Comments after the jump:

Founding conference attracts diverse gathering resolved to create physical spaces for progressive Muslims

Bronxville, NY/Los Angeles, CA: The progressive Muslim movement in the United States took a significant step forward as a diverse collection of activists, organizers, and academics gathered at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, May 15-17, for the first conference of Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV, website: www.mpvusa.org). Coming together in fellowship, they joined in communal devotion, shared the various personal, intellectual, and spiritual journeys that brought them there, discussed how to formulate their positions on political, social, and cultural issues and how to interact with other progressives and other Muslims. They also elected an Executive Board to lead them for the next two years.

The origin of the banjo came up on Noble Savagery; I had to post a link to Muslim Roots, US Blues, and of course I had to post it here too.  That magazine, Saudi Aramco World, is pretty cool for an Islamophile like myself. I know it’s funded by oil—and I know there’s a lot more to Islam than what they present! But every issue looks nice, and satisfies my taste for the exotic.   Oh yeah—and it’s free!

I disagree with the role of the secular Western university being the site of training imams.  I am aware that all the Ivy League schools in the United States were originally founded by the British crown as theological schools to train colonial clergymen.  I know that the modern secular university owes its roots and origins to the Christian monastery and cathedral schools of medieval, feudal Western Europe.  I acknowledge that graduation robes are derived from clerical vestments, however, should the secular university be the site of Muslim de facto seminaries?  Or should the

There are a number of interesting stories on Keith Ellison I would like to reprint here. 1st, Shahed Amanullah's piece on Ellison's use of the Jefferson Qur'an for his private oath of office. 2nd, the video of the oath. 3rd, an interview with Ellison. Then finally, 4th, Ellison's recent essay in Newsweek.

Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah!

I have had a few crappy days lately: illness, tough times at work, and celebrations past, present, and impending have been wearing on me. I've gotten better about indulging in self-pity, however, and tried something that I hope may help you: when I'm having a bad day, I've sought out extra opportunities for kindness: offering a seat on the subway to an older/pregnant/parcel-laden person, making sure I've extra change for my favorite homeless folk, that sort of thing. It gives a lift to the spirits like nothing else, and it's free, for whatever I loan to God through charity will be repaid. And the promise of the Lord is true. 

——PLEASE FORWARD/PUBLICIZE WIDELY——

Maybe someone should tell this good neighbor that Muslims agree one should not kill and eat pigs, but rather race them at county fairs. I mean, duh! 

Houston suburb angry over mosque plan

Some residents object to plan; neighbor threatens to hold pig races The Associated PressUpdated: 3:24 p.m. ET Dec 7, 2006

KATY, Texas – A plan to build a mosque in this Houston suburb has triggered a neighborhood dispute, with community members warning the place will become a terrorist hotbed and one man threatening to hold pig races on Fridays just to offend the Muslims.

On Eid al-Shukr, We thank God for the nourishment he has provided us and also thank God for the strength to act against injustice with our hands, our voices, and through prayer.

As a community, I suggest we work with Native Americans to ban racist Sports Mascots. Through grass roots activism, Native American groups were able to persuade the NCAA to ban the use of racist mascots and team names. Their activism provides an admonishment to us and a good example.

Ashly Higgens, a former student of mine and a reader of PI.Org website, sent me this hysterical photo from DC's "High Heel Drag Race."  It seems to put the proper note to the absurdity of the anti-niqab discussion.  Niqab is as American as you can get when it gets to be campy drag wear.  Fellow Muslims, we have  arrived!