I recently had a heated discussion with some of my colleagues from Islamic Relief about the religious terminology called Jammat. Jammat comes from Jummah – a holiday on Friday where people come together in congregation and worship in a congregational prayer at midday, with a sermon also delivered. The blessing of a Jammat is in the togetherness it brings as a community. From togetherness [...]
The ‘Arab Spring’ shows that the Quran burning riot in Afghanistan had little to do with Islam itself. The recent violent protests in Afghanistan - a reaction to the burning of the Quran by a small church in the United States last month - recalled an inescapable reality. Extremists on all sides - whether in free, democratic America, or in corrupt, occupied [...]
AT the Asian Muslim Action Network (Aman) assembly which took place in Pattani, Thailand in February this year, a discussion took place as to the prerequisites of being a progressive Muslim. I was asked to speak on the subject, and the following is what I had to say. A progressive Muslim is one whose actions [...]
By Rev Bob Roberts Jr. One of the lessons I’ve learned in my life is that the biggest challenge we face when moving forward will not come from the “other” tribe but from your own. It was a Hindu like Ghandi, that assassinated Ghandi. When I began working around the world, initially I would have [...]
