America is understandably shaken by the attempted assassination of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. That mindless assault claimed the lives of six individuals, including a promising nine-year-old child and a sitting federal judge. In the aftermath of that act there has been a call from many sides, including the President, for greater…

There has to be an honest and faithful understanding of the Qur’an”. One of the fundamental assumptions driving the current demonization of Islam and Muslims in the West is the idea that acts of wanton violence undertaken by isolated Muslim individuals, or the brutal…

Recent developments have forced me to put some things on hold to write you this letter. You might ask how I know you. I have met you at student events, in mosques, and at conferences. I have listened to your arguments and I have made my counter arguments. Oftentimes, my…

In the literature discussing Futuwwa, which has been translated as Muslim chivalry, there is the story of a young man who was engaged to marry a particularly beautiful woman. Before the wedding day, his fiancée was afflicted with a severe case of chicken pox which left her face terribly disfigured.…

Reprint: Sept. 10, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks WASHINGTON (RNS) Imam Mahdi Bray is feeling a sense of deja vu these days, with threats and attacks on Muslims reviving memories of his younger days working and marching alongside civil rights activists. “For me and for America,…

As we stand on the verge of beginning the great fast, let us pray that the blessings we enjoy are decreed to last. Let us pray for the people, who have lost their homes, fields and cattle in the flood, that they are patient and see their…

The Statue stands tall, symbolizing liberty. Liberty is a gift handed down by the constitution through time. But have all accepted it, and given it a home in their minds? Are the graces of liberty truly free? If it cannot…

This essay, written in the immediate aftermath of the failed New York City bomb attempt [1], will examine some of the theological implications of Muslims violating civilian immunity. I have written elsewhere why attacks against innocent civilians are in opposition to fundamental teachings of Islam. Unfortunately, there are some Muslim…

Our hearts are calling out to us, into the dark and maddening night. Our hearts are calling out to us, to seize our hands and lead us right. Too blinded are we by the glare, of power, money, war and fame? Yet with perverse, blinded…

This essay is the unedited version of a response Imam Zaid wrote to a question posed by Helen Thomas to the White House press corps, “Why do they want to do us harm?” Thomas never got an answer so “In These Times” posed the question to several respondents. The edited…