In Islamic tradition, the Dajjal is described not only as a figure of physical trial, but as a master of deception, illusion, and confusion, someone who blurs the line between truth and falsehood until people no longer know what to trust. Whistleblowers are dismissed as conspiracy theorists, seemingly Islamic videos microdose incorrect information to slowly make people question their faith, and scholars are categorized as extremists. I am not saying that the Dajjal will take on any other form than what is clearly stated in our Quran and ahadeeth, but with the onslaught of microtrends, mainstream fashion, popularized language, and made-up ideologies, we are already prone to a form of deception that is already infiltrating our minds; not through force, but through familiarity, convenience, and constant exposure.

How Deep Has This Deception Sunk In? 

It has become increasingly difficult to hold onto our faith in this day and age, as foretold to be a sign of the end of time. As narrated by Anas ibn Malik , the Prophet said:

“A time of patience will come to people in which adhering to one’s religion is like grasping a hot coal.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2260, Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani]

With the world changing so rapidly, Islam can sometimes feel centuries behind in its practices. Determining what is halal and haram, and what is permissible in interactions, dealings, and research, can make Islam seem more rigid than it truly is. While endless information is available with a few clicks, the more advanced technology becomes, the less informed people seem to be. 

AI Videos and the Threat of Misinformation 

AI has been in development long before its public release. Now, with common citizens having access to powerful technologies, it is increasingly difficult to discern what is real. Globally, this poses threats to security, sincerity, and solidarity. Fake pictures and videos can deceive the untrained eye and spread misinformation rapidly. Recently, videos of sheikhs, muftis, and scholars have been scrutinized for questionable statements. Short clips of muftis giving fatwas without proper evidence have become popular among those who lack deep knowledge of Islamic Fiqh. Comments often show confusion and doubt, highlighting the need for proper understanding.

“Relying solely on what we see, instead of belief grounded in authentic teachings, contradicts Islamic principles.” [PC: Aerps.com (unsplash)]

This illustrates a severe unity and media literacy problem within the Ummah. Many Muslims turn against one another online, often prioritizing personal validation over seeking truth. Relying solely on what we see, instead of belief grounded in authentic teachings, contradicts Islamic principles. Being knowledgeable in deen should not negate being competent in understanding the world around us. Proper understanding of religion requires awareness of modern technologies and media, as well as the tools to critically assess information. 

The Rise of “Sheikh GPT” and AI Misguidance 

AI is increasingly being used as a resource for Islamic guidance. Columbia Journalism reported that AI models provided incorrect answers to more than 60 per cent of queries (Columbia Journalism, 2025). These systems can offer biased, speculative, or incorrect responses. Many people unfamiliar with scholars turn to conversational AI for religious advice, believing they are receiving reliable guidance. 

Religious questions, especially nuanced ones, require consultation with scholars, muftis, or sheikhs. Classical knowledge involves research, evidence, and context, often unavailable online. The preservation of Islamic knowledge was never casual or convenient. Scholars of hadith would travel for months, sometimes years, to verify a single narration, carefully examining chains of transmission, the character of narrators, and the consistency of reports. Imam al-Bukhari is reported to have memorized hundreds of thousands of narrations, accepting only a fraction after rigorous scrutiny, prayer, and verification. Knowledge was earned through discipline, sacrifice, and accountability, not instant answers or surface-level familiarity.

AI cannot replace the depth of human scholarship or the oral traditions through which Islam has historically been transmitted. Old manuscripts, parchments, and other sources of wisdom are not accessible to AI, which only draws from online content. While AI may provide answers to simple questions, it encourages habits of shallow engagement, diminishing the practice of active research and reflection. 

Digital Manipulation and Contextual Misuse 

Creators who are not knowledgeable about Islam often take ayahs, hadith, and practices out of context to produce viral content. These clips spread quickly, often with inflammatory captions, provoking outrage rather than informed discussion. A 2025 UNESCO report described AI-generated content as creating a “crisis of knowing,” making it difficult for users to distinguish authentic from fabricated material (UNESCO, 2025). 

This is particularly dangerous for religious content. AI-manipulated videos of respected scholars, like the case of Sheikh Dr Al-Sudais, demonstrate how quickly misinformation can erode trust. AI models are often seen as convenient conversationalists, but they lack accountability, depth, and the ability to interpret religious context, nuance, and jurisprudential principles. Overreliance on these tools fosters a “copy-paste” mentality and encourages superficial engagement with Islam. 

The Role of AI in Surveillance and Control 

The concept of AI itself is not inherently bad. AI has many legitimate applications in research, organization, and efficiency. However, with it increasingly used directly against Muslims, including in surveillance, data tracking, and social monitoring, we must approach it with caution. Reliance on AI can subtly condition compliance and even make us more receptive to the tricks of the Dajjal. It is no longer merely a tool for convenience; it has become an instrument of influence and control that can weaken spiritual and communal resilience. 

Returning to Authentic Learning of Islam

“Deep engagement with the deen is essential to develop discernment, patience, and spiritual strength.” [PC: Ishan-Seefromthesky (unsplash)]

Patience and discernment are essential. The Prophet ﷺ warned that a time would come when holding firmly to one’s religion would be like grasping a burning coal, a trial that demands endurance, clarity, and restraint (Jamiʿ al-Tirmidhi, no. 2260). Critical thinking, verification, and measured responses are necessary to avoid deception. Knowledge of both deen and dunya is crucial. Understanding Islamic teachings while being aware of modern communication methods, digital influence, and misinformation allows the Ummah to protect its faith and its community.

AI is not inherently evil, but when misused, it becomes a tool of confusion, division, and doubt. The responsibility falls on each of us to seek knowledge actively, question critically, and prioritize authenticity over convenience. Just like we as Muslims have been repeatedly warned to seek protection from the deception of the Dajjal, why not also wake up our consciousness to the many influences that are already present, subtly infiltrating our minds?

Yet the remedy remains steadfast: patience, authentic knowledge, and unwavering commitment to Islam. 

Related:

– The Promise of SAIF: Towards a Radical Islamic Futurism

– [Podcast] Man 2 Man: How Social Media Is Killing Your Imaan

The post AI And The Dajjal Consciousness: Why We Need To Value Authentic Islamic Knowledge In An Age Of Convincing Deception appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

A Warning I Didn’t Understand

This all started on a regular back-to-school trip to Target. I asked my mom if we could get some Korean skincare. Instead of answering me, she reminded me to never watch KPop Demon Hunters even if my friends are. She mentioned that our local imam had warned parents to keep their kids away from this show; apparently, he knew it was quite popular, and did not think the content was appropriate for children.

