Reflections on Critical Islamic Reflections

Critical Islamic Reflections (CIR) is a conference on Islam that the Yale MSA puts on every year, and has done so for the past 4 years. It was on April 16 and took up my whole day, from 6:30 AM to 1:00 AM. I was tired, that's for sure. This years topic was Contemporary American Discourses in Islam: The Politics of Representation. Intriguing, I assure you. Some of the speakers that I found interesting were:

• “Pros and Cons: Americanism Against Islamism” [abstract]
  Sayres Rudy, Political Science Department, Amherst College
• “Examining TV News Pedagogies: Young Muslims Re-Productions of ‘War on Terror’ Narratives" [abstract]
  Habiba Noor, PhD Candidate, Centre for the Study of Children, Youth and Media Institute of Education: University of London
• “American Visions of the Houri" [abstract]
  Nerina Rustomji, Assistant Professor of History and Religion, Bard College
• "Rep that Islam: the Rhyme and Reason of American Muslim Hip Hop" [abstract] Su’ad Abdul-Khabeer, Department of Anthropology, Princeton University

I was impressed by this undergraduate dominated conference. I mean, we practically ran the show, with some help from some very smart graduate students. You know there were points when I didn't think we would be able to do that...and that it would be all my fault. I was responsible for the program booklet with schedule and all of the abstracts of all the papers being presented. If I had screwed it up, as I often thought it would happen, I would have been so upset with myself. But I didn't...it was quite nice actually with its color cover too.

As for my reflections on the conference, they are overall good. I learned a lot of course, and were intrigued by people's research. Where do they come up with these ideas? Especially the "visions of the houris" and news productions by Habiba Noor; sometimes I think I will never be smart enough to think of these things. Sometimes I was upset about the disorganization of things, but in general, it was much better than some conferences I've seen put on. That's all for now...I think I will do something different and leave you with my own quote-

"When will I ever get to have my own refrigerator, paint my own rooms, and...oh yeah...have an idea for a Ph.D.?"
---Me, after distressing about how long it takes to grow up....

MSA Elections and other such nonsense

It has been quite sometime since I have posted something, but that is because I have been extremely busy. Also, there was event that occurred in the past few weeks that disappointed and irked me a great deal. I needed my head to clear before I posted, so that I could be somewhat objective. The event that I am talking about is the MSA Board Elections, but other things have happened that I think are worth noting.

MOCK TRIAL NATIONALS:
It's official...I am hooked to mock trial. I knew it was going to happen, but I didn't think so soon. I have dedicated myself to becoming a better "mocker." I'll learn those rules of evidence back and front; I'll perfect the art of direct and cross examination; I won't know karate, but I'll know crazy! Why the sudden addiction? This past weekend I was in Des Moines for the College Mock Trial nationals. And how did we do you might ask? WE ROCKED IT! We got 6th place, which is the second best finish at nationals in the history of the Yale Mock Trial Association. Yeah, I know, it's pretty awesome! So, I am caught, guilty as sin, I love mock trial, and love the people on my team!

GESO STRIKE:
The most ridiculous thing to happen to the university during my year here. The graduate students organization wants to be recognized as a union. I know...it's ridiculous! This is what I want to tell these punks:

• The university is paying for you to go to school here.
  
• You get paid an average of $18,000 for less than 25 hours a week and 9 months in the year.
• You want health insurance for you kids....I know, but you chose to go to school later in life. Suck it up, and take some loans. You aren't being exploited!
• You are making the right to unionize illegitimate for those on campus who really do need to be in a union. Again, you are not being exploited!
• Finally, you don't need to be a union to advocate for certain issues. We all know your presence on campus, and really, life on campus will go on, despite your strike.

I understand the eloquence of my argument isn't enough to convince everyone, but if people knew more about the issues, they would understand how detrimental this whole endevour is.

FINALLY, MSA ELECTIONS:
They sucked, is the only way I can put it. I was disappointed by the display of immaturity and drama. Let's give some background of course....someone wanted to run for president, but last minutes. S/he did not accept his/her nomination, nor did s/he turn in a candidacy statement. Yet, this person still wanted to run, because the other candidate was running uncontested. Why the sudden change in heart? It wasn't for the sake of competition, no, it was because someone discouraged this person to run in the first place, and people were hounding him/her to run, so that the Pakis don't take over. What do the Pakis have to do with anything? Well everyone in the MSA is afraid of the Paki Bloc vote in MSA elections. The uncontested presidential candidate was of course Pakistani, while the last minute person was Arab. So all of the Arab graduate students saw it fit to go into the election and have a "discussion", if you can call it that. It was more of a gang-up-on-our-current-president discussion. She was in tears! I was very disturbed by the whole incident. I thought that Islam is supposed to rise above these petty disputes about race and ethnicity. We are supposed to bond over ties through faith. I am now very disillusioned with the Muslim Students Association, and sadly, it will take a lot for me to rebuild my confidence in the organization. We'll see how it goes, but I thought I would leave you with this, which was on my mind when I walked out of the Musallah....

