Film: Outlawed in Pakistan by Habiba Nosheen and Hilke Schellmann

This film aired as an episode in PBS's Frontline program on May 28, 2013. Visit its website for the entire film and features. Azra at Muslima Media Watch wrote an excellent review on September 10, 2013. Obviously, the film makes obvious the wretched state of police, criminal justice and judicial proceedings in Pakistan. People who claim to be working to reform their governments should prioritize professionalization of the police to better investigate rape.

Another important lesson for Muslims in the United States is the value of public television and radio, despite the limitations (and here) of PBS and NPR.

Filmaker Habiba Nosheen has a website, and she is on Twitter. The second filmmaker, Hilke Schellmann, is also on Twitter.

P.S. In 2008 on this blog I reviewed the film Shame by Mohammed Ali Naqvi about the rape of Mukhtar Mai.

Review: "Fire in the Unnameable Country" by Ghalib Islam

Fire in the Unnameable Country by Ghalib Islam

There are two reviews out for this book. One is by Alex Good in The Toronto Star of March 11, 2014. The other is by Emily Keeler in the March 2014 edition of The Walrus.

Here's Penguin's page on the book. Ghalib lives in Canada. I have not read the book.

Dead Man Tell No Tales: Susan Zalkind's Story on Ibragim Todashev

Check out @ThisAmerLife episode 519: 'Dead Men Tell No Tales.' http://t.co/IyJkGD89pk
— CAIR National (@CAIRNational) March 10, 2014

This American Life is one of my favorite National Public Radio programs. This episode focuses in another of the glorious episodes in the United States's War on Terror, about which this blog has a series of entries.
Updated March 24, 2013.

BREAKING: FTF has obtained a leaked copy of the FBI's Todashev report. http://t.co/dUSz4Uyh9b

— Fire Tom Friedman (@firetomfriedman) March 24, 2014

Review: "The French Intifada: The Long War Between France and Its Arabs" by Andrew Hussey

Princeton University Professor David Avrom Bell (Twitter) reviewed The French Intifada: The Long War Between France and Its Arabs by Andrew Hussey in The Guardian.

My take on Andrew Hussey's "The French Intifada" http://t.co/KKTGJYUGPM
— David A. Bell (@DavidAvromBell) March 1, 2014

I have not read the book.

Updated: Interview with the author published June 27, 2014.

Interview with Marjan Kamali, author of "Together Tea"

h/t Jennifer Zobair

Thrilled to have an interview with Marjan Kamali, author of the gorgeous debut novel TOGETHER TEA, on @storyandchai! http://t.co/8QFBxzbSWQ
— Jennifer Zobair (@jazobair) February 27, 2014

Together Tea by Marjan Kamali (Twitter). I have not read the book.

Review: “Painted Hands” by Jennifer Zobair

wood turtle (Twitter) reviewed Painted Hands: A Novel by Jennifer Zobair (Twitter) for Muslimah Media Watch. You can purchase direct. I have not read the book.

Review: Political Islam in the Age of Democratization by Kamran Bokhari and Farid Senzai

New review: Political Islam in the Age of Democratization by Kamran Bokhari and Farid Senzai @palmacpolitics http://t.co/faRZULkFWG
— LSE Review of Books (@LSEReviewBooks) February 26, 2014

Amani El Sehrawey reviewed Political Islam in the Age of Democratization by Kamran Bokhari and Farid Senzai on behalf of the London School of Economics and Political Science Review of Books. I have not read the book.

Review: The Terror Factory: Inside the FBI's Manufactured War on Terrorism by Trevor Aaronson

Trevor Aaronson's The Terror Factory: Inside the FBI's Manufactured War on Terrorism gathers disparate news stories into one narrative: the frequency of "terrorism" convictions in the United States in the years following 2001 is neither a measure of the threat terrorism poses to public safety nor of the effectiveness of the federal government in protecting United States residents.

Review: Do Muslim Women Need Saving? by Lila Abu-Lughod

Subashini Navaratnam reviewed Lila Abu-Lughod's book Do Muslim Women Need Saving? at popmatters.com. I have not read the book.

Updated February 23, 2014: Naaz Rashid's review dated today is on The London School of Economics and Political Science website.

Review: Burqas, Baseball and Apple Pie by Ranya Tabari Idliby

After listening to an interview with Ranya Tabari Idliby, author of Burqas, Baseball, and Apple Pie: Being Muslim in America, I published a response/rant the guilt from which compelled me to buy and read the book.

My response to the interview reflects my views, but the book impacted me more deeply and, upon reflection, helped me appreciate Ustaza Ranya's positions. I present some criticism unique to the book and a few observations, and I end with a strong promotion of the book and Professor Ranya.