While I thought it was odd that my skincare request somehow made her think of that movie, I did what I do best: I nodded, but I honestly did not understand why she was being so serious. I thought it was just a cartoon and could not be that bad.

A few weeks later, I was at a small party with some of my mom’s Muslim friends. It was fun at first, but after a while my friends and I got bored and went inside to watch TV. Someone picked a movie, and suddenly KPop Demon Hunters was on the screen.

Right before I sat down, my younger sisters, who are now 5 and 8, told me very clearly that watching it was a bad idea. They said, “You should not watch that.” I thought they were just being dramatic and trying to act older than they are. But later on they came to watch too.

At the end of the movie that’s when we realized their advice was right.

What I Saw and Why It Mattered

Very quickly we realized this movie was not what I expected at all. Some of the characters wore clothing that did not feel appropriate. The songs, especially “How It’s Done” and “Your Idol,” had lyrics that did not seem right for kids to hear. There were also mixed-gender scenes that felt uncomfortable, and it just did not feel like something I should be watching.

What surprised me the most was that all the other girls acted like everything was perfectly normal. They had watched the movie so many times that nothing seemed strange to them anymore. That made me think. When you keep watching something again and again, you start to think it is fine, even when it is not.

Just because something is animated does not mean it is harmless. And just because everyone else thinks it is okay does not mean it actually is.

So in conclusion, KPop Demon Hunters is not a movie Muslim kids should watch. Not even once. It is better to listen to the people who care about you, even when you think you know better.

***

Amina Abdullah is a 5th grader from California’s SF Bay Area. When she’s not at school, she’s a part-time Hifz student, badminton player, and older sister.

Related:

Why I Walked Out Of The Film, Bilal

‘Little Mosque on the Prairie’ Ends | The First Muslim Sitcom in Review

The post K-Pop Demon Hunters: Certainly Not for Kids appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

The dossier opens with a bold statement: The New York Times has served as a “mouthpiece for American imperialism,” helping to manufacture elite consensus around foreign policy that supports Israel’s military operations in Gaza. It identifies a pattern of biased reporting, selective framing, and omission of key facts that have contributed to the justification of war crimes.

The dossier meticulously documents the backgrounds of several prominent NYT figures, revealing deep personal and professional ties to Zionist organizations and Israeli institutions:

• Meredith Kopit Levien, CEO of The New York Times Company, has served on the advisory council of B’nai B’rith Youth Organization (BBYO), which promotes unwavering loyalty to Israel.
• Joe Kahn, Executive Editor, is linked to CAMERA, a Zionist media watchdog. He oversaw the controversial article “Screams Without Words,” which falsely accused Hamas of mass rape.
• Thomas Friedman, long-time foreign affairs columnist, has personal ties to Israel dating back to his youth and lived in a home seized from Palestinians during the Nakba.
• Isabel Kershner, Jerusalem correspondent, is married to a former Israeli military strategist Hirsh Goodman, and has two sons who served in the Israeli military. Goodman previously worked at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP), a Zionist think tank founded in 1985 and run by former AIPAC executives.
• Patrick Kingsley, Jerusalem bureau chief since 2021, has been criticized for embedding with Israeli forces and altering coverage under pressure from pro-Israel groups that led to the targeted killings of Palestinian poets, scholars, and teachers like Refaat Alareer by the Israelis.
• Ronen Bergman, contributor to the NYT Magazine, is a former Israeli intelligence officer and frequent speaker at AIPAC events.
• Natan Odenheimer, Jerusalem correspondent, served in Israel’s elite Maglan commando unit for four years. 
• Adam Rasgon who joined the NYT in 2024, previously worked at Zionist think tank Shalem Center, founded by one of Benjamin Netanyahu’s close advisors and funded by Trump mega-donor Sheldon Adelson, and later at WINEP to ‘disseminate the AIPAC line but in a way that would disguise its connections’. He cited them at least 17 times in his reporting without disclosure. 
• Jodi Rudoren, editorial director of newsletters, lived in a home taken from the prominent Palestinian-born academic, physician, and author Ghada Karmi’s family during the Nakba and bought by Thomas Friedman for the Times in the 1980s. She has longstanding ties to Zionist organizations.
• David Leonhardt, opinion editor, has justified Israeli military actions and echoed official narratives about attacks on hospitals after October 2023 by insisting that ‘there may be no way for Israel both to minimize civilian casualties and to eliminate Hamas,’ and that ‘Hamas is responsible for many of the civilian deaths’ in Gaza. “In November 2023, Leonhardt disseminated Israel’s narrative during the IOF’s first invasion of Al-Shifa Hospital, where hundreds of displaced civilians had been sheltering, framing the assault on one of Gaza’s most important hospitals as unfortunate but necessary.”
• Bret Stephens, opinion columnist since 2017, works for a Zionist advocacy group, the dark-money Maimonides Fund, where he works as the editor-in-chief of its journal, Sapir, in a blatant violation of the Times’ ethical guidelines. He has appeared at events across the country with the America Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the most influential Zionist lobby organization in the United States.
• David Brooks, columnist since 2003, defended Israel during its 2014 assault on Gaza, one of Israel’s bloodiest assaults on Gaza, while his son served in the Israeli military. In one 2014 NPR interview, he claimed that exposing civilian casualties of Israel’s attacks was a ploy for sympathy by the Palestinian people, arguing that ‘Hamas has basically decided they want to see their own people killed as a propaganda coup.’ 
• Myra Noveck, long-time Jerusalem bureau staffer since 1999, has children in the Israeli military and is married to a Zionist writer Gershom Gorenberg.
• David Halbfinger, political editor, was described as the NYT’s “most Israel-friendly” reporter and attends a synagogue that fundraises for Israel.

The dossier argues that the NYT has played a central role in laundering misinformation that has justified Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza. It highlights four major propaganda narratives:

1. The Hannibal Directive Cover-Up

Despite widespread reporting in Israeli media, the NYT has failed to mention that Israel issued the Hannibal Directive on October 7th, the Israeli military doctrine that calls to kill other Israelis to prevent them from being taken hostage. On October 7, 2023, this directive contributed to the deaths of many Israelis. Yet, the NYT continues to blame Hamas exclusively for the casualties, omitting this critical context.

