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A Different Kind of Islam
Diana Eck, Harvard scholar, has documented the stunning religious change that America is experiencing. I glimpsed a piece of it last Saturday night.
My invitation was to a Tijanniya Convention at the Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Md., starting at 7 p.m. I had been to a convention of this Muslim sect before, and knew such events tended not to start on the dot, so I figured 9 p.m. was a reasonable time to arrive.
Wrong. The auditorium was empty.
But a whole group of audiovisual types were setting up some impressive equipment, so something was under way. Slowly people filtered in and I was told the real start time might be 10 p.m. The actual event began around 11:30 and the place was packed at midnight. I am told (since I had long since faded) that they were going strong at 6 a.m.
In all the brouhaha about the Muslim world today, the extraordinary diversity of global Islam is not enough appreciated. It should hardly be surprising for anyone who drives along 16th Street in Washington and takes in the dozens of placards announcing the multitude of Christian groups.that religion is not monolithic. But somehow stereotypes cling to the Muslim world. In fact, it's full of surprises.
The Greenbelt convention brought together mostly people who came originally from West Africa, from Senegal, Gambia, Mali and other countries, who are proudly Muslim. They are joyous and full of energy, and mostly followers of a current of Islam termed Sufi. The Tijanniya order started in Algeria and Morocco and spread across West Africa. It's a powerful bond among many immigrants from that part of the world. Music, poetry and dance are a key element of the culture.
West Africans are exuberant people with a rich culture. In this high school auditorium, the gorgeous boubou-clad men , in yellow, salmon and pink garb, went to the right and the far more gorgeously dressed women to the left, but all intermingled and greeted each other. Children darted all over, pictures were snapped, and friends greeted one another.
The Tijanniya conventions work to build networks and community spirit. The Greenbelt event had a strong spiritual tone, with Koranic recitations and a lively choir. It also included, even after midnight, a long series of lectures by eminent scholars that touched on world problems, education, environment, and a host of other global issues. For this group, globalization needs no special introduction as they live it each day.
The Tijanniya convention brought together people from Greenbelt, Dakar, Washington, Banjul, and maybe 40 other cities. They were fired up last Saturday by the spirit of change in the United States but also by the spirit of change in their far-flung community.
The new America is alive among us. As the auditorium came to life in the wee hours of Sunday morning, the miracle of what diversity really means hit home.
,
By Katherine Marshall |
November 14, 2008; 12:04 AM ET
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Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | November 19, 2008 5:06 PM
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Ah fellow jihadist,
Perhaps you shouldn't go out there. It is scary out on some of the other threads. Evil prowls. Darkness reigns... Some are on crusades and go willy-nilly swinging their axes and blessed spiritual quotations and paraphenalia all about. Careless. Compassionless. Dedicated to God.
Nay, nay. Stay where it is warm and light and you can invite a few friends in to warm their toes by the fire, pass around the tea, have a good little debate.
:-)
Cheers to you. PBUyourH
Justin
Posted by: justillthen | November 19, 2008 4:11 PM
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Dear Katherine Marshall
You can appriciate the look of a wonderful fruit,
(look at any fruit and ponder upon it) but the real surprise comes when you get its refreshening
taste.
Any school of tarikat like tajannia of west africa or that of Rumi in turkey or in other places can be looked as diversity from above but if you study bit deeply you will find it is not a one day dancing or enjoying, but a hard work or everyday covering the whole life.
I have seen people of this Tajannia tarikat in Dakar Senegal and in Ghana too. These people are very punctual in daily supplication to Al-might Allah and they spend daily time to Pray so that they can achieve His nearness.
This love of One Al-mighty Allah is common in all of them where ever they are.
I do not see any departure among them from basics of Islam and hence no diversity.
Posted by: Jamil | November 19, 2008 3:44 PM
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CCNL : "Bottom line, other than the "yuckiness" and unnatural nature of said unions, homosexual activities in general poses no threat to humankind's existence even though AIDs will forever haunt the homosexual male community."
Ah, a slight modification on the "yuck" of gay sex now, eh.
