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In This Issue
CSID"Training of Trainers" Workshops in Morocco and Tunisia
Obama struggles to meet high expectations in the Middle East
Americans' bias against Jews, Muslims linked, poll says
State Department Ends Unconstitutional Exclusion of Muslim Scholars From U.S
Why I hold a jihad at the White House
Too Many Dots, Too Many Enemies
Why Are There No Arab Democracies?
ACSIS 27th Annual Conference Call for Papers
About CSID

CSID "Training of Trainers" Workshops in Morocco and Tunisia -
 
 
Morocco Workshop Nov 09 - 1The Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID) organized two "Training of Trainers" (ToT) workshops in Morocco and Tunisia during November 2009.  The first workshop was held in Casablanca in cooperation with the Citizenship Forum of Morocco on November 13-15, 2009. The second one was held in cooperation with the Arab Institute for Human Rights in Tunis on November 20-22, 2009.
 
Ten Moroccan and six Tunisian activists prominent in the field of citizenship and human rights education, participated in these two workshops that deal primarily with the intersection of Islam and Democracy as presented in a training manual developed by eight renowned Arab scholars, thinkers, and civil society activists, with the support of CSID and Street Law, titled "Islam and Democracy - Toward Effective Citizenship". This training manual contains numerous practical exercises and drills, and has already been used in the training of over 4500 people in several Arab countries from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, and Bahrain.
 
Tunisia Workshop Nov 09 - 1At the opening remarks, Lamia Karar, director of the Arab Institute for Human Rights, reiterated the Arab Institute's pride in offering their assistance to CSID for the second time in this endeavor. Ms. Karar spoke of the overlapping goals of the two organizations, highlighting the essential role that the Arab Institute plays in the propagation of human rights, particularly in its training efforts.  Dr. Masmoudi further emphasized the noteworthy and respectable efforts of the Arab Institute, and pressed the importance of training programs in the pursuit of Islam and democracy, insisting that democracy, with dialogue between Islamists and secularists at its core, was the solution to the ailments of the Arab and Muslim world. Mr. Jourchi supported the words of the two speakers before him, speaking highly of the tools and procedures of the training workshops as well as many other workshops and seminars that have taken place all over the Arab world, but also the ones that took place in Tunis in conjunction with the Al-Jahidh Forum.
 
Tunisia Workshop Nov 09 - 2The group demonstrated great leadership qualities, and this became clear as they completed each subsequent exercise and session. The participants expressed the great benefits of the workshops, and stated that they had learned many things that had not been exposed to them beforehand.   Furthermore, many of the program participants suggested extending these workshops especially to the Moroccan and Tunisian youth. The participants exclaimed that the trainers' performance had been exceptional, and that they worked diligently with them every hour of the workshop. They relayed their desire and readiness to continue working with CSID to complement their newly acquired training, as well as to help prepare and execute future training workshops.
 
Morocco Workshop Nov 09 - 3CSID is holding two more "Train-the-Trainers" workshops in Jordan (Jan. 29-31, 2010) and in Bahrain (Feb. 4-6, 2010) and intends to continue working with and supporting our local partners and trainers in conducting more training workshops that include the following five segments of society:  youth, women, journalists, teachers, lawyers, and religious leaders (Imams).  Democracy education remains one of the best ways to build a culture of democracy, and human rights and to strengthen the pillars of future democratic states in the Arab world.  CSID's approach provides a unique and innovative method to link democratic principles with Islamic values and traditions and to show that democracy, freedom, and human rights are indeed compatible with Islam.


Obama struggles to meet high expectations in the Middle East
Arab policymakers hope that the fledgling administration can still succeed where predecessors failed.

By Caryle Murphy | GlobalPost


Obama in CairoPresident Barack Obama's Middle East policies have achieved little so far and increasingly appear similar to those of the Bush administration, generating widespread disappointment in the region, according to Arab and U.S. analysts.

The high expectations created by Obama's election, his conciliatory inaugural address a year ago this week, and his promise of a new relationship with the Muslim world in a Cairo speech last June have been seriously eroded.

"It's very dangerous because he has raised a lot of expectations when he delivered that speech in Cairo. A lot of people are saying it was wonderful but there is no follow up," said Radwan Masmoudi, president of the Washington-based Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy.

"My biggest disappointment," added Masmoudi, "is how little this administration is talking about human rights and democracy."

Initially, many Arabs and other Muslims were cheered by Obama's quick appointment of former U.S. senator George J. Mitchell as special envoy for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and by Washington's open call for a complete halt to Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

But the administration's perceived retreat when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected this demand, and its embrace instead of a 10-month Israeli moratorium on settlement expansion - only in the West Bank - has dampened Arab hopes that Obama will extract from Israel the concessions needed for creating a viable Palestinian state.