2. The Mass Rape Hoax

The NYT published the now-discredited article “Screams Without Words,” alleging that Hamas weaponized sexual violence. The claims were refuted by forensic experts, family members of alleged victims, and the UN Human Rights Council, which found no credible evidence of rape. The article cited “sisters Y. and N. Sharabi, ages 13 and 16” as supposed victims of mass rape. However, a spokesperson for the Kibbutz Be’eri, where they were killed, came out and said, “No, they just — they were shot. I’m saying ‘just,’ but they were shot and were not subjected to sexual abuse.” Furthermore, the piece listed Gal Abdush as one of the main victims of Hamas rape, but multiple members of her family came out publicly to say she was not raped on October 7, 2023.

Haartez reported that “At Shura Base, to which most of the bodies (from October 7th) were taken for purposes of identification, there were five forensic pathologists at work. In that capacity, they also examined bodies that arrived completely or partially naked in order to examine the possibility of rape. According to a source knowledgeable about the details, there were no signs on any of those bodies attesting to sexual relations having taken place or of mutilation of genitalia.”

Ironically, these false claims were used to justify actual sexual violence committed by Israeli forces against Palestinian detainees, including minors.

3. The Al Shifa Hospital Lie

The NYT echoed Israeli claims that Al Shifa Hospital was a Hamas command center. Investigations by Channel 4 and the UN found no supporting evidence. Instead, the hospital was subjected to airstrikes, raids, and mass detentions, rendering it non-functional. Palestinian doctors reported torture and abuse at Israeli detention centers, with Israeli medical personnel allegedly participating in or condoning the violence.

4. The Hamas Stealing Aid Lie

The NYT reported that Hamas stole UN aid, citing Israeli and U.S.-backed sources. However, a U.S. government analysis and later NYT admissions found no evidence of systematic theft. This narrative was used to justify the establishment of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) “aid centers” that became sites of massacres, where over 1,000 Palestinians were killed while seeking food. 

An IDF soldier stationed at one of these GHF aid centers told Haaretz, “It’s a killing field. Where I was stationed, between one and five people were killed every day. They’re treated like a hostile force – no crowd-control measures, no tear gas – just live fire with everything imaginable: heavy machine guns, grenade launchers, mortars. We open fire early in the morning if someone tries to get in line from a few hundred meters away, and sometimes we just charge at them from close range. But there’s no danger to the forces, I’m not aware of a single instance of return fire. There’s no enemy, no weapons”. 

Whistleblower Testimonies: A Glimpse into the Horror

Two American whistleblowers—one a career Army veteran and the other a former Green Beret—provided harrowing accounts of the brutality at aid distribution centers. They described the use of live fire, mortar rounds, and tank shells against unarmed civilians. One recounted a woman collapsing after being hit by a stun grenade; another witnessed a man pepper-sprayed while collecting noodles. Their testimonies confirm that these operations were not humanitarian but killing fields.

One of them, Green Beret Lieutenant-Colonel Anthony Aguilar, who was hired to guard one of the GHF aid sites, said to BBC News: “I witnessed the Israeli defense forces shooting at the crowds of Palestinians. I witnessed the Israeli defense forces firing a main gun tank round from the Merkava tank into a crowd of people, destroying a car of civilians who were simply driving away from the site… In my entire career, have I never witnessed the level of brutality and use of indiscriminate and unnecessary force against a civilian population, an unarmed, starving population.” He said, “Without question, I witnessed war crimes, I witnessed war crimes by the Israeli defense forces, without a doubt, using artillery rounds, mortar rounds, firing tank rounds into unarmed civilians, it’s a war crime.”

The Consequences of Complicity

The dossier concludes that The New York Times has not merely failed in its journalistic duty—it has actively contributed to the justification of war crimes. By laundering false narratives, suppressing dissenting voices, and maintaining editorial ties to Zionist institutions, the NYT has helped normalize genocide, mass rape, hospital bombings, and starvation in Gaza.

This exposé demands a reckoning—not just with the NYT, but with the broader media ecosystem that whitewashes and enables genocidal violence. Consider the case of Bari Weiss, who founded The Free Press. Weiss once described the killing of 50 Palestinians, including children, as an “unavoidable burden” of Zionism’s self-determination—a statement that would be unthinkable if made about Jewish victims. Yet, such rhetoric has not hindered her professional ascent. Instead, it has seemingly been rewarded.

The Free Press has repeatedly spread misinformation to defend Israel’s actions in Gaza. It misrepresented UN data to downplay civilian deaths, denied the existence of famine despite mounting evidence, and falsely blamed Hamas for aid-seeker massacres later confirmed to be carried out by Israeli forces. The outlet also praised the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has since been implicated in widespread violence against starving civilians.

Beyond misinformation, The Free Press engages in more insidious propaganda. It has shifted its stance on attacks against Gaza’s hospitals—from denial to justification—despite overwhelming evidence and admissions from the IDF. The outlet rarely acknowledges Palestinian suffering or the mounting death toll, instead lamenting the reputational damage to Israel.

Weiss herself has a history of promoting Islamophobic views. She rose to prominence by targeting Muslim professors at Columbia University and has repeatedly blamed Muslims for rising antisemitism in Europe. She has also promoted Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who espouses extreme views about Islam and Muslim immigrants. Weiss’s support for Ali’s rhetoric—calling Islam a “cult of death” and advocating for the closure of Muslim schools—would be unacceptable if directed at Judaism, yet it has not hindered her career.

Weiss and her outlet are reportedly in talks to sell The Free Press to CBS News for $200–$250 million, a move that could give her influence over the network’s editorial direction. The elevation of Bari Weiss and The Free Press—despite their record of misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric—alongside the longstanding pro-Israel bias of institutions like The New York Times, signals a deeper crisis in journalism. As media power becomes increasingly concentrated in the hands of ideologically aligned corporations, the boundaries between truth and propaganda blur. In this climate, narratives that justify war and suppress accountability are not just tolerated—they’re rewarded. 

The public must remain critically vigilant, because when media giants dictate the terms of truth, the cost is not merely misinformation—it is complicity in injustice, and the silencing of those who suffer most.

***

[This article was first published here.]

Related:

– Patrick Kingsley Of The New York Times: Genocide Whitewasher-In-Chief

– Media Coverage Of Ukraine VS. Other Conflicts

The post When News Becomes Propaganda: Gaza, Genocide, And The Media appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Ramadan Mubarak from the MuslimMatters team!

