Lost in Orientalism: Arab Christians and the war in Gaza

Centuries-old misconceptions compel Western Christians to ignore the plight of Palestinian Christians and Muslims.

On February 21, it was announced that the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby refused to meet with Munther Isaac, a Palestinian Lutheran pastor, after Isaac had appeared at a pro-Palestine rally with former UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Isaac, whose Christmas Eve sermon went viral for its condemnation of the Israeli assault on Gaza and concomitant Western Christian silence, has repeatedly called for ecumenical peace amid Palestinian suffering.

A week later, Welby apologised and agreed to meet with Isaac. But in his apology X post, the archbishop stated it was wrong to shun Isaac “at this time of profound suffering for our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters”, making no mention of the equal suffering of Palestinian Muslims, with whom Isaac has repeatedly stood in solidarity.

Today, as Catholics and Protestants celebrate Easter, Palestinians of these denominations are barred from visiting their holy places in Jerusalem. Neither the Church of England nor other Western churches have denounced these restrictions on free worship by the Israeli government.

Welby’s refusal to meet Isaac and the continuing silence of Western churches on Israeli crimes perpetrated against Palestinian Christians and Muslims are just further reminders that, for Arab Christians, their place in the West remains tenuous because of Orientalist and Islamophobic views of the Arab world.

Rarely allowed to speak for themselves, Arab Christians are either depicted in the West as hapless victims whose numbers continue to dwindle because of “Islamic fundamentalism” or as heretical Christians whose faith is marked by its cultural proximity to Islam. Driving this is an Orientalist gaze that sees the Arab world as barbaric and uncivilised, with only Western civilising missions and the state of Israel serving as a bulwark against its “terror”.

Ignored in turn are the experiences and perspectives of Arab Christians who lived alongside their Arab Jewish and Arab Muslim neighbours in relative peace and security from the seventh century to the latter period of the Ottoman Empire and the onset of Western imperialism.

FULL ARTICLE FROM AL JAZEERA

White House iftar cancelled after Muslims leaders decline invite

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House cancelled an iftar after many Muslim American leaders rejected the invite over Biden’s support for Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. The White House chose to hold a smaller dinner on Tuesday evening and the only attendees were people who work for his administration.

“We’re just in a different world,” said Wa’el Alzayat, who leads Emgage, a Muslim advocacy organization. “It’s completely surreal. And it’s sad.”

Alzayat attended last year’s event, but he declined an invitation to break his fast with Biden this year, saying, “It’s inappropriate to do such a celebration while there’s a famine going on in Gaza.”

After rejections from Alzayat and others, he said the White House adjusted its plans Monday, telling community leaders that it wanted to host a meeting focused on administration policy. Alzayat still said no, believing that one day was not enough time to prepare for an opportunity to sway Biden’s mind on the conflict.

“I don’t think the format will lend itself to a serious policy discussion,” he said Tuesday afternoon.

Democrats fear that Biden’s loss of support among Muslims could help clear a path for his Republican predecessor to return to the White House. This year’s election will likely hinge on a handful of battleground states, including Michigan with its significant Muslim population.

Several Muslim leaders attended Tuesday’s meeting with Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Muslim government officials and national security leaders. The White House would not name them.

Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said “community leaders expressed the preference” of having a “working group meeting,” which she described as an opportunity to “get feedback from them.”

FULL ARTICLE FROM WGNTV WEBSITE (CHICAGO)

‘Muslim-ish’: For less observant Muslims, Ramadan remains a cherished ritual

In Philadelphia, Maham Rizvi breaks the Ramadan fast at an iftar with Queer Mā’ida, bringing people of many genders, races, and religious traditions to celebrate together.

Candlelight flickered across Maham Rizvi’s face as she adorned a chestnut-brown coffee table with different mementos: A River Dies of Thirst, the collection of writings by the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish; Moon and Sun, a poetry book by the Sufi Muslim poet Rumi; a bowl of colorful Turkish soft candies surrounded by tasbih, Islamic prayer beads; a vase holding a dried floral bouquet; a Quran propped open on a book stand.

It was a recent Friday evening in Philadelphia, and a community iftar was being hosted by Queer Māʾida for predominantly queer and trans Muslims to break their 13-hour fast together during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Rizvi, who uses the pronouns she/they, had just completed putting together what she calls an Islamic altar, a communal ceremony Rizvi enjoys practicing to honor emotions, memories and connection to faith. As the dozen or so attendees settled into their seats while breaking their fast with steaming bowls of Layla Çorbasi, a Turkish yogurt-based soup, Rizvi stood in the center of the living and dining areas.