Mark Perry, a Washington-based independent military and foreign policy analyst, said the Obama administration's handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has faltered because the president "is surrounded by people ... who don't get the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They think they do ... but they don't."

There is, he added, "no evidence whatsoever that there's any kind of original creative, interesting thinking going on on this issue."

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Americans' bias against Jews, Muslims linked, poll says


By Michelle Boorstein | Washington Post


A poll about Americans' views on Islam concludes that the strongest predictor of prejudice against Muslims is whether a person holds similar feelings about Jews.

The Gallup poll, released Thursday, also finds that people who report going to religious services more than once a week are less likely to harbor bias against Muslims.

Religious Perceptions report coverThe poll, conducted in the fall, is the latest large-scale survey to find a high level of anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States. The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released a poll in September showing that Muslims are thought to suffer more discrimination than any other U.S. religious group, by a wide margin. Jews were second.

The Gallup poll asked Americans about their views of Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism and found that 53 percent see Islam unfavorably.

In the Gallup poll, respondents who said they feel "a great deal" of prejudice toward Jews are very likely to report feeling the same level of bias toward Muslims.

Mogahed, who is on a board that advises President Obama on faith-based issues, said the Gallup poll was prompted partly by Obama's outreach to Muslim-majority societies and a desire to understand more about what shapes Americans' views on Islam.

Poll results will be available at religious perceptions, at 10 a.m. Thursday.


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ACLU logo


State Department Ends Unconstitutional Exclusion of Muslim Scholars From U.S.


Professors Adam Habib And Tariq Ramadan Likely To Be Readmitted To United States, Says ACLU


In a major victory for civil liberties, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has signed orders that effectively end the exclusion of two prominent scholars who were barred from the United States by the Bush administration. The American Civil Liberties Union challenged the denial of visas to Professors Adam Habib of the University of Johannesburg and Tariq Ramadan of St. Antony's College, Oxford University, in separate lawsuits filed on behalf of American organizations that had invited the scholars to speak to audiences inside the United States.

Tariq RamadanDuring the Bush administration, the U.S. government denied visas to dozens of foreign artists, scholars and writers - all critics of U.S. policy overseas and many of whom are Muslim - without explanation or on vague national security grounds. In a speech in Cairo in June 2009, President Obama addressed the relationship between the United States and Muslims around the world, calling for "a sustained effort to listen to each other; to learn from each other; to respect one another; and to seek common ground." The ACLU welcomed the State Department's orders as an important step toward achieving that goal.

Professor Tariq Ramadan is Chair of Contemporary Islamic Studies at St. Antony's College, Oxford University. In 2004, he accepted a tenured position at the University of Notre Dame, but the U.S. government revoked his visa just days before he was to begin teaching there. The ACLU and the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in 2006 challenging his exclusion on behalf of the American Academy of Religion, the American Association of University Professors and the PEN American Center.

"I am very pleased with the decision to end my exclusion from the United States after almost six years," said Ramadan. "I want to thank all the institutions and individuals who have supported me and worked to end unconstitutional ideological exclusion over the years. I am very happy and hopeful that I will be able to visit the United States very soon and to once again engage in an open, critical and constructive dialogue with American scholars and intellectuals."

More information about both cases is available online at: Academy of Religion v. Napolitano


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Why I hold a jihad at the White House


By Mohammad Ali Salih |  The Washington Post

What is Islam protestAfter watching Obama in the White House for a year, I have come to believe that he is a typical politician who makes promises in order to be elected and, once elected, starts planning to be reelected. This may explain why he doesn't seem to have the courage to peacefully engage the Muslim world or to end the injustice the United States inflicts on Muslims in the name of its "war on terrorism."

I recognize that not all Muslims support Obama or want to work with him; some continue to resist U.S. occupation of two Muslim countries (Afghanistan and Iraq), resent U.S. bombardment of two Muslim countries (Pakistan and Somalia), resent U.S. threats to bombard two Muslim countries (Syria and Iran) and resent U.S. military intervention in another Muslim country (Yemen).

I believe Obama's basic problem with the Muslim world is his inability to understand -- or perhaps his denial -- that the Qur'an tells Muslims to stand up against injustice, particularly if they are treated unfairly by non-Muslims, which stands out in the form of blatant military occupations.