Interview with Mark Cohen, Contributor to A History of Jewish-Muslim Relations

Joseph Richard Preville conducted an interview with Professor Mark R. Cohen, and it was published in IslamiCommentary.org on January 28, 2014.

Jews and Muslims have been intertwined for fourteen centuries. Their long relationship is the subject of A History of Jewish-Muslim Relations: From the Origins to the Present Day (Princeton University Press, 2013). read more

Professor Cohen is one of the contributors to the book. I have not read the book.

Review: Sophia by Shafinaaz Hassim

Fatima Bheekoo-Shah reviewed Sophia: a novel by Shafinaaz Hassim (Twitter) in OnIslam.net, February 16, 2014. I have not read the book.

A Kindle version is available for USA readers.

Review: The Muslims Are Coming!: Islamophobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror by Arun Kundnani

The Muslims Are Coming!: Islamophobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror by Arun Kundnani

Arun Kundnani (Twitter) has written a thorough critique of the Age of Obama War on Terror. And you are right, Obama supporters, that your Nobel Peace Prize-receiving hero does not call it a War on Terror like that once-reviled but now surprisingly familiar cousin George W Bush did. Obama and his people are fighting extremism. Isn't that a good thing?

Film "David" Examines Boundaries of Interfairth/Interethnic Relations in Brooklyn

Thanks to Augusta, Georgia's Morris Museum of Art (Twitter) (Facebook) and the Southern Circuit 2013-2014 Tour of Independent Filmmakers, I was able to watch David (Twitter) (Facebook) and meet its director and producer Joel Fendelman. It premiered in 2010 at the Brooklyn Film Festival, and you can read the synopsis there.

David (2011) - Trailer from Joel Fendelman on Vimeo.

Review: Black Liberation and Palestine Solidarity by Lenni Brenner and Matthew Quest

Black Liberation and Palestine Solidarity by Lenni Brenner and Matthew Quest

Authors Lenni Brenner and Matthew Quest collected in this volume some of the essays they published between 1993 and 2013 analyzing the positions of prominent figures in the movement for black liberation towards Zionism and Palestinian resistance to Zionism. These positions were reflections of their owners' evolving understandings of the liberation struggles in the United States.

Review: Ms. Marvel #1 - KAMALA KAHN IS A MARVELOUS NEW HERO

.@IGN Review: Ms. Marvel #1 by @GWillowWilson & @adrianalphona from @Marvel "Kamala Kahn is a marvelous new hero." http://t.co/vrA3ajjviq
— Joshua Yehl (@JoshuaYehl) February 5, 2014

I have not read this issue. G Willow Wilson has other appearances on this blog.

Added February 15, 2014: Another positive review from Billy Donnelly at The Wesleyan Argus, February 13, 2014.

Review: Salaam, Love: American Muslim Men on Love, Sex, and Intimacy

Salaam, Love: American Muslim Men on Love, Sex, and Intimacy by Ayesha Mattu (Twitter) and Nura Maznavi.

Rasha Madkour of the Associated Press reviewed the book. I have not read it.

I suspect the link will go dead at some point. If it does, please add a comment so I can update the entry.

New Site for Arabic E-Books

H/t to M Lynx Qualey

Detained Journalists, Launch of http://t.co/r1Ze8omfy7, and Other Scenes from the Cairo International Book Fair http://t.co/pN68tUYKdD
— M. Lynx Qualey (@arablit) February 5, 2014

I had suggested to some elderly relatives who complained that changes in their eyesight made it difficult to read normal print size books to try e-books. The devices which allow the user to read these e-books have font size adjustment. One relative mentioned that he wanted to read Arabic books, and I did not know a good source of Arabic e-books. Hopefully Kotobi.com will solve that problem. I "purchased" 20 or so free books off the site. The prices are in Egyptian pounds for the books. There is a Facebook page and a Twitter account. The application is available in Google Play for Android and the Apple Store. There still is not a lot of content, especially in science.

Review: The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Walker

James Langton reviewed The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Walker (Twitter) in The National (United Arab Emirates).  I have not read the book.

NCIS, another USA national security propaganda show?

My long awaited critique of @NCIS_CBS episode #KillChain here: http://t.co/zasOSssyPq #pakistan #drones #CBS #NCIS #yemen #navy #usa
— Irfan Rydhan (@IrfanRydhan) January 31, 2014

I'm proud that I decided to drop watching USA Network's Covert Affairs. I usually, once I start watching a show, continue to watch it. The worst example of this was that I actually watched all episodes on DVD of Highlander: The Raven, including the special feature where the production team explained how they managed to produce the worst TV show ever.

For this reason, I've never watched NCIS. If I started, I'm worried that I'd be devoting 2 hours a day watching all the episodes I missed.

