Zay tuna Institute QUARTERLY Newsle t ter SPRING 2008
in the public eye • p. 9
ARABIC program launched • p. 3
c e l e b rat i n g t h e m a w l i d i n c a l i f o r n i a , p. 1 2 islam and the self • p. 13
“[Muslims worldwide] don’t want theocratic majorities, but they don’t want radical secularism. They want freedom, but they also want religious values.”
Dr . John Esposito , p.
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seminary students graduate • p. 6
supporting zaytuna • p. 15
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Letter from the President PHOTO: HAIDER ALI
I N TH E NA ME O F G O D , TH E BE N E FI C E N T, TH E MER C I F UL
Quarterly Newsletter spring 2008 Volume 2, Issue 2 About Zaytuna Institute Our mission is to provide the highest quality educational programs, materials, and training in the traditional sciences of Islam in the most beautiful way using the most effective tools of our time as a means of serving our Lord and honoring our Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam. Board of Directors Hisham A. Alireza, Shaykha Aisha bint Faleh Al Thani, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Liliana (Umm Yahya) Hanson, Randy Nasson, Dr. Suhail Obaji, Hamed Omar, Dr. Tayyib Rana, Syed Mubeen Saifullah, Imam Zaid Shakir, Ali Jalil Hassan (Board Observer) 2070 Allston Way, Suite 300 Berkeley, CA 94704 USA WEB: www.zaytuna.org EMAIL: info@zaytuna.org PHONE: 510 548 1979 Newsletter Staff Managing Editor: Najeeb Hasan Consulting Editor: Safir Ahmed Copy Editor: Valerie Turner Photographer: Aaron Haroon Sellars Contributors: Ustadh Abdullah b. Hamid Ali, Ebadur Rahman, Faiz Ahmed, Ali Jalil Hassan, Sadaf Khan, Alex Kouame, Syed Mubeen Saifullah, Rania Shah Production Associate: Muhammad Sajid Farooq Design: Ian Abdallateef Whiteman Cover Photo Burda recitation (photo: Christina Koci Hernandez) Printed by Global Imprints San Francisco Copyright © 2008 by Zaytuna Institute
IMAM ZAID SHAKIR SPEAKS TO AN AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN 4,000 AT THE GRAND MAWLID IN BIRMINGHAM, UK, ON APRIL 4
As-Salaamu ‘Alaykum, Sometimes, in all the educational, scholarly, and organizational work that we do at Zaytuna Institute—launching major new initiatives like our Summer Arabic Intensive, publishing new books and journals, expanding the popular weekend Minara workshops—we forget the simple pleasures to be had from being members of a vast and diverse devotional community. We were reminded of that when we celebrated the Mawlid last month in the San Francisco Bay Area. As you can see from the pictures (on the cover, above, and on page 12), the communal celebration of the Prophet’s birth is a joyful occasion. Ours was enhanced with a recitation of the Burda of Imam al-Busiri, the Poem of the Cloak, and by brief talks by both Imam Zaid and Shaykh Hamza. That event was a reminder about why we do what we do here at Zaytuna. And lately, our staff has been doing a lot, chief among which is our major initiative, the Zaytuna Summer Arabic Intensive (see page 3), which will take place in Berkeley, California, from June 23 to August 15. It is Zaytuna’s most ambitious program to date, but we believe it is, in fact, the first step towards building a full-fledged seminary. I also want to note that in June, Zaytuna will be graduating its first group of students from our pilot seminary program (see page 6). We have expanded our Minara program and are taking it to New York and Chicago in the coming weeks. We have also added more courses to our ongoing Distance Learning program and have just released the latest issue of Seasons, our acclaimed journal. While our staff has been busy, our scholars have been busier in many ways. Both Shaykh Hamza and Imam Zaid have been traveling across the United States and abroad, speaking, teaching, and engaging in public discussions, all with the goal of injecting intelligent, scholarly voices into the public discourse (see page 9). All of the work we are undertaking at Zaytuna is made possible only through the generosity of our donors. If you believe that the work we are doing at Zaytuna is important, I would ask you to use the donation envelope included in this newsletter and give to our Institute. ◆ Yours with salaams, Syed Mubeen Saifullah President, Zaytuna Institute
Education at Zaytuna
Zay tuna Institute spring 2008
Major Summer Arabic Program Launched
Z ay tuna In stitute has unveiled a major educational offering, the Summer Arabic Intensive, an eight-week residential program designed to build students’ Arabic language skills, while also providing them with opportunities to improve their Qur’anic recitation. The program, which begins June 23 in Berkeley, California, has received an enthusiastic response, with students from around the country—and abroad—submitting applications for admission. Zaytuna expects to continue registering students for the Summer Intensive throughout the spring. “Like any educational program, the success of the Summer Intensive will depend on the quality of our students,” says Faiz Ahmed, the coordinator of the Summer Intensive. “We’ve created a unique program that we hope will reflect our students’ educational goals, and we’ve been quite impressed with the applicants that have registered so far. We hope committed students continue applying throughout the next few months.” The Summer Arabic Intensive will provide introductory- and intermediate-level students with a rigorous, complete immersion language experience in an Arabiconly environment, and will integrate the acquisition of listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills at an accelerated pace. By the end of the program, which is based on a communicative approach to studying Arabic and designed to meet the objectives of ten-unit summer intensives offered at