Nah...AIDs will continue to haunt straight men into unprotected and indiscriminate sex (one night stands with bar pick-ups, with ladies of the night etc), and drug abusers into sharing needles.
The 101 biggest threat to humankind's existence is obviously ignorance, bigotry, greed, lack of compassion, emphaty, justness and justice as well as racial, religious, political chauvinism and self-interest at all cost over the other/s.
Cheers and ciao Concy Pussycat.
J
Posted by: Jihadist | November 19, 2008 2:47 PM
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There she is again, the Reality Challenged and Obfuscating Jihadist making out like an expert on USA politics, sex, homosexuality, banking, Christianity, Judaism and all other religions save Islam.
With respect to Judaism's "Crossanization":
Abraham founder/father of three major religions was either the embellishment of the lives of three different men or a mythical character as was mythical Moses, the "Tablet-Man" who talked to burning bushes and made much magic in Egypt.
Many of the 1.5 million Conservative Jews and many of their rabbis have relegated Abraham to the myth pile along with most if not all the OT.
Current crisis:
Realization that the Jews are not god's not chosen people.
www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/ConservativeTorah.htm and http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bible/
Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | November 19, 2008 2:39 PM
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CCNL: "A moment of silence for the now silent 35+ million womb-babies aborted since 1973 would be a better gesture."
Oh, Concy Pussycat! I had forgotten that Thanksgiving is coming up.
A moment of silence, too, for the millions of turkey killed since 1973 for the Thanksgiving feast. And for those killed as "collateral damage" since 2002 in Afghanistan, and since 2004 in Iraq. They are as innocent, hapless and helpless as victims of the decisions by others too, no?
And by the way, why only a moment of silence for the 35 + million in the US since 1973 and not before that year, or for those outside the US too? Only the year of Roe vs Wade ruling by the Supreme Court justices as the defining moment, as the cut-off point?
Hope you have a great Thanksgiving feast and to sing "Grace" in Gregorian chant afterwards.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Cheers pussycat.
J
Posted by: Jihadist | November 19, 2008 2:33 PM
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CCNL : "Has Georgetown sold its soul to Islam??
Anyway, to solve the topic problem, both Christianity and Islam need to be first cleansed of their historic and theological flaws and errors. Christianity is well on its way since the 1800's. Islam is unfortunately stuck in a time warp due to the threats of Islamic fundamentalists who threaten any Muslim or non-Muslim when they question Islam history and theology."
A Catholic university selling it's soul? Come now. Surely you do not believe in "saving souls" even of universities if your previous posts are to go by.
If Christianity and Islam is to be cleansed of its "historical or theological flaws", then, it would have to start with Judaism as the mother of the Abrahamic monotheisms.
And how can you be sure that all of Christianity is on its way to deflaw since the 1800s? We have Jim Jones et al. We have Pat Robertson and his ilk et al. We now have a fellow starting car collecting cults as a faith group. We have some doing baptism of the dead into their faith. We have some saying voting for a certain candidate for a certain stance on abortion is a mortal sin and such.
Oh ye, People of the Crossanist Book, a "theological flaw" is one that is different from one's faith and which one do not subscribe to?
Do you really think Islam is really stuck in a time warp? Or, many Muslims in the developing world are stuck in underdevelopment in all areas, including access to better education, health and employment opportunity? Or stuck under the yoke of suppresive regimes?
Come to think of it. Having access to all economic, political, social and gender opportunities does not prevent one from being regarded as being in a religious time warp. Or, having warped ideas on religion, even by the standards of his or her own faith. Refer to Ms. Sarah Palin.
Cheers pussycat.
Posted by: Jihadist | November 19, 2008 2:14 PM
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Hello Justillthen,
So, you are Justin using the handle "Justillten". So, Halozcel thought it was me, when that was and is really you. Sounds like some posters are paranoid and/or jumping to conclusions. I should be reading the posts in the other threads in On Faith more often to know who is who posting now.
Cheers
J
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
CCNL,
Yo! Concy pussycat!
