The Daily Reviewer | The Manrilla Blog | Exploring Islam In America Through the Social Sciences

Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship – An Example of Questionable Sufi Practices

Mar 7, 2010 9:27am

The following is from a flier posted in South Philadelphia for the Bawa Muyaiyaddeen Fellowship: Sufism: The Path Beyond All Religions An Introduction to the wisdom of a Sufi Saint M.R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Sufis have existed long before the time of the Prophet Muhammad, the Rasul [Sal.]. They have existed even as far...

Return On Investment

Feb 16, 2010 1:32pm

I have been blogging now for several years. It has been an interesting endeavor that has has its high moments of reward as well as its times when it has seemed not only a waste of time, but in complete opposition to the benefit I thought it might once bring....

Scourge of Secular Capitalist Islam – A Response

Feb 15, 2010 10:39am

Brother Naeem wrote a passionate post over at his blog. As my comments were too long, I decided to write them here. as-Salaamu ‘alaykum, Naeem. I can see that you are indeed struggling to reconcile some issues that are very near and dear to you. Let me provide a bit of...

The Trouble With Muslim Pundits Part Two

Feb 13, 2010 9:39pm

Back in May of 2008, I wrote a post for this blog entitled, The TroubleWith Muslim Pundits Today, in which I, using Irshad Manji as an example, attacked and exposed the self-serving and selfish tendencies of many a Muslim pundit who would seek to “reform” Islam without actually contributing anything...

If You’re Not Part of the Solution, You’re Part of the Problem

Feb 13, 2010 10:28am

There has been, in my mind, a growing trend in Black America for the last 40-odd years: the rise in secularism amongst Blackamericans. By this I refer to the increasing tendency for Blackamericans to make religion, be it Islam or Christianity, irrelevant to their daily lives, public or private...

Religion and Secularism: A Conversation with Robert Bellah

Jan 20, 2010 12:12pm

The following are a series of Youtube videos which feature famed sociologist Robert Bellah in conversation with Mark Juergensmeyer, professor of global and international studies as well as sociology and religious studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. In it, professor Bellah provides an number of worthwhile insights on...

Emergency Funds For Haiti

Jan 14, 2010 2:18pm

Haitians are in desperate need for support after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake rocked their island nation on Tuesday. An estimated 3 million people were affected by the quake, which was the worst in the region in 200 years. “More than 100,000 are dead,” the Haitian Consul General to the United Nations,...

American Muslims and American Civic Religion

Jan 12, 2010 9:27am

Civil Religion as defined by Robert Bellah: a set of rituals, symbols and beliefs which were institutionally separate, but partly derived, nevertheless, from organized religion. According to Bellah, American civil religion had two main origins: one religious in nature, the other secular. To be more precise, Bellah based his understanding...

The Crisis of the American Muslim Part 2

Jan 9, 2010 8:57pm

Navigating American Individualism As was stated earlier, Cruse brings to light for us one of the primary underlining social tenants of Americanism, that is to say, individualism. Islam as a religion certainly engages the individual on his or her place in the cosmos as well as other social themes, yet it would...

The Crisis of the American Muslim Part 1

Jan 6, 2010 1:41pm

The following post is the first in a new post-series which will look at current conditions of Muslim thought, process, and social development in the American context, through the reading of a number of texts. The first of which is The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual, by Harold Cruse. I believe...

Islam & The Problem of Black Suffering – A Lamppost Productions Lecture

Dec 28, 2009 9:31pm

The following is information on an upcoming webinar/lecture by Dr. Sherman Jackson regarding his latest book, Islam & The Problem of Black Suffering [amazon link]. It’s an excellent opportunity to engage Dr. Jackson and have him break down some of the intricate and complex arguments in his book. The webinar...

Taking Our Rightful Place of Leadership In the Muslim World

Dec 13, 2009 8:17am

In the last several years, I have had conversations with a number of leading Muslim scholars—American and foreign—who recognize and advocate the ascension of American Muslims to the role of leadership in the Muslim world. I concur with this observation, not out of heedless pride or nationalism, but because I believe American Muslims...

