Post by Islamic Revival on Jul 4, 2005 2:46:31 GMT -5
There is an excellet discussion between Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan (editors of New Civilisation magazine) and some non-Muslims on a forum called 'The Well'. Sajjad and Farooq explain many Islamic concepts and many details of the way the Khilafah will be implemented.
It's very long, so I'll keep pasting, and see how far I can get.
inkwell.vue 235: Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan, "New Civilisation"
#0 of 281: Cynthia Dyer-Bennet (cdb) Wed 12 Jan 2005 (07:41 AM)
Joining us today in Inkwell.vue are Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan (not related), who'll be sharing with us their thoughts on Islamic economics and politics, as explored in "New Civilisation" magazine, a political Islamic magazine aimed at the western intelligentsia and designed to promote greater debate and awareness in a post 9/11 world.
Sajjad is the editor of "New Civilisation." He's been studying and lecturing on Islamic issues for more than 15 years and has debated them with United Kingdom figures ranging from the deputy editors of the London Times and the Economist to those in the world of academia. He holds a degree in accountancy and economics from the Cardiff Business School.
Farooq is a contributing writer to "New Civilisation." He's worked as a research analyst and for a strategy consultancy, and has researched areas as diverse as sustainable development, biotechnology and nanotechnology. He is presently chief creative officer for a media company. Farooq is a graduate of the Surrey Institute of Art & Design University College and a member of the global Islamic political party Hizb ut-Tahrir.
Leading the conversation is Gerry Feeney. Gerry is an application software developer and information systems consultant with more than 25 years of experience, mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has been the host of <cross.>, the WELL's Christianity conference, since 1995. He's married, with four grown children. He says he gets much joy and delight from watching people of diverse backgrounds coming together to find common ground.
Welcome, Sajjad, Farooq and Gerry. Take it away!
inkwell.vue 235: Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan, "New Civilisation"
#1 of 281: Gerry Feeney (gerry) Wed 12 Jan 2005 (06:30 PM)
Thank you, Cynthia.
Hello, Sajjad and Farooq, and welcome to Engaged. Before we begin talking about _New Civilization_ magazine, I would like first to talk a little about your background.
For the sake of endeavoring to understand your perspective, I'd like to ask you the following: I understand that both of you live in England. Were you born there? When did you, or your respective families, immigrate, and from where? Was English your first language, or did you grow up speaking an ethnic language/dialect in your home?
Are each of you Muslims from birth, or did you convert to Islam from a different tradition than that of your parents? How would you describe the experience of living in the UK as a Muslim, overall, both before and after September 11, 2001?
inkwell.vue 235: Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan, "New Civilisation"
#2 of 281: Farooq Khan (farooq) Thu 13 Jan 2005 (01:17 PM)
Thanks Cynthia. Hello Gerry.
I was born in England in a beautiful part of the country known as Shotleigh Bridge which is near Durham in 1972. My father first came here back in the 1960's to continue his education. He was a doctor and graduated from a famous medical school in Karachi, Pakistan called Dow medical college. He came to study at Glasgow University. During this time there was a great demand for doctors in the nascent NHS and so my father found work in England. It was a big decision as to whether he should stay in England or go back to Pakistan. My mother also comes from Pakistan and she studied Political Science, she was also going to study medicine but then married my father and settled in England. They didn't really plan to stay but things just turned out that way. It was a difficult adjustment having to adapt to the British way of life. Like all imigrants holding on to your values is a difficult thing and was a source of conflict as I grew up.
English was spoken at home although my father insisted I learn Urdu which I tried to resist for a long time. I think I gave my mother a few headaches as she tried to teach me. I always found ways of evading this home ritual!
I am Muslim by birth and my father took on the responsibility of teaching me about Islam. He taught me the Quran and instilled within me from a very early age the concern for the Muslim world. I remember as a kid when Sadat was assasinated and giving my father a full report when he came back from work. Politics figured strongly in my household and this grew as we saw the plight of Muslims in Bosnia, Palestine and the first Gulf war of 1991.
inkwell.vue 235: Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan, "New Civilisation"
#3 of 281: Farooq Khan (farooq) Thu 13 Jan 2005 (01:30 PM)
Growing up in England was difficult for a whole number or reasons. I encountered some racism but on the whole it wasn't too problematic. I fitted in because I excelled in sports and this broke down a lot of barriers. However deep down I never felt I could fit in especially when Bosnia and the Gulf war happened. I was at college during this time studying for my A'Levels. It was really the first time in my life when I began to question who I was. I grew up predominantly around non-Muslims and the Gulf war affected my relationships with my friends at the time, as well as my family. I felt torn between two cultures.
