion to their faith, so their community helps them stick to that by surrounding them with like-minded people with the same devotion. The point of the community is to create a pure Muslim environment that encourages strong faith. That being said, these communities are not exclusive, but they are for the most part filled with Muslims. This kind of environment is conducive to healthy religion and interaction with those who are outside this community of believers.

Brooklyn, NY

American Islam

The article "Managing 'American Islam'" by Mitra Rastegar discusses how the Islamic faith is treated in the US post 9-11 and how it has changed and adapted to suit its current wartime environment. Rastegar makes the point early on in the article that the United States has always been known as the country of freedom of religion that accepts any faith. This point is vital to the entire basis of this American Islam. The country that claims such an inviting atmosphere for religious tolerance should live up to that expectation, regardless of the circumstances. However, because of the intense situation with the war on terror created by the Bush administration, the United States has become more involved in discovering the "true" Islam, free of oppressive radicals and filled with patriotism and feminism. In a way, the US is reforming Islam. Rastegar quotes President Bush saying, "This enemy falsely claims that America is at war with Muslims and the Muslim
faith, when in fact it is these radicals who are Islam’s true enemy . . . We must help millions of Muslims as they rescue a proud and historic religion from murderers and beheaders who seek to soil the name of Islam." This quote, when analyzed by Rastegar, shows that Bush is suggesting there are two forms of Islam: the bad and the true. Guess which one is allowed in America? When it comes down to it, the US isn't supporting anything but its own interests. If you weed out the bad Muslims who do not believe what the US finds to be complying with the "true" Islam, then you weed out those who could be dangerous radicals out to destroy the country. "American" Islam means government approved Islam.

Islamic Activism in South Asia

Reading: "Talking jihad and piety: Reformist exertions among Islamist women in Bengladesh" by Maimuna Huq

When the word "jihad" is mentioned, images of violent suicide bombers and flag burning protesters in the Middle East come to mind, because I am an American who has been shown these images which are correlated by the media. Of course, violence is part of jihad, but this article also brings to light the other side of activism occurring in South Asia by groups of women. Jihad literally means "struggle, exertion, or striving". The women practicing this non-violent jihad are part of a highly organized "religio-socio-political" movement known as the BICS [Bangladesh Islami Chatri Sangstha] made up of young students. Their movement is in response to the perception that local and global communities are increasingly wracked by violence, injustice and oppression. These women believe that by deploying scripturally referenced emphasis on social justice offering a systematic path to peace and success in both this world and the hereafter. This movement is not large, but their goals and ways of reaching those goals are to be admired and encouraged. The main concern for their movement is a religious revival. Not all Muslims who want this are violent. Many believe that violence only gives way to more violence. There are peaceful tactics, and these women are doing their best to practice those, and encourage others to do so.

Cheating on Ramadan

The article "Significance of Eating During Ramadan" discusses how food is eaten and exchanged in a village in Java during the month of Ramadan. According  to the author, Jorgen Hellman, eating is complex in Java because it is very private. Even in a group where eating would be a social thing, people eat as if they are alone, excusing themselves from those around them to eat without stopping to make casual or polite conversation. This is a challenge to the Islamic tradition during Ramadan, where eating is to be a very social act including fellowship and conversation. In Java, it seemed to me that the Muslims practicing Ramadan have adapted it to fit their lives and local customs too much. For instance, the majority of people who live in the village in Java work in agriculture or construction which are very taxing jobs that require a lot of energy. Many people break their fast during the day because of their jobs, or overly stuff themselves during the morning meal to make it through the day. This is contrary to the typical practices, where fasting is to be an act of religious piety by resisting temptation and focusing on purity.

Indonesian Cuisine

I noticed the ways the people in the village have adapted the rules of Ramadan to fit their lifestyles is kind of a way of cheating. If Ramadan is about realizing one's faith through fasting as the prophet did, then by breaking it because of regional practices or economic stances makes the effort meaningless. I'm not trying to say that these people are "bad Muslims", but the issue is pushing the limits of what is religiously accurate and what is fake. Ramadan is an all or nothing activity, I see no room for a middle ground.

Women of Hezbollah

This film explores the reasons why women in Lebanon support and even encourage their husbands and sons to participate in radical behavior, or as we Americans know it: jihad.  In these Muslim families, the women play the "Islamization" role in socializing the children to adhere to Islamic ideology. Through their example, mothers teach their children to be good Muslims and good citizens. For the women in Lebanon, that means they are loyal to Hezbollah because it is their duty to God. For these women, being involved with the radical organization means justice for the crimes committed by the Israelis. One woman in the film explained that because she was forced into a marriage where she was basically enslaved, she feels the parallel in her country as it is enslaved by another force; to her, it only makes sense to rebel and encourage others to rebel, no matter the cost. Interestingly enough, the cost is the lives of those they love most. The women feel that if they make this kind of sacrifice, by letting their husbands and sons offer themselves as martyrs for Islam, they will be rewarded by God in heaven, and dignified on Earth as a martyr's mother. Many women were born into the war between Israel and Palestine and the indifference towards Arabs, which has in a way only perpetuated the hatred and violence. There is a question of nature vs. nurture in this film, that is answered with the terrifying images of children parading as soldiers, learning to march and hold guns; and the banners with the images of martyrs on every street post. When this kind of encouragement is found in everyday life, it is only natural to become apart of it. If violence is all you know, then how can you ever understand peace. The perpetual violence is the Israeli's fault as well as the Lebanese government. These women do no really want their loved ones to die, but they want their freedom more. Hezbollah is more complicated than crazed radical suicide bombers. It goes deeper than that. When the core of your entire life is based on revenge, how else can you live?

