I like Webb's approach. I wouldn't call it American style. It's more like 21st century style. If religions don't evolve they become irrelevant. But too many religious leaders in Islam and in Christianity remain stuck in the past.

I was enjoying the article until I came across some contradictions.  Certainly, there is nothing wrong with talking about basketball games and such but other things he suggests are misguided.  He wants to create an "American-Islam" which is true to the Quran and Islamic Law, yet he feels that segregating men and women in the mosque is not necessary.  Does not Islamic law state that they should be segregated?  He suggests that mosques adopt a "don't ask, don't tell policy" towards gays.  Well, first of all, I don't know of any mosque which actually asks its members whether they are gay before allowing them to enter the premises.  Second of all, to adopt such a policy would be to give indirect approval of homosexuality.  This is not in line with the Quran and Islamic law.  Sorry, but it just is not.  This is why I am always suspicious of people who try to promote their own version of Islam while claiming they are staying true to the Quran and Sunnah, when they are not.   

Let me make this as simple as possible.  There is no "American Islam".  There is no "European Islam".  There is no "Asian Islam".  Islam is Islam.  That is it.  Extremism is anti-Islam but so is liberalism.  Islam is the moderate path, the middle path.  We are Muslims.  Allah (swt) does not want us to create versions of Islam based on our nationalities or ethnicities.  This will only create division and division is the last thing we need.   

I think our brother Suhaib would argue with respect to; �there is no American Islam� that indeed there isn�t in terms of shariah, however when looking at fiqh issues - scholars are to consider circumstances of place, culture and time when making judgments.  In other words, can we in a modern American context always simply refer to the first three generations when making fiqh judgments or is there flexibility given our time and circumstances?  I live in Los Angeles and some Islamic centers allow for paying zakatul fitr with cash, however other Masjids cite traditional classical jurists who only allow zakatul fitr to be paid in grain or foodstuff according to hadith.  I think given our circumstances (American context) and the purpose behind paying zakatul fitr � poor families are better served with cash. 

semar wrote: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/06/03/3126510/imam-preaches-islam-with-a-distinctly.html Imam preaches Islam with a distinctly American style

What else, he is an American and he is striking the iron while it is hot...
The point I am attempting to put across is that since the discovery of the black gold in ME and particularly the Saudi Wahabism/Salafism has made the traditional Muzlums life miserable with their clout of the petro dollars and inside track with the establishment! I think one needs to look through the background!

With the fall of Brits the only way forward for the career minded scholars(remember Mirza's Ahmedis) ran through KSA and onwards!
BTW never forget who sponsored KSA?

The lowly of the subcontinent and ME trekked west for the greener pastures of Europe and or US to get away from it all and that lasted for good score and half years...Then the dumb Carterites saw the Iranian revolution as result of CIA's miscalculations and with hostage fiasco all hell broke loose... for the settled Muzlums in the US it was time to run for cover. They wondered how were they left alone that long by the agents of colonialists! They were born again not necessarily out of choice and they started praying in their garages or houses and started donation drives for the mosques! Well and good by then they had own broods growing up!
 In order to counter the pernicious post revolution the Khomeinite following  amongst awakened youth the establishment let 'Rabita Islami the propaganda arm ofthe Saudi Mafia' to do something with an unlimited buckets of cash!

A simplest approach the sponsorship of  Imam/ directors of Islamic societies  payroll for the American mosque projects! So unwittingly the born again Muzlums who hardly remembered their own creed from the old colonial countries were being led by the imams imported from the Whabi schools all over! A visit to any mosque and you could see the MO of prayer a distinct whabi style if you knew how!
Slowly the tug of war between these imams and the management boards ensued and there are quite a few sad stories one can relate to! You know what, when things got ugly the establishment was always there to help the Rabita's side!

But things trucked along Muzlums either partied at home or were directed to the mosques or the Imam baras as the case would be!

Then suddenly on the morning of 9/11/2001 a new disaster unfolded while people looked on and the mosque project became a non act and a good number of youth went into a blue funk! Those terrorists did hang around the Rabita experiment mosques! That should never be shoved under the rug!
The Rabita supplied Imams were not up to the mark, Saudis pulled the plug and left town creating a vacuum of leadership! That still exists today!

Then came the pseudo Wahhabi teachers the fifth columnar/ Salafis  in the shape of Almaghrib and he is one of them...Only the time will tell at the harvest time what would be reaped and by who?
The selling of religion in America is a great business! People don't have time to check the genuineness of package in hurry! Allah help us all!


Edited by Sign*Reader - 13 June 2011 at 1:18pm