So I thank Irfan Rydhan for writing a review of a recent episode. I've written other blog posts about TV episodes featuring Muslim characters.

Ranya Tabari Idliby Interview on C-SPAN2 BookTV

Daisy Khan interviewed author Ranya Tabari Idliby on C-SPAN2's BookTV December 4, 2013. Ranya is the author of Burqas, Baseball, and Apple Pie: Being Muslim in America and The Faith Club: A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew--Three Women Search for Understanding.

Review: Thomas Jefferson’s Qur’an: Islam and the Founders by Denise Spellberg

Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an: Islam and the Founders by Denise Spellberg

Orme Wilson, director and immediate past president of The Filson Historical Society, reviewed this book for The Courier-Journal, a Louisville, Kentucky newspaper.

I have not read the book.

THE BIG HOUSE -- البيت الكبير

h/t Ebadur Rahman

Interview with Ranya Tabari Idliby, Author of Burqas, Baseball and Apple Pie: Being Muslim in America

The C-Span program After Words is broadcasting Daisy Khan's interview with Ranya Tabari Idilby beginning this Saturday, January 11.

Burqas, Baseball, and Apple Pie: Being Muslim in America by Ranya Tabari Idliby.

This is the first I've heard of the author or the book.

Update: I saw the interview and wrote some comments.

Update 2: I read her book and wrote a positive review, which surprised me.

Review: Merchants of Doubt by Naomi Oreskes & Erik M Conway

Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming by Naomi Oreskes & Erik M. Conway. First edition, 2010, hardcover, 355 pages.

I'd had this book on my shelf for a while, but I was especially motivated to read it when I noticed that an entire chapter was devoted to contemporary attacks on Rachel Carson and the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to ban the use of the pesticide DDT in the United States in 1972.

Review: Gaza Writes Back

The Story of #Gaza by @davidcnswanson http://t.co/O7W79Ce2mW #Palestine #Books #Israel #MENA
— MyFDL (@MyFDL) January 2, 2014

David Swanson reviewed Gaza Writes Back at firedoglake.com. You can purchase Gaza Writes Back from Just World Books. I have not read the book.


Gaza Writes Back

Open Access Academic Books from University of California Press

h/t Mark Lynch, who retweeted

This is pretty great: UC Press makes 194 e-books from its history catalog (and 700+ books total) open access http://t.co/zzw4LYZisG
— Ian Mosby (@Ian_Mosby) December 30, 2013

Here are some books which may interest readers of this blog:

Review: “I Am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb

Yomna El-Saeed reviewed I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb on the website OnIslam.net on 19 December 2013. I have not read the book.

Confronting Anti-Black Racism & Tribalism in the Ummah

This is a recording of the radio show I mentioned last week.

Important Radio Discussion This Saturday on Intra-Muslim Racism

From Dawud Walid's blog: (I've added the date and a few links)

Arab American Association of New York Director Linda Sarsour and Dawud Walid are scheduled to be 900 AM WURD in Philadelphia this Saturday (Nov 30, 2013) from 5pm to 6pm Eastern to discuss the issue of the usage of the slur “abeed” and the broader issue of intra-Muslim racism and tribalism.

Islam Today Radio Show is hosted weekly by University of Pennsylvania Chaplain Kameelah Rashad. The show may be listened to live-streaming at www.900amwurd.com.  Callers may join the conversation at (866) 361-0900 or (215) 634-8065.

Updated December 2, 2013: A recording is available online.

Film: The Silencing of Dorothy Thompson - Support its Production

Consider pledging money to support this Kickstarter project on a US journalist who lost her status by drawing attention to the plight of Palestinian refugees from the 1947-48 war.

I heard about this because I follow updates from If Americans Knew (Facebook, Twitter). Its executive director, Allison Weir, is a script consultant.

The production company is Alternative Focus.

Production Stills from Unity Productions Foundation's Film on Noor Inayat Khan

Unity Productions Foundation (UPF) is close to completing a film on Noor Inayat Khan, a Muslim who spied for the British government during World War II. Here are some picture from the production. The website for the film is http://NoorKhanFilm.org, and it should be complete by mid-November 2013. UPF asked me not to share the stills I received, so I have taken them down and I apologize to you readers for the misdirection. But I was assured that some of the stills would be placed on the website soon. In the meantime, please support UPF financially to bring this and other projects to life.

Religious War is Not So Bad: Modern Defenses of the Crusades

I was flipping through the TV yesterday and hit upon EWTN ON LOCATION - RETHINKING HOLY WARS: THE CRUSADES AND CATHOLIC DEVOTION IN THE MIDDLE AGES. It featured a lecture by Dr. Thomas F. Madden, of Saint Louis University, on "Rethinking Holy War: The Crusades and Catholic Devotion in the Middle Ages" delivered at the Catholic Vision of History Conference at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia. The full lecture is available in audio and visual format through iTunes University.

