Irshad Manji?

[Randy Cavitts]

An article I found online:

The trouble with Irshad Manji | Riding the Tiger

Among critics of Islam, there few voices more prominent than the revisionist Irshad Manji. Calling herself a “refuseniks,” Manji has been praised in the media, along other radical feminists such as Wafa Sultan and Ayaan Hirsi Ali, for their virulent denunciations of Islam and Muhammad. Western pundits praise Manji for her “bravery,” and portray her as a courageous woman who is fighting fighting oppression and marching bravely forth toward the so-called democratic-atheistic values of the West. Contributing her appeal is Manji’s persona herself: she is an ethnic minority in Canada and a radical lesbian feminist who voices solidarity with great liberal values of the secular and multicultural state, making her the ideal candidate to be the overaged poster-child of politically correct demagogues.

The premise of this author's critique is that Irshad Manji is a tool of "the West" who is trying to shape Islam to leftist ideas from within. Is this an accurate critique?

If not, then what course should be that for Islam in order for it to face modern times and the ideas that come along with it?

 

[YmirGF]

From what I have seen, Irshad Manji has little influence in the Muslim world. I don't think I have ever heard a Muslim speak kindly of her. RF Muslims are welcome to correct me on this point.

 

[Mazdak]

Though not a Muslim, I saw Manji speak once at my college. She seemed to me to be uppity and self-important, and spoke more like a politician and a radical activist, rather than someone who was genuinely interested in reforming a religion. She peppered the talk with her own political views and catch-phrases like "God 3.0".

Towards the end of the talk, questions came, which, by the way, had to be written on note-cards. We were reminded that this was a hate-free (despite the fact that Manji took many jabs at Islam, men, and conservatives in general) and queer-friendly event, and told to write our questions down, and pass them to the front, where they would be screened, so that only the most approving of comments could be responded to. One Muslim student, since he was unable to have his question answered, attempted to ask her at the book signing, only for her to motion to security to have him removed from the area.

To me she just seemed like someone who had an axe to grind, maybe because of her sexuality, or maybe because of her child. Anyways, I somewhat agree that they give her more credit than she deserves: The right likes her because she's critical of Islam, and the left loves her because she's a radical feminist and lesbian.

 

[Mazdak]

To me she just seemed like someone who had an axe to grind, maybe because of her sexuality, or maybe because of her child.

This should read "...because of her childhood"

 

[Bismillah]

Though not a Muslim, I saw Manji speak once at my college. She seemed to me to be uppity and self-important, and spoke more like a politician and a radical activist, rather than someone who was genuinely interested in reforming a religion. She peppered the talk with her own political views and catch-phrases like "God 3.0".

Scholar for dollars all have their soundbites and newspeak.

 

[Mazdak]

Scholar for dollars all have their soundbites and newspeak.

One thing about academia is that discourse is often limited to what people deem to be politically correct. One could actually make the argument that because people like Manji embrace a number of leftist views, that they recieve the sanction of their leftist comrades in Academia.

I remember that the University had also invited Ayaan Hirsi Ali (both invited by the same "coalition" of groups from the Women's Studies Department to the Office of Diversity, and also the Students for Israel group at this particular college) within a month of inviting Manji. Ali talked at length about how beleaguered she was, about the evils of patriarchy and Islam, and about how free speech no matter how "offensive" must be allowed.

To give a view which went against this percieved Islamophobia, the Muslim Students Association tried to bring in Hossein Nasr. Request denied.

 

[Bismillah]

I know Hossein Nasr, I am familiar with his works. What University is this again?

 

[Mazdak]

I know Hossein Nasr, I am familiar with his works. What University is this again?

I'm going to plead the Fifth Amendment here, mainly to protect my privacy. I will say that it was a in the Southeastern US, though.

 

[Bismillah]

Haha it's ok, no worries.

 

[Tolerance]

Though not a Muslim, I saw Manji speak once at my college. She seemed to me to be uppity and self-important, and spoke more like a politician and a radical activist, rather than someone who was genuinely interested in reforming a religion.

Maybe because Islam, like any other organized religion is essentially political. I mean look at the Republican party and tell me that they aren't a religious conservative party.

