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December 2022 Newsletter

 
A Note from a Board Member

Why I Joined the MPV Board

As someone who has worked in the nonprofit field for over twenty years, I am often asked to serve on boards, but I usually
kindly decline these requests. However, when I was invited to serve on MPV’s board of trustees, I eagerly accepted the offer.
So, why did I join the MPV Board?

First, is my alignment with the values of the organization. I believe that values aren’t simply statements on a piece of
paper or words buried on a website; rather our values should guide our actions on a daily basis. When I choose to work for or
volunteer with an organization, I look for one that shares my values of equity, equality, diversity and inclusion. What I
love about MPV is that these values are embedded in Islamic principles.

When an organization is rooted to its values, it attracts a group of people who share those values, which adds to the sense
of community and belonging. From the board level to chapter volunteers, whenever I’m with a group of fellow MPV members, it
feels like we’ve known each other for years. It’s a sense of being understood without having to explain. This sense of
community is so needed as we face challenges otherness in our daily lives.

Most importantly, as a mother of a teenage son, I am troubled by the trends of isolation and disconnection among youth that I
see reported in surveys and findings. Because Muslims are the youngest faith community in America, we will feel the impact of
this trend at a larger extent. My hope is that we can address this by developing programs in which our youth see themselves
in a positive light, where they value themselves, their culture, and their community- whatever they choose that to be.

Finally, I was excited to see Ani and the board’s vision for the future. As an organization, we are at a pivotal stage in
which we celebrate the accomplishments of the past, but also transition our programming to better serve the next generation.
I am thrilled about the board’s commitment to make this happen and that is why I agreed to serve on the MPV board. I look
forward to getting to know more of you and building our community together.

With gratitude,

Shazeen Mufti ( [link removed] )

 
International Updates

As a member of the International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) organization Muslims for
Progressive Values attended PaRD’s annual forum from 31 October to 3 November in Bali, Indonesia. The larger forum addressed
climate change and the role that religious groups have to combat climate change. However, time was also allocated for PaRD’s
various working groups and as a member of the Gender Working Group, it was wonderful to reconnect and to strategize in person
with our partners in the field. During the general forum, MPV’s President, Ani Zonneveld presented her talk “Counterspeech: -
A Direct Response to Hateful or Harmful Speech”.

 

UN Updates

From November 22 to November 24, MPV’s President, Ani Zonneveld, represented MPV at the United Nations Alliance of
Civilizations 9th Annual Conference in Fez, Morocco. During the conference, Ani performed “In My Soul”, one of her signature
songs with lyrics by Rabi’a al-Basri or Rabi'a al-Adawiyya, a female saint from 7th c. Iraq, which highlights the reverence
for interfaith communalism in Islamic tradition. You can watch Ani’s performance video here ( [link removed] ).

If you’re interested in learning more about the life of Rabi’a al-Basri and her lasting influence on Sufism and Islam, we
recommend Rabi'a Al-Adawiyya, Mystique au Feminin by renowned scholar, Dr. Asma Lamrabet. ( [link removed] )

 

National Updates

Look out for new items at our store ( [link removed] ) for this giving season as well as our populor Queer
Muslims ( [link removed] ) and Progressive Muslims stickers ( [link removed] ).

For upcoming international, national, and chapter events, visit our Events Page to view upcoming events and our general
calendar ( [link removed] ).

 
MPV LA

December 3, 2022: Please join MPV-LA in partnership with Iqra ( [link removed] ) for a
virtual Qur’an chat at 9:30 AM PST | 12:30 PM EST | 5:30 PM GST.

The event is open to anyone who is seeking an inclusive space to connect to, struggle with, and grow from the sacred and
deeply lyrical text while exploring the gamut of possible interpretations (whether progressivist, modernist, feminist, queer,
Sufi, or traditional).

RSVP on MPV LA’s meet-up page ( [link removed] ) to confirm attendance and receive the link
to join the virtual discussion.

RSVP Here ( [link removed] )

 
MPV Boston

Earlier this month, MPV’s Boston Chapter ( [link removed] ) partnered with Wicked Queer ( [link removed] ) for a viewing of “The Radical” at the historic Brattle Theater in Boston. “The Radical” tells
the story of Muhsin Hendricks, the world’s first openly queer Imam, who has recorded lectures on the rights of Queer people
in Islam for MPV in English ( [link removed] ) and in Urdu ( [link removed] ).

 
MPV in the Media

Advocate | Faith Groups: Add Religious Freedom to Marriage Equality Bill ( [link removed] ) | November 28, 2022

United Nations Association - Chicago | Amplify interview with Ani Zonneveld ( [link removed] ) | August 8, 2022

 
Progressive Islam in Practice

At MPV we recognize that the Progressive Muslim movement will never sustain significant growth without making information
about Progressive Islam more accessible to the Muslim 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.

In addition to sharing the series on social media, we have built up an entire page on the website dedicated to the
Progressive Islam in Practice Series entitled Quick Learns ( [link removed] ).

As the final newsletter of the year, we want to acknowledge the Muslim women of the world and the work that they have done,
from Burundi to Iran to Afghanistan, to live out the values of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Islamic Feminist teachings.

To learn more about women’s rights in Islam, we encourage you to visit our Women’s Rights page. ( [link removed] )

 
Support MPV

If you appreciate the work that we do, please consider making a donation ( [link removed] ) to our end of the
year campaign to ensure that Muslims for Progressive Values can continue to promote progressive Islamic values today and
everyday!

 

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