various American universities, introductory students will be qualified to enroll in a second-year university Arabic course. Intermediate students who have completed all requirements will be qualified to take advanced-level courses. As one of the few academic-centered Arabic intensives offered by a Muslim seminary in North America, the program also offers students optional instruction in Qur’anic recitation (tajwid) and memorization (hifz). “We’re really trying to create a program that attracts serious students,” says Dr. Hatem Bazian, a member of Tabari College’s Academic Affairs Committee. “Any student who is willing to study Arabic for ten hours a day throughout the summer has demonstrated that he or she is serious about learning.” The Summer Arabic Intensive also features a unique visiting scholar component, the Arabic Enrichment Lecture Series, which will supplement the themes of the Arabic language courses by offering presentations by esteemed scholars of Islam and Arabic. The goal of the series is to provide a picture of the historical and socio-cultural context behind the Arabic language and to inspire students to deepen their appreciation of Arabic’s rich history. Students will be housed in Berkeley’s historic Westminster House, literally steps away from the UC–Berkeley campus. Students will live in deluxe single-gender suites with one, two, or three roommates; each suite includes the usual amenities such as beds and desks and also private bathrooms and wireless Internet access. “I would say that it is really important to study the Arabic language,” says Shaykh Hamza Yusuf. “There are people who grew up in Bangalore, and they learned English really well. And they did it for dunya, because they wanted a job—they wanted dunya. Now, Arabic is a sacred language. It’s the language that Allah spoke to humanity, and if you want to understand what He said to you in that language then you have to learn Arabic. It’s an amazing language. It’s a beautiful language. You’ll fall in love with it. Arabic is an endless ocean.” ◆
Arabic Enrichment Lecture Series Imam Zaid Shakir Resident Scholar Zaytuna Institute “The Role of Arabic in the Islamic Sciences” Shaykh Hamza Yusuf Founder and Resident Scholar Zaytuna Institute “Secrets of Arabic Vocabulary Acquisition” Dr. Hatem Bazian Near Eastern Studies UC–Berkeley “The Arabic Roots of al-Quds (Jerusalem)” Dr. Sulayman Nyang African Studies Howard University “The Impact of Arabic on Africa” Dr. Kenneth Honerkamp Department of Religion University of Georgia Topic to be announced
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Education at Zaytuna
Minara Presents Fresh – and Familiar – Faces PHOTO: VISUAL SOUND
Arizona Program Successful; New York, Chicago Next Z ay tuna’s Minara program kicked off a busy quarter with a stop in Scottsdale, Arizona, for a two-day workshop on “Agenda to Change Our Condition” held at the Islamic Center of North East Valley. The program featured two Zaytuna teachers new to conducting Minaras— Ustadh Abdullah b. Hamid Ali, a resident scholar at Zaytuna, and Sidi Usama Canon, who also teaches at Zaytuna. Both teachers relied on Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and Imam Zaid Shakir’s foundational text of the same name as a teaching aid for the program. Above: Sidi Usama Canon listens attentively as a Scottsdale Minara participant asks him a question.
“This weekend was prob-
Below: Scottsdale Minara participants get to know each other during a break. PHOTO: VISUAL SOUND
ably the greatest weekend of my life, and I just wanted to thank you for making it a great success.” About 350 people attended the Minara, and the new teachers received rave reviews. “They were very well received,” says Sadaf Khan, the program manager for the Minara. “We were especially pleased with the good reception because one of our goals in growing the Minara program is to train several teachers to conduct the workshops so we can do more programs in more cities.” The Scottsdale Minara was also the first major Zaytuna event in Arizona. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, the site of Zaytuna’s previous Minara, attendees are still buzzing from their experience. “This weekend was probably the greatest weekend of my life, and I just wanted to thank you for making it a great success,” Asim Hamid, a Philadelphia Minara
participant and New York law school student said about the Minara. “I can honestly say that Zaytuna Institute is the only place where you can take real life everyday problems and resolve them with Qur’anic teachings, such as [the way] Shaykh Hamza and Imam Zaid did. I just wanted you to know that your hard work was not unno-
ticed by me and my little sister Erum, who I had brought with me.” The next Minara is scheduled for April 27 in New York at the historic Cooper Union in Manhattan. Co-sponsored by the Islamic Center at New York University, this special one-day event will feature Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and Dr. Khalid Blankinship,
Education at Zaytuna
Zay tuna Institute spring 2008
PHOTOS: VISUAL SOUND
Distance Learning Spring Quarter, 2008 Spring 2008 registration now open at www.zaytuna.org. The courses
Left: Ustadh Abdullah b. Hamid Ali at the Minara in Scottsdale, Arizona. Above: Minara participants confer after a session.
a noted historian and professor of religious studies at Temple University in Philadelphia. Entitled, “God and Country: A Guide to Faithful Citizenship in America,” the Minara hopes to provide Muslims practical guidance about faith and citizenship in America. More specifically, a recent national survey of American Muslims found
Is being American and
“The Minara in New York is different than Minaras that we have organized in the past, which have tended to be more spiritual in nature,” says Ms. Khan. “But we had the opportunity to work with Dr. Blankinship, who is a world-class historian and scholar, and we couldn’t pass it up. We expect—with the caliber of scholars presenting this particular topic—that the attendees will not be disappointed with insights that will be offered.” Finally, Zaytuna will be organizing a two-day Minara in Chicago on May 31 and June 1. During this Minara, Zaytuna will go
NEW! The Prophetic Characteristics, Parts 1, 2, and 3 with Ustadh Yahya Rhodus A study of the inward and outward characteristics of the Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Living the Qur’an with Imam Zaid Shakir A study of selected passages from the Qur’an with special emphasis on practical lessons. Disciplining the Soul with Ustadh Yahya Rhodus A look at the foundational principles of disciplining the soul as provided in Imam al-Ghazzali’s seminal `Ihya’.
