Faith Without Fear: Irshad Manji at Penn

By admin • May 3, 2008

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Tonight at 7:00 PM, Irshad Manji will speak at Penn in Meyerson B1. Manji is a Muslim activist, journalist and filmmaker who has become a target from radical Muslims after publishing her bestseller The Trouble with Islam: A Muslim’s Call for Reform in Her Faith. The Daily Pennsylvanian interviewed Manji in a piece published yesterday in preparation for her talk this evening. Here’s a bit of it:

When Irshad Manji gets up in the morning, she checks her e-mail for death threats and forwards them to the police. It’s a regular day for Manji[.]

DP: Were there specific incidents in your childhood that crystallized your notion that something had to change?

Irshad Manji: When I was a child I didn’t question the Quran itself; I was questioning more basic notions like, why can’t women lead prayer? My moment of moral reckoning came when I asked myself: what if I’m not being educated, what if I’m being indoctrinated? Education allows us to think critically. Indoctrination squelches that ability.

I studied Islam on my own - I am so glad I did, because it was during this period that I learned about Islam on my own terms without having the teachings injected with prejudices. Far from corrupting my faith, freedom of information has saved my faith. This is why I am on a mission to show younger Muslims that we can be thoughtful and faithful.

DP: What has the reception of your book and your ideas been like? Have Muslim moderates come forward?

IM: Immediately after my book came out in English, my e-mail inbox overflowed with messages from young Muslims who asked to translate it so they could share with friends. So they said you do it, we’ll download it free of charge as a pdf and read it in privacy and safety.

I heard from a New York Times magazine reporter: “I’ve spent the last six months in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria doing a story on honor crimes. As I’ve been asking people where they get the bravery and courage to speak out, more are referring to your book.”

Naturally, Manji is detested in much of the Muslim world. Here’s a snippet from ExaminetheTruth.com:

Out of hate and ignorance, the Western media have declared a vicious propaganda war against the religion of Islam by promoting Irshad Manji’s polemics. Irshad Manji’s attacks against the Quran and her evil depiction of Muslims have been multiplied and propagated all over the world. I believe I speak for the vast majority of Muslims when I say that I am deeply saddened at this type of response from the West. We wished very much to build bridges and engage in fruitful dialogue to discuss the relevant issues pertaining to Islam, rather than propaganda.

It also looks like Manji doesn’t have fans in Norwegian writer Fjordman and Jihad Watch.

Love Manji or hate her, she’s a polarizing figure, and one that Muslim girls sorely need.

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