How goes the implementation, or otherwise, of the "Faithful Citizenship" paper by Crossanized Christian Catholics on "murderous" abortion and "yucky" gay sex?
How goes the Crossanization of American Christians? What percentage are Crossanized Christians in the USA? Come now. You are good at giving figures and stats and your own projections based on them.
Cheers
Posted by: Jihadist | November 19, 2008 1:21 PM
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Anon, Anon, Anon,
Apparently, you are also a follower of the
Worst Book Ever Written, i.e. the koran. Said book needs a re-write and some serious "Crossanization"!!!
Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | November 19, 2008 12:03 PM
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Hello jihadist,
Passed up entering my username last time. Whoops.
Hello jihadist.
Seems that halozcel1 likes compartmentalizing. I sometimes have thought his name is a shortened version of hollowcell. Could be good. Perhaps compartmentalizing makes it easier for him to bundle up open minded people into liberal cells in his mind... Safer, perhaps. Less chance of them getting all loose and infecting him.
Nice posts. Thanks for them.
PBUyourH,
Justin
Posted by: justillthen | November 19, 2008 12:00 PM
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To whom it my concern!!!!!
We need a positive dialouge which definately you lack. Spit to the moon and it will come to your own face.
Wild swine spoils the fields in the same manner you spoil a decent place to comment.
Keep on burning in your own fire.
Posted by: Anonymous | November 19, 2008 10:47 AM
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And the Reality Challenged and Obfuscating Jihadist remains the Reality Challenged and Obfuscating Jihadist still beleiving in "pretty/ugly, wingie, talking, thingies which serve as the basis of the Worst Book Ever Written, i.e. the koran. Said book needs a re-write and some serious "Crossanization"!!!
Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | November 18, 2008 8:01 PM
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Hello jihadist.
Seems that halozcel1 likes compartmentalizing. I sometimes have thought his name is a shortened version of hollowcell. Could be good. Perhaps compartmentalizing makes it easier for him to bundle up open minded people into liberal cells in his mind... Safer, perhaps. Less chance of them getting all loose and infecting him.
Nice posts. Thanks for them.
PBUyourH,
Justin
Posted by: Anonymous | November 18, 2008 5:05 PM
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CCNL : "Homosexual sexual activity is to say the least, very yucky. Other than that, one assumes proper sanitary and cleaning procedures will keep homosexuals disease-free/guilt free or will it??"
As "yucky" as "straigt" sex? Gays have the lowest occurences of HIV/AIDs and other STDs now. One assumes, even when they wear leather and is into leather and whips, they wear latex for sanitary purposes.
Only those who bash gays in words and baseball bats feel guilty. But, then again not, thinking they are doing God's work on earth. They are the diseased with bigotry and the uncompassionate ones, yes?
Cheers pussycat.
Posted by: Jihadist | November 18, 2008 11:05 AM
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Yo! Pussycat!
CCNL : "And still the Reality Challenged and Obfuscating Jihadist cannot come to grips with that which continually grips global peace i.e. The Worst Book Ever Written, the koran."
Yeah, well, I am a fan of the Greatest Book ever, i.e. the Qur'an. But not the worst books ever written - Letter to a Christian Nation, God is Not Great, the God Delusion, Infidel etc.
Better to read books written by Ian Buruna and John Gray and Niall Ferguson and Fareed Zakaria and Ziauddin Sardar and Tariq Ali. And there are some atheists in this lists of writers too.
And how did I get to be such good friends with the Immoral Majority's choice of President-elect and his children???
Because I am immorally pro-choice. So, send me to Gitmo. And, as a prisoner, if I teach 10 Gitmo guards how to read and write, will I be released?
Thomas Friedman - The World is Flat
Thomas Friedman - The World is Flat Broke
Carl Thomas - The World is a Fallen Planet
Jihadist - The World is Wacked and Whacked.
Cheers pussycat.
Posted by: Jihadist | November 18, 2008 10:44 AM
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And still the Reality Challenged and Obfuscating Jihadist cannot come to grips with that which continually grips global peace i.e. The Worst Book Ever Written, the koran.
