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Fall 2014 - In This Issue:
Fighting Radicalism in Malaysia
Ani Zonneveld (MPV President) attended the anti-radicalism discussion in Malaysia on October 18. The discussion gathered community leaders and academics concerned with ultra-conservative expressions of Islam that have been moving the country's dominant ethnic group further off the path of moderation.

Read More about the Discussion Here
Cut Out the Charade
Zainah Anwar (Sisters in Islam)
The Star Online 

Malaysia can be a ready-made lab to work out God's message of diversity and plurality if it is translated into deeds.

Read the Full Article
Supporting LGBTQI Egyptians
Solidarity with Egypt LGBT You may have noticed the picture of Universalist Muslims (MPV in Canada) with signs in support of LGBTQI Egyptians. On October 18, Universalist Muslims, in coalition with Solidarity with Egypt LGBT, protested at the Egyptian embassy in Ottawa, Canada. Other groups held similar protests in New York, London, Madrid and Mexico City.

Check out the videos from Shahla Khan Salter and Shawn Smith of Universalist Muslims and Shahla's article in Huffington Post:

Dear Mr. Ambassador: We Are Concerned about Egypt's LGBTQI Community
Kelly Wentworth (MPV Secretary; Director, MPV-Atlanta) wrote a blog for MPV in coalition with Human Rights Campaign in support of the LGBTQI Egyptians.

Check out the blog post here
"The Quran speaks to 'stand out firmly for justice' and promotes equality by speaking to all people."
MPV Recommends
Critical Muslim Journal
Critical Muslim is a quarterly magazine of ideas and issues showcasing ground-breaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world.

You can subscribe to Critical Muslim in one of the following ways:

Subscribe Online


"Islam" Means Peace
 
Amit has written a book on Islam and nonviolence, " providing a different perspective on the religion.
The book is broadly divided into two parts: The introductory chapters are about the sources and inspirations within the religion itself, while the second half provides contemporary examples ranging from the Balkans and the Middle East to South Asia and the Indian Ocean. The book is made more timely by the Arab Spring, since it provides much-needed context and background to the complicated events of the past few years.

Check Out a Book Talk by Amit
City of Djinn
Have you been waiting for more from Marwan Kamel (of Al-Thawra and Taqwacore fame)?

Wait no longer!. Marwan is now part of a duo called City of Djinn and has already put out some amazing music!

Like City of Djinn on Facebook
The Crisis of Islamic Masculinities
 
What gets to count as Islam? In the current political climate this question is being repeated in a variety of contexts. The tapestry of various Islamic identities is revealed in an investigation of gender. In The Crisis of Islamic Masculinities (Bloomsbury, 2014), Amanullah De Sondy, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Miami, tackles the construction of Muslim manhood in several interpretive traditions.

An Interview with Aman

Click Here to Buy the Book
(Available in Paperback January 15)
The Burqa Project
Why don't boys and men wear burqas or hijaabs? 

This is the question pursued by the creator of The Burqa Project. It is a way for the artist to equalize the inequality felt when they were younger and that they still feel now. The project goes past the question of why men and boys don't wear hijaabs to discovering what happens when they actually do.

Explore The Burqa Project Here
MPV Accomplishments
Our Amazing Year, So Far!
MPV Website Logo
Ever wonder what MPV has been up to on a month-to-month basis?

MPV put out an Accomplishments Bulletin at the end of September to highlight the accomplishments and activities for the organization so far this year. It highlights our hard work as an advocate for peace and justice throughout the world while using progressive and egalitarian interpretations of Islam to undermine oppression and human rights abuses.

See MPV's Accomplishments Here!
MPV and #SpiritDay
A GLAAD Campaign
On October 16, MPV's logo, website, and social media sites went under a purple redesign to help GLAAD bring awareness to bullying and LGBTQI youth. Started in 2010 after a string of LGBTQI youth-related suicides, GLAAD has since worked with millions to wear purple, which is the symbol of spirit on the rainbow flag.

MPV was a featured faith organization on the GLAAD website

Want more information about LGBTQI individuals and Islam?
Check out MPV's LGBTQI Resources
MPV In the News
Fighting for the Soul of Islam
Ani Zonneveld Ani Zonneveld (MPV President)
Huffington Post

In a recent op-ed, Fareed Zakaria challenged Muslims to counter the bigotry and hate within Islam itself in order to counter those that are directed at Muslims. For the past seven years Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV) has been doing just that. Problem is, we do not get much help from Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Let us put this to rest once and for all. This is not a struggle between radical Islam and the West. It is between radical Islam and the rest of us, Muslims and non-Muslims. The Muslim people are struggling for their rights, for their freedoms, from tyranny, for freedom of thought and expression -- freedoms the Quran mandated as our God-given right. Freedom is not a Western value. It is a universal value.

