The Future of Shari'a

The following are questions with answers, some from Dr. Abdullahi An-Na'im himself, that some participants have asked or are likely to ask. I hope that they will clear up any confusion regarding the study. If readers or potential participants have any further questions, they may feel free to contact me (shaqqan@emory.edu) or Dr. An-Na'im (aannaim@emory.edu).

1. What is the purpose of the study?
In Dr. An-Na'ims words: "Two years ago I published a book entitled: Islam and the Secular State: Negotiating the Future of Sharia (Harvard University Press, 2008).  That book was first published in Indonesia (2007), then in English and now in Arabic out of Cairo, Egypt (2010).  This present study is an effort to test some of the ideas I presented in that book by examining the actual experience and views of American Muslims." Hence, my (Shehnaz Haqqani's) part of the study is to get in touch with Muslims from anywhere in America, and hold honest conversations/discussions with them about their life as American Muslims (their concerns, their thoughts (both good and bad) about their life as American and Muslim). My part also includes figuring out who lives where, which Muslim sects are dominant where, what sorts of occupations which Muslims tend to have, and what is the nexus between their practice of Islam and their concerns and thoughts about American life. 

As Dr. An-Na'im adds, "The part of the study that is conducted by Shehnaz Haqqani is to provide a demographic socio-economic profile of American Muslims, without claiming to be a comprehensive, social-science study as such.  There is also a political analysis part of the study and a legal analysis.  The general objective is to contribute to enhancing the citizenship of American Muslims by sharing information about their experiences, the resources they use to affirm their identity as both Muslims and American, to identify whatever difficulties or negative experiences some American Muslims may have and explore ways of overcoming that."

2. Who is funding it?
This study is funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York through a grant to Dr. Abdullahi An-Na'im as “Islam Scholar 2009” for which he was nominated by Emory University.

3. What happens if people don't participate?
"The only consequence of refusal to respond is that that person’s views and experience will not be reflected in our study," Dr. An-Na'im states.

4. How confidential is the survey?
Quoting Dr. An-Naim "The whole study is completely and absolutely confidential and anonymous.  General democratic profile of the person, location, etc. are requested in case it becomes relevant to our analysis.  But it will never be possible to identify the person who said anything simply because we do not keep that information.  We are NOT interested in that sort of information at all."

5. How do we participate?
Participants can choose to answer the questiona presented in the survey through phone (I give my number through e-mail), or they can give me their number and I will call them at a time most convenient for them), through a Skype live chat (I will give my ID to interested individuals), or through e-mail (they can type their answers and send them to me in the body of the e-mail). If the participants live in Atlanta, I can meet them in person as well. Most respondents so far have preferred the phone-call method, which relieves them of the burden of typing. 

I present here some questions to consider during the interviews (online chats, phone conversations, in-person discussions) with participants. It must be noted that the study is not on Islam in America but on Muslims in America. The difference is that we are more interested in how Muslims feel about being in America rather than what they believe Islam is all about. Responses to these questions may be e-mailed to Shehnaz Haqqani at shaqqan@emory.edu.

Please try to be specific when answering, as answers will be selected for publication.

If some participants prefer not to type the answers themselves, I can also be contacted via phone (the number can be requested through e-mail). That way, the pressure of typing is not on those who are responding. So far, the average time these answers have taken on the phone has been 25 minutes.

For the demographic part of the study, please consider the following questions:

1. Your gender?

2. Are you a born-Muslim or a convert/revert to Islam?

3. Are you an immigrant, an international student, or American-born?

4. Your current location?

5. If you work, what do you do?

6. What is your age range? (Answers are not required to be specific. One may choose to say, "I'm in my late-30s.")

7. What is your ethnicity? Do you know of any U.S. city with a population of your ethnicity?

8. Do you adhere to any particular sect of Islam (e.g., Shiite / Sunni)?

For the socio-political concerns section of the study, please consider the following questions:

1. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 = great), how would you rate your experience as a Muslim in America?

2. If you were in the U.S. before the Sept. 11 attacks, has life changed for you in any way as a result of that? If so, how?

3. What do you believe are the negative points, if any, about life for American Muslims?

4. Do you have any complaints about being a Muslim in America? If so, what are they? For example, have you ever faced discrimination in the workplace, school, airport, or anywhere else because of your Muslim faith?

5. What do you believe are the positive points, if any, about life in America for Muslims?

6. If you face discrimination of any sort, do you think it comes more from Muslims or from non-Muslims? Please explain.

7. Do you pray at work/school? If you don't out of personal choice, do you think it would cause any problems for you?

8. Do you have any advice for other American Muslims?

9. Do you have any suggestions that you would like to see implemented in Muslim communities around the U.S.?

10. What would you like America as well as Americans to know about you as a Muslim individual?
 
11. What does a secular state mean to you? And what do you think about the secularist state of America?

NOTE: Participants may also choose to provide other information that is not requested in these questions.
 