Review: Radical Reform: Islamic Ethics and Liberation by Tariq Ramadan

Mohammad Fadel (Twitter) of the University of Toronto Law School reviewed Radical Reform: Islamic Ethics and Liberation by Tariq Ramadan in the Journal of the American Academy of Religion.

I have not read the book.

Interview with Wael Hallaq, author of The Impossible State: Islam, Politics and Modernity's Moral Predicament

Jadaliyya published an interview with Wael Hallaq, author of The Impossible State: Islam, Politics, and Modernity's Moral Predicament.

I have not read the book.

Where the Two Seas Meet: Al-Khidr and Moses-The Qur'anic Story of al-Khidr and Moses in Sufi Commentaries as a Model for Spiritual Guidance by Hugh Talat Halman

Where the Two Seas Meet: Al-Khidr and Moses-The Qur'anic Story of al-Khidr and Moses in Sufi Commentaries as a Model for Spiritual Guidance by Hugh Talat Halman, published by Fons Vitae

I reviewed Hugh Talat Halman's children's book about al-Khidr. The American Muslim published more details on this latest volume. I have not read this book.

Review: Democracy and Intolerance: Christian School Curricula, School Choice, and Public Policy by Frances R. A. Paterson

Democracy and Intolerance: Christian School Curricula, School Choice, and Public Policy by Frances R. A. Paterson

The author reviewed textbooks commonly used in Christian private schools' social studies and history classes in the United States and found that they prepared the reader to accept narrow political, social and religious views. Because many in the United States seek government support for these private schools, the author urges that no public support be given because these books promote intolerance of others' viewpoints in an undemocratic manner.

Review: Autumn of Dictatorship by Samer Soliman

The Autumn of Dictatorship: Fiscal Crisis and Political Change in Egypt under Mubarak by Samer Soliman

Professor Mohammad Fadel wrote a review at Shanfaraa.com. I have not read the book.

Review: A History of Race in Muslim West Africa, 1600-1960

A History of Race in Muslim West Africa, 1600-1960 by Bruce S Hall

Duke University Department of History Professor Bruce Hall has written an important book about the Sahelian region of west Africa, with implications eastward to Sudan. In our times, this region has witnessed horrific conflict, in particular Darfur in western Sudan and the periodic conflicts in northern Niger and Mali between Arab and Tuareg separatist groups on the one hand and the national governments on the other.

Crayola Provides Free Ramadan Coloring Pages

If your kids (or you!) like to draw with crayons, they can do so with Ramadan-themed coloring pages from Crayola!

I found out about this because of Mother Jones article exposing Islamophobes. The best way to encourage Crayola to continue creating such content is to download these pages and let your children draw!

Recitations of Qur'an, files divided into 30 parts

I was looking for .mp3 files of recitation of the Qur'an for my MP3 player. I found many freely available collections where each file was one sura, but I was looking during Ramadan to be able to organize my listening by juz' (part). Muslims, for ease of tracking recitation, have divided the Qur'an into 30 approximately equal parts or ajzaa'.

Law & Order S01E20 Perpetuates Anti-Arab Stereotypes

I finished watching Law & Order's first season on DVD. I'm sure somebody's writing Ph.D. dissertations about the cultural messages of Law & Order. I've seen a lot of Law & Order episodes over the years, but I'd never seen any of the episodes from its first season. Compared to the last few seasons, this episode had a lot more content related to what I believe is USA White Supremacy's most dangerous remaining tool, the criminal justice system expressed through the war on drugs. The real-life term Law and Order arose in response to the race riots in US cities in the 1960s. The first season of Dick Wolf's Law & Order has the echoes of the 1970s "urban blight", Central Park 5 New York City prior to the gentrified Manhattan of the last several seasons of Law & Order.

Spiritual Gems of Islam by Jamal Rahman

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat reviewed Spiritual Gems of Islam: Insights & Practices from the Qur'an, Hadith, Rumi & Muslim Teaching Stories to Enlighten the Heart & Mind by Jamal Rahman. I have not read the book.

With enthusiasm and authenticity, the author taps into the wisdom of Islam with insights and practices from the Qur'an, Hadith (the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad as well as the hadith qudsi, which are God's words communicated through the Prophet), the 14th century Sufi poet Rumi, and Muslim teaching stories. Read more ...

Help Preserve Ancient Manuscripts in Timbuktu

When activists moved manuscripts away from rebel-held areas in northern Mali to areas in southern Mali, the pages were exposed to a much more humid climate without appropriate protections. Please support this project! I met Ustaz Abdul Qader Haidara in Timbuktu in 1995 or 19966, and I remember his tireless advocacy on behalf of the preservation of knowledge. He also cooperated with the International Museum of Muslim Cultures in Jackson, Mississippi. More information is available at the T160K website.