“Hi everyone,” she smiled at the crowd, her voice soft and welcoming. “I wanted to bring an element of communal Islamic practice to our evening. So I set up a little altar that is Islamic. If there’s anything that you have with you that you want to contribute to it, I encourage you to set it down and we can find a moment to acknowledge it and story tell.”

FULL ARTICLE FROM THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

In Jerusalem, Palestinian Christians observe scaled-down Good Friday rituals

BY JULIA FRANKELUpdated 12:09 PM EDT, March 29, 2024Share

JERUSALEM (AP) — Hundreds of Christians participated in a customary Good Friday procession through the limestone walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, commemorating one of the faith’s most sacred days with noticeably thinner crowds amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

The day’s processions, which normally draw thousands of foreign visitors, were unusually local. Most observers were Palestinian Christians, joined by some foreigners living in Jerusalem and a few undeterred tourists.

The traditional Good Friday procession passes along the Way of the Cross, or Via Dolorosa, the route believed to have been walked by Jesus to his crucifixion. Squads of Israeli police set up barricades along the path, rerouting shoppers in the Old City’s bustling Muslim quarter to make way for hundreds of pilgrims.

A young group of Palestinian Arab scouts led the day’s procession, past the 14 stations along the route, each marking an event that befell Jesus on his final journey. Hundreds of Palestinian Christians walked in their wake. Behind them was a small parade of the Franciscan religious order, composed mainly of foreigners who live in Jerusalem.

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports a scaled down Good Friday takes place in Jerusalem.

“We wait for this every year,” said Munira Kamar, a Palestinian Christian from the Old City, who watched the parade pass, waving hello to cross-bearers, who stopped to give her young daughter a kiss on the cheek. “Of course, this year we are unhappy because of the situation with the ongoing war.”

Thousands of Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza, launched after Hamas’ Oct. 7 killings and hostage-taking in Israel.

The procession’s final stations are inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where Jesus is believed to have been crucified and laid to rest before his resurrection on Easter. There, the impact of the war was clear: instead of the crowds who normally queue for hours in the church courtyard, entrance to the site was easy.

The city’s streets were noticeably devoid of Palestinian Christians from the West Bank, who normally flock to the Holy City for the Easter festivities. Since Oct. 7, Palestinian worshippers have needed special permission to cross checkpoints into Jerusalem.

Despite the thinned crowds, shopkeepers, whose heavy metal doors are usually closed on Fridays, threw them open in for tourists seeking Catholic memorabilia. But interested shoppers were few and far between.

FULL ARTICLE FROM AP

Governor Newsom’s Open Letter to California’s Muslim, Palestinian American, and Arab American Communities

To California’s Muslim, Palestinian American, and Arab American communities:

California is a better place because of you—our Muslim, Palestinian American, and Arab American neighbors and friends who contribute so much to our state’s sense of faith and belonging. From countless achievements in literature, civil rights, arts, entertainment, government, business, medicine, and science, to the daily contributions to your communities, you form an essential part of California’s spirit. And now, as many of you observe the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, we can all extend our heartfelt wishes and be reminded of the value of introspection and renewal. I am grateful and proud that each of you call the Golden State home.

That’s why it pains me so deeply to see the ways your communities are suffering, bearing the weight of lost family and friends in Gaza while facing a rise in discrimination and hate here at home. As I’ve met with leaders from your communities in recent months, I’ve heard stories of unimaginable loss and widespread fear.

My heart broke when Wadea al-Fayoume, a 6-year-old child, was stabbed to death in Chicago—he and his mother viciously attacked because they were Palestinian and Muslim. I grieved not just for Wadea and his family but for all who felt less safe after that devastating tragedy, who wondered whether they or their children might also be targeted because of their Muslim faith or Palestinian heritage. This sort of horror doesn’t just inflict violence on one life or one family—it tears at the safety and belonging of whole communities. Here in California, too, we’ve seen bigotry rear its ugly head. In November, an Arab Muslim student at Stanford University was injured in a hit-and-run by a driver who is alleged to have shouted hateful vitriol as he sped away, an incident authorities are rightfully investigating as a possible hate crime. We’ve heard too many stories of violence and discrimination—too many Californians fear being treated differently in school, excluded at work, or risking harassment just by walking down the street.

