MPV Newsletter
February 2022

President's Note

Over the years one of MPV’s tag lines was “An Islam for the 21st Century”. 15 years on, more and more scholars of Islam and
activists are also moving in this same direction. At a conference in Paris entitled “Islam XXII Conference: Living Islam in
the 21st century - "Islam and Identities: Between Worship and Cultures" ( [link removed] ) the questions being discussed and reflected on will include ‘How do we apply a universalist and human rights framing of
Islam?’ and ‘How do we live it out rather than just treat it as a theory and as an abstract concept?’. Here’s the description
of my presentation:

There is no point in learning about the sharia al-maqasid, the idealistic values of the Qur’an if Muslims don’t put it into
practice. Since 2006, I have been applying the progressive interpretations of the Qur’an as documented by the philosophers
and theologians of old and new into practical terms, making it accessible to the general public for the purpose of positively
affecting peoples’ lives and in practical terms. From human rights frameworks, to spiritual songs, to the way we worship, an
egalitarian imam structure, and interfaith marriages especially between a Muslim woman and a non-Muslim men, my presentation
will document how I’ve
created the basis for a culture of Islam that is as pure to the spirit of the Qur’an as possible, and only hadiths that
support it, toward inculcating a culture rooted in human rights in Muslim societies.

I am happy to have been invited to speak and I invite you all to attend this free forum either in person or virtually. Please
check out the details below.

On February 8th, I will be a speaker at the Council on Foreign Relations countering violent extremism virtual round-table
"Imams for Women’s Rights: Inoculating Against Extremism", and chaired by Farah Pandith. One indicator of a society
succumbing to extremist ideology is the absence of women and girls in public spaces. Across several continents, people are
rejecting that status quo, seeking a better and more open society. #ImamsForShe aims to use Islam to promote women’s rights
and in turn inoculate against extremism. I will share success stories of preventing extremism by using soft power. This is
round-table is for members and by invitation only.

In the last few months, I’ve been busy overseeing the production of a video series promoting the message of the UN Women's
Generation Equality Forum’s focus on women’s bodily autonomy and economic independence. For us at MPV, we believe that a
woman’s economic independence and participation in society is hinged on her right to bodily autonomy, that is her sexual,
reproductive, and health rights. To elevate awareness of this issue, we collaborated with and funded our partner
organizations in Malaysia, Pakistan, Tunisia, Kenya, Burundi and our global partner Alliance of Inclusive Muslims (AIM) to
produce a total of 10 videos. Please check out the videos and share ( [link removed] ).

Onward and upward…

Ani Zonneveld
Founder, President

International

Islam XXII Conference, (Paris): Living Islam in the 21st century: "Islam and Identities: Between Worship and Cultures" ( [link removed] )

Check out the program for the two-day conference below and register for free here ( [link removed] ).

How are Muslims reinventing their Islam in our time? Challenging social and family pressures, affirmation of a right to
personal interpretation, internalization of religious norms; the daily arrangements of worship by Muslims are numerous and a
growing number of progressive and liberal contemporary Muslim thinkers are evaluating new theology in Islam. It is now
becoming possible to practice this religion independently, as a universal spirituality that can adapt to all cultures without
losing the essential tenor of its values.

Mohammed Hashas: (associate researcher in Islamology at the Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient in Berlin, member of the
Department of Political Science at the University of Rome), “Islam, Homo Moralis, and the challenge of losing contact with
the divine”

Mattias Rosenfeldt: (PhD student in Islamic theology and sociology of religions at Uppsala University), “Progressive Islam in
theory and practice: implications for European Muslim identities”

Steven Duarte: (associate Arab, doctor in Islamology and lecturer at the Sorbonne Paris Nord University), “Liberal Islam and
its Jewish otherness: an ambitious challenge”

Francis Messner: (emeritus research director at the CNRS and approved professor at the University of Strasbourg), "Religious
policies in the cultural transmission of Islam: the example of the creation of faculties of Muslim theology and institutes of
Islamology in Europe”

Ani Zonneveld: (Founder of Muslims for Progressive Values, Treasurer of the Alliance of Inclusive Muslims and Imam in Los
Angeles), “Put 'true Islam' into practice”

Donate Here ( [link removed] )

U.N. Updates

We are happy to announce that we have two parallel events at the 66th Committee on the Status of Women (CSW). You can watch
the panel on our Facebook ( [link removed] ) and YouTube ( [link removed] ) channels and we’ll have updated links for March’s newsletter.