And how did she get to be such good friends with the Immoral Majority's choice of President-elect and his children???
Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | November 18, 2008 3:30 AM
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And still the Reality Challenged and Obfuscating Jihadist cannot come to grips that which continually grips global peace i.e. The Worst Book Ever Written, the koran.
And how did she get to such good friends with the Immoral Majority's choice of President-elect and his children???
Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | November 18, 2008 12:50 AM
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CCNL : "Hmmm, the Immoral Majority's BO and his wife are getting a dog. Adopting an "unwanted" child would be the better option and would show that BO really does have some compassion."
BO's kids wanted a dog, not a baby brother or sister. Not showing some compassion for living, breathing children on what they want?
And BO and wife deciding to have two kids and to stop at that, and has to take on kids by others who do not want them?
Let there be no contraceptives allowed in sex. Let there be unprotected sex. Let abortion be a sin. Let the newly born be let go of his/her mother to be adopted.
Let those who practiced family planning, safe sex, responsible sex be held responsible for and to adopt children born of rape, of incest, of poor families discouraged from using contraceptives and having abortions as sins, even if they do not want to.
Simple logic of convulated compassion, but not of choice?
Cheers pussycat
J
Posted by: Jihadist | November 17, 2008 12:28 PM
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Halozcel!
Long time no see!
Justillthen? Just till then when and what?
You : What about *Timor secessionists* ?
- They achieved independence years back. And use Portuguese in school and governance over their mother tongue.
You : What about *GAM(Free Ache Movement)*
-It is the Gerakan Aceh Merdeka (GAM) - Free Aceh Movement. Still wanting more independence and control over governance, resources, religion.
You : What about *West Papua secessionists* ?
- Still fighting for independence for self-governance. The got the moral support of ethnic fellow Melanesians in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji...
You : And,Communist Party secessionists ?
- Not secessionists but dominationists for government and country in the sixties. Were purged at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives. Ask the CIA on their hand in it leading to the removal of Sukarno only to be replaced by Suharto for decades. Or, read that book, "Legacy of Ashes" by Tim Weiner for a glimpse.
Should we treat all these seccessionists as treasonous, as traitorous as some did for Sarah Palin's husband, and wage a civil war agaist them? Or, to treat these seccessionists as freedom fighters seeking freedom and self-determination? Or, to give them more autonomy as regions as they wanted, or to give them complete independence to be sovereign states?
How goes the secessionist movement in Alaska?
J
Posted by: Jihadist | November 17, 2008 11:21 AM
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Hello Arminius,
"In God we trust. All others pay cash."
Good point.
Best
J
-------------------------------------------------
Yo! CCNL!!!
Islam 101:
There is no God
but God
May God have compassion and be merciful to all the AntiChrists in whatever guises.
Even as Compassionate Palinated Christians.
Even as Compassionate Crossanized Christians.
Cheers Concy pussycat
J
Posted by: Jihadist | November 17, 2008 11:02 AM
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Islam 101
Save us from these Islamic, koranic FEMs,
Flaws, Errors, Muck and Stench,
As they ooze from the rocks of earth,
Like the many, many worms of death and wrench.
Born, Bred, and Brainwashed too,
Whatever, whatever to do?
Truth, Truth, History and Truth,
Let it Ring True, Freedom, Freedom
Freedom at Last and much left to do!!!
Posted by: Concerned the Christian Now Liberated | November 16, 2008 11:31 PM
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Hi, Jihadist,
"Unity in diversity (Indonesia' country motto)"
Good. Here is America's motto:
"E Pluribus Unum". (Out of many, one.)
And this:
"In God We Trust (US Dollar motto)"
Yes, but don't forget:
"In God we trust. All others pay cash."
With respect,
Arminius
Posted by: Arminius | November 16, 2008 6:43 PM
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Oops,
Make that:
Hmmm, Farnaz an atheist yet Jewish will be forever lost in her redundancy!!!