 – Reorienting for Ramadan | Ustadh Abu Amina

[Podcast] Reorienting for Ramadan | Ustadh Abu Amina (Justin Parrott)

 – Ramadan Reflections: 30 Days of Healing | Aliyah Umm Raiyaan

Podcast: Ramadan Reflections: 30 Days of Healing | Aliyah Umm Raiyaan

 – The Faith of Muslim Political Prisoners | Dr. Walaa Quisay & Dr. Asim Qureshi

[Podcast] The Faith of Muslim Political Prisoners | Dr. Walaa Quisay & Dr. Asim Qureshi

 – Sweetness and Success with the Qur’an | Haafidh Hamza Ghia

[Man2Man Podcast] Sweetness and Success with the Qur’an

 – Ramadan Vibes: Connecting with the Quran | Sh Muhammad Ziyad Batha

[Podcast] Ramadan Vibes: Connecting with the Quran | Sh Muhammad Ziyad Batha

 – Ramadan Imposter Syndrome | Shaykha Taimiyyah Zubair

[Podcast] Ramadan Imposter Syndrome | Shaykha Taimiyyah Zubair

 – Vulnerable Sinners vs Arrogant Saints | Sh. Abdullah Ayaz Mullanee

[Podcast] Vulnerable Sinners vs Arrogant Saints | Sh. Abdullah Ayaz Mullanee

 – Muslim Women’s Spirituality In Ramadan | Sh Aisha Hussain Rasheed and Ust Faria Alam

Podcast: Muslim Women’s Spirituality In Ramadan

 – A Paradigm Shift For The Last 10 Nights | Ustadha Raidah Shah Idil

Podcast: A Paradigm Shift For The Last 10 Nights

Related:

– The MuslimMatters Ramadan Podcast Playlist [2023]

– The MM Recap: MuslimMatters’ Most Popular Ramadan Articles [2024 Edition]

The post The MuslimMatters Ramadan Podcast Playlist 2025 appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Critical Islamic Mindful Reading: A Reading Approach 

As a high school English teacher myself, I never think that reading fiction is simply an exercise of reading comprehension or a “waste of time,” especially when we approach whatever we’re reading mindfully. The biggest reason reading for pleasure can be so valuable is because fiction provides a safe space for us to explore and discuss personal and social issues. Using the characters and the fictionalized story, we don’t have to enter into the world of gossiping or backbiting in order to explore the messiness of life. Having a perspective from within a novel allows us to deeply empathize with the characters and better understand the complexities of the situations they experience. 

My mindset of trying to find valuable lessons in whatever I read started when I was a high school student. I would obsessively read all of my assigned novels for school and think–but what does Islam think about these stories and characters? What can I learn from this book to benefit me in my own life? When I got to college, I started asking, what Islamic stories from the Quran and Sunnah does this remind me of?

These questions are essential to my approach to “critical Islamic mindful reading.”  This mindful reading approach is inspired by “sacred reading,” which involves treating a secular, non-religious text similar to a sacred scripture–what does the novel teach you or guide you towards? Obviously nothing compares to the guidance provided by the Quran, so please don’t misunderstand this concept. That is where the critical part of this approach comes in. The ultimate source of wisdom and guidance is Allah –so always put Islamic ideas and teachings at the forefront of your mindful reading practice. Rooting this whole process in Islam is at the crux of this mindful reading approach and helps you explore your faith in a rigorous, healthy way. 

Getting Started

Once you’ve made some decent progress in the novel or finished it, figure out what major topics the novel explores that you want to spend some time thinking about. Is it patriarchy? Mental health? Sexuality? Racism? Materialism? Now it’s your job to do some research on the side and get your bearings within Islam’s general approach on these topics.  What does Islam say about patriarchy? You can look up articles on MuslimMatters, lectures on YouTube, find books, or talk to your learned friends or imam. You may also prepare more detailed questions, such as–does Islam value women’s engagement in society? 

PC: freestocks (unsplash)

It’s hard to find a “100% Halal” book, and what does that mean anyway? While I can’t pin down what could be a completely faultless book from an Islamic standpoint, it is relatively easy to determine what content crosses the line too many times or too extravagantly. For example, in Prophet Yusuf’s story, he faces the temptation to have an illicit relationship with a married woman. But how does the Quran describe and handle this content? There may be some gray area in this conversation and it is one I am not qualified to hold, but having a personal standard that respects Islamic boundaries is important. 

Once you’ve found a book that passes some sort of litmus test, there may still be some problematic moments or undercurrents. As you’re reading the novel and you’re finding objectionable things, note the highly problematic things that go against Islamic teachings and lifestyle. For example, is there an abusive relationship between family members or a character who steals? It’s important to not desensitize ourselves from major sins and to simply call them what they are. 

The Method for Critical Islamic Mindful Reading

Here are the three questions that will guide your mindful reading:

1. What Islamic stories from the Quran and Sunnah does this remind me of?
2. How would Islam address the big questions in the story? 
3. What can I learn from this book to benefit me in my own life? 

Step 1: Similar Stories in the Quran and Sunnah or Your Life

Find something from the Quran or Sunnah related to the story. It can be an example or a non-example.

I’ll give you some examples. In To Kill a Mockingbird, there is a false rape allegation that reminds us a lot of the incident with Prophet Yusuf and the governor’s wife. Let’s move on to a non-example. In Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag finds a new calling at his doorstep, much like the prophethood of Muhammad . The husband-wife relationship between Guy Montag and his wife, Midlred, is the polar opposite of the support and love between the Prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadijah .  

Think about these examples and suss out how they relate to the novel you’re reading. Wonder about what these examples say when you put them in conversation with each other. This level of reflection and pondering might lead you to new insights into familiar Islamic stories, not just a way to think about the novel you’re reading! 

Step 2: Islam’s Stance on a Novel’s Big Questions

Tackle the big questions that the novel asks while thinking about what Islam’s answer would be to the same questions. This is a great way for you to make sense of what you’re reading within an Islamic paradigm. 

Here are some examples. What would Islam say about the materialism in The Great Gatsby? You may think of multiple parts of the Quran that teach us about the never-ending obsession with the dunya [Surat at Takathur, 102] and the lack of focus on doing good for the Hereafter [Surat al Kahf, 18:46] to come up with your stab at an Islamic answer, or a “thesis statement” or “claim.” 

Islam condemns the obsession with materialism in The Great Gatsby as a never-ending pursuit of unquenchable desires for the dunya that not only distracts from but also compromises people’s success in the akhirah. 

If you think about the notion of hearts finding ease in their spiritual connection to their Creator [Surat al Raad, 13:28], you may wonder about the pursuits of the characters in The Great Gatsby. 

