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MPV Newsletter
November 2021
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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 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.
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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.
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 for details.
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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 and thank you!
Until next month, onward and upward…
Ani Zonneveld
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For national and chapter events, check our calendar here.
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.
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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, but the park has parking and tables. We can think about going out to eat nearby afterwards. |
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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, the Muslim Anti-Racism Collective, (part I and part II) and shared resources including this article written by Khalid Bayeldin in 2004.
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November 21, 2021: MPV San Francisco Bay is planning a social get together. Look out for further information on our Meetup page and Facebook page.
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