Karama Has No Walls

Karama Has No Walls Trailer from S. Ishaq on Vimeo.

I've been able to see the full 27-minute movie, and I can tell you it is critical. Our peace group in Augusta, Georgia is planning to screen it as an intro to a talk by Augusta's favorite son Jeb Boone, who spent years in Yemen as an independent journalist.

In sha Allah, I'll get more information on how people can see it.

Review: The Search for Truth about Islam: A Christian Pastor Separates Fact from Fiction by Ben Daniel

Rachel Magruder at The United Methodist Reporter reviewed The Search for Truth about Islam: A Christian Pastor Separates Fact from Fiction by Ben Daniel . I have not read the book.

Review: The Duties of Brotherhood in Islam by al-Ghazali, translated by Muhtar Holland

A review of a translation of a portion of Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali's book Ihyaa' Uluum al-diin is available at A Muslim's Book Shelf. I have not read the book, but I read this chapter from Ihyaa years ago. The excerpted passages are well-written English and convey the meanings I remember.

Film: Valentine's Ghost

Hv u seen ‘Valentino’s Ghost'? This engrossing examination of US perceptions of Arabs & Arab world gets u thinkingow.ly/l7mbV
— MPAC (@mpac_national) May 18, 2013

I have not seen the film.

Review: Light Without Fire: The Making of America’s First Muslim College

Bushra Burney, the Caffeinated Muslim, reviewed Scott Korb's book Light Without Fire: The Making of America's First Muslim College. You can follow Bushra on Twitter.

I have not read the book.

H/t to Ebadur Rahman

Caffeinated Muslim: Review of “Light Without Fire: The Making of America’s First Muslim College” ow.ly/2wW7b9
— Ebadur Rahman (@i_baad) May 17, 2013

By the Sea by Abdulrazak Gurnah

Amitav Ghosh reviewed By The Sea by Abdulrazak Gurnah. I have not read the book.

The Muslims Are Coming!: Islamophobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror by Arun Kundnani

Updated: Read and reviewed!

 
The Muslims Are Coming!: Islamophobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror by Arun Kundnani (Twitter)

The Council on American-Islamic Relations on Twitter drew people's attention to this book, scheduled to be released in February 2014.

The Muslims Are Coming!: Islamophobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror... fb.me/1UbPCZRKT
— CAIR National (@CAIRNational) May 14, 2013

Updated February 16, 2014: I've reviewed the book!

Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors by Hena Khan and Mehrdokht Amini

Lori Norman of StoryQuill reviewed Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors by Hena Khan and illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. You can like Hena Khan's Facebook page.

Lori Norman is on Twitter.

I have not read the book.

The Myth of the Muslim Tide: Do Immigrants Threaten the West?

Gene Bedient reviewed The Myth of the Muslim Tide: Do Immigrants Threaten the West? by Doug Sanders (Twitter) at Prairie Fire (Twitter).

What Turns Some Western Muslims into Terrorists? The Causes of Extremism, an excerpt from Chapter 2 of this book, has been published at Doug Sanders's blog.

I have not read the book.

Living Shrines of Uyghur China by Lisa Ross

Ian Johnson reviewed Friends of God: Sufi Shrines in Western China by Lisa Ross in The New York Review of Books. Some photos are on exhibit at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York through July 8, 2013.

NPR also published a piece about the book, with some photos. La Journal de La Photographie also published an introduction to Lisa Ross's work, and it has some pictures as well. There's also an article in The Wall Street Journal. Lisa Ross also participated in a Rubin Museum of Art podcast episode (iTunes).

If you are in NYC, you can meet her for lunch today, May 8, at 1:00 PM.

I have not read the book. Hat tip to Omar Sacirbey, editor of Moozweek.

Support Georgia Innocence Project's Concept Album on Life of Clarence Harrison, Exonerated After 18 Years

I attended a talk by Clarence Harrison, a Decatur, Georgia man convicted of rape and kidnapping and sentenced to life imprisonment. He served 18 years before he was exonerated with help from the Georgia Innocence Project (Facebook page).

I have posted other material regarding the United States criminal justice system. And I hope you've watched the latest Ken Burns documentary, Central Park Five.

Donate to the Georgia Innocence Project. In addition, some musicians are teaming up with Clarence Harrison to produce songs about his life, in mostly his own words. That project needs support as well.

Play: "Disgraced" by Ayad Akhtar

The New York Times published a review of the play Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar.

I have not seen the play.