Towards the end of the talk, questions came, which, by the way, had to be written on note-cards. We were reminded that this was a hate-free (despite the fact that Manji took many jabs at Islam, men, and conservatives in general) and queer-friendly event, and told to write our questions down, and pass them to the front, where they would be screened, so that only the most approving of comments could be responded to. One Muslim student, since he was unable to have his question answered, attempted to ask her at the book signing, only for her to motion to security to have him removed from the area.

BS. It seems like you're out to slander someone. There is no way this would have happened. It's simply impossible.

 

[work in progress]

Maybe because Islam, like any other organized religion is essentially political. I mean look at the Republican party and tell me that they aren't a religious conservative party.

No kidding! The money Republicans have gone so far in encouraging fundamentalist base over the last 30 years that now they've got Karl Rove scared that they could throw away an easy win in 2012 through the sheer lunacy of leading candidates like Bachman and Perry....and Palin if she decides to join the fun.

BS. It seems like you're out to slander someone. There is no way this would have happened. It's simply impossible.

I was thinking the same thing. I don't know a great deal about Irshad Manji, other than before all the flap about terrorism after 9/11 she used to be a regular host at the Ontario public television network - TVO. She is on the margins, and will have a hard time being accepted by a majority of Muslims because of embracing Sufism, and more of a problem - she is an out lesbian! But, that doesn't make her Ayan Hirsi Ali - who is collecting cheques from the American Enterprize Institute through her trashing of her former religion and advocacy for Neoconservative policies.

Irshad Manji is someone who is trying to keep the door open for dialogue by trying to advocate a very liberal version of her religion. If she was in it for the money, she could have joined Hirsi Ali, Wafa Sultan and others, who are richly rewarded by conservative think tanks in the U.S. As far as I am aware, she still lives in Toronto, where she had to have bullet-proof glass installed in her home after death threats.....so any fool complaining that she seemed standoffish on one occasion has to keep in mind that by being independent and refusing to be controlled by powerful interest groups, she cannot afford to travel with hired bodyguards, so personal security concerns may always be front and center. Needless to say, I consider her to be a hero or heroine for her courage and refusal to be swayed by money or personal risk from saying what she feels needs to be said.

 

[Tolerance]

No kidding! The money Republicans have gone so far in encouraging fundamentalist base over the last 30 years that now they've got Karl Rove scared that they could throw away an easy win in 2012 through the sheer lunacy of leading candidates like Bachman and Perry....and Palin if she decides to join the fun.
I was thinking the same thing. I don't know a great deal about Irshad Manji, other than before all the flap about terrorism after 9/11 she used to be a regular host at the Ontario public television network - TVO. She is on the margins, and will have a hard time being accepted by a majority of Muslims because of embracing Sufism, and more of a problem - she is an out lesbian! But, that doesn't make her Ayan Hirsi Ali - who is collecting cheques from the American Enterprize Institute through her trashing of her former religion and advocacy for Neoconservative policies.

Irshad Manji is someone who is trying to keep the door open for dialogue by trying to advocate a very liberal version of her religion. If she was in it for the money, she could have joined Hirsi Ali, Wafa Sultan and others, who are richly rewarded by conservative think tanks in the U.S. As far as I am aware, she still lives in Toronto, where she had to have bullet-proof glass installed in her home after death threats.....so any fool complaining that she seemed standoffish on one occasion has to keep in mind that by being independent and refusing to be controlled by powerful interest groups, she cannot afford to travel with hired bodyguards, so personal security concerns may always be front and center. Needless to say, I consider her to be a hero or heroine for her courage and refusal to be swayed by money or personal risk from saying what she feels needs to be said.

To be honest, I admire Ayaan Hirsi Ali's bravery. She has overcome a lot in her life, and the fact that she is an immigrant, a black woman, a feminist, and an atheist who has achieved what she has in the arguably racist society of the West says a lot.

I'm white but I'd rather have her than say Joe Republican living next door. But it's too bad that she associates with the American right.

Wafa Sultan isn't that bad either, I think she's kind of like a female Richard Dawkins.

 

[work in progress]

To be honest, I admire Ayaan Hirsi Ali's bravery. She has overcome a lot in her life, and the fact that she is an immigrant, a black woman, a feminist, and an atheist who has achieved what she has in the arguably racist society of the West says a lot.

