SAN DIEGO READER. MAY 15. Available on line.
The Mental Leap from Muslim Majority to Muslim Minority

Dr. Khaleel Mohammed is an associate professor in SDSU’s Department of Religious Studies. He stands beside his paper-packed desk in his office at the College of Arts and Letters. His window looks over the leafy-shaded winding trails of campus that lead right up the hill to the amphitheater. He’s dapper, casual in long jean shorts and shirt but intellectually intense.

Dr. Mohammed worries about the bedrock values of all three “Abrahamic religions.”

“The fact of the matter is these three religions share the same inherent aura of violence,” he says. “Jesus is the most peaceful of all the prophets. But the office that Jesus was supposed to fulfill was not a peaceful one. He was supposed to be the Messiah, the one to fulfill the [work of] David by repelling the Romans. So because he rejected that role, the Jews rejected him.”

Violent religions? Look at the historical record, Mohammed says. “God gives Israel to Abraham [and commands the killing of] all the Canaanites. Then Mohammed comes, and his thing is the battle against the disbelievers of Arabia: Kill them wherever you find them after war has been declared. And look at the legacy of the Crusades, look at the legacy of colonialism, justified by false claims of Christianity.”

But Dr. Mohammed comes from a different Muslim background than most. He grew up at the farthest limits of Islam’s reach, in non-Muslim Guyana, the only English-speaking nation in South America. “My family was Muslim,” he says, “but a Muslim in Guyana is quite different from one in, say, Pakistan. My ancestors came from India, so at some point there were Hindus in our family. Now I have Christian, Hindu, and Muslim kin. It’s a society where there’s a lot of intermarriage.”

Mohammed went to Canada when he was 17, then in 1982 got a scholarship to Saudi Arabia to pursue Islamic law, where he studied original texts in classical Arabic, then returned to Canada to do his master’s and doctorate in religion, to Brandeis near Boston for Jewish and Islamic studies, and finally here to San Diego State to teach Islamic studies.

The guy, in other words, is super-qualified on the subject. Especially since, in Saudi Arabia, he got to read the actual original text of the Koran. “Most Western Muslims…learn the Koran through translation or through exegesis [interpretation]. When you are in Saudi Arabia you get to read the text itself,” he says. Significance? All those interpretations that have layered, one upon the other, over 14 centuries, are cleared away. The severity and inflexibility regarding such issues as clothing, women’s rights, and punishment, he says, largely evaporate.

An unwillingness of Islam to adapt, particularly in the West, worries Mohammed. “Having been brought up in Guyana, the way that we practiced Islam then, I saw no problem between the religion and a Western lifestyle. And even now, as I practice Islam — my family and I are observant Muslims — we still see no disjoint between our lifestyle and American lifestyles. The problem is that in America, the image of Islam has changed radically from the ’60s to now. Before 1966, when the borders were sort of open, Islam in America was defined by a purely American expression, with people like Malcolm X, Elijah Mohammed. Whether one agreed with his view of Islam or not, the point is that Islam was viewed through American lenses. After the ’60s, when Middle Easterners and Pakistanis started coming in large numbers, Islam comes to be defined by immigrants. They’re coming from places where there is political upheaval, such as Pakistan, such as the Middle East. And so when they come here, they have this radical outlook that pits their religion against the West. And it’s a politicized Islam we see for the most part.

“Strangely, the American concept of human rights plays into this problem, because in Pakistan, for example, one can be prosecuted for simply saying something against Mohammed. One comes to the United States and sees freedom of speech to the point that now you can dress however you wish, say whatever you wish, and you have rights for religious minorities, and things that they were not even allowed [to do] in their own Muslim countries, in the name of Islam, they’re allowed to do. In the United States, which is amazing, that makes them say, ‘Oh well. We have absolute freedom now.’ And since they have not been accustomed to living as a minority, they cannot make that change. So they try to bring their so-called ‘Islamic norms’ and impose them on American beliefs. They cannot make this mental leap from Muslim majority to Muslim minority. You have Muslim taxi drivers, I think it’s in Michigan or Chicago, saying they will not pick up fares now who have whiskey in them or [other] alcohol. That is absolutely nonsensical. We have Muslim women saying that if they join the police force they still want to wear the hijab.”