These are not isolated incidents. Hateful acts targeting those who are or are perceived to be Muslim or Arab American are becoming more common. In California, reported anti-Muslim bias events rose 44.4% from 2021 to 2022. Reports also indicate a spike in reported anti-Muslim and anti-Arab incidents following the October 7th terrorist attack on Israel—the largest documented surge of its kind since late 2015 and early 2016, amidst calls for a Muslim ban. And now, many Muslim and Arab American communities report a level of fear comparable to the months following 9/11.

The Muslim and Arab American leaders I’ve sat with stressed that these numbers reveal only a fraction of the problem. They’re right. Out of fear and historically rooted distrust, we know that hate crimes and hateful incidents too often go unreported by many Muslim Californians, Arab Americans, Palestinian Americans, and other groups who have endured suspicion and alienation in this country. We in government must earn back your trust.

FULL ARTICLE FROM CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT SITE

Utah Muslims mark their holiest month: ‘During Ramadan, our spirituality is heightened’

WEST JORDAN — Sure, Ramadan means going a long time without eating or drinking each day.

Now, entering its second week, though, Zain Kergaye has adjusted to the fasting. “We can manage. It’s not like we’re struggling to get through the day,” he said.

More significantly, going without food or drink from sunup to sundown each day, and the other elements of Ramadan, help with his spiritual growth.

“Life goes by really, really fast,” said Kergaye, a University of Utah student. “Ramadan is to stop and take a break and have some reflection on yourself. … This allows us to take a step back and increase our faith.”

Utah is home to some 60,000 Muslims, estimates Zeynep Kariparduc of the Emerald Hills Institute. Ramadan, the holiest month for Muslims, started the evening of March 10 and, with about two weeks to go, the faithful in Utah and beyond have been fasting, praying, giving and reflecting as they aim to deepen their connection with God.

“During Ramadan, our spirituality is heightened,” Kergaye said.

Kergaye and other members of the Utah Islamic Center in West Jordan gathered Sunday evening for an interfaith iftar, the meal that breaks the fast each day, inviting the public to the event.

“It is a month of celebration,” Shuaib Din, the imam and director of religious affairs at the mosque, told the gathered crowd. “It is a month of meditation. … It is a month of sharing. It is a month of fellowship and coming together.”

The fasting serves as a form of self-discipline, Kariparduc, who is Muslim, said in an earlier interview with KSL.com.

FULL ARTICLE FROM KSL.COM

Ramadan, Gaza and anti-Islam sentiment

Friday marked the fifth day of Ramadan. Unfortunately, there is still no cease-fire in Gaza, and Israel continues to kill Palestinians waiting for food supplies. Earlier this week, Israeli troops killed six Palestinians and injured 83 others as they waited in line to receive a bag of flour. That was not the first time, and it won’t be the last.

Let us recall that seven Palestinians were killed and 20 more were injured two days before the most recent attack against the same location. On Feb. 29, Israeli soldiers shot dead 118 Palestinians waiting for assistance.

It is important to stress that the slain Palestinians were ordinary people looking for help in Gaza, where children have been starving to death – not members of Hamas or the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades. Having failed to prevent the bombing of hospitals, schools and United Nations buildings in Gaza, the world watches idly – on live television – as people waiting for help die.

Systemic policy

In the face of the Palestinian people’s systematic starvation and elimination, the United States and Europe have yet to broker a cease-fire or deliver humanitarian aid. Washington’s decision to build temporary ports and efforts to deliver supplies by air fall short of ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom changed its mind about dropping supplies on Gaza, claiming that assistance hurts the civilian population.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in turn, expects Israel to rain down supplies on Gaza. If Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (who already called U.S. President Joe Biden’s bluff) launches a military operation against Rafah, the situation will further deteriorate.

It is sad to see that the world cannot tell Israel, which continues to kill Palestinians as they await help, that enough is enough. The Western governments do not try and stop the ongoing massacre that goes against everything they say about human rights and undermines their values. The Muslim world, in turn, cannot seem to influence the West to facilitate a humanitarian initiative to end the blockade.

FULL ARTICLE FROM DAILY SABAH

Muslim students face tough challenges during Ramadan. Here’s what teachers can do to help.

Last year during Ramadan, Zara Ahmad’s school in southern Maryland hosted a waffle day. The smells of batter and syrup wafted through the campus hallways. Ahmad did everything she could to ignore the aromas, but the decision to hold the event then felt insensitive given she and other Muslim students were fasting.   

“Even if they know, they just don’t care and they’re not as considerate as they could be,” said Ahmad, 16, reflecting on how teachers and administrators handle day-to-day operations during the Islamic holy month of fasting, prayer and community. 

