New Islamic Directions
Shorter reflections and statements on the events of the day.
Imam Zaid Shakir · August 26, 2011
On a recent flight from Europe, too sleepy to read and too uncomfortable to sleep, I watched a movie. The film was moving and powerful, The Grace Card . It dealt with the intricacies of race relations in Memphis, Tennessee. It culminated with an…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · August 5, 2011
In the aftermath of the attacks of 9/11, the idea of terrorism has been utilized by a cabal of anti-Muslim bigots in a way that elicits, in the minds of many, an association between Islam and indiscriminate violence. This association has been…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · July 12, 2011
"The fight against racism is not over; we must redouble our efforts." As the level of racially-charged exclusionary politics grows throughout the Western world, Muslims will have to contribute to the developing discourse to counter this problem.…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · June 25, 2011
An earlier version of this article appeared in EMEL Magazine. It is reprinted here with slight modification in light of requests for clarification on this very sensitive issue. This is a theoretical essay and should not be construed as an…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · June 14, 2011
A family friend recently attended a lecture by one of the propagandists crisscrossing the country to inform his audience of the reasons Americans have to stop the "menace" of "Shariah" that threatens to "take over" American society. If that…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · March 7, 2011
The refrain from an old popular song goes as follows, "What the world needs now is love sweet love, it's the only thing that there's just too little of..." According to Nicholas Kristof, in his recent New York Times editorial, Is Islam The Problem…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · January 31, 2011
The current uprising in Egypt, coming in the aftermath of the popular revolution in Tunisia, is a monumental event that is altering all of the political calculations currently governing how we think about Middle Eastern politics. The emerging…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · January 21, 2011
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…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · January 10, 2011
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…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · December 14, 2010
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…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · October 5, 2010
Category: Civility Islam is not a religion of empty laws and strictures but one which points towards a higher ethical order.
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Imam Zaid Shakir · September 15, 2010
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.…
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