30.01.2015
- Dr Younos succefully demonstrates not only the principles of Islamic sociology as an academic discpline, but also a new thinking and vision for a Muslim society in the contemporary world. This book answers a compelling question: In what way should Muslims decide on their social exsitence in the age of globalization?
- Buy Principles of Islamic Sociology by Younos, Farid (ISBN: 332) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
California State University, East Bay (commonly referred to as Cal State East Bay, CSU East Bay, or CSUEB) is a public university in Hayward, California.The university is part of the 23-campus California State University system and offers 136 undergraduate and 60 post-baccalaureate areas of study. Farid Younos, a professor of human-development studies and sociology at Cal State–East Bay, agrees that while local mosques 'play a very important spiritual role,' most 'tend to stick to religious rather than political issues, despite the fact that politics and religion are not separate in Islam.'
The attack on Paris, the heart of the city of “Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite” (Liberty, Equality and Fraternity) that during the course of history, become a controversial motto within France as well, shocked the world. On the first day, with strongest term, I condemned the attack on my Face-book page. I have deep sympathy with the victims and announced my solidarity with all those Muslims and non-Muslims who condemned terrorism, radicalism and barbarianism. At the same, Rup Murdoch suggested to comedian Aziz Ansari that all Muslims should take responsibility; No, “Je suis pas Charlie.” (I am not Charlie). I am proud to be a Muslim, and to me Islam is the most civilized way of life, mais je suis pas Charlie.
Let's make some assessments of the situation:
First of all, the Qur'an teaches us that everyone is responsible for his/her own deed and creed and no one can take responsibility for the wrong doing of others. It is like we ask all the Jews to take responsibility for the atrocities and crimes committed by Zionists daily against people of Palestine. Or we blame all Christians for the planning of the Qur'an burning of Pastor Terry Jones. Or we condemn democratic system of government because Hitler came to power by his constituency.
Secondly, it is very amusing that the capitalist liberal media of the West along those who are staunch anti-Muslims uses this opportunity and take advantage for their own economic and political gains. Charlie Hebdo magazine was a bankrupt editorial. It is total triage was 60,000 and look at it now; five Millions are on the news stand. Not only that, the West always play double standard when it comes to justice for all and that is why the motto of “ Liberte, Egalite and Fraternite” become a joke. In 2009, Philippe Val, the editor of Charlie Hebdo magazine asked cartoonist Maurice Sinet to apologize for anti-Semitic remarks and he refused to do so. The same editor wanted to fire him. When it comes to Zionists interest, freedom of speech does not exists in Europe or in the West in general. Because of a strong Zionist lobby and a gripping on media by Zionists one cannot make a slight remark on Israeli crimes. In the United States, those with high profile do not dare to criticize Israeli crimes in Palestine, they either lose their job or stigmatized as anti-Semitic. The U.S Senate is very much pro-Israel. Paul Findley, the long time Congressman from Illinois who wrote the most popular book on Israeli lobby in the United States, “They Dare to Speak out,” (1989), quoting from J. William Fulbright, a democratic Senator in the 60's writes, “ The great majority of the Senate of the United States—somewhere around 80 percent—are completely in support of Israel, anything Israel wants.”(1989:95). I bit now is 99% in support of Israel. John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt, the authors of “The Israel Lobby” (2007),writes, “ At he same time, groups in the lobby try to marginalize anyone who criticizes Israeli policy or challenges the “special relationship,” and to try to prevent that person's views from getting a fair hearing in the public arena. To do this, the lobby sometimes employs heavy-handed tactics to silence critics, accusing them of being anti-Israel or anti-Semitic.” (2007:168). The point is that freedom of expression that everyone is marching and shouting is not for the sake of justice for all, but those who have a grip of power and their political, economical and geopolitical interest is at stake, and that is why, Je suis pas Charlie(I am not Charlie).