To find peace and satisfaction, Gatsby should focus on his relationship with Allah as the most important relationship he prioritizes in his life instead of his relationship with Daisy. 

Here’s another (though non-bookish) example. Thinking of the animated Disney film, Encanto, Isabella is being forced into an engagement/marriage that she doesn’t want to be a part of–which is the opposite of what Islam preaches. The consent of the bride is necessary for a valid Islamic marriage and is one of the rights Islam reinforces for women. 

The wishes and desires of a young woman regarding major life decisions are something a family should always honor and seek to be aware of through positive family interactions. 

Or

Young women can easily be taken advantage of and should be protected and treated with extra care because of their vulnerable position in families and society.

What’s the point of going through this question? It’s using a novel as a case study for real life that allows you to explore messy, complex issues in real life. The world is far from perfect and identifying the Islamic paradigm helps us read mindfully and can protect us when life’s tests become overwhelming. 

Step 3: Lessons Learned from the Novel

PC: Ben White (unsplash)

The last thing you’ll want to talk about is the benefits of reading this book as lessons you can take forward with you into your own life. This imbues mindfulness into your “just for kicks” reading and provides you opportunities to develop your own wisdom without having to suffer through the experiences in the novel themselves. 

Here are some examples from novels I’ve already mentioned earlier in this post. 

Fahrenheit 451: Your spouse may have huge changes or upheavals in their life. It’s important to hear them out and support them, as long as they’re doing something good, to keep the marriage strong. 

The Great Gatsby: Don’t put someone in the place of Allah in your own life. Setting your whole life in pursuit of someone or something other than Allah is like worshiping that person or thing–and nothing is infinite, pure, or worthy of that attention other than Allah .

Conclusion

I wish you the best as you embark on these exciting literary journeys. You may find yourself shaken to the core at your findings! I hope you can use this mindful reading practice in book clubs and with readings from various media, like movies and podcasts. I pray that critical mindful reading is something you can benefit from and share with others.

Related:

  – Navigating Muslim Representation In Books: The Good, The Flawed, And The Ugly

– Podcast: Is Harry Potter Haram? Islamic Perspectives Of Poetry And Literature With Sh. Shahin-Ur Rahman

The post A New Way To Read Fiction: Critical Islamic Mindful Reading appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Once, the Prophet ﷺ kissed Hasan in front of a Qurayshi man, who reacted in dismay. “I have ten children, but I have never kissed any one of them,” the man said, a reflection of a society and age where children were thought of as objects and mere sources of prestige. The response of the Prophet ﷺ was simple: “Whoever is not merciful to others will not be treated mercifully.” In other hadith, the Prophet ﷺ made this point even more explicitly about young people, saying “Whoever does not show mercy to our young ones, or acknowledge the rights of our elders, is not one of us.” The Prophet ﷺ had exceptional moral vision and clarity in many ways, all while existing amid an incredibly harsh and repressive society. His treatment of children and the young is just one example of this; treatment that was full of care and genuine concern for the well-being and humanity of the young in an age which dehumanized them and thought of having children in entirely utilitarian terms. The Prophet ﷺ exemplified this regard for the young in his conduct, a shining model of those who are older not regarding themselves as somehow superior by virtue of age alone. 

Today, more than 13,000 children in Gaza have been killed by Israeli bombardment, and those left behind face conditions of famine and the destruction of educational and medical infrastructure that will impact them for the rest of their lives. And yet, much of the world seems to sit idly by, exhibiting no real sense of compassion or empathy for their plight, let alone doing anything about it: like in the time of the Prophet ﷺ, children are being regarded as having no value and are relegated to being mere casualty numbers and objects for news reports. Understanding the Prophetic practice of caring for the young feels particularly vital today then, as we find ourselves in the face of a genocide that dehumanizes and destroys the lives of children. In these conditions of crisis, the ummah must seriously ask ourselves whether we are, like the Prophet ﷺ, standing against this culture of disregarding children or are we acquiescing to the culture of dehumanization around us? Why are we failing to live up to the example of intense care and valuing of youth given by the Prophet ﷺ? Are we sincerely striving to honor the children of our ummah, to be a mercy to them, and make them feel important and empowered? 

The Ummah’s Children in Contemporary Art 

These questions of how we hear children’s voices in times of crisis have taken on a dramatic, three-dimensional form on the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in its most recent Roof Garden Commission. Standing on the roof, looking out over the view of Central Park and the City’s famous skyline, one’s vision is interrupted by large, cartoon-like metal renderings of spiders, birds, flowers, and a wide range of other imagery and symbols. 

These sculptures are, at least on the surface, the work of Kosovar artist Petrit Halilaj, but their real authorship becomes more complicated when considering Halilaj’s source material. If Halilaj’s work appears whimsical or childlike, it is because it is: the sculptures on the roof garden are based on children’s drawings and writings on desks from the school in Halilaj’s hometown of Runik, Kosovo, and from across Albania and the former Yugoslavia. In Abetare, the title of the Met exhibit taken from the title of a Kosovar alphabet textbook, and in other works like Very volcanic over this green feather based on his own childhood drawings from his time in a refugee camp, Halilaj draws on the work and imagination of children to ask serious questions about history, trauma, and memory. 

Children As Witnesses and Historians 

Kosovo is perhaps a forgotten chapter in the history of the ummah for many Muslims: the Balkans do not often figure into people’s imagination of what is considered the “Muslim world,” even if over 95% of Kosovo’s population is Muslim. However, what Halilaj’s work makes clear is that the rest of the ummah, the ostensible adults in the room, may fail to remember and mourn the ethnic cleansing of Kosovar Muslims, the over one million people displaced by a genocidal Serbian regime, or the entire villages and histories erased. But the children of Kosovo will not forget. The example of the Prophet ﷺ is not just to care for young people, but to actively entrust them with knowledge and responsibility, such as his appointment of the teenager Usama Ibn Zayd as a general to lead other prominent sahaba, and Halilaj’s artwork is evidence of this tradition of the youth of the ummah stepping into roles with great stakes.

An exhibit from Halilaj’s ‘Abetare’ at the MET

These doodles on desks are not, after all, just doodles: they are fragments of history, archives of conflict, genocide, and migration produced through the unique vision and imagination of the young.

As the exhibit’s wall text describes, “In Abetare, culturally specific references to different political ideologies, religions, and local heroes coexist with more universal symbols and playful nods to pop culture, art history, and sports,” meaning there is a deep significance to these drawings as a record of Kosovo’s powerful history.