Muslim as easy as polls suggest? How do we reconcile American actions if they conflict with Islamic principles? dr. khalid blankinship
them to be content and largely assimilated in the broader society. Moreover, nearly three quarters of the Muslims polled saw no conflict between being devout and living in a secular America. Is being American and Muslim as easy as polls suggest? How do we reconcile American actions if they conflict with Islamic principles? The two scholars will explore these questions and more in New York.
NEW! Getting Back to Basics: Islam 101 with Imam Zaid Shakir A course explaining the basics of Islamic belief and worship with a focus on what is essential for the sound and practical practice of Islam in our time.
back to its successful “Agenda to Change Our Families” topic, which was first presented in Philadelphia last November. In Philadelphia, Shaykh Hamza and Imam Zaid taught the topic; this time, in Chicago, both scholars will be joined by Dr. Umar F. Abd-Allah, the scholarin-residence at the Nawawi Foundation, a non-profit educational institution in Chicago.◆
Getting Right With Allah with Imam Zaid Shakir An examination of the deeper meanings of the idea of Godconsciousness (taqwa) and its profound implications for a believer’s life. The Attainment of Excellence in Prayer with Shaykh Salek bin Siddina A comprehensive explanation of the means and benefits of developing greater presence and humility in the Muslim ritual prayer.
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Education at Zaytuna
Students to Graduate from Pilot Seminary Program Seventeen-year-old Ebadur Rahman arrived in Northern California from New York City in 2004 not knowing what to expect from a relatively unknown college program. He was a graduate of New York’s elite Stuyvesant High School, and while many of his friends would go on to one of the nation’s Ivy League universities, Ebad had chosen a different path. He was given the opportunity to participate in Zaytuna’s pilot seminary program, and decided to enroll as a student at Zaytuna directly after high school. “I grew up being active in the Muslim Students Association in high school,” says Ebad. “I remember going to the Zaytuna website everyday to see if there was any new content. I had this feeling that Zaytuna’s message was relevant to me because its scholars were familiar with our realities and our contexts.” Four years later, Ebad is one of five students that will make up the first graduating class this June. Zaytuna formally began working on its seminary when Ebad and his fellow students arrived in 2004 as participants of the pilot phase. Since then, they have been engaged in the study of texts covering a wide range of topics and sciences, both contemporary and classical. Their efforts, explains Imam Zaid Shakir, have been instrumental in allowing Zaytuna to refine its program and overcome a number of issues associated with the development of an appropriate curriculum. Ebad says that his four years as a seminary student in Zaytuna have given him many of the tools and skills that he will need to further his studies in the Islamic sciences. For instance, after he finished memorizing the Qur’an in high school, his father advised him that his work wasn’t done, and that he also needed to learn how to understand its meanings. Now, Ebad has
Ebadur Rahman (top), and with Imam Zaid Shakir: “I’ve gained an appreciation for the depth of our scholastic legacy,” says Ebad. He will graduate with four other students this summer.
the requisite Arabic skills to not only read the Qur’an with meaning, but also grapple with classical Arabic texts on a variety of subjects. “I’ve gained an appreciation for the depth of our scholastic legacy,” he says. “I remember going to my library in high school and seeing the huge multi-volume Catholic encyclopedias and Jewish encyclopedias, but finding only the four-volume Oxford set for Islam. At Zaytuna, it was amazing to learn about the depth and the breadth of the classical works of Islam.” Now, as Zaytuna moves toward the end of the fourth and final year of the pilot phase, the academic affairs committee of Tabari College is confident that the
refined program will help Muslims meet the unique challenges of the West. “God willing,” Imam Zaid notes, “graduates of Tabari College will be qualified to negotiate several worlds, the Islamic and the western, the classical and the contemporary, the spiritual and the material, and bring forth the best of them all for the advancement of the common good.” It’s a challenge that Ebad, for one, is ready to accept. “I think it’s a long process,” he says. “It’s a complex and challenging process. I think we made a lot of progress on that road at Zaytuna, and hopefully we now have a strong basis to continue upon that path.” ◆
Zaytuna Publications
Zay tuna Institute spring 2008