Third, I agree with the French philosopher, Abdennour Bidar (“Memri” [ The Middle East Media Research Institute] website on November 5, 2014), that our state of affairs in Muslim countries is chaotic. Muslims do not have freedom of expression politically while the Qur'an teaches freedom of expression and the pen. (Please see chapter 96 verse 4 and chapter 55 verse 4 of the Qur'an). As a matter of fact the war of badr in Islam at the time of the Prophet Muhammad was launched for freedom of mind and expression, and belief. We do not have gender equality, while the Qur'an does not discriminate between sexes. Our countries ruled by dictatorship and corrupt shaikh and puppets of the West while Islam introduced us to election and choosing a leadership at Saqifa gathering 1400 years ago after the pass away of the Prophet. Our ulema (Men of knowledge) do not see that we are living in a different century. Our education system lacks critical thinking, our cities are polluted and illiteracy in Muslim countries is phenomenal. I, as a Muslim admit that we are part of the problem and I mentioned this issue when I participated in the 2nd Annual International Islamic Leadership Peace and Justice Conference in Dublin, Ireland. However, Professor Abdennour failed to acknowledge, as a philosopher, the cause and effect of our malaise in the Middle East. Colonialism, monopolizing of natural resources by the West, atrocities of Israel against the people of Palestine and every one keeps silent, installing Western puppets such Reza Shjah Pahlawi, the monarch of Iran, or Pinochet in Chile, forcing capitalist ideas that made rich, richer, and poor, poorer; economic racism, supporting dictatorship such as in Egypt and occupation of Muslim lands such as Iraq and Afghanistan, militarization of the region, imposing Western democracy that failed to bring justice in their own territories. Demonstration of 99% against 1% is a case in point. The West also plays double standard against its own citizen. In the country of “Liberte, Fraternite and Egalite” that all need to be equal, Muslims are marginalized in “banlieues.” The Republic failed to treat its people equally. Muslims youth do not have equal access to education or employment (please see New York Times, January 15, 2015 “ Crisis in France is Seen as Sign of Chronic Ills”). The French Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, confessed this fact by saying, “ A territorial , social , ethnic apartheid has spread across our country.” France and Germany in particular were built by Muslim Algerian and Turkish Muslim immigrants after World War II. But both countries stand against those who built their countries and call them outsiders. The French motto of equality and fraternity is only for the French who are “Gauloise,” decedent of Gaul of ancient Europe, not for humanity. . The most ironical of all this double standard was Netanyahu of Israel. He terrorized more people and killed more people than any statesman after World War II. He is the most wanted terrorist of our time. But he forced himself into the march of solidarity despite the fact the French did not want him. They call Israel the only democracy in the Middle East while Israel is the biggest apartheid country in the world. This is self-deceit and fooling others. Netanuahu is a staunch anti-Muslim. He forgot the fact that it was Muslims of France that helped the Jews in Paris Mosque when Paris was occupied by German Nazis. Yes, In World War II, French Muslims protected the Jews from the Nazis and sheltered them in the Great Mosque in Paris. The French made a movie out of this episode called, “Les Hommes Libres” (Free Men), in 2011. Isn't it unfair now to be anti-Islam. I agree with French Muslim philosopher, Abdennour Bidar who wrote these radical Islamist hijacking of our identity as Muslims. But I would also like to remind him that cultural identity of Muslims has long been compromised by forced policies of the West economically, politically and socially. The biggest forceful of identity change was nationalism that introduced to us by the West. Our territory is occupied and then divided and catered according to their own colonial policy and agenda. Divide and Rule was and still is the policy.
Sunday, (11 January, 2015), Professor Reza Aslan appeared on “Meet the Press” saying,“There’s no question that there has been a virus that has spread throughout the Muslim world, a virus of ultra-orthodox puritanism,” Aslan explained. “But there’s also no question what the source of this virus is — whether we’re talking about Boko Haram, or ISIS, or al Qaeda, or the Taliban.” and he continues,“All of them have as their source Wahhabism, or the state religion of Saudi Arabia,”Aslan continued. “And as we all know, Saudi Arabia has spent over $100 billion in the past 20 or 30 years spreading this ideology throughout the world.” This statement from Aslan is another bitter fact about the issue of terror in the Middle East that the Saudis support terror. But he failed to mention who is the biggest ally of the Saudis: The United States and Israel! Who supported the Taliban to come to power? Who supported the radical militias in Syria? Who allowed Al-Qaida to surface in Pakistan? The answer to all these is CIA of the United States. The West keep silent about democratic movements in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Yemen. Those people because of special relationship of Saudis with Americans do not deserve equal rights. As a matter of fact democratic inspiration in the Middle East crushed by American and Israeli policy makers. Why?Western economic policies and militarization of the region will be undermined if the real people come to power. That is why the United States always try to force its own puppet or support a dictatorship. The latest of power broker deal made by the US were Ghani and Abdullah of Afghanistan which is a shame of not only Afghan history but US foreign policy. The most ridiculous form of democracy the world witnessed
The last issue is worthy to be addressed is democratic value vs. freedom of expression. Freedom of expression is a God given gift to humanity. It is not a democratic value only. In the West, people learned freedom of expression after the Renaissance. While in Islam, Muslims learned freedom, liberty and freedom of expression from God and Muhammad. That is a huge difference. In the Middle Ages, people revolted against the Christian religious establishment to obtain their human rights. Martin Luther (1483-1546), a German priest was a good example and pioneer of this initiative. In his time freedom from God punishment for sin was purchased with money. While Muslims learned from the Qur'an that every human being is responsible for his own sin, and does not need to pay for it but repent to God and no one else. The second point we are making here, is that freedom of expression is a value for a Western man and is a democratic value. The question is this: Are democratic values moral? If they are moral, then insult, bigotry, double standard, vulgar language and so on should not be a value in a democratic system. If freedom of expression associated with insult of others then that is not a value. Most importantly, we Muslims learned in the West that “democracy is “Government of the people by the people for the people.” This means the people of a country regardless of their religious belief system, race, language and gender is the people. People does not mean that we all need to be Gauloise or Anglo-Saxon. If we stand against one group whoever that may be, and with whatever affiliation, then we are against democracy and democratic values. The world is very much created multicultural, and societies are part of this world that made up of different people, race, language and culture. Why don't we understand this simple act of creation. Those who are against a religion, a race, a language , a gender and so on, can easily be called a fascist.