I'm white but I'd rather have her than say Joe Republican living next door. But it's too bad that she associates with the American right.

Wafa Sultan isn't that bad either, I think she's kind of like a female Richard Dawkins.

I don't challenge Ayaan Hirsi Ali for criticizing the life she grew up in, but she has allowed herself to become an accomplice for rightwing anti-Muslim groups and U.S. foreign policy. A year ago when I saw her on Bill Maher's HBO show, she interrupted one of the panelists to state that she didn't understand why Afghani women's groups in the capital weren't supporting the Government. The most generous thing I can say is that she is clueless about what is going on there and just parroting the Neoconservative line.

And I'm really fed up with Dawkins and his foray into philosophy. What's interesting is that his take on religion is a mirror image of religious fundamentalism - new atheists and fundamentalists both depend on extremely literal readings and interpretations of religious texts. And that is a big part of the reason for attacking those that occupy a moderate middle ground.

 

[Bismillah]

Maybe because Islam, like any other organized religion is essentially political. I mean look at the Republican party and tell me that they aren't a religious conservative party.

Maybe you should reacquaint yourself with some of Manji's works. Her book "The Trouble with Islam Today" included huge sections discussing Israel/Palestine and was a conservative American's wetdream.

BS. It seems like you're out to slander someone. There is no way this would have happened. It's simply impossible.

Impossible? Have you ever attended a keynote event? Questions are always screened before being asked. It happens at many controversial events.

She is on the margins, and will have a hard time being accepted by a majority of Muslims because of embracing Sufism, and more of a problem - she is an out lesbian!

Embracing Sufism? How much do you exactly know about Islam when you make out what is one of the most essential parts of Islam, generated from the orthodox Muslims, as a different and alien sect of Islam? And no, she is not on the "margins" she is right in the public eye

Irshad Manji (Arabic: إرشاد مانجي‎ ‘Irshād Mānjī, Gujarati: ઇરશાદ માનજી Irshād Mānji; born 1968) is a Canadian author, journalist and an advocate of "reform and progressive" interpretation of Islam. Manji is director of the Moral Courage Project at the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University, which aims to teach young leaders to "challenge political correctness, intellectual conformity and self-censorship."[1] She is also founder and president of Project Ijtihad, a charitable organization promoting a "tradition of critical thinking, debate and dissent" in Islam, among a "network of reform-minded Muslims and non-Muslim allies."[2]

All this without the most basic of training necessary to enter the scholarly fold of Islam. It's obvious that she and her ideas are funded purely because it is a knee-jerk reaction to attack Islam post 9/11. She is benefiting because of the increase in mass hysteria and the reactionary critics on traditional Islam.

 

[work in progress]

Maybe you should reacquaint yourself with some of Manji's works. Her book "The Trouble with Islam Today" included huge sections discussing Israel/Palestine and was a conservative American's wetdream.

I have to admit I've never followed her that closely, and I never really read her opinions on Israel/Palestine; but I am aware that in the immediate months after 9/11 she was welcomed to speak at some conservative think tank gatherings in the U.S., and wore out her welcome fast when she criticized U.S. foreign policy and several panelists (I think Robert Spencer was one of them, but I'm not sure) who claimed Islam is by nature an aggressive, violent religion. So, I give her some respect for charting her own course and not following a line that would lead to financial rewards.

Embracing Sufism? How much do you exactly know about Islam when you make out what is one of the most essential parts of Islam, generated from the orthodox Muslims, as a different and alien sect of Islam? And no, she is not on the "margins" she is right in the public eye All this without the most basic of training necessary to enter the scholarly fold of Islam. It's obvious that she and her ideas are funded purely because it is a knee-jerk reaction to attack Islam post 9/11. She is benefiting because of the increase in mass hysteria and the reactionary critics on traditional Islam.
[/i]

I know little about Islam...especially compared to what I know about Christianity, but I do know that Sufis are viewed with suspicion and have been attacked and persecuted in Iran and Pakistan. There does seem to be tension and conflict because of orthodox clerics who are suspicious of Sufi spiritual practice. And many of the Sufi leaders in the West seem to be following a more liberal line than, if as I am led to believe, a self-proclaimed lesbian would not be welcome to pray and attend services at the average mosque.