A Poem from the Past, a Book for the Present Following the successful release last year of The Creed of Imam al-Tahawi, work is near completion on the second installment of the Zaytuna Curriculum Series, The Helping Guide: Concerning Essential Religious Knowledge of Sidi Abd al-Wahid Ibn Ashir. Both works have been translated, introduced, and annotated by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf. Ibn Ashir’s didactic poem on creed, basic fiqh, and tasawwuf is perhaps the single most memorized text in the African Maliki tradition and has been used for over four hundred years throughout North and West Africa. Zaytuna’s publication will be the first translation of the poem to be accompanied by a critical Arabic edition; it will also include an unprecedented biography of the author and his times. Written in hexameter verse, the poem is noted for the ease with which it is memorized and the clarity that it provides regarding the three central tenets of iman (belief ), islam (practice), and ihsan (spiritual excellence). The first section on creed provides the student of sacred knowledge with a rational foundation for believing in God. The second section deals with the four other pillars of Islam: prayer, zakat, fasting, and the pilgrimage to Mecca. The third section is about the purification of the heart, because, as Shaykh Hamza writes in the book’s Preface: Shaykh Hamza Yusuf PHOTO: CHRISTINA KOCI HERNANDEZ
[Ibn Ashir] did this to remind the reader that the first two sections of the poem are merely the means or vehicle to the real end: experiential knowledge of God. Religious people are in profound danger of being lost in the ritual and forgetting the original intent behind it, and the final section is to instill in the student a sense of purpose in the devotional practices that remind him or her that it is for the sake of drawing nearer to God alone that we pray, fast, give charity, and make pilgrimage. As Shakespeare so profoundly put it, ‘‘Tis mad idolatry to make the service greater than the god.” The science of purification of the heart, otherwise known as tasawwuf or Sufism, is the means by which a human being comes to know God
truly and not as an abstraction of faith. This is why tasawwuf has always been known as the heart of Islam. For the heart is the seat of love, and love of God is the highest station in Islam. And this is the conclusion and ultimate reason for the practice of Islam—to adore and serve God: And I have only created the spirits and humanity to worship Me (Qur’an 51:56). Humanity was created to know, serve, and love God. To that end, Sidi Ibn Ashir has provided a solid foundation for the theory and practice that enables one to accomplish that lofty and sublime goal in conformity with the majority of Muslim scholars of the past and present.
The Helping Guide is scheduled to be published by Zaytuna this summer. ◆
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Zaytuna Publications
Seasons Focuses on Human Rights, Islamic Law, and Disbelief The relationship between the modern human rights movement and Islam, the contemporary relevance of Islam’s core legal maxims, and the Muslim understanding of disbelief are only some of the compelling topics explored in the latest issue of Seasons, the journal of Zaytuna Institute.
The Spring 2008 dr. umar f. abd-allah (left)and dr. mohammed h. FaDel (right)
The issue presents the work of three firsttime contributors: Dr. Mohammad H. Fadel, a professor of law at the University of Toronto; Dr. Muhammad ‘Isa Waley, the Curator of Persian and Turkish Collections at the British Library in London; and the Seattle-based poet Tiel Aisha Ansari. In addition, Seasons features the work of
H e went from a Lawrence Ferlinghetti-published poet and playwright living in ‘60s-era Berkeley, to a Muslim convert who renounced poetry and traveled extensively in Europe and North Africa in the 1970s, to a poet once again and one of American Islam’s most active promoters of a Muslim literary tradition in the West. Now, Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore, author of Dawn Visions (City Lights Books, 1964) and The Blind Beekeeper (Syracuse University Press, 2001) among other works of poetry, has come on board at Seasons as poetry editor. Mr. Moore’s influence on Seasons has already been felt with the publication of the Spring 2008 issue, for which he
from what seems to be the universal language of how we treat each other.” Also in the Spring issue of Seasons, Shaykh Hamza offers an exhaustive legal analysis of what it means to be a disbeliever in Islam, a subject that is especially relevant in an age when accusations of unbelief and religious infighting are rampant. In another authoritative article, Dr. Abd-Allah, the scholar-in-residence at the Chicago-based Nawawi Foundation, discusses Islam’s five core legal maxims and their relevance to indigenizing Islam in America. Meanwhile, Imam Zaid writes about the relationship between men and women in Islam. ◆
selected the work of the emerging Seattlebased Muslim poet Tiel Aisha Ansari and a Persian translation done by Muhammad ‘Isa Waley, the esteemed scholar and curator of Persian and Turkish collections at the British Library in London. He also dug deep into the archives to reprint and comment on two especially relevant poems by the nineteenth-century American contemporaries Walt Whitman and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. “Where are our Miltons, our Dickinsons, our Dylan Thomas’s, our Yeats’s, or our Beat poets (who wanted to ‘see the Face of God’)?” asks Mr. Moore about MuslimAmerican poetry. “Currently, a certain artistic amateurism often seems to be encouraged by some interpreters of the religion, who feel art is a dubious pursuit, even prohibited.”
