To Fix Islam, Start From the Inside

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  • Posted By: octafadi @ 01/06/2009 12:49:21 PM

    the bad thing in this world is all leader and polticion hiding behind religion so tha they get more support not only from
    his country man but all over the world. and for muslims brother and sisters dont thing that what your leader teach you everything is right .We need to the world that Muslim or Islam is religion with peace not only slogan but on practect in daily live.

  • Posted By: sayyestochess @ 01/05/2009 11:25:55 PM

    Irshad Manji is loathed by over 99% of Muslims worldwide. Its ncredible that Newsweek would treat her as an authority on anything but infuriating the very group she claims to represent. If there's ANY reform in Islam, it surely will not come from her.

    • Posted By: kingrichard @ 01/05/2009 11:33:40 PM

      Loathed by 99% of muslims worldwide? That pretty much makes her a-okay in my book. Now, if we can just deprogram her...

      • Posted By: sayyestochess @ 01/06/2009 11:42:11 AM

        Well you and antimatter can go sit on a fire-hydrant and rotate. Who cares what you think, jibroni? lol

        • Posted By: kingrichard @ 01/06/2009 12:23:29 PM

          Ah yes, those who lack the wherewithal to engage in rational argumentation always resort to the argumentum ad hominem, or, in the case, of muslims, extreme violence, such as the impalement you obviously have in mind.

          I retract my comment that islam is a cult; you are no more than an ignorant rabble.

          So say I, Richard The Implacable

    • Posted By: AntiMatter010 @ 01/06/2009 2:11:31 AM

      Didn't know that, Now that will make me listen to her..

  • Posted By: freddiek @ 01/06/2009 11:00:53 AM

    Again the author, Manji, is certainly nothing close to a Muslim. For Newsweek to use this depraved and un-islamic woman to publish an article is outrageuous and outright provocation.
    Manji is simply a Lesbian looking for Islam to change to fit her beliefs. Manjis is unhappy that Islam bans Lesbianism, but she wants to be considered muslim . Manji believes she has justification in attacking Islam. Manji uses Islam as a vehicle to make money to get girlfriends. She doesn't care about anything else and certainly not about Islam.
    Manji is an opportunist--plain and simple. After 9-11 Manji and her girlfriend threw a party celebrating it because she knew she had a gravy train to ride for a while.
    If it weren't for 9/11 Manji would be destitute and probably not frequenting gay clubs.
    Newsweek should have picked an actual Muslim woman to write this not some damn heretic.

    • Posted By: kingrichard @ 01/06/2009 12:10:02 PM

      Ever heard of "freedom of speech?" Oh, I forgot; the concept is foreign to muslims. But we allow even a cur to exercise it in this country. Can you say the same of your muslim hellholes? You cannot. We also allow others privacy in their personal lives, even while we may not agree with their choices. Another concept foreing to the islamites.

  • Posted By: Starlite @ 01/05/2009 7:42:20 PM

    I am not one of those people that know nothing of Islam. I am probably one of the few Christians who have read the entire Koran, and many of the "Traditions". When I was speaking to someone once about Mohammed and his child bride Aisha, an Arab Muslim man came up to me and said that I was a liar. Well, apparently I am better educated about Mohammed and Islam than many Arab Muslims. I have read numerous books, both pro and con from Muslims themsselves, and have discussed the issues with Muslims. What I usually get back is a lot of rhetoric and hateful ideas. Gee, look at Somalia and the pirates. Then there is the group who said they would fight Muslim pirates who were attacking ships from Muslim countries. You see, apparently they think it is ok to attack anything that doesn't belong to Muslims. That is the mainline thinking we see and hear from the Muslim world. I have seen all the degrading remarks from Mohammed about women. According to him, women are so worthless and evil, that hardly any will get into paradise, and those were his words. That is probably why some women want to do suicide attacks, . . it is pretty much thier only way of assurance in getting into Paradise. FWhat about this 70 virgins for the men in Paradise, and all the other "wonderful" things they are allowed. I see, . . it is a sin on earth, but you get to do all you want of it when you get to Paradise? A very confused Mohammed or a confused Allah? Sounds like a man's image of a god, . . nothing divine that I can see.

