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Should Muslims Vote for Ron Paul?

In his famous 2009 speech in Cairo, President Obama affirmed that "America and Islam are not exclusive" and promised to "fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear." His willingness to speak out this way generated a lot of excitement among American Muslims, who were also impressed by his criticism of the Iraq war and his promises to defend civil liberties.

America’s Great Brain-Drain: Is it Time to Take Action?

As college seniors across the nation prepare for graduation in May, one simple question looms over that tassel and gown—will I get a job?

In a struggling economy, it’s no secret that jobs are scarce and the workforce has become more competitive than ever before. For immigrants, however, the climb is a lot steeper.

How are Muslim Women Doing in Political Cartoons?

Political cartoons are a powerful medium because, although they are not news, they facilitate the delivery of specific messages. Political cartoons work in two ways: they reflect particular ideas and/or aspects of pop culture, and they influence the audience’s own views. Due to their simple approach (drawings and funny dialogue), they are often more accessible than regular newspaper coverage or even TV.

When Less is More: The Qur'an and Inheritance for Women

Islam has no general rule that says women get half of what men receive. There are instances where women can inherit as much or more than men, depending on the specific relationship, but it is always true that Muslim daughters receive less than Muslim sons, and the reasons for this have been laid out by Islamic jurists and scholars. These rules are not anachronistic, outmoded or somehow trumped by modernity or changes in gender roles.

The U.S. system of inheritance is based on “free alienation of property,” or the notion that one can do with her wealth and property as she wishes. In fact, people frequently divide up their property unevenly or leave it all to charity, to the government or to members of the animal kingdom. This being said, in the United States, a married woman almost always leaves her property to her husband upon death, either because the couple jointly owned the property or because default rules dictate that her property now belongs to her spouse or because she simply wrote a living trust or will that transfers ownership to her husband. If her husband remarries, upon his death you can expect his new wife to get everything.

While doing whatever you choose with your property appeals to the American notion of freedom–—indeed, it is this system that allows Muslims, as well as other religious communities, to distribute our wealth according to our faith traditions--it is not how Muslims view property. Most Americans consider their property just that—theirs—but Muslims believe God has entrusted us with worldly possessions and when we die, we must hand off this wealth according to His will. “Everything in the heavens and the Earth and all that it contains belongs to Allah,” (Qur’an 31:26). As trustees of what truly belongs to God, we have some say in how we divide the property, but only within the parameters laid out in by Islamic rules of inheritance.

Sonja Be: Giving Voice to the Voiceless

Sonja Be, 24, is ready to take on the world. Born in Northern Sweden, raised in Vancouver, and half Iranian, Be has trouble deciding what she identifies with the most. She’s a journalist that gives voice to the “voiceless.” We got a chance to catch up with her.

Educating, Inspiring, and Empowering Women to be Leaders: An Interview with Professor Nuha Shaer

This content, written by Samin Malik, appeared on Palestinenote.com on January 06,2012

“When women are treated unjustly and are deprived of their natural right… all social deficiencies and cultural illnesses will be unfolded, and in the end the whole community, men and women, will suffer. The solution to women’s issues can only be achieved in a free and democratic society in which human energy is liberated, the energy of both women and men together. Our civilization is called human civilization and is not attributed only to men or women.”