He adds that he hopes to publish work from diverse poetic styles in the journal. “As poetry editor of Seasons, I intend, Godwilling, to gather the richest and most human elements of prosodic art, by way of whatever lus- DANIEL ABDAL-HAYY MOORE trous techniques poets might employ,” Mr. Moore says. “The American poet Charles Olson says poetry is ‘passion and imagination,’ whether in traditional or open form, not just rhymed words at the end of metric lines.” ◆
PHOTO: PETER SANDERS
Man of Verse
regular contributors, including Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Imam Zaid Shakir, and Dr. Umar F. Abd-Allah. In a significant contribution to the journal, Dr. Fadel, who has published widely on Islamic law, writes about the unique challenges that the modern human rights movement poses to Islam. “[As Muslims], we assume automatically that because human rights rules are different than our own rules, there is no way we can endorse those rules in a manner consistent with Islamic law,” Dr Fadel tells Zaytuna. “I try to argue that there may be cases where the conflict is only apparent and not necessarily real.” Dr. Fadel believes Islam has much to offer to the modern human rights discourse, but says that Muslims will not be able to make any important contributions if they continue to remain outside its scope. “The first thing we have to do is firmly place ourselves within it,” Dr. Fadel says. “Then we can talk about what we can add to it. Islam is a universal religion—but it can’t be a universal religion if we exclude ourselves
In the Public Eye
Zay tuna Institute spring 2008
Zaytuna Scholars Crisscross Globe in Pursuit of Mutual Understanding
Shaykh Hamza and Imam Zaid again participated in the year-end Revival of the Islamic Spirit (RIS) convention in Toronto, Canada. Since its first conference in 2003, RIS has made its mark as a bold effort by Canada’s youth to overcome the pressing challenges of communication and integration. The organizers of RIS have historically eschewed sectarian or ideological differences and produced conventions that featured speakers from a wide range of perspectives and nationalities. This past conference, held from December 28 to 30, 2007, was no different. Invited speakers included Shaykh Mokhtar Maghraoui, Dr. Jamal Badawi, and Imam Warith Deen Muhammad, among others. The major focus of the conference was family, and both Imam Zaid and Shaykh Hamza presented lectures related to the topic—Imam Zaid spoke on children and marriage, while Shaykh Hamza spoke about the role of mothers in Islam and also participated in a special discussion about the effects of pornography on family,
society, and spiritual life with the noted journalist and author Pamela Paul, who wrote Pornified: How Pornography is Damaging Our Lives, Our Relationships, and Our Families. In March, Shaykh Hamza traveled to Istanbul, Turkey, to participate in the first annual conference of the World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists, held from March 22 to 24. The conference brought together more than 200 participants from 31 countries representing 106 grant-making foundations and NGOs, and was overwhelmingly PHOTO: REVIVAL OF THE ISLAMIC SPIRIT
The fir st month s of 2008 kept Zaytuna and its scholars busy engaging the public, both in the United States and abroad. Not only were Zaytuna’s scholars able to spiritually recharge themselves and the San Francisco Bay Area Muslim community during a special night devoted to praising the Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, they also traveled across the country and the globe for various events speaking, lecturing, and engaging in public discussions that helped Muslims and people of other faiths have a better understanding of Islam and its traditions. Indeed, the last several months found Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and Imam Zaid Shakir in parts of the globe as diverse as the United Kingdom, Denmark, Qatar, Mauritania, and Canada.
PHOTO: REVIVAL OF THE ISLAMIC SPIRIT
ABOVE: shaykh hamza Yusuf and PAMELA PAUL during a wide-ranging discussion in toronto below LEFT: IMAM ZAID SHAKIR spoke about children and marriage IN TORONTO BELOW right: shaykh hamza Yusuf addressing the world congress of muslim philanthropists
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lauded as a positive step for the maturity of the greater Muslim philanthropic community. The Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, welcomed the conference to Turkey and encouraged its efforts to build philanthropic networks, while Shaykha Aisha bint Faleh Al Thani, the founder of Doha Academy in Qatar and a member of Zaytuna’s Board of Directors, called upon Muslims to work together to help people of all faiths and said that Muslim philanthropy could be an effective antidote to Muslim extremism. “If you look at the Muslim world and the generosity of the 1.3 billion Muslims, I
Imam Zaid, meanwhile, also had a busy spring. On April 8, he traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark, to deliver the main address at the Integration-Radicalization Seminar organized by the Muslim Council of Denmark. The event was the first of a series aimed at improving dialogue between Danish authorities and ethnic organizations to discuss issues of integration and radicalization. The Muslim Council is the largest multi-ethnic umbrella organization for Muslims in Denmark. In his address, Imam Zaid touched upon the social, economic, and political factors leading to marginalization, and about how
“The cynical use of identity politics to pit people against each other for political gain is not a new tactic. The past few years have been marred by a rise in tensions between small groups of extremists all over the world promoting the perception of a supposed ‘Muslim-West’ divide. It is no surprise that those on the fringes of either side of “the divide” use similar, incendiary rhetoric to provoke young people, with the ultimate aim of strengthening their own political platforms. In releasing a film that will undoubtedly insult deeply held religious beliefs, it seems PHOTOS: HAIDER ALI
Left and center: Imam Zaid Shakir spoke about integration and radicalization in Copenhagen, Denmark, on April 7. Right: aisha Gray Henry-Blakemore attended the Global Centre for Renewal and Guidance conference in Nouakchott, Mauritania, on March 26–28.
am absolutely certain they give over $200 billion a year to charity collectively,” said Shaykh Hamza during the conference. But “much of that charity goes unnoted because we do not have the infrastructure to regulate it and to show that charity given on the books.” Shaykh Hamza was also interviewed by CNN Turkey during the event. The idea of the World Congress began with Dr. Tariq H. Cheema, a medical doctor in Illinois, who after participating in the fundraising effort of the victims of the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan, became convinced of the need for a forum to bring together the Muslim world’s diverse donors.