When I was at university I began to explore more and then came into Islam. Before then I was antagonistic towards Islam but always felt a connection with Muslims in Bosnia and Palestine. I would watch the news with my father and he would just be demoralised watching the slaughter like thousands of Muslims in the west. This really awakened my generation.
After 9/11 I can see and feel that things have become much more polarised. It is a worrying time for Muslims living in the west. There are many dangers and Muslims are under attack from every corner. When 9/11 happened it shook the Muslim community. I remember watching it on TV as it happened and was completely stunned.
inkwell.vue 235: Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan, "New Civilisation"
#4 of 281: Farooq Khan (farooq) Thu 13 Jan 2005 (01:36 PM)
Growing up in Britain post 9/11 leaves my very uncertain and worried about the future of not only the Muslim community in the west but the whole Muslim world. The nature of the war in Afghansitan and now Iraq sets a new precedent in western foreign policy.
inkwell.vue 235: Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan, "New Civilisation"
#5 of 281: Sajjad Khan (sajjadkhan) Thu 13 Jan 2005 (03:37 PM)
Thanks Cynthia and Gerry
I was also born in England born to parents who were brought up in the North West of Pakistan. My Grandfather traveled extensively first working on the railways in Nairobi and then traveled to the UK in the 1960's bringing with him my father and uncles.
Like with most Asians in the UK our lives began quite modestly and childhood in the UK was challenging but always comfortable. Parental focus was inevitable on prioritising education and all three of us (elder brother and younger sister)have gone on to become university graduates eventually all passing professional examinations. The two brothers doing accountancy and the sister now in Los Angeles a qualified pharmacist.
Having parents from the North West of Pakistan means we had a proud Pathan tradition and so Pashtu was and is still the main language spoken in the house. Yet despite this, English remains the preferred medium of communication between the siblings.
I am Muslim by birth and my mother took on the primary responsibility of teaching me about Islam. She taught me the Quran but it was only at university that I began to study Islam and its holistic nature more deeply, a period which shaped my views around various subjects.
With respect to being a Muslim in Britain, the issue revolves around three aspects in my opinion. Firstly on the individual level, generally you can practice Islam as much as you want. Secondly on the societal level, I would make two points. Firstly I have generally found most people I have met to be fair and open minded whether in work situations or in other arenas. However despite this you do witness many adverse trends in society (social, economic, political, intellectual)that are occurring, which by their nature you can not ignore. Finally on the international level the policies of Western states before and after 9-11 has had a profound effect on Muslims wherever they have lived. Coupled with our beliefs, it is these trends both in the societies we live in and what we see on the international stage that has created the impetus for many of us to engage in political activism. To quote Charles De Gaulle 'Politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.' Post 9-11 the quote has added impetus and was the key driver behind the vision for New Civilisation Magazine.
inkwell.vue 235: Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan, "New Civilisation"
#6 of 281: Gerry Feeney (gerry) Thu 13 Jan 2005 (08:12 PM)
Thanks, Farooq and Sajjad, for providing some additional background. I think it helps us to grasp a better vision of your circumstances and frame of reference.
> I felt torn between two cultures.
This is something I've heard often in interviews with young ethnic Muslims living in Europe and the USA. And I have the impression that it's not necessarily limited to Muslims, since I've heard similar sentiments expressed by members of various other ethnic groups that I've known in the USA, such as Filipinos, Mexicans, Chinese, etc.
So, Farooq, is it accurate to surmise that, although you grew up as a westerner, at the same time you feel a connection to the land, culture, and religion of your parents? And that this connection gave you a _world view_ that is very different from that of most of your British peers, even though their upbringing was in many ways similar to your own? Based on your comments about how you suddenly felt divided from your friends as a result of the Gulf War of '91, and other events concerning Muslims elsewhere in the world, I've been trying to imagine your plight, and guessing that the primary difference between you and your British peers is your world view. Do you think that's a fair assessment?
Sajjad, I'm also wondering to what extent your experience was similar to what Farooq has described. Did you also find yourself parting company with people whom you otherwise liked, because of your feelings about world events?
What is it that a Muslim in the USA or Europe can see in other parts of the world, that a non-Muslim typically fails to see? Why do you think the perspectives are different?
inkwell.vue 235: Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan, "New Civilisation"
#7 of 281: Gerry Feeney (gerry) Fri 14 Jan 2005 (05:55 AM)
> To quote Charles De Gaulle 'Politics are too serious a
> matter to be left to the politicians.' Post 9-11 the
> quote has added impetus and was the key driver >behind the vision for New Civilisation Magazine.
I like that quote, Sajjad. And with that, our discussion can segue to the reason why we're here: New Civilisation Magazine.
I have what appears to be the debut issue of _New Civilisation_, Vol. 0.1, Autumn 2004. What first impressed me about it was its high quality. The magazine can also be subscribed to and read online at www.newcivilisation.com/.