Far from mere drawings, these cultural productions show the active role of young people in knowledge production, in preserving memory, and in defining the meaning of important moments. Intuitively, one might associate the past with the old, but Halilaj’s elevation of childhood drawings to the prestigious walls of the Met reminds us that the process of bearing witness knows no age limit. When we learn to recognize the young as historical actors, we see the deep consciousness, imagination, and courage that infuses their acts of witnessing, the assertion of a presence “here” that cannot be ignored. 

Witnessing Our Children 

These are not merely speculative thoughts about art though: we are seeing the deeply practical significance of Halilaj’s work before our eyes, as the children of Gaza continue the tradition of the young bearing witness. Every day, so much of the material that alerts the rest of the world to what is happening in Gaza is produced by the young; videos of children testifying to what is happening and showing the world the resilience of the Palestinian people have been a constant online. What Halilaj’s work can make clear for us, as witnesses to these witnesses, is that the young people who take on this work of memory are not idle victims. Rather, they are the active producers of history, of memory and meaning, and the question for us becomes how we will honor their agency and force as historical agents. Writing on the shared etymology of witness and martyr in Arabic, University of Chicago Islamic Studies Professor Alireza Doostdar draws on the work of Islamic philosopher Ali Shariati to point to the responsibility of those left behind to the memory of the martyr:

“For Shariati, every death on the path of God was an act of witnessing with one’s life, whereby one declares one’s commitment to the truth before God and human history. Shariati thought it paramount to include humanity as the audience for a martyr’s act of witness (along with God) because he believed that the martyr’s truth was a message meant to be communicated to others so that they could in turn receive and act upon it. The martyr/witness offers testimony with her or his life not only for the sake of salvation, but also to enable others to receive the truth, and, in turn, bear witness.” 

Halilaj’s work reminds us of this responsibility we have to bear witness to the children of Gaza bearing witness. Their brave acts of witnessing are incomplete unless we have the moral fortitude and insight to recognize the significance of what they are doing. Let us learn from Halilaj’s work on Kosovo so that we might achieve that recognition now, while the situation cannot be more urgent, rather than waiting 30 years for a museum to do it for us. 

[Petri Halilaj: Abetare is on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through October 27th. Admission to the exhibit is included with a Museum ticket.]

Related:

– Oped: The Treachery Of Spreading Bosnia Genocide Denial In The Muslim Community

– Real-Time Scholasticide: The War On Education In Gaza

The post Centering The Children Of The Ummah – Artist Petrit Halilaj’s Work On Kosovo Resonates In The Moment Of Palestine appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

[Connie Charles, mentor]

March 19, 2024

When we see the crescent moon

   As you know, every year we are aware that Ramadan is approaching by the sighting of the crescent moon. When the crescent moon appears, children’s voices become louder in the streets, and decorations fill every street and every house. 

   Each of us goes to the markets and malls to buy delicious food and necessities for the month of Ramadan. We seek out the foods that distinguish Ramadan from other months. Dates, for example, qatayef, and many other things. 

   The days of Ramadan are filled with remembrance of God, prayer, reading the Qur’an, and then preparing food for Iftar. After sundown, we eat only when the family gathers around one table, filled with all kinds of foods. 

  You hear the sounds of Tarawih prayer while sitting in your home, a fragrant recitation from an imam who has a golden voice in reading the Qur’an. Your heart is filled with humility and reassurance in every rak’ah you perform. Once you stand before your Creator, you feel that the whole world is nothingness and that you want to spend the whole night praying.

This is what I wrote during the month of Ramadan last year to my friend who lives in New York. She was feeling consumed by exile, and wanted reminders of the atmosphere of Ramadan in Gaza so that she would feel a little reassured and could return home in her mind.

This year is different

This year, on March 3, she sent me a message asking whether my family and I were alive or not. She wanted details about how we would keep the month of Ramadan. I remained silent and did not respond. I did not know how to tell her that I had lost my ability to speak. I could not tell her any details. I was unable to say a word. How could I talk to her about all that I was experiencing? I had no words.

Spending Ramadan this year, in the Gaza Strip, is like being in the desert for a long time without enough food or drink. Each of us spends the day without doing anything, with no work to distract us, without study to be preoccupied with. We do nothing. Our faces show the bottomless fear and worry that each of us is feeling.

This year, we spend every day waiting for it to end, just to be over. At Iftar, the food for a family of no less than seven people is two cans of cooked beans or peas, tasteless and odorless, as if you were eating air. Canned food is the only thing available, that an individual in the Gaza Strip can find to buy. Other foods are for sale in local markets, but no one can afford them. 

Lack of control over sellers has made the prices of all goods in Gaza rise dramatically. I may go to the market carrying a hundred shekels—a good amount of money in normal circumstances, enough to buy a large amount of food—and all I can buy with it is a small bag of vegetables, enough for one salad plate, four bottles of water, and a box of dates.

Yet, we persist

Along with this situation beyond our control are the sounds of continuous bombing that come to our ears instead of the music of the call to prayer or the cannons, and along with Iftar this year there is the stench of the phosphorus bombs being dropped on us.

The thing that reassures us all is our unshakeable faith. With everything that happens, you will still find every family gathering in front of their tent to pray Tarawih prayers together. When those prayers are finished, everyone prays to God to be relieved of this horror we are living through. Every tent has its own supplication, and all tents have a common supplication. Any thought that God would abandon us or leave us without hope disappears simply by praying.

Even the elements are against us

On the seventh day of Ramadan this year, the weather in the city of Rafah, to which I have been displaced, changed from summer and sunny to continuous winter and bitter cold. Being cold in our tents seems to be the final way to make us feel pain, and it becomes worse when you have nothing to wear or to cover yourself with.

We are all bearing up, but we never thought it would get so bad. And now, the sound of the wind hitting the nylon of the tent is more difficult to endure than even the sound of continuous bombing, and there has been rain pouring on us in the night making us even more miserable. Yet we were able to sleep through the night, and were satisfied that it was God testing us.

Then, just a half hour before suhoor. I woke to the sound of my mother screaming, “The tent has fallen! Ya Allah, please have mercy on us.” I thought she was exaggerating, but opening my eyes and trying to sit up, I realized that wood and nylon were on top of us. 

We left the tent and spent the rest of the night out in the cold. My mother never complained or expressed doubt in God’s rule. She prayed till dawn, imploring God with all her strength to save us from the crisis we were in. I was amazed by my mother’s strong faith and firm belief in everything. 

