We’ve got too many people standing in our way to be wasting time giving out bad vibes to each other.

Constructive criticism? God knows we need it. But the bickering should be thrown out along with the lateness, the bad parking, and the bad English.

Our community is consumed with petty ‘tit-for-tat’ infighting. I agree that some Muslim websites don’t assist in developing a sense of brotherhood and common courtesy within our ranks, thus leaving us open to division - however the way to fight it is to set the standard. Lets raise the tone of islamic discourse, outside the mosques, inside, at college, on the streets and yes on the web. If enough Muslims adopted the correct standard you can imagine all those who fail to keep to the standard would soon realise they would not get a hearing. I have seen some positive developments with some islamic groups recently. We have got to change the environment in which we converse, de-polute it without, of course, leaving debating the important issues of the day.

I am saddened that some find it so easy to slander others, simply because they have different opinions. You only have to read my own blog, for example, to appreciate that the accusations that we are traiters is extremely hurtful. Then again, I have sadly had to learn that this is something new Muslims must get used to, whenever we input from a different angle.

There may be something in the suggestion that some of us should familiarise ourselves with diaspora South Asian culture, but — at the same time — those born into Muslim families would do well to better appreciate the experience of Muslims such as myself. We are often alienated from the culture from which we originate, yet at the same time we are deeply rooted within it. We tend to be living without the safetynet of a close Muslim community and instead live quite isolated lives. We are also tied to a historical, sometimes liberal tradition which means that we sometimes see things differently.

However, the realiy is that my friends span all ethnic communities and a diaspora experience is not universal - nor the new Muslim experience. Why don’t we all just try to get much better at “listening” - we might all get on better and not then resort to slandering one another? Just some thoughts. Wasalam.

As-Salaamu ‘alaikum,

They only call me a “Zionist” because I’m capable of having a civilised conversation with the people at Harry’s Place or Judy at Adloyada. That doesn’t make me a Zionist - anyone who could say that obviously has never read anything else I’ve written and too lazy to find out (such as by searching for “Palestine” or looking at the category by that name on my main blog).

I believe that Muslim dialogue with other communities has to be done with credibility, and this credibility is undermined when people resort to intemperate language and flirt with racist elements by, for example, posting images from far-right websites on our own sites. We need to debate as mature adults and not resort to cheap shock tactics.

Whilst I don’t disagree with most of the points you have made here, I see them from the perspective of someone who is a critical friend of MPACUK, despite having to take a fair amount of flack from Asghar and his mates in the past. I actually ended up getting invited to one of their functions recently, although I was unable to attend.

There is plenty that could be better about MPACUK (and let’s not forget that they are quite chummy with the MCB). However, this post has already provoked allegations on MPACUK forum that you are either traitors or secret Zionists (I’ve had that one, too), which is admitedly very silly, but the fact is you might as well be if this going to be your angle.

I think you should take a little time to read some works by Ron Geaves, Pnina Werbner and Muhammad Anwar, and get a proper feel for diaspora South Asian culture. Better still, pick up Robert Young’s Postcolonialism: A Short Introduction, and read the first paragraph. If your not looking from there, your just another dumb ghura.

Wasalaam

Yakoub

Yusuf Smith has relaunched Blogistan as “a Muslim group blog for mainstream, orthodox Muslims, offering commentary on both religious and social issues from a Muslim…