What can you tell us about the background of the magazine? Who's idea was it, and what resources were involved in organizing the effort? Who is the magazine's target audience?
It's very long, so I'll keep pasting, and see how far I can get.
inkwell.vue 235: Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan, "New Civilisation"
#0 of 281: Cynthia Dyer-Bennet (cdb) Wed 12 Jan 2005 (07:41 AM)
Joining us today in Inkwell.vue are Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan (not related), who'll be sharing with us their thoughts on Islamic economics and politics, as explored in "New Civilisation" magazine, a political Islamic magazine aimed at the western intelligentsia and designed to promote greater debate and awareness in a post 9/11 world.
Sajjad is the editor of "New Civilisation." He's been studying and lecturing on Islamic issues for more than 15 years and has debated them with United Kingdom figures ranging from the deputy editors of the London Times and the Economist to those in the world of academia. He holds a degree in accountancy and economics from the Cardiff Business School.
Farooq is a contributing writer to "New Civilisation." He's worked as a research analyst and for a strategy consultancy, and has researched areas as diverse as sustainable development, biotechnology and nanotechnology. He is presently chief creative officer for a media company. Farooq is a graduate of the Surrey Institute of Art & Design University College and a member of the global Islamic political party Hizb ut-Tahrir.
Leading the conversation is Gerry Feeney. Gerry is an application software developer and information systems consultant with more than 25 years of experience, mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has been the host of <cross.>, the WELL's Christianity conference, since 1995. He's married, with four grown children. He says he gets much joy and delight from watching people of diverse backgrounds coming together to find common ground.
Welcome, Sajjad, Farooq and Gerry. Take it away!
inkwell.vue 235: Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan, "New Civilisation"
#1 of 281: Gerry Feeney (gerry) Wed 12 Jan 2005 (06:30 PM)
Thank you, Cynthia.
Hello, Sajjad and Farooq, and welcome to Engaged. Before we begin talking about _New Civilization_ magazine, I would like first to talk a little about your background.
For the sake of endeavoring to understand your perspective, I'd like to ask you the following: I understand that both of you live in England. Were you born there? When did you, or your respective families, immigrate, and from where? Was English your first language, or did you grow up speaking an ethnic language/dialect in your home?
Are each of you Muslims from birth, or did you convert to Islam from a different tradition than that of your parents? How would you describe the experience of living in the UK as a Muslim, overall, both before and after September 11, 2001?
inkwell.vue 235: Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan, "New Civilisation"
#2 of 281: Farooq Khan (farooq) Thu 13 Jan 2005 (01:17 PM)
Thanks Cynthia. Hello Gerry.
I was born in England in a beautiful part of the country known as Shotleigh Bridge which is near Durham in 1972. My father first came here back in the 1960's to continue his education. He was a doctor and graduated from a famous medical school in Karachi, Pakistan called Dow medical college. He came to study at Glasgow University. During this time there was a great demand for doctors in the nascent NHS and so my father found work in England. It was a big decision as to whether he should stay in England or go back to Pakistan. My mother also comes from Pakistan and she studied Political Science, she was also going to study medicine but then married my father and settled in England. They didn't really plan to stay but things just turned out that way. It was a difficult adjustment having to adapt to the British way of life. Like all imigrants holding on to your values is a difficult thing and was a source of conflict as I grew up.
English was spoken at home although my father insisted I learn Urdu which I tried to resist for a long time. I think I gave my mother a few headaches as she tried to teach me. I always found ways of evading this home ritual!
I am Muslim by birth and my father took on the responsibility of teaching me about Islam. He taught me the Quran and instilled within me from a very early age the concern for the Muslim world. I remember as a kid when Sadat was assasinated and giving my father a full report when he came back from work. Politics figured strongly in my household and this grew as we saw the plight of Muslims in Bosnia, Palestine and the first Gulf war of 1991.
inkwell.vue 235: Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan, "New Civilisation"
#3 of 281: Farooq Khan (farooq) Thu 13 Jan 2005 (01:30 PM)
Growing up in England was difficult for a whole number or reasons. I encountered some racism but on the whole it wasn't too problematic. I fitted in because I excelled in sports and this broke down a lot of barriers. However deep down I never felt I could fit in especially when Bosnia and the Gulf war happened. I was at college during this time studying for my A'Levels. It was really the first time in my life when I began to question who I was. I grew up predominantly around non-Muslims and the Gulf war affected my relationships with my friends at the time, as well as my family. I felt torn between two cultures.
When I was at university I began to explore more and then came into Islam. Before then I was antagonistic towards Islam but always felt a connection with Muslims in Bosnia and Palestine. I would watch the news with my father and he would just be demoralised watching the slaughter like thousands of Muslims in the west. This really awakened my generation.