After the massacre of January 7, 2015, Charlie Hebdo, went again and mocked Islam. Charlie Hebdo proved that democracy is not a moral system of government or society for that matter. The magazine proved what Nietzsche, the German Philosopher, was right saying, “ that in a democracy '[w]hen the individual's highest and strongest instincts break forth with a passion, driving him far and above the average, beyond the lowlands of the herd conscience', 'the moral perspective now considers how harmful or harmless an opinion, an emotional state, a will, a talent is to the community, to equality'. 'Exalted, self-directed spirituality, a will to solitude, even great powers of reason are felt as a danger'. 'Morality in Europe today is herd animal morality” (WIKIPEDIA on Anti-Democratic Thought, viewed January 21, 2015 at 5:00PM; Pacisifc Standard Time). The French Philosopher, Charles Maurras sayings is another prove of the action taken by Charlie Hebdo. He says, “ 'Democracy is evil, democracy is death'. Maurras' concept of politique naturelle (Natural politics) declared recognition of inescapable biological inequality and thereby natural hierarchies, and claimed that the individual is naturally subordinated to social collectivities such as the family, the society, and the state, which he claims are doomed to fail if based upon the 'myth of equality' or 'abstract liberty'. Maurras criticized democracy as being a 'government by numbers' in which quantity matters more over quality and prefers the worst over the best. Maurras denounced the principles of liberalism as described in by Jean-Jacques Rousseau and in The Social Contract as based upon the false assumption of liberty and the false assumption of equality. He claimed that the parliamentary system subordinates the national interest, or common good, to private interests of a parliament's representatives where only short-sighted interests of individuals prevail. (WIKIPEDIA, Ibid).
In 21st century, it is only through mutual respect and understanding, eqaulity and fair treatment of all that we can creat a true world order for humanity. Not the “World Order” that capitalists dream for thier own interst. It is only mutual cooperation between nations that peace can flourish. Nation building, support of this and support of that is not an an answer. Because all these supports only support one group not the entire nation. We need to stop militarization of the Middle East. We need rto recognize the rights of Palestine. We need to stand firm for those who want eqaulity and jusitce for all not for monarchs, sheiks and a few capitalists. Mines of Africa should be exploited for the sake of all not a few. Isalm teaches peace and cooperation. It is abusrd that all Muslims taken hostage for the wrong doing of a few thugs that the West created for thie political agenda and economic gains.
Dr Younos is Professor of Cultural Anthropology of the Middle East at California State University-East Bay.
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The latest shooting incidents in Louisiana , Minnesota and Texas and the confession of President Obama that more people of color are being stopped or pull over by law enforcement raised many concerns about race relations in the United States. However, attacking law enforcement is not a good sign of a civic society because we all rely on law enforcement for law and order. Attacking law enforcement is attacking the legal system of the nation and this cannot be justified. Law enforcement can be trained or educated on diversity and equality but cannot be put down by the public.
To be exact, our democracy is two hundred forty years old. We have to question why the problem of racial equality has not been resolved despite the fact that we have now an African-American president, and many high officials around the country are not from main-stream culture but African-Americans, Asians and other minorities.
In order to understand the race question within the American society we have to look at our history, cultural aspects of American society and sociological, political and psychological issues and offer a solution for not only law enforcement but also for all strata of our society.
African-Americans arrived to this land as slaves not immigrants, refugees or those who sought political asylum. Most of these slaves were Muslims. This is because at that time the Pope of Vatican allowed slavery for non-Christians. Sociologically, many African-Americans later converted to Islam in America because they wanted to go back to their roots. African-Americans who arrived to this land were highly cultured, well mannered, romantic, brave, and literally civic for the standards of that time. Slavery stripped them off from their roots and de-culturized them to the extent that even when they were revolting against their “Masters” for freedom, they were not only whipped for punishment, but were asked to not utter their real names but names that were given to them. (Please watch the movie “Roots”). Not only that, but they were forcefully converted to Christianity. They become Christians but they did not taste the love that Jesus was teaching. Churches of African-Americans and main-stream cultures were separated. One reason Malcolm-X (1925-1965), a Muslim African-American civil rights and human rights activist adopted “X” as his last name was because he said his real name was not “Little.” The name “Little” was given to him by slave owners. That was not the real name of his father.