​​​​​​​March 22, 10 AM EST / 6 PM EAT: #ImamsForShe: Women's and Girls' Rights Champion

On the panel you'll have the opportunity to learn from experts of Muslim women’s rights working in the field across three
African Muslim communities - Uganda, Burundi and Mali, on expanding access to reproductive health services, economic
empowerment, and access to entrepreneurial opportunities.

Keynote Speaker:
H.E. Sheikh Shaban Mubaje, Grand Mufti of Uganda

Panelists:
Imam Khalfan, Founder and President of Alliance des Imams du Corridor Nord pour le Developpement Humanitaire (AICNDH) in
Burundi, AIM’s Global Director of #ImamsForShe
Sheikh Kassoum Coulibaly, Founder and President of Global Institute for Women’s Empowerment Group, AIM’s Global Director of
Sexual, Reproductive & Health Rights
Nabukeera Sulaini: Trainer & Coordinator at the Ugandan Muslim Supreme Council Headquarter’s Tailoring Center

Moderator:
Ulfat Hussein Masibo, President of Africa Muslim Women’s Alliance Network (AMWAN), Alliance of Inclusive Muslims (AIM)

Closing Statement:
Ani Zonneveld, Founder & President of MPV, Founder & Treasurer of AIM

March 23, 12 PM EST / 8 PM EAT: "Inclusive Islam Curriculum Rooted in Human Rights for Children"

We believe human rights abuses will continue unabated unless, and until, societies themselves are inculcated in the values of
inclusivity, egalitarianism, and justice. Our panel is made up of two human rights defenders and an early childhood
development expert. Together the panelists will offer insight into two different curriculums: one developed for Muslims in
the West and the second developed specifically for the Muslim community in Burundi. We will share the outlines of the
curriculums, specific lessons, and teaching techniques for the targeted geographic demographics. We believe it will take just
8 years of consistent exposure to a well developed human rights framework for the affected children to be imbued with these
values. If you are interested in a solution, please join us. There will be ample time for Q&A at the end of the panel.

Panelists:
Shaleena Tareen, Founder of Childhood Matters, author of Inclusive Islam Curriculum Rooted in Human Rights for Children
Ani Zonneveld, Founder & President of MPV, Founder & Treasurer of AIM, Author of Inclusive Islam Curriculum: Rooted in Human
Rights for Children
Imam Khalfan, Founder and President of Alliance des Imams du Corridor Nord pour le Developpement Humanitaire (AICNDH) in
Burundi, Alliance of Inclusive Muslims’ Global Director of #ImamsForShe

National Updates

Check out our new store ( [link removed] ) and for national and chapter events, check our calendar here ( [link removed] ).

Progressive Islam in Practice

Over the past few month’s MPV has been committed to making information about Progressive Islam more accessible to our
community. The Progressive Islam in Practice Series is a manifestation of this campaign and as a result, we’ve helped to
educate the community on topics from feminist readings of the Qur’an, abortion rights in Islam, issues of child and forced
marriages, to the acceptance of sexual diversity in Islam. Featured below is Abortion Rights & Islam Series. You can view the
full Progressive Islam in Practice Series on our Instagram page ( [link removed] ) or our Website ( [link removed] ).

Marriage Services

MPV is scaling up our marriage services to ensure interfaith couples are receiving the support and services they deserve.
Check out MPV's new profiles on three wedding portals: BrownBride ( [link removed] ), Wedding Wire ( [link removed] ), and TheKnot ( [link removed] ).

MPV in the Media

Religion News | Muslims in interfaith bonds are proliferating. Imams willing to marry them are not ( [link removed] ) |
January 10, 2022

Muslim Matters | Where The Rainbow Ends: American Muslims And LGBT Activism ( [link removed] ) | January 7, 2022

( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

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