My islam, part 2

I make certain basic assumptions-- before even approaching the Quran. First, that God does exist in some form. That the universe has both randomness and order, but the order is an order of magnitude greater than the chaos. What I mean by that is that even the most seemingly random events when viewed from a great distance take on a sense of order that is a basic principle that not only orders most human sciences, but also all of creation. When I think about the word, "Islam" I think not only about the literal meaning, submission, but also what could be meant by that, to what are we submitting? to God? to God's will? to God's laws? or to God's creation? and what are we submitting? Is it our bodies? our minds? our intentions? our possessions? The seemingly obvious answer, which is also the most widely accepted is that we are submitting our souls to God, but then that seems almost intuitive, our souls belong to God, so how could they not submit to God. It is our actions that we submit by our intentions. I try to take a more comprehensive view. What is the religion? What is God? If we accept that the Quran or other scriptures contain the word of God, thank it becomes evident that religion, as God describes it, is simply a path to return to hiim. so then, what does it mean to submit to a path? I immediately think of the Buddhist metaphor of an arrowing flying towards a target. It's path is straight and true,, as God describes the path of the righteous, and the arrow travels along it without wavering or bending, the arrow could certainly be said to be 'submitting' to its path. I think also of a river running to the sea. It pushes and pushes against obstacles to find the straightest and easiest path to the sea. It may take millions of years, but eventually, the water will wear down any obstacle and create the ideal path. And over time, the river's flow eventually becomes straighter and truer as it erodes the obstacles. I imagine myself as a stone in the river, submitting to its flow, submitting to the force that moves it irreconcilably to the goal. That movement doesn't only move the stone forward, but also pushes the stone against other stones, sometimes violently, which eventually smooths the stone, making it even smoother and rounder. Just as we are refined , defined and perfected by the obstacles in our own lives, by the people we meet and conflict with. Yet we move inexorably towards spiritual perfection.

A first step towards thinking about Islam

I cannot help but think of my faith as rationally as possible. Muslims may believe that their book, the Quran, is the word of God and a fitting first principle, but there is enough of man's hand in even that, that I cannot help but consider the even more primary gift given to us by our creator: our minds. We are, philosophy and observation tell us, a consciousness perceiving all else. All existence may well be nothing more than our imagination, but we know for sure that we exist. I think, therefore I am, as Descartes said. If this can be accepted, that our minds are our most primary given, than we must also accept that it is necessarily our greatest tool in perceiving even the divine. If you believe, as I do, before even rationalization, than you know that our minds too must be God given. Once you accept that, I can begin to make my case...

To all Muslims and friends of Muslims, now that we have made our point about Park51 not being a mosque' about it not really being on ground zero, etc. Let's finally deal with the unsaid question: Why should there be a mosque at Ground Zero? I don't mean the realities of the local Muslim population or even the symbolism for the US as a truly democratic and free country, but in the deeper sense, what does it do for Muslims to have a mosque in this place that has such an immense shadow across the Islamic world. Why within the unofficial "Remember 9/11 Heroes" district should there be a mosque and Islamic cultural center?

i think it is precisely where a mosque should be. Why do people go to pray? If you read the words of most prayers, it is mostly to either ask for forgiveness or to find peace. That is what they will be doing in that building, the Muslims who come there, looking for peace. What kind of peace do you find in a crater? Do victors really celebrate in the trench? Where else can Muslims be reminded of their responsibility and obligation for peacemaking and bridge building than on the site of contemporary Islam's greatest shames. Just as I would welcome former 'good Germans' to make a pilgrimage to a concentration camp to seek redemption, I would hope that Muslims the world over will come to this place and witness just how large the consequences are of allowing others to define our faith.

For while I do not find the majority of Muslims complicit, at least not more than imperialist policy is complicit, I think that the very structure and culture of global Islam is at least one of the causes of not only 9/11, but of the Taliban, the revolution in Iran, the armed intifada and a host of other past and chronic problems in the Middle East and the world. 9/11 was the result of Muslims allowing the spread of a doctrine of rage and ignorance in their homelands without confronting it directly, and even naievely funding it. We have turned our backs on the women of Islam by not challenging regressive cultural norms, and have fostered the growth of an angry, disaffected, idle army of young men unprepared to face the modern world with anything more than insecurity, shame, a holier than thou attitude and complete lack of concern for human life. I can remember the very wholesome all-American Muslim groups I joined being unable to refuse appeals from the very groups that funded the revolution in Iran.

Muslims with consciences must stand up to the extremist forces that have taken control of our institutions and congregations, because they have become our public face. We cannot have people who condone violence of any sort in our institutions. We cannot have them as Imams, we cannot have them as teachers, we cannot have them as political leaders. We cannot have people with advanced degrees in Islam condoning female genital mutilation, or honor killing, or even polygamy any longer. We must put these practices in the past.

Every other conglomeration of individuals, from dog breeders to universities, to facebook users has found reliable methods for seperating the genuine article from the tainted formula... why can't Muslims? Why can't we require a seal of modernity from our clerics and our speakers? I want to know: do you support polygamy? X do you condone the killing of innocents? X Do you allow women to be educated and join the work force? check

We can no longer allow people to lead us in prayer who pray for the death or injury to other human beings, whoever they might be, and whatever they might have done. This is not the message of peace and forgiveness we know Islam to embody, nor is it the image of Islam we want our children to learn, nor is it the Islam we want the world to see. After all, we are to be a beacon of good intentions and good actions, that is our role as Muslims.

It is only by building places like Park51 that we can begin to counter this. We need places for Muslims to gather and discuss our religion openly, without influence or pressure from anyone. We need to build community and consensus amongst all Muslims to make choices for our community. We should be praying in places that remind us of our responsibility, our fallibility, and our place in the larger world. It is only a first step, but we NEED a mosque near ground zero.