    • Posted By: Ogas @ 01/06/2009 12:03:33 PM

      Yes, the virgins in heaven are part of my belief system, and NOT yours, and how does mocking my belief system make you better if I may ask? This is how I see it...If I can control my sexual desires as a result of hope to attain paradise which has pure and beautiful women among many other provisions, I see no harm in that. I see this helpful here in this world and in the afterlife. And let me emphasize that this is my belief system. It has nothing to do with you. Further, lets work on issues of mutual benefit unless of course you work for the devil in its cause of destruction.

    • Posted By: sayyestochess @ 01/06/2009 11:47:49 AM

      Starlite...If you want to be taken seriously, then at least lose the stripper stage-name!

      Secondly, Somali pirates hijack all ships.......hundreds from Muslim countries. In fact, they recently hijacked Irani and Saudi ships.

      moron :)

    • Posted By: Amina Hassan @ 01/06/2009 11:23:22 AM

      well congratulations for being so knowledgeble. to make it once more clear, i would like to repeat, one verse english translations of ahadis are not accurate, Holy Prophet(PBUh) never said anything bad any one his entire life, not even his enemies, in fact once a woman habitually physically abused him, and he helped her.

      You have got it all wrong. Do not say that you know Islam , you know nothing.

    • Posted By: Aboo Aawil @ 01/05/2009 10:42:42 PM

      Your post proves that you obviously know very little about Islaam or that you restrict your understanding based on your preconceived notions so you filter your "knowledge" of Islaam.

      1)The child bride concept: This was not "unique" to Islaam, 'Aa'ishah was engaged prior to her engagement to the Prophet peace be upon him. According to the Christian Encyclopedia, Mary gave birth to Jesus at the age of 10. Marriage at a young age was not something strange at those times, my own grandmother was married at 13. My friend's grandmother married at 10. So these ages are not strange, only to the perverted minds that love to search for evil in any situation.

      2) Somalian pirates are not representative of Islaam. To even use that example shows a very limited understanding of Islaam. The Somalian pirates are criminals, read the Qur'aan for the punishment of thieves and criminals.

      3) You lied about what the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said. Did you read only the one line of the narration in English as most orientalists do? Those were NOT his words, reading english translations of only half narrations is not considered knowledge.

  • Posted By: Vladimir Enlow @ 01/06/2009 12:00:59 PM

    Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Manji touches on a point I've always suspected--the enmity between the Judeo-Christian West and the Islamic Middle East is largely a battle between the haves and the have-nots. The religious aspect, while important, is used by both sides to cloud the underlying issue of economic inequality.

    Simply put, give the sprawling Middle Eastern underclass a means of legitimate income and opportunities for education and watch the pool of potential terrorists and suicide bombers slowly evaporate.

    Sadly, I doubt anyone with real power to make this happen will see the logic here. The extremists on both sides have too much invested politically and personally in the status quo, internecine as it is.

    And to those who would criticize Manji as a pawn or an inauthentic Muslim: if you???ve got a better solution, let???s hear it. And don???t tell us to stay the current course or step things up. The old way just isn???t working, as the news out of Gaza this week clearly shows.

  • Posted By: LoisLane911 @ 01/06/2009 3:41:34 AM

    An Arab student visiting America was fascinated with his American roommate's obsession with Star Trek. The student observed and commented that all the Star Trek series and movies have members of many races and many alien species but he didn't see any Arabs.
    The American roommate pointed out that Star Trek was set in the future.

    • Posted By: kingrichard @ 01/06/2009 11:59:24 AM

      We shall pray that this portends things to come: no Arabs, no muslims.

      So say I, Richard The Implacable.

  • Posted By: Mary19 @ 01/05/2009 2:25:52 PM

    OH, Irshad, those of us with some sense in our heads know how right you are. Unfortunately you cannot imagine what you're up against. Many of Obama's followers and Obama himself in many ways subscribe to the anti-white imperialist, multiculturalist school of thought which demands that we not "colonize" the Mideast with our evil Western ways, even for the sake of women's rights. This includes letting Mideast women fend for themselves out of fear of offending Mideast culture. The multiculturalists ride on the back of Black Panther anti-white mentality - once relevent but now depressingly outdated - if brown people say to leave those poor abusive Mideast men alone, they are just victims of white imperialism, everyone listens because brown people automatically have moral authority over anyone else.