These are strong critiques of his religion. So what of those accusations by fellow Muslims that he is too liberal?

“Yes, I get accused of working for the CIA, of working for the Mossad. This is an accusation that I will get among certain Muslims. I’m prepared for it, because…I went to Israel. I argued with many Israelis. So I’m not worried about it, although there are elements among the Muslims who portray me as an Israeli stooge. Some of them don’t wish to speak to me.”

Strangely, he prefers that.

“It’s because those people who keep away from me [might otherwise] be frequenting my home. I have little children at home. I do not wish [them] to be listening to the sort of hostile, anti-Jewish, anti-American rhetoric at a level that might invite American security surveillance. A nation in a state of war has the right to survey every person whom it deems to be of interest. I don’t wish to invite such things.”

Ironically, he also feels this is a good time to be a Muslim academic in America. “What I can tell you is that America happens to be not only the most powerful country in the world but that right now, in America, you have the top Islamic scholars also living here. Scholarship on Islam has been happening in America since long before the Gulf War and coming up with books and concepts that are being [instrumental] in the reform of Islam. You have such a wealth of Muslim scholarship right now, [scholars] who feel, at various levels, reform-minded. Some are conservative, but they still recognize the need for reform and are working towards it.”

But in this troubling era for Islam, doesn’t he also see a growing retreat into conservatism?

“Well, certainly, you find on campus right now, there are some women who cover their faces. The funny thing about it is the Koran never expresses that sentiment. It tells the Muslim women…to wear a certain form of outer garment to [identify] themselves as part of the Ibrahamic culture. When you dressed a certain way — which was following the Jewish norm, actually — your head was [covered] and the breasts were covered. You were basically sending a message: ‘I’m not a promiscuous person.’ The Koran adds this legislation ‘so that they might be known and not molested.’ It was a social [admonition]. It has nothing to do with personal piety. And yet [a student like Hamdi covers her face] and comes up with this wonderful [spiritual] interpretation, which is nonetheless not Koranic.”

I Can’t Wear Shorts Like Bill Clinton Used to Wear.

“Dr. Mohammed does not represent the mainstream,” says Edgar Hopida, a Filipino American who once considered entering the Catholic priesthood but who instead converted to Islam. He’s now the San Diego-based public relations director of the Washington DC–headquartered Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). “Dr. Mohammed wants to secularize Islam, make it palatable for the American audience. [Yet] mainstream Muslims practice their religion, pray five times a day, go to Friday prayers, fast during Ramadan month, go to the pilgrimage [to Mecca] when able, and they don’t eat pork.”

quote:

“Dr. Mohammed does not represent the mainstream,” says Edgar Hopida, a Filipino American who once considered entering the Catholic priesthood but who instead converted to Islam. He’s now the San Diego-based public relations director of the Washington DC–headquartered Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). “Dr. Mohammed wants to secularize Islam, make it palatable for the American audience. [Yet] mainstream Muslims practice their religion, pray five times a day, go to Friday prayers, fast during Ramadan month, go to the pilgrimage [to Mecca] when able, and they don’t eat pork.”

If this is what mainstream Muslims do, then Dr. Mohammed certainly represents mainstream Muslim customs becuase as far as I can see, Dr. Mohammed observe these things. People make statements but sometimes they don't know what they are talking about.

Like that talk show host on Hardball on Thursday who was calling Obama an appeaser but Chris Matthews asked him 24 times to list one thing that Obama did or said that make him think that Obama was an appeaser and lo and behold, he couldn't and eventually said that hew didn't know of any. That is how people pick up talking points of others and either don't do their own homework and make a complete fool of themselves.

Big up KM.

Hume, the noted philosopher said that mistakes in philosophy are simply ridiculous; mistakes in religion are dangerous.
This is what is sad: the statement by this convert to islam insinuates a lot of nastiness. First that the Islam of KM is meant to "make it palatable for an american audience." Meaning it is ersatz. Problem is that the quran says "god wants that which is easy for you.:
Next: he juxtaposes his statement with "don't eat pork." Is that to insinuate that KM does? In private..and with other GNI'ers who know KM for all hiswutlissness, they will confirm that he doesn't drink or do pork.
This is the budding of fanaticism and the seed that leads to religious violence...and the sad part..a convert who for all his zeal, took no time to learn the law and philosophy of the religion.

quote:

Originally posted by dara shikoh:
In private..and with other GNI'ers who know KM for all hiswutlissness, they will confirm that he doesn't drink or do pork.