some radicalized groups abuse Islam to justify their actions. Related to issues of Muslims in Europe, Shaykh Hamza was a coauthor of an opinion piece that appeared in the International Herald Tribune in response to Fitna, a short film disparaging Islam released by Geert Wilders, a member of the Dutch Parliament. The other two authors of the piece were Din Syamsuddin, the president of Muhammadiya, the second largest Islamic organization in Indonesia, and Prince Hassan bin Talal, a member of the royal family of Jordan and the president of the Arab Thought Forum. In the piece, the three authors wrote:
that Wilders is hoping to cause a violent reaction to prove his own argument. As with the Danish cartoon crisis two years ago, this situation, while dangerous, also presents unique opportunities. Every time resources are deployed to spread disinformation, there is an attendant rise in the public’s curiosity. Already there are many who are interested in learning more about Islam. It is likely that their number will grow after this. It is critical that we seize this opportunity to mobilize ourselves to present a more accurate picture of Islam.”
In the and Public Islam theEye Self
Shaykh Hamza also traveled to Nouakchott, Mauritania, for the second conference organized by the Global Centre for Renewal and Guidance, which was launched by Shaykh Abdullah bin Bayyah. The conference, held from March 26 to 28, drew a large audience, including many dignitaries and scholars from Mauritania and around the Arab world. Some of the major issues brought up during the conference were the praised middle path of neither extremism nor laxity; the importance of conviviality between Muslims and people of other faiths and perspectives; the urgency to respond to attacks upon Islam in a civilized manner; and the need to guide the Muslim youth toward a balanced understanding of Islam. The speakers also stressed that Muslims should contain their anger and demonstrate respect for the symbols and creeds of others. Participants of the conference left in agreement that the time has come for the correct guidance of Islamic work in the
PHOTO: HAIDER ALI
Imam Zaid also appeared at two major events on the campus of UC–Berkeley in late April. On April 22, Imam Zaid was scheduled to participate in a panel entitled “The Costs of War” about the legacy of the war in Iraq that has been raging for the last five years. Other panelists in the event were Specialist Joe Wheeler, an Iraq war veteran, and Matt Gonzalez, an Independent US vicepresidential candidate and the former president of the Board of Supervisors in San Francisco. In his presentation, Imam Zaid planned on comparing the social fragmentation among Iraqi and American families during war. On April 26, Imam Zaid is scheduled to take part in the keynote panel at a major UC–Berkeley conference entitled, “Deconstructing Islamophobia: Immigration, Globalization, and Constructing the Other.” The two-day conference includes the voices of several major scholars, such as Dr. Hamid Algar, Dr. Hatem Bazian, and CAIR’s Parvez Ahmed.
Zay tuna Institute spring 2008
Above: Shaykh Hamza Yusuf speaks with Habib Ali al-Jifri and other esteemed scholars in Mauritania Below: Ustadh Abdullah b. Hamid Ali lectures during a class in Berkeley, California
newest resident scholar has also kept busy, especially in the Bay Area. Ustadh Abdullah, in collaboration with the UC– Berkeley Muslim Student Association, has initiated a monthly lecture series about the life of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, entitled, “Reflections upon the Prophetic Legacy.” In the series, Ustadh Abdullah has addressed topics such as the relationship between Jews and Muslims in Medina. Finally, Shaykh Hamza plans to participate again in the popular Summer Rihla program, to be held in Mecca, Medina, and Taif this July. Other teachers in the program include Shaykh Abdullah bin Bayyah, Shaykh Abdal-Hakim Murad, Shaykh Abdullah al-Kadi, Dr. Abdel Hadi Honerkamp, and Ustadh Yahya Rhodus. ◆ world and that all the messages presented during the two days in Nouakchott were especially important for Muslims living as minorities around the world. Ustadh Abdullah b. Hamid Ali, Zaytuna’s
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In the Public Eye
PHOTO: CHRISTINA KOCI HERNANDEZ
Celebrating the Mawlid in California and the United Kingdom: Imam Zaid Shakir addresses a packed house during a Mawlid celebration in hayward, California (above). Ustadh Abdullah b. Hamid Ali shares a light moment with a guest at the Mawlid in hayward (below left). A special friend approaches Shaykh Hamza Yusuf during a Mawlid celebration in Birmingham, UK (below right). PHOTO: CHRISTINA KOCI HERNANDEZ
PHOTO: HAIDER ALI
e).
Islamand andthe theSelf Self Islam
SPRING 2008 Zay tuna Institute spring
PHOTO: DEEN INTENSIVE
Bridges into Divine Light Allah is the friend of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into the light. (2: 257) T O E N J O Y T H E divine light of God in its fullest is to strip oneself of every barrier that separates the human being from the splendor of the divine. Islamic education stresses the importance of the human teacher, but not merely in order to boast of having one. Modern auto-didactic mediums have greatly obscured the role and importance of the human teacher, although there is great benefit in reading about the greatest human teacher: Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. The scholar’s aim, like the Messenger’s, is to connect people intimately with the Creator. Despite that, Islam demands respect for the medium that brings us closeness with God. Why? Because as the angel Gabriel was a bridge between the Prophet and God, the Prophet was a bridge between his Companions and the angel. Likewise the relationships between the students of the Prophet’s Companions and the subsequent generations until our time were bridges. History is an active phenomenon in that each generation influences its successor. It, however, finds its real use in the knowledge that liberates us from our idleness, backwardness, and false pride. The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, “I have left among you two things whereby you will not go astray so long as you hold on to them: the Book of God and my way (Sunnah).” Not much time passed before the word “Sunnah” lost its original purport to mean nothing more than a “report.” Unlike the Companions, we are far less motivated to do what will benefit our soul. For the Companions, it did not matter whether an act was “unlawful” or just “disliked” for them to avoid it. Similarly, an act did not always have to be “compulsory” in order for them to carry it out.
