We are ecstatic and proud to share that President Biden has appointed the Gold Star parent Khizr Khan to the Commission on International Religious Freedom! Mr. Khan has been a friend to MPV and we look forward to partnering with him to further the advancement of religious freedom.

This September is the 20th anniversary of our shared grief in the aftermath of 9/11. To commemorate 9/11, I have been invited to speak at the All Saints Church of Pasadena for their Sunday service, September 12. This is an Episcopalian church known for its vast social justice positions. They are most famously known for supporting the disinvestment of South Africa against its apartheid government, even when the United States government was in support of the apartheid system. Needless to say, I am honored to have the opportunity to share my reflection. In the aftermath of 9/11, hope, resilience, and unity lifted us together as an organization and a nation. Twenty years later, these lessons are more important than ever.

The Taliban of Afghanistan have made their comeback. As human rights defenders, it was appalling how Trump handed over Afghanistan back to the Talibans without any thought or consideration in protecting the democratic institutions, or the advancement made by women and religious minorities. What is unacceptable is the consideration of many governments of legitimizing the terrorist group, and that is where we draw the line. Through our partners in Pakistan, we are already seeing the Talibanization of Pakistan with the curtailing of women’s movements and the implementation of restrictions on their clothing. 

Even more disheartening is the outpour of congratulatory messages from various religious authorities and Muslim influencers publicly proclaiming the Taliban comeback as "success of Islam against the infidels." A recent tweet by Syeikh Ahmad al-Khalili the Mufti of Oman, circulated about the "victory of the Mujahideen'' after congratulating the "clear conquest." The Mufti of Morocco tweeted the League's statement about the "victory and conquest that God bestowed upon our brothers in Afghanistan." Similar congratulatory messages were conveyed by Syeikh Dr. Ahmad al-Raysuni head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, Mufti Taqi Uthmani (Pakistan), Hamas, Sheikh Dadow (Mauritania), Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar al-Shanqeeti (an international influencer with 772K followers at posting), and finally the Malaysian Islamist party, PAS, which is part of the governing coalition.

The number of Muslim nations and leaders who did not congratulate this tyrannical and violent entity is encouraging though. However, that pales in comparison to the news that we are already getting with the killing of the folk singer Fawad Andarabi, the banning of music, and the destruction of musical instruments at the National Music Institute. Watch United Nations Special Reppaorteur in the field of cultural rights, Karima Bennoune's interview on CNN here.

What is important to note is, Taliban’s Islam is not Islam. The real Islam does not prohibit music, women and girls have equal rights to schooling and to self determination, and everyone has a right to a life of joy and fulfillment based on the shaira al-maqasid. “The rules of Islamic sharia (not sharia law) are based on inner reasons and causes which seek to achieve universal goodness and welfare to society and individuals” -- from Sheikh Tahar Ibn Achour’s book “The Objectives of Islamic Law."

The common denominator that enjoins the Taliban and the Republicans of Texas is in their desire to make life miserable for women. Depriving them of their basic right to self-determination and to their bodily autonomy. They are also similar in the vigilantism they are promoting, the lawlessness of spying, and killing the spirit of 'life, liberty, and happiness.'

In both instances, we need to do away with a violent and misogynistic interpretation of religion, constructed by men, and sold as “God’s law”. The only way to overcome this tyrannical power of religion is to identify these religious authorities as irrelevant, while amplifying the liberating and inclusive interpretation of religion as its counter narrative. 

For the remainder of the year, with our partner organizations we will be producing a series of videos and infographics from diverse Muslim voices from Malaysia, Pakistan, Kenya, Burundi and the U.S. doing just that, lifting up our voices against the religious tyrants: My Body, My Life, My Choice.  

Onward and upward…

Ani Zonneveld

Founder, President

DESIGNER & DIGITAL ADVOCATE

We are happy to announce the addition of Cameron Corbin to the position of Designer and Digital Advocate. Cameron uses he/him pronouns and is from a small, rural Midwest town in Illinois. He is in the final semesters of his undergraduate program where he is majoring in Graphic Design and Geography, with a focus in climate science. He has over 20 animals, but that is because he and his wife Emily were recently approved to open and run an animal sanctuary, with the goal of providing ‘feral cats’ a safe place to live out their lives, without cages, and surrounded by love. Cameron is an environmental, animal, and human rights advocate who has been passionately fighting for the LGBTQ+ community for 16 years. Cameron is extremely spiritual and prioritizes taking time to connect with Mother Earth and all her inhabitants. He is excited to work with MPV to help build a more accepting and equal world for generations to come.