    Obama will not go against the powerful multiculturalists for the same reason. I fear you're going to have to go it alone on this one and the only friends you'll find are in those "racist" republicans who aren't afraid to make everyone accountable for the actions, no matter what their skin color is.

    • Posted By: sayyestochess @ 01/06/2009 11:53:58 AM

      Mary Mary Mary...

      The more you chase your wild fantasy about "colonizing the Middle East", the further this country is colonized by China. You think our tax dollars are paying for the war? LOOOL. No Mary, you poor soul, with each passing day, China owns a bigger chunk of our future GDP.

      See Mary, your sorta like a crackhead who desperately needs a fix...and China is the drug dealer that got the goods. Get it?

      Reality bites, don't it?

  • Posted By: alolin @ 01/06/2009 11:48:47 AM

    En español para ver si el Sr. Manji tiene conocimientos de otras lenguas porque de la cituacion islamica esta mas ignorante que yo. Puede se que simplemente escribe lo que le piden.
    La unica razon que escribo esta nota es porque comence a leer el texto y desde el principio note la incongruencia del periodista al decir que Washington mas que exito en Irak y en Palestina para cambiar al mundo musulman. Lo que necesita Washington es parar de meter sus narices y parar a los judios del exterminio que estan haciendo y hacer acto de conciencia por todo lo diabolico que han realizado por apoyar a todas esas tiranias. El mundo ya no es tan ignorante como antes. ( al menos los que no estamos ideotizados por leer este tipo de reportajes)

  • Posted By: Starlite @ 01/05/2009 6:40:26 PM

    Kingrichard, not only were the muslims responsible for the salvery in Africa years ago, but they are still doing it. I worked with Sudanese refugees for two years, some called "The Lost Boys", . . they personally told me how Muslims from the north would come in and raid villages, kill the men and boys if they could find them and take the women as slaves, . . yes, . . sell them. Sick stuff. Islam is nothing, . . it is a sham and a shame on mankind. The moderate muslims are cowards. They won't stand up to the radicals because they know they will suffer dearly for it. They are afraid to speak out. I believe that many use Islam to hate and rape, maim, kill rob and steal etc, etc. They do that because they believe that they are the true believers, we infidels deserve nothing, and it all belongs to them. Sick puppies. You moderates, . . get out there and stand up to be counted. As a Christian, I would go against any person calling themselves a Christian, and goes against what the Scriptures say. Many have done that for many years, and yes the atrocities are many, but those are the ones that just like to "select" what they want to believe from the Scriptures. Muslimn men like Islam because they rule the roost. Women are underfoot, picked on, demeaned. Her testimony on matters is only worth half that of a man. She can't do didly without the permission of her husband. They can be divorced just by a muslim man saying I divorce you three times. That is civilized? The Muslims are "wanna be's". When Ishmael was rejected and God said that the covenant would not be through them. It all came about through disobedience, and Ishmael was the result of that disobedience to God, and the Ishmaelites have been bitter about it for centuries upon centuries, They need to get over it.

    • Posted By: Ogas @ 01/06/2009 11:47:39 AM

      ffffStarlite....Just because the "lost boys" told you something does not make it true. I dare you to travel accross the muslim world and draw the same conclusions. Muslims just all other people of faith, have followers who do not follow, but are astray in the dealing with people. Furthermore, governments in this day and age are not "islamic" at all. They have a confused mixture of socialism, communism, Islamism, and western ideologies. Any rational person cannot hold their actions against Islam.

      Again, the more you go out of your way to travel and learn, the more you get enlightened about this issues.