H/t

- ‘Disgraced,’ by Ayad Akhtar, With Aasif Mandvi - NYTimes.com ow.ly/2wgzbc

— Ebadur Rahman (@i_baad) April 18, 2013

Book Review: Christians, Muslims and Jesus by Mona Siddiqui

Christians, Muslims, and Jesus by Mona Siddiqui

Stuart Kelly reviewed the book at Scotsman.com. Sameer Rahim reviewed it at The Telegraph.

I have not read the book.

Here is a recording of a lecture she gave at Edinburgh University in Scotland on March 11, 2013.

Interview with Scott Korb, author of Light without Fire

Light without Fire: The Making of America's First Muslim College by Scott Korb (Twitter) (Tumblr) (Facebook)

Religion Dispatches published an interview with Scott Korb. The interview mentions Ebadur Rahman, whose blog I recommend.

Updated May 17, 2013: Review

Dawud Walid Explains Why CAIR Urges Moratorium on Death Penalty in the United States

Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) has endorsed a national moratorium in the United States on the death penalty. You can listen to CAIR-Michigan's Executive Director Dawud Walid explain CAIR's position and discuss other matters related to the criminal justice system, which I've blogged about in the past.

Note: The audio file is embedded in 4shared.com. My recommendation is to create an account on the web site, but don't download and install on your computer its "download" assistant, which will embed itself in your browser and activate every time you try to download a file.

P.S. Act on this Amnesty International alert to prevent the execution of Abdullah al-Qahtani in Iraq.

Review: The Wall by William Sutcliffe

The Wall by William Sutcliffe

Pitched as a fable, his crossover novel is set in a city split in two by a vast wall. On one side live the privileged, the occupiers – and our hero Joshua. On the other live the desperate, the occupied, and when Joshua, hunting for his lost football, discovers a tunnel that leads under the wall, he sets in action a series of dreadful consequences. Without making it explicit, it soon becomes clear that this is the West Bank, that Joshua, 13, is Jewish, and that Leila, the girl who saves his life on the other side of the wall, is Palestinian.

Read more of Alison Flood's review of March 30, 2013 in The Guardian. 

I have not read the book.

Report: Women and the American Mosque

The Hartford Institute for Religious Research published a third report from the US Mosque Study 2011 (Adobe). This report is entitled Women and the American Mosque (Adobe). Its authors are Sarah Sayeed, Aisha Al-Adawiya and Ihsan Bagby. Women in Islam, Inc was also one of the authors.

Graphic Novel: Justice for Aafia

H/t to MuslimMatters.org for publishing Christopher Towne's graphic novel on Aafia Siddiqi's torture and imprisonment at the direction and involvement of the USA.

Review: Tripping with Allah: Islam, Drugs, and Writing by Michael Muhammad Knight

Richard Marcus reviewed Michael Muhammad Knight's Tripping with Allah: Islam, Drugs, and Writing. I have not read the book.

Muslim Public Affairs Council Report: Muslims and the Making of America

The Muslim Public Affairs Council has published Precious Rasheeda Muhammad's report Muslims and the Making of America. You can download the entire report for free.

Inaugural Issue of Islamophobia Studies Journal

The inaugural issue of Islamophobia Studies Journal is available for download (Adobe). The publisher is the University of California, Berkeley Center for Race & Gender.

This center is also sponsoring The Fourth Annual International Conference on the Study of Islamophobia, April 19-20, 2013. The entire proceedings are to be available online. You can follow the conference on Twitter.

Review: The Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth by E.O. Wilson

The Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth by Edward O. Wilson. I've reviewed other books by Professor Wilson.

This book is a Reader's Digest version of Professor Wilson's ideas as expressed in books like Future of Life and Social Conquest. It's meant to spread biophilia among the religious to get humanity in action to save biodiversity. Bill Moyers's 2006 show Is God Green? addresses some of this as well.

I thought that the most interesting part of the book was Wilson's explanation of biology as a discipline and how love of this branch of science could be inculcated in students, pages 103-61.

Erasing Memory: The Cultural Destruction of Iraq

FreeSpeech TV is broadcasting today Shocking and Awful, a series of programs describing how shocking and how awful the USA attack on Iraq was. One segment I've watched is Erasing Memory: The Cultural Destruction of Iraq.

Review: The Social Conquest of Earth by Edward O. Wilson

The Social Conquest of Earth by Edward O. Wilson. I've previously reviewed his books The Future of Life and Anthill.

The bulk of this book describes the process by which Homo sapiens' ancestors became eusocial and how that led to multilevel selection. When a species becomes eusocial, group selection becomes an important element in the species' evolution.

For criticism of the concept of group evolution, read blog entry 1 and blog entry 2 from Jerry Coyne, the author of Why Evolution is True, a book I have in my possession and intend to read and review. I heard Dr. Coyne give a lecture in a suburb of Augusta, GA on February 4, 2013.