Names of great people are important, but not more important than what grants them greatness. Experience has given me little reason to publicly praise my teachers, largely out of the fear of ostentation. Consequently, I avoid the use of hyperboles like “my teacher is one of the world’s greatest scholars.” Such declarations merely focus the innocently Ustadh Abdullah b. deluded soul to a personality and away Hamid Ali studied in Fez, from the creator of the personality. Morocco, and is currently Harvard, Yale, Cambridge, Azhar, and a resident scholar at Qarawiyyin are names of historically prestigious educational institutions, Zaytuna Institute. but before the prestige was in the name, it was in what the name represented. The United States of America once represented, to the world, hope for the spread of equality, justice, peace, and freedom, but times have shown what value names have when the values associated with those names are lost. The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was not given an audience with God until he patiently endured ten years of persecution by his people. It was as if the price of closeness to Him was sacrifice, perseverance, abandonment of worldly attachments, and most importantly, complete trust in Him. Once this occurred, there were no more barriers between him and his Lord, and not even Gabriel could prevent his meeting with the One, Everlasting. How can we enjoy any portion of that divine light if we do not learn that every person and creature in this universe is nothing more than a sign pointing us to God and His aim to have us reconnect with His light? “Whoever’s work slows him down, his lineage will not speed him up.” (Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) ◆
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Zaytuna Publications The Creed of Imam al-Tahawi
Scattered Pictures:
Hamza Yusuf
Zaid Shakir
US $24.95 The Creed of Imam al-Tahawi is the first book published by Zaytuna Institute for its Curriculum Series. Translated, annotated, and introduced by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, it is a simple yet profound expression of the essential points of Muslim belief.
Reflections of an American Muslim US $15 In this anthology, Zaid Shakir shares a diverse selection of his essays. The topics range from Islam’s relationship to nationalism, jihad’s place in the Muslim intellectual tradition, and the question of women’s prayer leadership.
Agenda to Change Our ConCalculations, Moon Sighting, and dition Caesarean Moon Births: the Prophetic Way Hamza Yusuf US $7.95 Hamza Yusuf provides clarity through this detailed and scholarly work that decisively makes the case for sighting the crescent moon with the naked eye, as has been the Islamic tradition for 1400 years.
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The Way Ahead
Effective Muslim Responses to Contemporary Challenges
6-CD set Hamza Yusuf, Zaid Shakir, and Yahya Rhodus US $30 This seminar, recorded at Zaytuna Institute, was designed to provide Muslims with a better grounding in the Islamic tradition and offer a practical guide for responding to the challenges and criticisms of Islam in the modern age.
Hamza Yusuf and Zaid Shakir US $12.99
Agenda to Change Our Condition is a practical guide for Muslims and seekers interested in elevating their spiritual condition. Relying on time-tested methods from the Islamic spiritual tradition, the authors assert that communities will not change until individuals change.
The Unfulfilled Legacy 2-CD set
Seasons Spring 2008 US $10 In the Spring 2008 issue of Seasons, the journal of Zaytuna Institute, Hamza Yusuf provides an analysis of the legal definition of disbelief in the Muslim tradition; Umar F. Abd-Allah articulates how Islam’s five core legal maxims are relevant to Muslims in the West; Mohammad H. Fadel addresses the challenges that the modern human rights movement poses to Islamic thought; and Zaid Shakir argues that Muslim societies are concurrently patriarchal and matriarchal.
Foundations of the Deen
Zaid Shakir
6-CD set
US $10
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Imam Zaid Shakir highlights the impor- Abdullah b. Hamid tance of family, community, and a sincere Ali commitment to the religion that Muslims US $25 have inherited. Imam Zaid Shakir and Ustadh Abdullah Hamid Ali examine the core Islamic conLooking Back to cepts of islam, iman, and ihsan.
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Contemporary Studies in Classical Islamic Political Theory 8-CD set
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Supporting Zaytuna
Zay tuna Institute spring 2008
M aq bool and Farnaz H alep ota , who grew up in Pakistan, are firmly embedded in the Scottsdale, Arizona, community, having landed there a few years ago after time spent in New York and Kentucky. Both are medical professionals— he a medical oncologist and she a volunteer at local hospitals who decided not to practice medicine—who are raising two children, Mahmeer, 9, and Shahmeer, 18, a student at Emory University. As immigrant Muslims who have made America their home, and having children who have grown up in America, the Halepotas have been giving some thought to the future for Muslims in America. One thing they have realized is that building mosques is all well and good. But it is simply not enough. “As a Muslim community, we are sometimes fixated with building multi-million dollar structures,”
“I sincerely believe that what we need are indigenous Islamic institutions in America.” says Maqbool Halepota. “There’s nothing wrong with it, but if we don’t have Islamic educational institutions, who will come to those masjids to pray in the future?” It was a question weighing on their minds—until two years ago when they learned about Zaytuna Institute through a friend. The more familiar they became with Zaytuna, the more they wanted to
the Halepotas with sons Mahmeer and shahmeer
PHOTO: VISUAL SOUND
“The Future of Islam in America is the Real Issue”
Maqbool and Farnaz Halepota take in the Minara program held in Scottsdale, Arizona, on March 1–2
support its mission. “Zaytuna is not only an institution that is producing and training scholars in America, but it is spreading Islamic knowledge as well,” says Farnaz Halepota. The couple have lent their financial support to Zaytuna through tax-deductible donations and even hosted a Zaytuna fundraiser in Scottsdale in March. “I sincerely believe that what we need are indigenous Islamic institutions in America,” says Maqbool Halepota. “We cannot import Islam from other countries—the future of Islam in America is the real issue.”