This brings me back to the five Muslim Americans who wanted to "help the helpless Muslims." I am not arguing about whether they are "jihadists" or "terrorists," "would-be martyrs" or "traitors," or whether they should stand in front of a civil or a military court when they return to the United States.

But I believe, as they do, that jihad is not terrorism. As the sign I held in front of the White House implies, "terrorism" hasn't been clearly defined. Even the United Nations hasn't agreed on a definition. And the Qur'an, which says the faithful Muslim is closer to God than a non-devout one, clearly asks the faithful to sacrifice their time, money, family and/or life to end injustice.

I am not faithful enough to sacrifice with my money (I barely make ends meet), with my family (I want them to be near me) or my life (I don't think I have enough left). So this weekend I will resume my jihad in front of the White House -- peacefully, silently and alone.

The writer, a journalist in Washington, is a correspondent for Arabic newspapers and magazines in the Middle East. His e-mail address is [email protected].

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Too Many Dots, Too Many Enemies


by Jon Basil Utley |  antiwar.com

Jon Basil UtleyAs intelligence agencies rush to connect more dots on a page so crowded with dots that they already almost touch, Americans need to focus on the real problem, our foreign policies. We have made ourselves the enemy of over a billion people, nearly a quarter of the world's population. Aside from President Obama's Bush-sounding, bombastic speech, there is simply an overload of information: too many names, too many threats from citizens of too many nations. Indeed, overloading our defense systems may be part of al-Qaeda's strategy.

As many Muslims see it, Washington kills innocent civilians all the time. American hypocrisy enrages them almost more than our bombs, no matter how much we claim that we only aim at bad guys. Our problem is the same as one faced by mighty Hercules in ancient mythology - for every enemy we kill, 10 more spring up in their places, each hating America even more. Hercules' solution was to stop his killing and leave the country.

Almost all Muslims have been outraged by our foreign policy in Iraq and Gaza. Several years ago, the New York Times' Thomas Friedman wrote of a Palestinian woman and her children screaming for help into a cell phone as Israeli soldiers were breaking down her door to expel her from her home. Friedman reported that the recording was then played over and over again by radio stations in the whole Muslim world. Such recordings and now videos from the attack on Gaza must also be on the Internet and are surely used by al-Qaeda for its training and motivation courses.

Almost six years ago I wrote "36 Ways America Is Losing the War on Terror." It is still relevant. The article has been on page one of a Google search for "America losing war" since then. A later article, "How bin Laden Bankrupted America," explained how he did it. Interestingly, also high on a Google search for "bin Laden bankrupted America" is a report from CNN in 2004 quoting bin Laden that his plan all along was to bankrupt America. He is succeeding.


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JANUARY 2010 ISSUE OF THE JOURNAL OF DEMOCRACY

Why Are There No Arab Democracies?


Larry DiamondThe Journal of Democracy is pleased to announce the publication of its January 2010 issue, which marks the Journal's twentieth anniversary. The following is a list of articles appearing in the issue, plus brief abstracts. The articles featured on our website are Populism, Pluralism, and Liberal Democracy by Marc F. Plattner, and Why Are There No Arab Democracies? by Larry Diamond. The full text of these articles is available online at: www.journalofdemocracy.org



Journal of Democracy coverThree factors could precipitate democratic change across the region. One would be the emergence of a single democratic polity in the region, particularly in a country that might be seen as a model. That role would be difficult for Lebanon to play, given its extremely complicated factions and consociational fragmentation of power, as well as the continuing heavy involvement of Syria in its politics. But were Iraq to progress politically, first by democratically electing a new government this year and then by having it function decently and peacefully as U.S. forces withdraw, that could gradually change perceptions in the region. Egypt also bears watching, as the sun slowly sets on the 81-year-old Hosni Muba-
rak's three decades of personal rule. Whether or not his 46-year-old son Gamal succeeds him, the regime will experience new stresses and needs for adaptation when this modern-day pharaoh passes from the scene.

Second would be a change in U.S. policy to resume principled engagement and more extensive practical assistance to encourage and press for democratic reforms, not just in the electoral realm but with respect to enhancing judicial independence and governmental transparency as well as expanding freedom of the press and civil society. If this were pursued in a more modest tone, and reinforced to some degree by European pressure, it could help to rejuvenate and protect domestic political forces that are now dispirited and in disarray. But to proceed along this path, the United States and its European allies would have to overcome their undifferentiated view of Islamist parties and engage those Islamist actors who would be willing to commit more clearly to liberal-democratic norms.