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ وَأُنْثَى وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ
O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).

Al-Qur'an, 049.013 (Al-Hujraat [The Private Apartments, The Inner Apartments])

Cats: The Natural Picker-Upper

Today my sister got a cat, named Linus. He's a gray tabby with huge doleful green eyes. Ever since I was a kid, I have wanted a cat, and now I finally have one. I've been pretty stressed with all the work that has been rammed right at me. We only have 3 weeks left in school, but have centuries more of material to cover. The only way to cover it all is to go at lightning pace; there will be casualties along the way. I just can't be one of them!



Back to the cat though, which has been a surprising source of happiness for me. Just being able to pick him up and pet him has been so soothing and calming. It's been the best de-stressor I found to date. Why is that pets bring us such joy? I can't tell you really, I've only been a pseudo-cat owner for the span of one day, which hardly qualifies me as a cat expert, let alone an expert in human psychology. Here is what Linus the Wonderful can do though:

• Give you something soft to hold and stroke without all of the mess and hassle that comes with a baby, but with emotion and reactions not found in your average stuffed animal.
• Someone to do stupid stuff with...he won't judge...and if he does, he won't be telling anyone.
• Someone to talk to who won't give you stupid advice, call you stupid, and won't hang up the phone on you.

These are just a few of the many great things a cat can do for you, not just Linus. Be forewarned, not all cats are as docile and calm as Linus. Some are crazy like my sister's friend's cat, named Xena. Well, no wonder with a name like that, right? Cats are just so much easier to deal with than people; they seem to know what's going around them, whereas people are just always frantic, not knowing their surroundings or what comes next. There is an infinite wisdom about them. Maybe that's why ancient religions used to worship cats and the feminine mystique was represented at times in the form of a cat. It's odd, observing a creature other than humans, because you realize the simplicity of their behavior to such a complex world. Why can't we be more like that? I assure you I would be a lot less stressed! I see Linus and it reminds me how my worldview could be different, more simple, the way it was intended to be.

If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man but deteriorate the cat.- Mark Twain, famous and popular American humorist and writer (1865-1910).

Oh...the Yale MSA

Today was the first time in a long time I went to juma'a, which is the Muslim weekly religious services. Today was also the first time ever I went to eat lunch with the MSA. I of course enjoyed the experience. The Yale MSA is one of the most accepting and kind groups I have found at Yale, and they have made my transition here much easier. As I was the only Muslim at my high school, it was so nice to find a group of Muslims outside of the mosque.

The experience was....interesting as well, because it opened a door for me that I have never been accustomed too. As I said, being the one lone Muslim at my school, I didn't know if the concerns of other Muslims in a non-Muslim environment were the same as my own. I didn't know what they talked about. I assumed they would be the same...I assumed they would be similar....boy, was I wrong. Of course the topics vary from person to person; we are not some monolithic group of people with the same interests and hobbies. There were though a group that I had known of, but never encountered. I'll call them the nit-picky Muslims...well, that's an exaggeration, but you know what I mean. Anyway, they were talking about whether it was ok to eat the chicken marsala they make in the dining halls, because it was made with bourbon sauce. It had never even occurred to me that it would be wrong to eat it, because the alcohol is automatically evaporated when heated. Sitting with a group of south asians, one of them had to know the boiling point of alcohol, and they must have known that it was very low (78 degrees Fahrenheit, to be exact; not the temperature they cook chicken at!).

The reason I brought this up was because I thought it was such a minor point of contention, I couldn't believe we were talking about it. I understand the concept of being safe, but....I just don't understand. I love all of these people, but I just couldn't comprehend the reason this was even being discussed. Did someone really have to ask whether it was ok to eat it? Come on, we are Muslims that go to Yale....we should have a little more common sense then this. But then again, really smart people have their head in the clouds sometime. And I stopped myself from judging them. They deserve to have different concerns than me. I know I have much more shallow concerns than that. I had a lesson in judging people today.

The episode for me was very enlightening. I saw that the concerns of other Muslims were not the same as mine, that they weren't even similar. But that's ok, because I'm fine with the differences between us. They have already accepted me as the quirky, weird, dramatic, talkative, loud, from another planet person that I am....and I love them for it....

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them." -- Mother Teresa