Several times in the past couple of decades, the U.S. Education Department has issued guidance about affirming students’ right to pray and express their religion at school. Last year, the department released the guidance again – specifically alluding to protections related to Ramadan, which began last week and runs through April 9. The latest guidance came as a growing number of school districts have taken steps to better accommodate students who observe Ramadan, including by making one of the major holidays following the month an official day off for all students. 

At a time of rising anti-Muslim discrimination, however, advocates say U.S. schools aren’t doing enough to raise awareness and ensure that students feel supported when practicing their religion. Teachers are often unaware that the holiday is taking place, putting the onus on kids or parents to request exemptions from certain activities or a place where students can pray.

FULL ARTICLE FROM USA TODAY

Five things you might not know about women in Islam

By Tim Lynch | Special to the Courier

Ruqayya Khan is a professor of religion and the Malas Chair of Islamic Studies at Claremont Graduate University. Her research interests include Arabic literary studies, Qur’anic studies, women and gender studies, and the digital age and religion. For Women’s History Month, we asked her to share her expertise on the influence of women in Islam.

Women are often overlooked in Western media depictions of Islam. How would you characterize the modern Islamic woman?

It depends on where she lives, and maybe there is also a generational dimension to consider here. Very generally, I would say the modern Islamic or Muslim woman is today far more likely to have a voice, pursue an education, and have a role in the workforce. However, modern Muslim women face a double bind: In the West, it is possible that they are targets of an Orientalized, racial bias or prejudice especially if they wear a headscarf (hijab) out in public, and it is possible that in their family life at home and or in the mosque, they also face certain patriarchal constraints and barriers.

Are Western feminism and Islam complementary or contradictory?

Western feminism is not monolithic. Second-wave Western feminism, which is informed by contributions from women of color, is more complementary to Islam. Western feminism has not been immune from Western stereotypes of Islam. There is much in Islam that empowers women that is not known or recognized in the West. For example, the Prophet Muhammad granted women property rights in the 7^th century. Instead of being treated like property, they could own, transact, and inherit property. In the United States, women gained property rights in all states more than a thousand years later. Furthermore, in Islam, marriage is considered a contract, and a woman can stipulate certain conditions in the contract when she marries.

How is the digital age informing Islam — in particular women in Islam?

The digital age has permitted online platforms for Muslims generally to discuss, debate, and evaluate aspects of their religion and religious life, and Muslim women are putting the Internet to full use in producing female-centered interpretations of their religion. But the digital age and the Internet continue to enable Islamophobia and Islamophilia. Islamophobes and anti-Muslim elements demonize or vilify Islam, Muslims, or the Prophet Muhammad, whereas Islamophiles over-idealize their religion and yearn for its “Golden Age.”

FULL ARTICLE FROM CLAREMONT CURRIER

‘No empty words’: Muslim Canadians use Ramadan to urge Gaza action

Muslim groups say Canadian MPs won’t be allowed to speak to congregants this Ramadan unless they act to end Gaza war.

Montreal, Canada – Ramadan is a time of self-reflection, family and joy for more than 1.8 billion Muslims around the world.

But with Israel’s war on Gaza dragging on, killing more than 31,000 Palestinians and plunging the tiny coastal enclave deeper into a humanitarian crisis, this year’s Islamic holy month – which began on Sunday night – has a different feeling.

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Photos: A sad Ramadan for Gaza as Israel continues attacks

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Muslims offer Ramadan prayers in New York’s Times Square

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The Take: Observing Ramadan against the backdrop of war

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In Canada, the Muslim community’s pain over the situation in Gaza – and a widely held belief that Canadian politicians are not doing enough to stem the crisis – has spurred an unprecedented campaign this Ramadan.

“We’re seeing our brothers and sisters in Palestine die every single day. We’re seeing a number of horrific images flooding in,” said Fatema Abdalla, advocacy officer with the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM).

“So this Ramadan is definitely going to be much harder for everyone.”

NCCM is among more than 300 Muslim groups in the North American country that delivered an ultimatum to Canadian politicians: Act to end the war and defend Palestinian rights, or you will not get to speak to congregants during community gatherings this month.

The organisations, which include advocacy groups as well as mosques and cultural centres, demanded five things from lawmakers, from condemning Israeli war crimes to opposing Canada’s arms transfers to Israel and supporting an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

“If MPs cannot publicly commit to all of these asks, then we can unfortunately not provide them a platform to address our congregations,” Abdalla said.

FULL ARTICLE FROM AL JAZEERA