Read the Full Article
Shahla Khan Salter
Shahla Khan Salter In the month of October, Shahla Khan Salter (Universalist Muslims) wrote several articles for the Huffington Post, including articles about Islam's Matriarchal Roots, Human Rights and Islam, and the Ottawa shooting.

Read the Articles Here
The Right to Life Does Not Mean the Duty to Suffer
Dr. Junaid Jahangir (Universalist Muslims)
Huffington Post 

On October 15, a small group of brave people, including Unitarian Minister and spokesperson for Dying with Dignity Rev. Brian Kiely, gathered at Churchill Square in Edmonton. A recent poll showed that about 84 per cent of Canadians support dying with dignity.

They congregated on a day when the Supreme Court of Canada was revisiting the issue of the autonomy of mentally competent adults, experiencing unbearable suffering and whose terminal diagnosis was confirmed by at least two physicians and who have asked for assisted death on multiple occasions.

Read the Full Article
MPV In the Community
MPV Visiting the UK
Muslim Institute Winter Gathering

Ani Zonneveld (MPV President) and Kelly Wentworth (MPV Secretary) will attend the Muslim Institute Winter Gathering December 5-7 at Sarum College in Salisbury, UK. 

The theme for this year is 'Acts of Imagination' as participants celebrate, interrogate and analyse the role of the arts in Muslim communities, histories, hearts and minds. Writers, artists, performers and poets will explore the Muslim World's relationship with its imagination, art and the politics of resistance, and the future of creativity in the narratives of Islam lived today. An artist in residence will capture the gathering's debates and discussions.
MPV-NY
November Service: Muslims and the Media

MPV-NY gathered in November to discuss Muslims and the media. They gathered thoughts on how participants perceive Muslims in the media and what steps, if any, should be taken to improve those perceptions.




Event: Coming Out Muslim

MPV-NY is co-sponsoring a production of "Coming Out Muslim: Radical Act of Love" at Union Theological Seminary on Wednesday, November 19 at 7pm. It is free to join, but tax-deductible donations are encouraged!
MPV-Atlanta
Marriage Equality Rally at Atlanta City Hall

MPV-Atlanta joined other Georgia faith communities and leaders at Atlanta City Hall to rally in support of marriage equality in Georgia. People from all across the political, religious, and community spectrum came out in support.

Event: Quran Study

MPV-Atlanta is hosting a monthly weeknight Quran study for those who haven't been in the Quran for awhile or who want to dig into it with a fresh perspective. We use the exercises found on the Quranlogy website if you are remote, but still want to join us!

Event: World AIDS Day Vigil

MPV-Atlanta will join World AIDS Day - Atlanta for a vigil in memory of those who have lost the fight and to celebrate the right to learn about testing and treatment for HIV. Youth musical performances will take place as participants stand together in solidarity in front of the beautiful Atlanta skyline.
MPV-LA
Council of the Divine Feminine

Ani Zonneveld attended this celebration of divine femininity and soulful expression. She performed as part of a group of women embodying the spirit of divine femininity. 
Omnia Hegazy

MPV-LA went out to support MPV-NY member Omnia Hegazy for a special performance in Los Angeles as part of her current tour.

Event: Muslim Women Speakers Summit

MPV-LA will join Soraya Deen and others on Saturday, November 15 in an event to promote strong voices in the shaping of the future.

 Event: Interfaith Feed the Hungry Thanksgiving Feast

As part of the Ishmael-Isaac Program, MPV-LA will volunteer on Thanksgiving morning to feed hundreds of needy families and the homeless
"O you who believe, stand with justice as witnesses to God, even if against yourselves, or the parents or the relatives. Even if he be rich or poor, God is more worthy of them, so do not follow your desires from being just. And if you twist or turn away, then God is Expert over what you do." ~Quran 4:135 (Monotheist, 2011)


Muslims for Progressive Values
1626 N. Wilcox Ave., Suite 702,
Los Angeles, CA 90028 USA
+1-323-696-2678
+1-323-842-2869 [media inquiries]

Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV) is the only American movement that advocates for egalitarian expressions of Islam, for women, and for LGBTQI rights. MPV does this by creating inclusive spaces for religious discourse, the arts and social activism.
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