Does America Have A Muslim Problem?

Dec 10, 2009 9:00am

In a recent article featured in The New York Review of Books, Malise Ruthven postulates on the phenomenon of Islam in Europe. He interrogates the question by examining Christopher Caldwell’s Reflections on the Revolution in Europe: Immigration, Islam, and the West, in tandem with Tariq Ramadan’s What I Believe. Essentially,...

Islamic Education – Not Just For Muslims Anymore [?]

Dec 7, 2009 4:49pm

I greatly enjoyed Dr. Sherman Jackson’s keynote address at the 2009 fundraiser for the Quba Institute. In it, he touched on some key, if not entirely new, points about the nature of education as it relates to Muslims. To a greater extent, his talk was focused at Blakcamerican Muslims and...

Interview With Dr. Abdullah Ghandhistani Part 2

Dec 6, 2009 4:25pm

Here is the second half of the interview with Dr. Abdullah Ghandhistani, author of Standard English Grammar and Composition. The first part of the interview can be heard here. Enjoy....

The Quba Institute Fundraising Banquet 2009

Dec 4, 2009 7:56pm

Saturday, December the 5th, the Quba Institute will be presenting it’s 2nd-Annual...

More Thoughts On the Relation Between Islam, Blackamericans, and Bebop

Dec 3, 2009 5:31am

The following is s short excerpt from The African Diaspora: A Musical Perspective [335-7], by Ingrid Tolia Monson. Monson’s book provides some further insight on the nature of the relation and attraction that Islam held for Blackamerican jazz musicians as well as Blackamericans as a whole who embraced Islam. Art Blakey’s...

It Wasn’t Meant To Go This Way

Dec 2, 2009 5:45pm

The above seven words say so much about the state of Islam in the world today. More immediately, they describe a despondent viewpoint of Muslims in Switzerland, who, after having high hopes that the Swiss would embrace them as one of their own, had that hope dashed on the rocks...

To Be Or Not To Bop

Dec 2, 2009 12:43pm

An excerpt from To Be or Not to Bop, Beboppers… The Cult [pp. 291-3] Number seven: that “beboppers” expressed a preference for religions other than Christianity may be considered only a half-truth, because most black musicians, including those from the bebop era, received their initial exposure and influence in music...

Interview With Dr. Abdullah Ghandhistani Part 1

Nov 29, 2009 8:04pm

Earlier this year, I started the American Muslim Experience Project: Community Profile. My hope and goals was to photograph and interview some individuals of the Muslim community here. It’s a bit of an experiment and the audio takes are raw and mostly unedited. This interview was done with Dr. Abdullah...

Health Consciousness and Religion

Nov 27, 2009 1:24pm

On November 15, I participated in a locally-held, national event co-sponsored by Jewish and Muslim student groups called Health Consciousness and Religion [https://www.ffeu.org/index.htm]. The event, held at Hillel on UPenn’s campus, was a talk about Kosher and Halal, and looking at both systems not just in their similarities, but in...

Eid Mubarrak

Nov 26, 2009 9:29pm

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African American Muslims and Their Social Purgatory

Nov 26, 2009 7:59am

Hat tip to Khalifa for passing this on. And while we may be occupied with more-than-earthly matters today, perhaps we can take a look at this over the next couple of days and reflect upon it. I have a few thoughts of my own I will share on it shortly. “When...

If There Was Ever A Good Time…

Nov 23, 2009 11:28am

Incubation [in-kyuh-bey-shuh n]. The act of incubating: To sit upon (eggs) for the purpose of hatching; to maintain at a favorable temperature and in other conditions promoting development, as cultures of bacteria or prematurely born infants; to develop or produce as if by hatching. All of the above can easily be...

2009 Brass Crescent Awards

Nov 19, 2009 3:55am

I am honored that my blog has been picked again for the 2009 Brass Crescent Awards. I am up for Best Design again as well as Best Writer. My wife is also nominated again for Best Female Blog. My thanks for those who voted last year and I look forward...