I also prayed, asking God to reduce the affliction on us, or to get us out of this situation, to at least return us to our home. My 14-year-old sister, Farah, prayed too, saying, “Ya Rab, bring us back to our home and we will be satisfied with anything else. Bring us back to our home, and let them continue their war. Let them kill us, but while we are at home.”

Our faith gives us all we need

When morning came, I wanted to reach out to my friend in New York, but I knew I couldn’t say all of this to her. Something inside me prevented me from calling her, even though she was one of my closest friends. 

To my surprise, I found a message from her saying, “There is something in common between you and homeless cats. You are all in God’s care and protected in His eyes.”

Receiving this message was like a refreshing rain in the desert in which I had been without food or water for a long time. I realized that I was in God’s care and protection, and that my mother’s strong faith was not in vain. My sister’s prayers came out of her deep pain and her great hope in God. 

Faith is the strongest and the most enduring thing we have. Through all of our pain and suffering, we have faith. Whenever life gets tough and nothing makes sense, we have a refuge in Allah. We know that Allah is with us. Allah sees all that is happening and will never stop being with us and for us. Faith is the best thing my people have, and we are famous for it.

Related:

– We Are Not Numbers x MuslimMatters – MuslimMatters.org

The post We Are Not Numbers x MuslimMatters – Faith Is Our Way Of Resistance appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

All opinions are the views of the writer alone and not representative of MuslimMatters.org.]

***

Dear Mr. Fareed Zakaria, 

I felt compelled to write this response to your segment “Israel’s response in Gaza isn’t genocide, but is it proportionate?” for a number of reasons. 

Most glaring to me is the complete dissonance in your take. 

You begin your segment stating you are a “supporter of Israel” and end with “friends of Israel should help it ask [if it acted appropriately in the heat of its anger and sorrow after October 7th] now, so it does not look back on this episode with shame and regret.” 

Yet, you fail to do more than ask the same questions at the beginning and end of the segment – completely ignoring the evidence and the never-before-seen death and destruction Israel is raining down upon the civilian population in Gaza. 

You mention Israel’s sorrow and anger after October 7th. What then of the Palestinian’s sorrow and anger, Mr. Zakaria? 

On October 6th, when 19-year-old Labib Dumaidi was murdered by Israeli settlers when they attacked a town in the West Bank. Or October 5th, when four Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers and settlers. 

As we all know, there is no Hamas in the illegal military occupation of the West Bank. Instead, there is 75 years of systematic oppression and inhumane treatment of the indigenous Palestinians. Does this not lead to sorrow and anger, Mr. Zakaria?

We can also discuss the sorrow and anger of the civilians trapped in the world’s largest “open-air prison” in Gaza, under an illegal siege that cuts them off from the world. And the most innocent of all; the children of Gaza who, as you mentioned, make up half of the population. They were born into this prison, they will be raised in this prison, and will most likely be murdered on that very strip of land. 

Did you know the children of Gaza have only known suffering, loss, and military assaults? What of sorrow and anger then?

We can also talk about how these children, women, and men have witnessed dozens upon dozens of military operations at the hands of the Israeli military in the past 16 years. This process, in case you were unaware Mr. Zakaria, is barbarically called mowing the grass – or, as we have witnessed time and again, indiscriminate carpet bombing to quell the population under the guise of reducing militant’s strength. 

This brings us to the point in which you call Israel the only democracy in the Middle East, one thriving despite the general ill-will it is surrounded by. 

I would challenge you to reflect on your definition of “democracy”. 

Real democracy should not, and would not, condone the current famine that is being imposed on millions of Palestinians –  including newborns and children. Democracy would not condone implementing a military occupation, or displacing indigenous people and annexing their terrority. And, most glaringly, democracy cannot exist when a subset of the population – the indigenous portion – is treated as a different class of people who do not have the right to vote, walk on certain roads, have a daily curfew of 10 pm, require visas for movement within their own lands, are subject to checkpoint upon checkpoint, and are tried under military law in court.

As for the questions you pose: normally, when one is attempting to analyze a state’s actions, one must critically look at the facts that are presented, not just the claims that are professed. In the case of Israel, both its actions and its words speak volumes about the true intent of Israel’s objectives in Gaza. 

Regarding its claims, the narrative of self-defense becomes asinine when the world has heard the true intent of Israel from the very mouths of its leaders. You mentioned Netanyahu’s biblical reference to the sons of light’s fight against the Amalek – a call to murder every man, woman, child, and infant in Gaza.  

Other Israeli officials have called Gazans human animals (Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant), claimed any Palestinian who fails to leave their place of residence deserves death (MP Tali Gottlieb), called for Gaza to be wiped off the map (MP Krozier), promoted ethnic cleansing (Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich), and claimed there are no innocent civilians in Gaza (Issac Herzog, Israel’s President). 

Historically, states that are still embroiled in the process of ethnically cleansing an indigenous population are not quite as vocal about it as Israeli officials have been. This has led people to question if these are extremists who do not reflect the view of the majority of Israelis. Therefore some may claim, as you have, that this is an extreme government, one that is losing popularity. 

Israel’s history is rife with these comments. In 1992, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabina said “I would like Gaza to sink into the sea, but that won’t happen, and a solution must be found.” I think the irony in calling for a ‘solution’ to an ethnic population is clear – not long before 1992, the world witnessed the near destruction of an ethnic population at the hands of Hitler’s solution. 

This rhetoric of ethnically cleansing Gaza has been mainstream long before Netanyahu, so to pin it on his government as though it doesn’t reflect the popular sentiment of Israelis is misleading. A recent poll on January 11th showed 77% of the Israelis polled were in favor of expanding settlements into Gaza, 76% believed ‘voluntary emigration’ was the solution, and 74% were against a two-state solution.

Other than the quote above, one must now analyze the crimes Israel is committing for the world to see: do the actions of the state and military reflect the genocidal intent of these comments or the rhetoric of self-defense?

This is perhaps where the dissonance in your segment is most obvious. 

You calmly list many of the crimes Israel is accused of, highlighting that each and every statistic surpasses any previous ‘war.’ And in that, we find the answer.

Because this is not war. In order for it to be a war, both states would need to be independent, sovereign, and possess a military. If it was a war, military bases would be targeted instead of hospitals. Militants would be shot instead of journalists. This is an occupier intent on eliminating the occupied. 

Your single argument against labeling this a genocide is an irrelevant and insulting logical fallacy. I would ask you, Mr. Zakaria, how many Palestinians need to be blown to pieces before you would classify this as genocide? 