A Campaign to “Invest in Zaytuna” The Halepotas emphasize that a strong foundation for an American Islam can only be built if Muslims establish academic institutions that can train and develop thoughtful and intelligent Muslim voices. Zaytuna is dedicating its efforts to produce the future scholars, leaders, and thinkers of the West who can meet the needs of the Muslim community but also be strong, articulate, scholarly representatives of Islam.
The contemporary Muslim scholar Dr. Umar F. Abd-Allah has written: “[The] preservation of religion requires that religion be properly taught, which cannot be done without competent religious scholars. Competent scholars cannot be produced without superior educational facilities. Therefore, it is a major priority to create exceptional Islamic educational institutions.” In 2008, Zaytuna launched the “Invest in Zaytuna” campaign. These funds will be used to expand the scope of the programs offered by Zaytuna and guide it to play a powerful role in the intellectual history of twenty-first century America and the world. We encourage and invite our supporters, who share our deep commitment to the mission and work of Zaytuna Institute, to pray for our success and participate in the “Invest in Zaytuna” campaign. ◆ For more information on the “Invest in Zaytuna” campaign, please contact Zaytuna’s Finance and Fundraising department at 510-549-3391 or finance@ zaytuna.org.
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Ask a Scholar
“Let the Data Lead the Discourse” We spoke with Dr. John Esposito about his new book, Who Speaks for Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think, which was co-authored with Dalia Mogahed and presents the findings of the Gallup Poll of the Muslim World, the largest global survey of Muslims worldwide. You’ve been studying Islam for years, so what surprised you most about the findings of the poll? One of the things that I was pleasantly surprised by was the extent to which, on a number of important issues, the poll goes against conventional wisdom. I’m referring to things like Muslims, for example, hating our freedoms and our democracy. One discovers that while polls regrettably show that 57 percent of Americans say “Nothing” or “I don’t know” when asked what they admire about Islam, large numbers of Muslims worldwide resent the denigration of Islam and Muslims, but they admire the West for its freedoms, its technology, and its work ethic. We now have documented the fact that the primary causes or drivers of violence and political radicalization are politics, not piety. People are [radicalized] primarily by political grievances, not by how they read the Qur’an. That is very important as a counter to those who simply want to talk about an inherent clash of civilizations. The data shows that vast majorities—93 percent—of Muslims reject the attacks of 9/11. Seven percent are politically radicalized, and that’s a worrisome figure. Ironically, these are not the dispossessed people living in the camps—they’re the more educated and economically sound. They’re more optimistic about the future for themselves, but far more pessimistic regarding the future of their society because of what they see as a kind of arrogant, hegemonic West, particularly America. Did this poll validate a lot of the work that you’ve been doing over the years? It was a very pleasant experience because it allows for one to get beyond the feeling that post-9/11, we live in a very polarized world. Our rhetoric is very polarized. What this poll allows is for us to say, “Look, let the data lead the discourse.” Look at whether or not what they’re saying is backed up by this data. I think too often people want to make the claim that the majority of Muslims feel this way or that way. Let’s look at the hard data. What kind of response have you had to the poll? The response has been overwhelming—I’ve been stunned. Within days after the launch, there were articles published around the world, and if you looked it up online, there were 63,800 hits on the book. za y tuna in s titute
But what I point out is the following: In the US, we’ve had coverage from the radio and from smaller newspapers, but none of the major newspapers carried it. When the poll says that majorities of Muslims do not hold positions that would lead one to believe that there is an impending clash or absolute hatred of America, our media is not interested. Good news doesn’t sell newspapers—conflict sells. What should Muslims take from this poll? What should they be heartened by? What should concern them? What they should be heartened by is that here is hard data that they can use. Are Muslims inherently anti-Western? Are they primarily driven by their religion to radical politics? Is Islam incompatible with democratization or women’s rights? They can point to hard data. On the other hand, they should be concerned that there is a significant percentage of Muslims in the world who are politically radicalized. It seems a lot of the answers the Muslims gave in your poll are similar to the answers American people give on the same questions. When you talk about majorities of Muslims wanting to see religious values as part of their society, you see a desire for self-determination or democratization. They don’t want theocratic majorities, but they don’t want radical secularism. They want freedom, but they also want religious values. What you also discover through polling is that significant percentages of Americans—upper forties or lower fifties—believe that legislation should be based on the Bible. That’s interesting—you have significant numbers of Christians who have concerns about society and the absence of those religious values in their societies. In that sense, Muslims have common concerns. This needs to be brought out and emphasized more.◆
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