MPV Newsletter
November 2021

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President's Note

Dear Friends,

At the heart of MPV's work has been Freedom of Religion and Belief and all of its intersectionalities. The individual right
is paramount over culture or religion and how that individual practices his/her faith is their right, as long as it does no
harm or discriminate against others. That right is even mandated in the Quran, in verse 2:256 “let there be no compulsion in
faith”, and coupled with multiple verses on critical thinking, behaving responsibly and most importantly kindly and
peacefully. Despite all that, women’s rights are often curtailed in the name of religion.

Over the span of 15 years of work, more and more Muslim faith-based organizations, women-led organizations, religious
leaders, scholars of Islam, as well as secularists, have wanted to partner with MPV. Muslims are tired of the oppression in
the name of Islam. To make a long story short, I founded Alliance of Inclusive Muslims ( [link removed] ) or AIM as a way to coalesce our collective voice against the many human rights abuses in the name of Islam, to collaborate,
to share resources, and to speak in a unified voice at international fora such as the United Nations, and in opposition to
the Organization of Islamic Conference or OIC. The OIC is notorious for its human rights abuses in the name of Islam, and for
years, the U.N. system itself has allowed for these flagrant "religious" excuses.

AIM’s founding conference was in 2017 in Tunisia, and our second conference, titled "Charting a Plan of Action towards
Realizing Freedom of Religion or Belief and Women’s Rights in Muslim Societies”, will be held November 17-19 in Mombasa,
Kenya.

Day 1 of the conference is open to the public virtually. For the concept note, programming and pre-registration details
please check out the website ( [link removed] ).

Even though an international forum strategizing how to normalize Freedom of Religion and Belief and women’s rights is needed,
basic human rights also need to be taught to children. Toward that end, with my co-creator Shaleena Tareen, an early child
development expert, we are launching the Inclusive Islam Curriculum: Rooted in Human Rights for Children, this November 1st.
Please visit the website ( [link removed] ) for details.

As 2021 comes to an end, we would like to know what you think of MPV and our works. Could you, in 15 to 20 seconds, answer
one of the questions of your choice below?:

-What do you like about MPV’s work best?
-Why do you read our newsletters?
-How has Muslims for Progressive Values changed the way you understand Islam?

And if you’re also a Muslim:
-What are your favorite things that MPV has taught you about your faith?
-Why do you love being a Progressive Muslim and what does it mean to you?
-How do you practice Progressive Islam in your every day life?
-What does being a part of the MPV family bring into your life?
-Which of the ten Muslims for Progressive Values principles have you practiced the most over the past year and how have you
practiced it?

Please upload your response to our drive ( [link removed] ) and thank you!

Until next month, onward and upward…

​​​​​​​

Ani Zonneveld

MPV in the Media

Featured in Dimensinews (Indonesia): Kaum Perempuan Jadi Penentu Kemajuan Suatu Negara ( [link removed] )

National Updates

For national and chapter events, check our calendar here ( [link removed] ).

If you missed our panel discussion on the issue of child and forced marriages in the West particularly at the intersection of
faith and LGBTQIA+, you can watch it on our YouTube channel here ( [link removed] ).

MPV LA

November 6 @ 4 pm: It's been great having Quran groups on Zoom, some of us are eager to meet up in person again! So wear
comfortable clothes, masks, and come out and hang out. Bring a Quran translation or one on your phone. Location of the park
will be sent out to those who RSVP ( [link removed] ), but the park has parking and tables. We can think about going out to eat nearby afterwards.

MPV SF

October 16, 2021: Members joined local Sufi Groups to celebrate Mawlid/Maulood, the birth of The Prophet (SAW) on Ocean Beach
in San Francisco, with recitations of Salaam, and zikr as the 12th of Rabi al Awwal began at sunset.

October 17, 2021: MPV San Francisco Bay had its monthly meeting and this month’s meeting consisted of a round table
discussion within the community of how we each and as communities engage with Mainstream spaces, friends and family. Members
shared, vented, and strategized around the issue.

This month, there was also an ongoing discussion within the community about the new movie Dune, as the movie and the classic
science fiction book it is based on has a lot of terminology and themes derived from Muslim and/or Arab culture. Members
discussed the topic and related issues on our WhatsApp group, attended online events including a series organized by Muslim
ARC ( [link removed]- ), the Muslim Anti-Racism Collective, (part I ( [link removed] ) and part II) ( [link removed] ) and shared resources including this article ( [link removed] ) written by Khalid Bayeldin in 2004.

November 21, 2021: MPV San Francisco Bay is planning a social get together. Look out for further information on our Meetup
page ( [link removed] ) and Facebook page ( [link removed] ).
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