    • Posted By: kingrichard @ 01/05/2009 8:01:35 PM

      I have to wonder how many of the missing children in this country wind up in some Arab prince's harem. They still have those, I am sure. Many Arab countries are basically "family affairs" with only those rights granted to its citizens that the sheiks deign to grant, ala circa 700. Mohammed, the Great Deceiver, sought only his own gain and managed to dupe the barbaric inhabitants of the region into buying into his hellish, pedophilic fantasy so they would serve his will. In return he granted them the power to rule and oppress entire populations. Any "good" that has come from these muslim rulers came as dictates, not as rights. Say what you will of the West and Christianity, but recognize that it is from there that has come the very concepts of human rights and dignity, enthroned in such documents as the Declaration of the Rights of Man, the Declaration of Independence, and many others. The principal they established was that no man, or woman, must submit to the will of another without just cause or that no one can govern without the consent of the governed. It is the western thinkers that established Reason as the universal authority in all matters public and western rulers that repudiated the principal of Divine Right, and surrendered their powers to their citizens (not necessarily without kicking about it). The muslims, on the other hand, have developed not one iota in 1300 years and now seek undo all that and pull the world into 7th century barbarism.

      It is the duty of every rational human to resist, reject and counter attack these efforts, even if it means to for a time to repudiate the moral imperatives we have established; we must again crusade against this unholy beast that confronts us. We can show no mercy. We shall ask no quarter and none shall be given, and they surely will grant us none.

      I, Richard The Implacable, have spoken.

      • Posted By: Aboo Aawil @ 01/05/2009 10:45:38 PM

        Richard the idiot,

        Nothing you have said remotely makes any sense in terms of history and logic.

        For centuries bigots like yourself could not bring down Islaam. No matter how hard you tried, Islaam reigned over you. Muslims may have failed, but Islaam lives strong in the hearts of 1.6 billion people.

        You can continue to Insult Islaam but it does not harm Islaam. The only harm repudiates upon yourself.

        As the poet said,

        The clouds are not harmed by the barking of the dogs

        • Posted By: kingrichard @ 01/05/2009 11:12:01 PM

          My goal is not to insult idiotlam but to live to see it eradicated, extirpated, purged from the memory of man and cast upon the offal heap of history. It is no surprise that calls to reason make no sense to you. Your "religion" is a psychosis and your cloud a pestilence that hangs over the peace of the world. And, I happen to love doggies. I infinitely prefer them to your ilk.

          So say I, Richard The Implacable.

  • Posted By: freddiek @ 01/06/2009 11:02:24 AM

    Patrickbuckles--- Take your Murdering Judaism or Christianity elsewhere Gay boy. Were you an altar boy too?

  • Posted By: FakePlasticTreez @ 01/06/2009 5:56:29 AM

    Of course people will pick on Fox News viewers. That's not even the problem. The problem is that most people from the middle east are unreasonable and only want things to be done in the way that they are used to, which by the way is narrow-minded. Not everyone will believe in the same religion or any religion for that matter. Most of them hate the thought of free will because freedom might lead to true happiness and God forbid that should exist. Viva Amercia!

  • Posted By: H.nazar @ 01/06/2009 5:34:09 AM

    Yes another example of how to interfere in the affairs of other nations and their people. I see this a common phenomenon among 'Orientalist intellectuals', Those who are not truly confident of their ethnic or cultural background, and therefore ape those whom they feel are better. Most Americans are ignorant, 40% of FOX news viewers even now believe Saddam had weapons of mass destruction.
    This constant interference in muslim countries! and then you have the stupidity to ask why do they hate us?
    I think Miss Manji is looking for changes in Islam that would suit her lifestyle choice.

  • Posted By: AntiMatter010 @ 01/06/2009 2:10:34 AM

    Islam= Cancer which is rapidly metastasizing
    Initial mutation= muhammed ,the psycho
    Oncogene = koran
    Primary sites from which dissemination happens= Pakistan, Waziristan,Saudi Arabia , Iran plus numerous secondary sites.
    Growth factors= Madrassas/Mosques , Petrodollars and spineless moderate muslims who are obsessed with conspiracy theories( e.g Islamic apostles in this forum)


