better late than never...

Huff Post: Ashura: Shi'a Islam's Day of Sorrow and Inspiration
BBC: Young Muslims urged to give blood during Muharram
BBC: Afghans donate blood for Ashura

What I found most interesting about this is the way that blood donation is being suggested as a "modern" way to replace the self-flagellation which "traditionally" accompanies Ashura.

blue-eyed devil

I just recently finished Michael Muhammad Knight's book Blue-eyed Devil: A Road Odyssey Through Islamic America put out by Soft Skull Press. The book is definitely worth reading but I think I would have felt better about it if I had checked it out of the library instead of buying it at Border's. The work is essentially a travelogue documenting Knight's journey's across the United States on what amounts to an Islam-in-America sightseeing tour. To be honest, I was massively impressed by the breadth of the book but he left me wishing for more depth.

He visits the annual ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) convention (twice) where he claims to have stink-palmed Cat Stevens (Yusef Islam) and Siraj Wahaj. He goes to the tombs of Elijah Muhammad, W.D. Fard and Alexander Muhammad Webb (probably the first white American convert to Islam). He meets with Azreal (one of the first white Five Percenters who followed "Father Allah" Clarence 13x). He builds with other Five Percenters in Harlem/Mecca. He goes to the compound of the followers of Malachi Z. York (or whatever he is calling himself now). He attends PMU's female-led prayer. Has dinners with Farid Esack and Irshad Manji. He has tea at Peter Lamborn Wilson / Hakim Bey's house. He visits Malcolm Shabazz (Malcolm X /El Hajj Malik Shabazz's grandson) in prison. And throughout he stops at both Sunni and Shia masjids as well as meeting with various followers of Elijah Muhammad.

For me, the most valuable aspect of the book was its discussion of who Fard was and what happened to him after he went into "occultation". Some other important points are his account of Malcolm Shabazz's (sad) life and Knight's behind-the-scenes insights on the "Progressive Muslim" movement. The rest of the book is well-written and interesting in its own way but often feels like being forced to watch a slide show from someone else's summer vacation.

the ghadir declaration

I haven't written a "Su-shi" (Sunni - Shia) post in a very long time so I'm going to share a link to an interesting free book I found online: The Ghadir Declaration by Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri. The author is a Sunni scholar who brings together different versions of the famous hadith where Muhammad (saaws) says: "One who has me as his master has ‘Alī as his master."

The author frames such hadith by talking about two parallel concepts of leadership, a public political leadership, first held by Abu Bakr as-Saiddiq (ra), and a hidden spiritual leadership, first held by Imam Ali. Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri goes on to explain:

The manifest caliphate is the political office of the religion of Islam.
The hidden caliphate is exclusively a spiritual office.

The manifest caliphate is an elective and consultative issue.
The hidden caliphate is an inherent and selective act.

The manifest caliph is elected by the people.
The hidden caliph is elected by God.

The manifest caliph is elected.
The hidden caliph is selected.

This is the reason that the first caliph Abū Bakr as-Siddīq (RA) was elected on the basis of ‘Umar Fārūq’s proposal and the support of the majority of public opinion. But the election of the first Imām of spiritual sovereignty — ‘Alī al-Murtadā (AS) — required neither anybody’s proposal nor support.

Caliphate was a democratic act, therefore, the Prophet (SAW) did not declare it. Spiritual leadership was an act of designation; therefore, the Prophet (SAW) declared it in the valley of Ghadīr Khum.

The Prophet (SAW) left the election of the caliph to the will of the people, but himself announced his spiritual heir with the divine consent.

Caliphate is established for improving the administration of the earth.
Spiritual leadership is established to beautify it with the heavenly charm and grace.

Caliphate makes men just.
Spiritual leadership makes them perfect.

Caliphate is confined to the floor.
Spiritual leadership extends to the Throne.

Caliphate is ineffective without crowning.
Spiritual leadership is effective even without crowning.

This is probably the reason that caliphate is entrusted to the Ummah, and
Spiritual leadership is entrusted to the progeny.

“Thus we can deny neither the khilāfah (caliphate; political leadership) nor the wilāyah (spiritual leadership). The direct caliphate of Abū Bakr as-Siddīq (RA) was established with the consensus of the people and is categorically proved by the evidence of history. The direct spiritual leadership of ‘Alī al-Murtadā (AS) was announced by the Prophet (SAW) himself and is categorically proved by the evidence of unbroken chain of traditions. The proof of the caliphate is the consensus of the Companions (RA), the proof of spiritual sovereignty (wilāyah) is the declaration of the Prophet (SAW). One who denies the caliphate in fact denies history and consensus, and one who denies the spiritual leadership (wilāyah) denies the Prophet’s declaration. Therefore, both the caliphate and the spiritual leadership are inescapable realities. What is urgently needed is a clear understanding of the reality of the two institutions in order to present them to the people as unity, and not as division.”

It should be understood that just as the manifest caliphate started with the early caliphs and its blessings percolated down to the righteous and just rulers, similarly the hidden caliphate started with ‘Alī al-Murtadā (AS) and its blessings gradually trickled to the members of the Prophet’s family and the saints of the Ummah. By means of the declaration — مَنْ كُنْتُ مَولاهُ فَعَلِيٌّ مَولاهُ (one who has me as his master has ‘Alī as his master) — and — عليّ وليكم من بعدي (‘Alī is your spiritual leader after me) — the Prophet (SAW) pronounced ‘Alī (AS) as the opener of the spiritual kingdom.

For a while I've known that the Zaydis existed (a group of Shias who leaned towards accepting the status of Abu Bakr) but this is the first time I've heard/read from a Sunni scholar who seems to lean so hard towards Shiism.

see also: "i'm sushi"

ya husayn (no, not about obama)

Especially after the last post, I feel like asking the following question: Over at the Ihsan group blog, the latest entry is titled Ya Husayn Ya Husayn and features a video of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan performing a piece about Hussein at Karbala. So my question is whether it is possible for a Sunni to embrace the lyrics of that piece or do they go outside the parameters of what is permissible for a member of Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jamaat?