Inside Mecca

This film follows three Muslims on their journey during Hajj. I their displays of faith to be very inspirational and beautiful. The film follows an American woman, a South African man, and a Southeast Asian man and his wife on their spiritual journeys, each hoping to be changed by this experience. I was only a viewer, but seeing their experiences moved me. It was interesting to see the American woman story because it was easy to understand her struggle with acceptance by her fellow Muslims because, after all, she is a white woman on a sacred pilgrimage done exclusively by Muslims. It was amazing to see that this experience made her feel more welcome and part of the community. The South African man struggled with acceptance as well, but not because he did not look like he belonged, but because he was black. I never thought that racism could exist in that part of the world, where everyone has darker skin. The Hajj is about equality, so the man felt a kind of acceptance that he never received at home. It brought him so much happiness and changed his outlook. The Southeast Asian man came to find his spirituality that had been replaced with materialism. As a wealthy man, there is little he lacks, but through his pilgrimage he finds himself humbled and brought closer to God in a way he had wanted for a long time. Each person in this film found some missing part of themselves through their spiritual journey. Each of them are forever changed by it and will carry it for the rest of their lives. It was incredible to see happen.

Fear and Loathing in the Middle East

I am currently reading the article " Islamic Resistance in Palistine: Hamas, the Gaza War and the Future of Political Islam" by Dr. Seif Da’na, and I'm learning about how these wars [uprisings or coups] have changed the Middle East and how the outside world is reacting to all this. As an American, I have seen coverage of the various violent acts in that part of the world my entire life, and the basic message I have always received is that they have no clue what they want, but they are willing to die to get it. The way the world defines the Middle East is by these wars. Anytime someone mentions the Middle East, immediately images of suicide bombings and neighborhoods as war zones enter the imagination. Violence has become synonymous with Islam. Dr. Da'na argues in this article, this violence is linked to colonization. Da'na explains that the constant colonization of the Middle East has led to a basic breakdown of the Arab civilization which then leads to the need to reclaim the missing pieces of the puzzle, usually through violence. Unfortunately, these violent acts have the opposite effect and only lead to further intervention by outsiders. It's a self-perpetuating cycle. The "new Islam", is trying to put an end to this by "reinventing" Islam in order to generate a more peaceful interaction between the Western world and the Middle East. Da'na argues that this shift is toward a more liberal, more secularized Islam that is based on a decline in state intervention, specifically in the economy, and by combining nationalism and religion.
To me, this means that the Islamic world is trying to redefine themselves with Western guidelines in mind, while still trying to stay true to their religious roots. Islam has always been a dynamic religion that is able to bend, shift, and change to adapt to the current cultural surroundings easily. While this reinvention may mean less violence in the Middle East, it also means conforming to popular trends. The kind of rich culture found in the Middle East is something to be envied by our empty consumer culture in the West. If colonization created the problems in the Middle East, then the real solution should be for outsiders to back off, not have an ancient culture redefine themselves to mesh with what is popular. It would be nice for the violence in the Middle East to end, but it can only stop if we recognize who is really at fault and who really needs a make-over.

Hajj is Happiness, Hajj is Harmony

The article "Estimating the Impact of the Hajj" written by David Clingsmith, Asim Ijaz Khwaja, and Michael Kremer explains how making a pilgrimage to Mecca (the Hajj) evokes change among Muslims. According to their research, Hajjis (Muslims who make this pilgrimage) feel a stronger sense of unity within Islam and are more willing to accept non-Muslims because of a heightened sense of peace and harmony they gain because of their participation in the Hajj. The Hajj has a positive impact on their viewpoints concerning many other issues such as treatment of women, equality, and ethnic sects within Islam because of their exposure and interaction with other Hajjis from around the world.

My question is, if this is all true, why are non-Muslims against the Hajj? To answer my own question, it is because many outside the Muslim community see the media's portrayal of this gathering of orthodox believers as a radical potluck, serving up hatred and violence. Non-Muslims are afraid of increased antipathy amongst Hajjis when, in actuality, those who participate in this pilgrimage are more willing to accept non-Muslims because of the involvement in peaceful activities associated with equalizing and harmonizing their religious group. When the Baptists have a religious convention, no one believes they are forming to stir up violence within their congregation toward a group opposite them. Those who are religious and deeply involved with their fellow believers find an opportunity to gather together in a time of fellowship spiritually lifting and cleansing. It is comforting to be among those who believe what you believe, as well as a learning experience. Hajjis are no different. Through their experience, they gain a type of uplifting charge that gives them a more positive outlook on the world that they can carry with them throughout life. Hajj should be encouraged, not repressed. Without this kind of peaceful gathering, you encourage the concentration of localized practices and beliefs that often lead to small radical groups with violent tendencies. If the world is so concerned with violence spreading in the Middle East amongst Muslims, then the Hajj should be encouraged and shown through the positive scope that displays the kind of harmony and peace actually being practiced.