Being an expert in insects, the typical example of eusociality, E.O. Wilson shifts back and forth between describing the development of eusociality in ants and eusociality in anthropods.

The important thing for me, and for most readers of this blog, is Professor Wilson's final chapters where he presents conclusions on how this understanding of humanity should impact our religious and moral beliefs and ethical practices.

Review: Anthill by E.O. Wilson

Anthill by E.O. Wilson. I've previously reviewed his book The Future of Life.


This fiction book presents themes Professor Wilson has emphasized in his nonfiction books. The most important theme is the necessity of creative synthesis of capitalism and environmental protection. The lead character, Raphael Cody, learns that a beloved southern Alabama old wood forest surrounding a lake will be threatened by Mobile's expansion. In fact, his blue-blood maternal uncle is among the business elite advocating this development. Raphael leaves the study of the biosphere to complete a law degree at Harvard. Upon graduation, he returns and works as the legal counsel for the developer who purchased the property and who has previously converted woodland and wetlands to suburban Mobile sprawl. As legal counsel, he is able to develop a proposal which to a large extent preserved the quality of the land while advancing his employer's bottom line.

Review: Minaret by Leila Aboulela

Professor Heather Abdelnur reviewed Minaret by Leila Aboulela.

As the movement goes from late teen’s mini-skirt wearing, callous, and shallow rich girl, to an increasingly religious and conservative working class woman, Aboulela could have made the transformation too fast, too unbelievable, or too cliche.  Instead, the reader believes the changes, comes to understand the transformation of character, and, while wishing for a happy ending that might not come, we do not pity Najwa nor exhault her.  ... read more ...

Dr. Abdelnur has reviewed other books.

Review: Love in a Headscarf by Shelina Z. Janmohamed

Professor Heather Abdelnur reviewed Love in a Headscarf by Shelina Z. Janmohamed.

What a fun, refreshing, and good-natured presentation of the process and problems facing Western-raised Muslim women on the market for marriage! ... read more ...

Dr. Abdelnur has reviewed other books.

Review: The Butterfly Mosque by G. Willow Wilson

Professor Heather Abdelnur reviewed The Butterfly Mosque by G. Willow Wilson. I have not yet read it.

After reading it, I’m almost angry.  How could I not have heard of Willow Wilson before?  How had I missed this book? ... read more ...

Ask Alison's Science Books for Everyone

Science educator and blogger Alison Monahan answers the question:

Would you put together a recommended reading list for a world citizen in 2013 to be in a good position to judge political and moral claims in the light of science today? 

Illuminated Verses: Poetries of the Islamic World

 Poets House and City Lore held Illuminated Verses: Poetries of the Islamic World in 2011. 

You can read essays written on the occasion of the conference (PDF).

iPad App: Care of Muslim Patients: A Practical Guide

Aasim I Padela at the University of Chicago reviewed the iPad and iPhone app Care of Muslim Patients: A Practical Guide in Volume 381, Issue 9865 of The Lancet.

The application in the Apple store is free, but it only provides a portion of the content. The full content is available for 9.99 USD.

Visual Art of Dr. Ezzat Abouleish

Dr. Faroque Ahmad Khan reviewed Dr. Ezzat Abouleish's books Islam in the Eyes of an Artist and Allah and the 99 Names of God. Both books are available from the author.

Dr. Ezzat is a pioneer of obstetric anesthesia.

To-Read: Unhitched: The Trial of Christopher Hitchens by Richard Seymour

After reading a review, I'm interested in reading Unhitched: The Trial of Christopher Hitchens by Richard Seymour.
 

h/t Glenn Greenwald

InTheseTimes reviews the new book dismantling Hitchens hagiography: "Unhitched: The Trial of Christopher Hitchens"is.gd/2Dc7Um
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) January 28, 2013

Ebad's Reading List

Ebad posted online a document related to the completion of his B.A. which includes many quality books. So have a look!

I've reviewed two of those books:
Jackson, Sherman A. Islam and the Blackamerican: Looking toward the Third Resurrection.
Oxford: Oxford UP, 2005. 

Marable, Manning. Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention. New York: Viking, 2011

Support "The Tiger Hunter" by Lena Khan

I supported a project on Kickstarter. It's a film by Lena Khan (website) entitled The Tiger Hunter (Facebook page). Lena is on Facebook and Twitter. Spread the word!
Hello!

Sohaib Sultan's List of 10 Books for English-Speaking Muslims

Imam Suhaib Sultan recommends 10 books for English-speaking Muslims.

