Irshad
Manji’s Controversial Message
By Dr. S. Amjad Hussain
Recently the United Jewish Council
of Toledo brought the controversial Muslim author
and activist Irshad Manji to Toledo for a talk at
Temple B’nai Israel. After the publication
of her provocative book ‘The Trouble With
Islam’ she has been at the center of widespread
controversy.
The book has been condemned by many Muslims for
its anti-Islamic slant but she has received unprecedented
acceptance by non-Muslims groups particularly the
Jewish organizations in this country and Canada.
During her Toledo appearance she caused a stir by
refusing to share the forum with members of the
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) who had also been invited,
without Ms. Manji’s knowledge, to help raise
funds for the United Jewish Council. To her a joint
appearance with IDF would give the impression that
she endorses the policies of the state of Israel
or its armed forces which she does not. To their
credit the organizers apologized for the oversight
and moved IDF presentation to another part of the
Temple after the program.
She was born to Pakistani parents in Idi Amin’s
Uganda in 1968 and immigrated to Canada and grew
up in Vancouver, British Columbia. Her rebellious
streak was evident at an early age when she questioned
the pertinence of certain religious and cultural
practices. Same rebellious streak led her to Toronto
to host the controversial television program QueerTelevision
in Toronto. The publication of her book put her
squarely in the eye of a ferocious cultural and
religious storm.
Her book is an angry and vitriolic diatribe against
certain practices that are prevalent in the Muslim
world. She questions the scriptural bases for militancy,
terrorism, the lack of women rights, relations with
the followers of other faiths (particularly the
Jews) and the tendency of many Muslims to vehemently
oppose debate and dissent within their faith.
After reading the book I also questioned her motives.
Was she a concerned Muslim, I wondered, who was
trying to ignite a sincere debate among the faithful
to look afresh at the age-old interpretations of
their sacred text or she was an opportunist lobbing
grenades at the religion by questioning its very
relevance? I could not see through the fog of her
anger and sarcasm to appreciate her message.
But it came through loud and clear in her presentation
at the Temple B’nai Israel and during the
brief conversation we had after her formal presentation.
She is a funny, witty and charming woman and does
not appear to belong to any one camp. According
to her she is only doing what Muslims in the course
of their religious history have always done, but
not consistently, to re-interpret religion according
to prevailing times. The process of ijtehad or independent
reasoning was the bedrock of Islamic thought that
led to comfortable co-existence with other faiths
and the flowering of the arts and sciences.
While I agree with the need for a vigorous intellectual
debate among Muslims about interpretations of their
sacred text, I disagree with the premise that Qur’an,
the Muslim sacred text, is flawed. As with other
sacred texts one needs to understand its certain
parts in context to the times it was revealed. A
literal interpretation invariably leads to inconsistencies
and conflict. One also has to weigh these narrow
contextual passages against the wide and recurrent
themes of mercy, forgiveness, compassion and brotherhood
of mankind that are prevalent in the Qur’an.
For her boldness to ask uncomfortable questions
and challenge the validity of established practices
Irshad Manji has become a persona non grata in most
Islamic circles. Orthodoxy by its very nature discourages
such probing discourse. She is often accused of
becoming a pawn of the Jewish interests in North
America. In the light of what she says in public
it just does not wash. Had Muslim groups been more
willing to listen to her, no matter how provocative
and controversial her message, she probably would
be visiting more mosques than synagogues.
There is a ground swell of support among moderate
and liberal Muslims for some of the things she says.
At the academic level this debate and inquiry is
happening among Muslims but is sorely missing at
the community level. Before the house of Islam splits
along orthodox-moderate-liberal divide, the thoughtful
people from all points of view should sit down to
discuss these issues. It would be in their own long-term
interest.