Posted by: Concerned the Christian Now Liberated | November 15, 2008 3:39 PM
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Jihadist/Justillthen,
*Unity in diversity(Indonesia' country motto)*
What about *Timor secessionists* ?
What about *GAM(Free Ache Movement)*
What about *West Papua secessionists* ?
And,Communist Party secessionists ?
Posted by: halozcel | November 15, 2008 1:46 PM
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Uh, the spats spilling here too. Ah, the Charter for Compassion initiated by Karen Armstrong.
God the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
Man the Unmerciful, the Uncompassionate
Surely that is not part of God's Plan on compassion but only man's designs for himself in his lack of compassion?
Good idea by Karen Armstrong to have that Charter for Compassion. May remind some people a central core of their respective faiths and find common causes on compassion for the poor and needy. After all, too much is made on the negatives of faith in the public square rather than the positives as humanitarian actions, pursuit of justice and justness in our dealing with fellow men.
Unity in diversity (Indonesia' country motto)
Unity is strenght (Malaysia's country motto)
Yeah, we need to work more in attaining those countries mottos as citizens for joint actions for common good. Sounds naive and idealistic, but a good priority for focus, no?
In God We Trust (US Dollar motto)
Trust God, but tie up your camel (Prophet Muhammad PBUH)
Cheers
J
Posted by: Jihadist | November 15, 2008 11:02 AM
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Hmmm, Farnaz an atheist yet Jewish will be forever lost in his redundancy!!!
Posted by: Concerned the Christian Now Liberated | November 15, 2008 2:58 AM
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Bun-Bun,
After reading Arminius on your Cranio-Rectal Syndrome problems, I did a little research into the condition.
From what I can tell, it is no longer at the Syndrome stage; it now presents as full-blown Cranio-Rectal Disease. Hence simply removing your head from your anus, and swearing off alcohol will not cure you.
There are both surgical (recommended) and medical options. Surgery is costly, since, at present, there are only seven (7) surgeons liscensed to perform the delicate s*hit for brains operation. If you have insurance and get a diagnosis, arrangements will be made for you to undergo surgery at Dar El Salaam Hospital with which the US has arranged for CRD patients to receive treatment. The eminent Dr. Mooloo Abdullah.
Kindly keep us posted on your treatment, and much good luck to you.
Posted by: Farnaz | November 14, 2008 10:30 PM
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There will be no changes in America until changes are made in its houses of worship. Today,
We go into the Muslim mosque and find a call to violence and oppression to women.
We go into the Jewish synagogue and find myths and more calls to violence via the trumpets of Jericho.
We go into the Catholic/Christian church and find blood and body and pretty, wingie thingies but no Virgin Mary.
We go into Hindu temples and find cows and the lower class/caste cleaning up the dung.
We go into a Buddhist temple and find tributes to an obese and somewhat obese male figurine and talk about the ten realms of being.
Posted by: Concerned the Christian Now Liberated | November 14, 2008 8:50 PM
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Hello Ms. Katherine Marshall,
Never knew there are enough members of the Tarekat Tijaniyah (that is what they are called in Indonedia) in the Washington area to have a convention.
I don't know how the Tarekat Tijanayah strain of Islam floated back to Indonesia. But I suppose it was due to students who studied in Europe and the US who interacted with fellow students from North Africa who are members of this Tarekat and brought it back home.
I did, as a student, went to some of the Tijaniyah gatherings during Ramadan in my free float of going to various Muslim groups' gatherings for Iftar, group prayers, group zikir and discussions.
Yes, the Tarekat Tijayah is very lively group - both pro-active on education and very spiritual in faith, though I was not quite personally persuaded with some of its members' notion on the need for an intecessor between man and God. That is fine by me if they want so for their personal spiritual guidance.
Thanks and best regards
J
Posted by: Jihadist | November 14, 2008 11:48 AM
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The comments to this entry are closed.
No, the biggest threat to humankind is the Worst Book Ever Written, i.e. the koran!!! It and Islam are filled with bigotry, greed, lack of compassion, as well as racial, religious/ political chauvinism and self-interest at all cost over the others.