Review: Marching Toward Hell: America and Islam After Iraq by Michael Scheuer

Marching Toward Hell: America and Islam After Iraq by Michael Scheuer (Twitter)


As I was listening to this abridged book on CD, I pictured its author Michael Scheuer as a combination of Col. Kurtz in Apocalypse Now and Cersei in Game of Thrones. His commitment to no principle other than the cohesiveness of the United States and his view that ultra-violence is a necessary tool to preserve that cohesiveness made it difficult for me, a proponent of non-violence and globalism (his term is antinationalist), to keep an open mind to his ideas. Yet I'm glad I did persevere and finish the book, and there is some value in it.

Review: The Book of the Superiority of Dogs Over Many of Those Who Wear Clothes

The Book of the Superiority of Dogs Over Many of Those Who Wear Clothes by Muhammad Ibn Khalaf Ibn Al-Marzuban.

The author lived, according to my memory, in 6th (AH)/13th (CE) Baghdad.

The book is in two parts. The first part condemns humans for their cowardice, greed and disloyalty. The second commends dogs for their bravery, selflessness and loyalty.

The author quotes poets and relates stories to support these contentions.

The editor/translator includes an introduction on the author and a discussion of Muslim religious rulings and attitudes regarding dogs.

The Arabic Wikipedia has an entry on the book which includes some delicious lines of poetry (my translation):

The human dog, if you consider it,
    is worse for you than the canine dog
If you drive the canine away, it leaves,
    while the human dog clings to you despite your rebukes.
The canine does not harm its companion,
    while you remain your lifetime afflicted by the other kind of dog.

It may be difficult to purchase a copy. Use Worldcat to find a copy in a library near you or ask your local librarian to get it for you using interlibrary loan.

A Glenn Greenwald tweet about a modern instance of a dog traveling miles to stand watch over the grave of its owner reminded me of this book:

Dog owners already know this, but dogs have capacities that transgress the understanding of modern science is.gd/VinBY0
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) January 6, 2013

Updated May 22, 2013:  Man's Best Friend Guards Owner's Body

A friend of my father's wrote a Facebook note about dogs.

This organization trains dogs and places them with children with special needs:

Documentary Hibana by Ameer Muhammad

I heard about Atlanta-based Ameer Muhammad's documentary film about the Dominican Republic Hibana from his interview in a Muslim American Media Alliance podcast on November 25, 2012. There is a Facebook page.

Hibana Trailer (English) from filmbyameermuhammad on Vimeo.

BBC Radio: Hitler's Muslim Legions

BBC Radio's Hitler's Muslim Legions is an interesting introduction to the situation of Muslims and their neighbors in the Balkans during World War II. As in many BBC historical programs, I think it glosses over some of the faults of the British Empire, but this is the first program I'd heard about Muslims who trained in Nazi Germany's armed forces.

It's no longer available at the BBC web site, but you can use peer-to-peer technologies and download it using a BitTorrent client.

Which book would you recommend to your friend's Islamophobic friend?

A friend requested my recommendation for a book she could recommend to her Islamophobic friend.

My friend discovered her friend was Islamophobic through a conversation that went something like this:

Between a Mormon and a Muslim, I wish the Mormon had won. I know some Muslims. The ones I know are pretty good. You don't know that Muslims believe such-and-such and are commanded to do such-and-such? If I gave you a book, would you read it? Yea, maybe.

Film: Nero's Guests by P Sainath

LinkTV is broadcasting the documentary Nero's Guests about crushing poverty in rural India. Subthemes are the injustice of the World Trade Organization, which enforces "free trade" on the world's poor and leaves the world wealthy unpunished, and the morally horrifying callousness of India's wealthy.

Akbar Ahmed's Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam

Akbar Ahmed's book Journey Into America: The Challenge of Islam is also a documentary movie. It has a YouTube Channel, a Flickr stream and a blog.

There's an article adapted from the book in the Jan/Feb 2013 issue of Islamic Horizons, which should be posted soon either here or here.

I haven't read the book or seen the movie.

Film: The Exonerated

The Exonerated is a dramatic reading of transcripts and letters of six wrongfully convicted and imprisoned US citizens. Supplement this by reading Actual Innocence by Barry Scheck, Peter Neufeld & Jim Dwyer and this article at The Nation magazine from June 18, 2012.

Recommendation: Imperial Cities of Morocco

Imperial Cities of Morocco by Mohomed Metalsi, Cecile Treal, Jean-Michel Ruiz is a wonderful collection of photographs of architectural landmarks in Fes, Marrakesh, Meknes and Rabat in Morocco. Introductory text accompanies the photos. If you are traveling to these places or simply like architecture, check this book out. If you're exhibiting something related to Morocco or screening the film Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World, have this book for the public to thumb through. If you have an office with a waiting area, this would be a good book for that as well.
 

Journal for Kids: Discover

Arwa alerted her blog readers to an article she published in a journal for Muslim children. I'd appreciate any subscribers sharing their thoughts on the journal.