Below is a summary of a focus group discussion held at the University of Toronto, in Toronto, Canada, on May 22nd 2010, led by Dr. Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im. The theme was “Muslims in North America: Enhancing Citizenship.” The report does not attribute the comments and views of speakers by name in respect of confidentiality in order to encourage candid deliberations.
 

According to a discussion held with the Muslims of Toronto, Canada, the Muslim community believes that the post- 9/11 world scenario has increasingly alienated them as a people belonging to a certain faith instead of treating them as equal citizens of the state. While the discriminatory treatment for the Muslim immigrants is on the rise, it is even more felt by the citizens as well: many Muslims, particularly those who perceived themselves as common Canadians prior to 9/11, feel as though their Canadian citizenship has diminished after the incident. Some advise, therefore, that Muslims be cautious about their behavior and attitude because they are “under attack.” Further, “Muslims in North America [have] become more concerned with ‘condemning terrorism’ and ‘being friendly’ to the public perspective instead of trying to be themselves and be proud of it,” according to one participant. Islamophobia and discrimination against Muslims, especially those who are “visibly Muslims” (e.g., an African Canadian who wears Muslim symbols, or a hijabi woman), have undeniably increased throughout Canada.

Moreover, some contributors to the study argue, the West does not acknowledge the fact that Islam is not practiced the same way by all Muslims everywhere. Unfortunately, “Every time one Muslim says something unreasonable, the media makes it representative of Islam itself, but when another Muslim says something positive, that’s only his/her opinion!” Muslims demand, then, that while their misdeeds not necessarily be concealed, their positive contribution to society also be recognized and appreciated.
 
Others have expressed their concern about those Muslim immigrants who “tend to enclose themselves from the broader community.” It is not requested that they necessarily adopt the lifestyle and values of those around them, but they are encouraged to participate as equal members of the society they build with others – both Muslims and non-Muslims, immigrants and natives. One way this might be achieved is by having Muslim citizens welcome new Muslim immigrants when the latter arrive so as not to “re-invent the wheel every time.” Creating and developing interest groups would also be beneficial: “It is well-understood and accepted within the broader society that interest groups tend to associate [people with common interests] and organize [communities].” Having Muslim engineers, lawyers, doctors, businesspersons, and other professionals associating, for example, would help strengthen and unite the Muslim community.
 

At the same time, however, other Muslims believe that “asking to be treated specially (e.g., Sharia courts) contradicts our request of being integrated and accepted as full citizens. The more we ask for our ‘rights’ as ‘Muslims only,’ the more we are asking for segregation from the broader society.” Indeed, not all Muslims in Canada believe, think, and feel the same way, and much of it may be attributed to their experiences as Canadian Muslims. When asked about how Muslims can bring our citizenship into play on two levels – namely, changing the laws of the state to our favor and changing the image of Islam in the public perception – answers varied. In one interlocutor’s view, “Questions remain about what is ‘mainstream Muslim,’” and another revealed that through Bill 94, in Quebec, a niqabi woman can be denied publicly-funded services, but this cannot legally apply yet because the bill has not been passed. Some reminded others that “citizenship is proactive; we need to engage in the practice of policy-making and don’t shy away from it.”
 
Although most Muslim Canadians see themselves as both, full Canadians and full Muslims, many admit that there are severe challenges they have to face. They agree that Muslims must participate in the Canadian society, and not shy away from doing so, in an attempt to safeguard their civil rights in the country, for they are as Canadian as the non-Muslims of Canada are.
 
 

 
There are over 1 billion Muslims in the world; according to different sources, over 5 million of them are in the United States. This number includes Muslim immigrants and converts to Islam.

In the present study, we will let these Muslims express their beliefs, frustrations, opinions, experiences, and expectations of citizenship in the U.S. In a second moment, we will attempt to find out where they live, what their occupations are, what their education level is, and other demographic information about them.

The study, part of a larger project conducted under the mentorship and supervision of Dr. Abdullahi Ahmed An-Naim, is an endeavor to identify the problems and concerns of the native and expatriate Muslims living in America. The research will highlight both the negative points (e.g., frustrations and concerns) and the positive points that the Muslim communities from versatile ethnic and sectarian backgrounds are experiencing because of their religious differences. The crux of the research will be based on the data accumulated from various Muslim organizations, centers, communities, as well as individuals throughout the U.S., transcending the sectarian bias and ignoring the stereotyping approach in order to have an overall picture of the Muslim populace. Throughout the study, therefore, equal attention is given to all Muslims, regardless of all factors of differences, including sects. It is crucial to mention that all responses from all participants will be anonymous, and participants are thus requested to present the truth without any fear.
 
The questions/survey is available on this blog at en/sample_questions_stu.

Questions may be sent to Shehnaz Haqqani at shaqqan@emory.edu.