Instead of 200 children dying a day, should it be 500? 1000? 10,000 or more? At what number do Palestinian lives begin to finally shift the question away from proportionality? Because the fact that we are still discussing proportionality in light of these facts indicates the number slaughtered is not enough to sway you.

And what credibility do you possess, that emboldens you to declare this is not a genocide? Your pontification is not only inhumane, it is dangerously promoting an anti-Palestinian narrative and further dehumanizing the indigenous Palestinians.  

Let me answer the questions you postulated, Mr. Zakaria.

You’re right. One day, the world will look back at this moment in time. At that time, they will not be wondering if Israel’s friends and supporters asked it tough questions. 

They will be asking why you, and all those still supporting this genocide, were knowingly complicit. They will be looking for retributions and justice. 

Related:

– Activism for Palestine in the West: Understanding the Agreement of Joe Biden and Jordan Peterson on Israel

– Open Letter to J.K. Rowling From a Palestinian Fan – MuslimMatters.org

The post “What Did You Just Say?” : Introducing The New MM Open Letter Series I Dear Mr. Fareed Zakaria appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

The “Guantanamo Candidate”: A Politically Motivated Cancelation?

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to share parts of my story in the documentary, “The Guantanamo Candidate” produced by Vice News and scheduled to air on Showtime, owned by Paramount. The documentary aimed to shed light on one of Guantanamo’s darkest periods, the years surrounding the 2005/06 hunger strike, and the mysterious deaths of three prisoners. The producers tapped staff sergeant Joe Hickman, who was there during that time, myself, and several others to give our personal accounts and experiences of what happened.

During my time at Guantanamo, I witnessed and experienced unimaginable horrors. Many of the faces responsible for my and my fellow prisoner’s pain and torment are etched into my memory.  Ron DeSantis is one such face I will never forget. I distinctly remember him being among a group of observers, smiling and laughing while I was being brutally force-fed to end my hunger strike. Only a few former prisoners remember him well, but those of us who do cannot forget him.

Our memories are vivid, yet the truth about Guantanamo Bay remains suppressed, blocked by government classifications and redactions, and chilled by gatekeepers and executives concerned about the bottom line. Scheduled to air in May 2023, “The Guantanamo Candidate” was canceled indefinitely the week it was to air. Speculations suggest the cancellation was motivated by political considerations and the fear of naming a presidential candidate as a witness and possible participant in force-feedings of Guantanamo prisoners, something that has been categorized by the United Nations as torture. As someone who lived that experience and has worked hard to shed light on the secrets of Guantanamo, sharing my story with the public through this documentary made me feel heard.

Exposing Guantanamo: The Struggle

I’ve learned over the years that the media serves an important role in democracy as society’s watchdog. Covering Guantanamo has been a struggle since the opening days of the US War on Terror. Misinformation, classifications, secrecy, and the political value of fear combined with tough talk on terrorism have made covering Guantanamo difficult. Former prisoners, valuable sources for reporting, often feel threatened, vilified, stigmatized, or simply made to look suspicious. Other sources like former guards, staff, or attorneys have been gagged with non-disclosure agreements or with secret classifications that prevent them from speaking on the record. All of this has consolidated reporting on Guantanamo to a few gatekeepers who have come to define the Guantanamo we see in the media. When a documentary like “The Guantanamo Candidate,” comes along, it creates real potential to crack open the secrets of Guantanamo and bring about accountability. It also serves as a new medium to hear the untold stories that have been suppressed. Sure, I was disappointed to learn that “The Guantanamo Candidate” had been canceled for personal reasons. But more importantly, the cancellation showed me that it was just business as usual as those at the highest level who may be responsible for acts heinous acts of torture and human rights abuses escape scrutiny, again.

The truth was the first casualty of the War on Terror. Billions of taxpayer dollars have been spent to keep Guantanamo open and at the same time hide what really happened there. Reporting has been limited to what was revealed more than ten years ago with documented revelations of torture and enhanced interrogation. But those who were at Guantanamo, whether prisoner, staffer, or guard know those revelations are just the tip of the iceberg.

A Refusal to Be Silenced

Since my transfer from Guantanamo Bay seven years ago, I have dedicated myself to exposing the truth of what happened to me and my fellow prisoners. My voice has joined the chorus of others who refuse to be silenced by fear or intimidation. I have spoken at conferences, given interviews to the media, and written extensively about my experiences in my memoir, Don’t Forget Us Here, Lost and Found at Guantanamo. The lack of transparency surrounding this detention facility and the conditions endured by its inmates is an affront to the principles of justice and human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Together with dedicated lawyers, we strive to bring those responsible for the torture and abuses to justice.

As a former prisoner who has endured unimaginable suffering, I call on Showtime to reconsider their decision to cancel “The Guantanamo Candidate.” The world deserves to know more about what happened at Guantanamo Bay during 2006, and this documentary sheds much- needed light on this dark chapter in its history to show us who was there, what they knew, how they acted, and how their stories align with the truth of what happened.

I am grateful to Vice for their courage in pursuing this story, and I hope they will find another way to bring it to the public. I also stand with my fellow former prisoners who bravely spoke out for this documentary. We refuse to be silenced; we will continue to speak out against torture in all its forms and demand accountability.

Only when we hold a mirror up to the truth of the United States government’s crimes can we genuinely understand the depths of the injustices committed in America’s name. I encourage Showtime to rise above political pressures and personal interests and to stand firm in their commitment to exploring truth. As I look back on my time at Guantanamo Bay and the suffering endured by countless others, I am reminded that the truth must be told, not just for me and former prisoners, but for the sake of human rights and to ensure that such atrocities are never repeated.

Paramount’s slogan is “Popular is paramount.” Let’s make defending truth popular.

Related:

– The Many Eids Spent In Guantanamo: An Ex-Detainee Reflects – MuslimMatters.org

– Guantanamo Bay: Past And Present – MuslimMatters.org

The post Defending The Truth: Former Inmate Urges Paramount To Reconsider Cancelation Of “The Guantanamo Candidate” appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Navaid Aziz is the Director of Religious and Social Services, IISC Islamic Information Society of Canada. He also works as a Youth and family counsellor and was the first Muslim Chaplain for the Calgary Police Service. He is a passionate advocate for youth education and integration in Canadian society. He holds a Bachelor’s in Islamic Law, Madinah University.

Related:

Man To Man Podcast: Why Muslim Families Should Limit Screen Time

The post [Podcast] Man 2 Man: How Social Media Is Killing Your Imaan appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.