    Treatment- ( too late, but worth trying)
    1. Palliative measures- Empowering muslim women,educating muslims,Cultural exchanges, bla bla...
    2. Definitive treatment (Risky due to potential adverse effects) = Bombing Pakistani and Iranian nuclear facilities , oil independence,2 state Palestine solution,shutting down madrassas and enrolling kids in proper schools ,VASECTOMY for every muslim male after having 2 kids( This will bring lasting peace in next 20 years)

    Never let democracy thrive in middle east as muslims will always elect terrorists :P

  • Posted By: Creative Life @ 01/05/2009 4:50:01 PM

    Thank God someone is saying this! I am an American Muslim woman who converted to Islam (Western European decent) and have travelled all around the Muslim world. What I have seen has made me take a huge look at Muslims. Islam is beautiful and gave strength to women and would solve the world's problems IF ONLY it was practiced purely, not with all the cultural mess people follow around the world. But so many Muslim men and women are uneducated about Islam, or listen to one so-called "scholar" and take it as absolute fact. The Arab/Israeli conflict, 9/11 and "Not Without My Daughter" are the first thing people reference when they think of Islam when they have nothing to do with Islam. Much of what people think badly of Islam is not Islam at all but cultural things Muslims practice. I would love to start seeing more Muslim women fully participating in society, not feeling like their only role in life is to have children and cook and clean the home. I love all the Prophets from Abraham to Moses, Jesus to Mohammad who are our guides and we can learn from their own wives as well. Prophet Mohammad's wife was HIS BOSS! She was an active, productive participant in society at that time and she is one of our greatest role models. She was intelligent, took care of her busines and her home and her husband, and he did the same in return. They were PARTNERS. Something that MANY Muslim men are missing these days and marriage in Islam has been slowly eroding into a business contract. Khadija didn't sit in her home or isolate herself from the world, and neither should we. The hijab (veil) does not stop us from participating in life. It is what ALLOWS us to participate in a pure way while not being viewed or taken advantage of purely for sexual reasons as so many women are. In fact, I am not married and I chose to convert to Islam and wear hijab after much research. My friends and I have endless hobbies and interests, and we take full advantage of the beautiful world God gave us. I would love to see more Muslim women stand up and take hold of the rights God gave them to be educated, productive individuals in their own right.

    • Posted By: Lulu89 @ 01/05/2009 9:22:35 PM

      Ok King Richard did you conviently bump your head and forget that regardless of who started what, Americans, Christian Americans at that used their religion to justify slavery as well? People keep talking about the terrible Muslim past and try to negate the terrible Christian past, all people who have power are capable of abusing it. Racism is in every religion, every country and I feel you're proof.

      • Posted By: kingrichard @ 01/06/2009 12:19:02 AM

        My head's fine, but thanks for asking... Christianity's most egretious offenses were then. Islam's horrors are now. It took Christianity about 1300 (+/-) years, counting from about 300, to become reasonably platable to a rational human being. Islam's been stuck in "park" for about as long. That's not negating; that's recognition of reality.

        As far as racism goes, well, I'm a past gen-whatever white male. That pretty much automatically makes me a "racist" in today's PC "culture." So be it. I wear the badge with pride and honor. I am vigorously for my race and a strong beleiver in its inherent superiority. But despite that, I will give respect to all who merit it, regardless of their origin. Respect is not a right; it is an honor to be earned. Honor: who knows what that is these days. Not many.

        I have spoken, Richard The Implacable.

    • Posted By: kingrichard @ 01/05/2009 6:21:34 PM

      You are no longer American. Islam (aka: idiotlam) is incompatible with American values and the Constitution. The Koran is a manual that justifies slavery, killing, torture, ad nauseum. Most of the slavers were muslim Arabs, who found justification in the Koran for the horror they inflicted upon Africans. They were the supply side of slavery, a fact conveniently overlooked by black muslims who like to blame whites for the fact of slavery. Islam is by definition immoral, an unmitigatable horror. There is only one answer to it: the sword. In this case, the pen is useless. Heck, most of 'em can't read anyway.

      I, Richard The Implacable, have spoken.