African-Americans were not part of democracy until the civic rights movements led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr (1929-1968). De-culturization continued all these years. What is interesting in this trend is that after August 6, 1965 in which the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed by the 36th President of the United States, President Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-73), the law changed but the culture of people did not change. The best example of this case is the Tuskegee Syphilis research on African-Americans between 1932-1972. This happened seven more years after the law passed. What is ironic is that people expect more decency and integrity from academia and the educated class but that was not the case for African-Americans. Tuskegee is a shame for all those who claimed to be men of knowledge. Even today, in 2016, Republican Congressman Steve King said on national news “that white people contributed more to civilization than any other race.” This is not only bias but clear white supremacy which America cannot tolerate in this century anymore. As we can see, democracy as a political system failed to change the culture of not only laymen but the educated class including people's representatives in the Congress. What do you expect when you see that your House Representative is ignorant and racist? Aahatein kaisi yeh aahatein lyrics. Congressman King's knowledge about contribution to civilization is below that of 4th grader. Joseph R. Strayer and Hans W. Gatzke, the authors of Mainstream of Civilization (1979), write about this:
“From 900 to 1200 the most important work done anywhere in the world in mathematics, astronomy, physics, medicine, and geography was done in Moslem countries.” (Page 302).
Sociologically speaking, since people's culture did not change after the Civil Rights movements changed the law on the books and theoretically restored equality for all, main stream culture did not accept African-Americans or other minorities as equal, and racism by the main stream culture continued. Socio-politically, The Trump campaign is a clear example of the fact that the law has changed but many people have not changed culturally to see their fellow citizens as equal. Since African-Americans were not accepted as equal, institutionalized racism became a tool for discrimination. Sociologists have different definitions for institutionalized racism. Wikipedia defines racism as follows:
“Institutionalized racism is a form of racism expressed in the practice of social and political institutions, as distinct from racism by individuals or informal social groups. Acdsee photo studio ultimate download. It is reflected in disparities regarding criminal justice, employment, health care, political power and education, among other things whether implicitly or explicitly expressed. Institutional racism occurs when a certain group is targeted and discriminated against based upon race. Institutional racism can go unnoticed as it is not always explicit and can be overlooked.” (Viewed, July 19, 2016).
The United States of America is a Christian nation and the majority of its citizens are Christians. Christianity teaches love for all, but that love did not cross all races for two hundred years. The problem was in the interpretation of the Bible on race issue. Those who interpreted the Bible, favored white over people of color. This is another reason that people of color were not accepted by the main stream culture. As we mentioned, churches of Whites and Blacks were separated. The majority of Whites always thought that they are superior and that Divine decree gave them this superiority. Even African-American Muslims were affected by this race mentality and Muslim-African Americans saw Islam from a race point of view, forgetting the fact that Islam from day one declared to its followers that Allah only recognizes people on the basis of piety, not race, color, language, or ethnicity. This was the case until some African-American Muslims including Malcolm-X traveled for pilgrimage to perform Hajj, and over there they understood that there is no racism in Islam. The Qur'an says: “And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and variations in your languages and your colors; verily in that are signs for those who understand.” (Qur'an 30:22). In another verse in the Qur'an, we read, “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other(not that you despise each other). Verily, the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most pious of you. (Qur'an 49:13). It was on the basis of these verses that the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, appointed an African, Bilal, to call for prayer for the first time ever, selecting simply one who was best for the particular task. And he called Salman Farsi, a Persian, his brother and followed his advice on battle strategies among other interactions. In a Jewish funeral procession, the Prophet stopped and paused out of respect. He was told that this was a funeral of a Jew, and he replied, “ Is he not a human being?”
Farid Younos
The problem of racism and democracy in a secular political system stems from a biased educational system. Children from a young age were not taught that mother nature is very diverse and mankind is part of this diversity. Virtual dj 8 pro download. Since the universe is diverse, mankind must be diverse to complement the natural system.
To overcome the problem of racism, we have to teach cultural diversity from a scientific point of view at all levels of our educational system. This is a long-term educational goal but this author strongly believes that racism takes place due to lack of proper education. Ignorance is always the winner by default when true knowledge is not presented.
Farid Younow Biography Wikipedia
Dr Farid Younos is Professor of Cultural Anthropology and Islamic Philosophy at California State
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