Eating pork and doing pork are tow different things. Eating pork is haraam while doing pork is not. Come to think of it, in this sense eating pork is also not haraam. :))

U baxside. one is poke and one is pork. I only do the halaal poke.
BTW: on another post, I see a wannabe crusader who hides behind the mask of anonymity claiming "allah" is the moon god"...but forgetting that it is the definite articled rendition of "ilah"--of the hebrew cognate "eli." Now when J was on the cross, he said "Eli eli, lamaa sabachtani?...ah wonder..do you think J was refrring to the moon god or the Mithraic god of paul?

quote:

Originally posted by dara shikoh:
U baxside. one is poke and one is pork. I only do the halaal poke.
BTW: on another post, I see a wannabe crusader who hides behind the mask of anonymity claiming "allah" is the moon god"...but forgetting that it is the definite articled rendition of "ilah"--of the hebrew cognate "eli." Now when J was on the cross, he said "Eli eli, lamaa sabachtani?...ah wonder..do you think J was refrring to the moon god or the Mithraic god of paul?

I didn't see it but I suspect that you are referring to the same dude that has been calling us moonheads since before I signed on here. That guy is not open to reason. So his statements don't have any effect on me.

There is no substitution for truth.

I can tell the man does nto have a brain..but I like to follow an argument to the end as much as I can. I only leave when I know for a fact that the guy is a dodo head. When the man come back to me with Rambam, i thought he had some brains....because all agree Rambam was the man. but i found out this cyat can't even follow a simple philosophical disputational premise.

I clearly understand where KM is coming from ... but it seems difficult to prevent the ME ideology and influences on Guyanese muslims.

quote:

Violent religions? Look at the historical record, Mohammed says. “God gives Israel to Abraham [and commands the killing of] all the Canaanites. Then Mohammed comes, and his thing is the battle against the disbelievers of Arabia: Kill them wherever you find them after war has been declared.

I think you left out the next verse.

...but if they ask for mercy let them go.

quote:

Originally posted by Terry Ishmael:

quote:

Violent religions? Look at the historical record, Mohammed says. “God gives Israel to Abraham [and commands the killing of] all the Canaanites. Then Mohammed comes, and his thing is the battle against the disbelievers of Arabia: Kill them wherever you find them after war has been declared.

I think you left out the next verse.

...but if they ask for mercy let them go.

Even what he wrote showed that war had to be declared first.

quote:

Originally posted by Terry Ishmael:

quote:

Violent religions? Look at the historical record, Mohammed says. “God gives Israel to Abraham [and commands the killing of] all the Canaanites. Then Mohammed comes, and his thing is the battle against the disbelievers of Arabia: Kill them wherever you find them after war has been declared.

I think you left out the next verse.

...but if they ask for mercy let them go.

The guy reported as he felt fit..with some stuff I did not say (such as abraham fighting the canaanties)..but the omission was studied....i told you, I set people up. I was anticipating some nasty email....to which I would respond with what you know..but my main point was that in abrahamic religions that substratum of violence is a shared problem...

Rass!!!!!!!!I tink i noo dis man...he love free food and he don't eat pork....juss de surwaa.(:(:(:. Wadd up dara???

U rass betta doan think you out of my sights. I just visited NYC and nack out chief fish stew. Ah coming down u side to nack down some pholourie.
:-))

quote:

be frequenting my home.

So you mean I can't come by yo house now.

quote:

Originally posted by bird:

quote:

be frequenting my home.

So you mean I can't come by yo house now.

Exactically. Especially u. Since u is the biggest blasted fullah fundy in town. But if you insist on showing up, bring some iguana so we can bake it.:-))

quote:

Originally posted by dara shikoh:
U rass betta doan think you out of my sights. I just visited NYC and nack out chief fish stew. Ah coming down u side to nack down some pholourie.
:-))

Sallam Bro...juss let me know when yu in my neck of the woods