  • Posted By: freddiek @ 01/05/2009 8:39:36 PM

    Thedarozine.
    Education---I don't think so--- Unless you want to teach everyone pottery and weaving. Science, engineering and math would be nonexistent without men, Aak Obama's new White house lead economic adviser, larry summers he believes the same thing.
    Peace---You might have a point there.
    Global Warming (is there Golbal Warming???) Dubious--This is a technical problem more suited for men to solve.
    Economy---NO WAY IN HELL. WOMEN ARE the reason why we have so many credit cards, flexible mortgages and other major debt. Women spend the most money and the malls and huge numbers of retail stores are a demand of wome---not men. Most of those stores and many malls will fail.
    Women shopping for instant gratification rather than for need is a big reason why America's economy morphed into this debt machine that we have today--

  • Posted By: freddiek @ 01/05/2009 8:33:23 PM

    thedarozine---Great---Another Lesbian power hungry man wanna be
    Cut your hair like Manjis and get a girlfriend and you will be empowered--HAHA

  • Posted By: freddiek @ 01/05/2009 8:30:54 PM

    HEY FORUM MEMBERS READ CHRISTOPHERKIDWELLS ENTRIES BELOW---This is why we need Islam and why we need rules. Do you want lesbians and homosexuals to rule the world? Not me and not most of the world---Just read what he advocates. Manji also advocates a "lesbian" life.

    STARLITE-- Stop with your lies. Pray to your idols and symbols and leave the forum alone. Christianity is about "love", what was the Spanish Inquisition, the crusades, so many instances of imperialism. Bush and his christian/zionist pals invaded and pllaged two countries, Why?
    This is LOVE?
    Go find your pedophile priest and confess your sins? Maybe you can be his altar boy?
    Or try look up your great evangelical leader---Haggard and his gay prostitutes--Funny
    A man forgiving on god's behalf doesn't seem reasonable to me anyway.
    Look in your own backyard Starlite---Christians are famous for being drunks and pedophiles---especially the priests
    .

  • Posted By: thedarozine @ 01/05/2009 8:18:57 PM

    I'm sorry, but this concept is a "duh" moment for any intelligent woman . . . .
    the best way to improve educations - empower women
    the best way to enhance peace - empower women
    the best way to manage global warming - empower women
    the best way to improve the economy - empower women
    Why? because women have the most to gain and the most to lose
    What do we need men for? To help us create more women!!

  • Posted By: ccie77 @ 01/05/2009 7:41:28 PM

    The author clearly looks a neocon Zionist pawn to invent a new attack on muslim society at a time when the western leaders and system have failed miserably. The world is sick of bloodshed in the name of lies, cooked up intelligence for wars, failure to investigate 9-11 type internal jobs to be balmed on arabs and kill millions to take over the wealth.

    From 9-11 to iraq war, subprime to AAA ratings - The so called most sophisticated agencies and power not only failed but deliberately misled people all over the wolrd with these kinds of lies. Clean your media and system

  • Posted By: writersaa @ 01/05/2009 7:11:54 PM

    There are occasional problems with every magazine, but to start a new year with an article that is, at best, misleading, is sad. The moment I saw Ms. Manji's name, I had a pretty good idea of what she was going to say and she certainly did not prove me wrong. To reduce the current messy relationship of Muslims with the US to a problem that can be solved by encouraging Muslim women to do business was amusing. In case the author does not know, which is reflected in the many factually inaccurate points in her book as well, it is these Muslim women themselves who are directly and indirectly suffering because of US policies. They are hurt and killed when the US and her allies stand by as Israel bombs and besieges an entire population in Gaza, for instance. These women have minds and enough intellect to see through any attempts by the US and Ms. Manji to redefine their religion for them. They are strong in their purpose, role and faith. And, in the event that anyone will try to "fix Islam", the US and Ms. Manji will find these very women to be the foremost and firmest in their resistance. While the Muslim world surely has immense problems it must address, the answer is in going back to Islam as it is and was, which brought liberation to Muslim women at a time when the West knew nothing of that. Islam has a great many freedoms for women - in the fields of education, profession, society, at home, culture and religion. Those who are deprived of them today are so because of a distortion of Islam, no different than what Ms. Manji proposes. What is needed is for us to implement Islam and for the US to let us do that, not throw money at us.

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