The biggest game changer would be a prolonged, steep decline in  world oil prices (say to half of current levels). Although the smallest of the Gulf oil kingdoms would remain rich at any conceivable price, the bigger countries such as Saudi Arabia (population 29 million) would find it necessary to broach the question of a new political bargain with their own burgeoning (and very young) publics.


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ACSIS 27th Annual Conference Call for Papers



The American Council for the Study of Islamic Societies (ACSIS) plans to hold a conference on the topic Islam and South Asia. The Conference will be held on April 9-10, 2010 at Villanova University in Devon Room of the Connelly Center.  Please see the attached Conference Paper and Panel Submission Form or visit the ACSIS website at www.acsis.us for further information regarding the conference including registration, directions, and accommodations.

The events in South Asia have contributed to the already existing tension between Islam and the West, especially since the tragic events of September 11th which presented Islam as a hostile force responsible for increasing the tension in this region. It is hoped that this conference will explore not only the historical events and the political developments in South Asia but will also provide a balanced portrayal of the role of Islam in all of its aspects.

Scholars from all disciplines of the humanities and social sciences are encouraged to submit proposals.  Send the completed document as an attached file to an email and send to Dr. James Sowerwine at [email protected]

Deadline for submission of proposal abstracts is extended to February 1, 2010.  Decisions regarding acceptance of papers will be communicated to authors by February 15, 2010. Panelists must register for the conference by March 15, 2010 to ensure their names are included on the final program.

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About CSID


By supporting CSID, you help to:
  • Create a better future for our children so they can have more opportunities for improving their lives and realizing their dreams.
  • Educate and inform Americans about Islam's true values of tolerance, peace, and good will towards mankind, including peoples of other faiths.
  • Improve U.S. relations with the Muslim world by supporting popular movements rather than oppressive tyrannies and corrupt regimes.
  • Replace the feelings of hopelessness, despair, and anger in many parts of the Muslim world, especially among the youth, with a more positive and hopeful outlook for the future.
  • Encourage young Muslim Americans, and Muslims everywhere, to participate in the political process and to reject calls for destructive violence and extremism.
  • Build a network of Muslim democrats around the globe who can share knowledge and experience about how to build and strengthen democratic institutions and traditions in the Muslim countries.


Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy

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Please donate generously. Your contribution to CSID is both tax-deductible, and zakat-eligible. Your contribution will make a world of difference.

The Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy is a non-profit think tank, based in Washington DC - dedicated to promoting a better understanding of democracy in the Muslim world, and a better understanding of Islam in America. To achieve its objectives, the Center organizes meetings, conferences, and publishes several reports and periodicals. CSID engages Muslim groups, parties, and governments - both secularist and moderate Islamist - in public debates on how to reconcile Muslims' interpretation of Islam and democracy.  CSID is committed to providing democracy education to ordinary citizens, civil society, religious and political leaders in the Muslim world, and has organized meetings, workshops, and conferences in over 25 countries, including Nigeria, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Iran, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, etc.


"The Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy has for ten years played a critical role in setting out a vision of a Muslim world that would be modern and democratic, in promoting debate about the political development of the Middle East, and in promoting better appreciation of Islam at a time when distrust and misunderstanding are rampant."

                              Francis Fukuyama
                              
Johns Hopkins University


"The work the CSID is doing is remarkable. It works in and on one of the most difficult regions of the world with patience, consistency and commitment. CSID is a symbol that Islam and Democracy are not only compatible but can be mutually reinforcing."

                              Razmik Panossian, Director
                              
Rights & Democracy, Canada


For more on What they Say about CSID please visit our website:  www.csidonline.org



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Fatwa on Zakat for CSID

"Alms are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds); for those whose hearts have been reconciled (to Truth); for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah. and for the wayfarer: (thus is it) ordained by Allah, and Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom". [al-Tawba, verse 60]

It is clear from the above verse from the Holy Qur'an that Zakat money can be given to one of these well-defined categories. The efforts and activities of the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID) fall under the category of "in the cause of Allah" (fi sabeel illah), since the Center was created for, and is working towards, resisting the negative effects of oppression and dictatorship which dehumanize people and control their lives and destiny. Working toward these objectives requires educating people about the dangers and negative aspects of oppression, the necessity of eliminating all manifestations and root causes of oppression, dictatorship, and injustice, and raising the awareness of the Muslim Ummah about how to get rid of oppression and oppressors. This kind of activity can be counted as a way of getting close to Allah swt (Qurba) and can be categorized as an activity "in the cause of Allah". Therefore, it is permissible for those who need to give their Zakat money to spend some of it to support CSID and its noble cause.

Dr. Taha Jabir Alalwani
Former President,
Fiqh Council of North America


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