After 9/11 I can see and feel that things have become much more polarised. It is a worrying time for Muslims living in the west. There are many dangers and Muslims are under attack from every corner. When 9/11 happened it shook the Muslim community. I remember watching it on TV as it happened and was completely stunned.
inkwell.vue 235: Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan, "New Civilisation"
#4 of 281: Farooq Khan (farooq) Thu 13 Jan 2005 (01:36 PM)
Growing up in Britain post 9/11 leaves my very uncertain and worried about the future of not only the Muslim community in the west but the whole Muslim world. The nature of the war in Afghansitan and now Iraq sets a new precedent in western foreign policy.
inkwell.vue 235: Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan, "New Civilisation"
#5 of 281: Sajjad Khan (sajjadkhan) Thu 13 Jan 2005 (03:37 PM)
Thanks Cynthia and Gerry
I was also born in England born to parents who were brought up in the North West of Pakistan. My Grandfather traveled extensively first working on the railways in Nairobi and then traveled to the UK in the 1960's bringing with him my father and uncles.
Like with most Asians in the UK our lives began quite modestly and childhood in the UK was challenging but always comfortable. Parental focus was inevitable on prioritising education and all three of us (elder brother and younger sister)have gone on to become university graduates eventually all passing professional examinations. The two brothers doing accountancy and the sister now in Los Angeles a qualified pharmacist.
Having parents from the North West of Pakistan means we had a proud Pathan tradition and so Pashtu was and is still the main language spoken in the house. Yet despite this, English remains the preferred medium of communication between the siblings.
I am Muslim by birth and my mother took on the primary responsibility of teaching me about Islam. She taught me the Quran but it was only at university that I began to study Islam and its holistic nature more deeply, a period which shaped my views around various subjects.
With respect to being a Muslim in Britain, the issue revolves around three aspects in my opinion. Firstly on the individual level, generally you can practice Islam as much as you want. Secondly on the societal level, I would make two points. Firstly I have generally found most people I have met to be fair and open minded whether in work situations or in other arenas. However despite this you do witness many adverse trends in society (social, economic, political, intellectual)that are occurring, which by their nature you can not ignore. Finally on the international level the policies of Western states before and after 9-11 has had a profound effect on Muslims wherever they have lived. Coupled with our beliefs, it is these trends both in the societies we live in and what we see on the international stage that has created the impetus for many of us to engage in political activism. To quote Charles De Gaulle 'Politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.' Post 9-11 the quote has added impetus and was the key driver behind the vision for New Civilisation Magazine.
inkwell.vue 235: Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan, "New Civilisation"
#6 of 281: Gerry Feeney (gerry) Thu 13 Jan 2005 (08:12 PM)
Thanks, Farooq and Sajjad, for providing some additional background. I think it helps us to grasp a better vision of your circumstances and frame of reference.
> I felt torn between two cultures.
This is something I've heard often in interviews with young ethnic Muslims living in Europe and the USA. And I have the impression that it's not necessarily limited to Muslims, since I've heard similar sentiments expressed by members of various other ethnic groups that I've known in the USA, such as Filipinos, Mexicans, Chinese, etc.
So, Farooq, is it accurate to surmise that, although you grew up as a westerner, at the same time you feel a connection to the land, culture, and religion of your parents? And that this connection gave you a _world view_ that is very different from that of most of your British peers, even though their upbringing was in many ways similar to your own? Based on your comments about how you suddenly felt divided from your friends as a result of the Gulf War of '91, and other events concerning Muslims elsewhere in the world, I've been trying to imagine your plight, and guessing that the primary difference between you and your British peers is your world view. Do you think that's a fair assessment?
Sajjad, I'm also wondering to what extent your experience was similar to what Farooq has described. Did you also find yourself parting company with people whom you otherwise liked, because of your feelings about world events?
What is it that a Muslim in the USA or Europe can see in other parts of the world, that a non-Muslim typically fails to see? Why do you think the perspectives are different?
inkwell.vue 235: Sajjad Khan and Farooq Khan, "New Civilisation"
#7 of 281: Gerry Feeney (gerry) Fri 14 Jan 2005 (05:55 AM)
> To quote Charles De Gaulle 'Politics are too serious a
> matter to be left to the politicians.' Post 9-11 the
> quote has added impetus and was the key driver >behind the vision for New Civilisation Magazine.
I like that quote, Sajjad. And with that, our discussion can segue to the reason why we're here: New Civilisation Magazine.
I have what appears to be the debut issue of _New Civilisation_, Vol. 0.1, Autumn 2004. What first impressed me about it was its high quality. The magazine can also be subscribed to and read online at www.newcivilisation.com/.
What can you tell us about the background of the magazine? Who's idea was it, and what resources were involved in organizing the effort? Who is the magazine's target audience?