Hussein Rashid

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Hussein

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Tweeting the Qur’an #Quran #Ramadan #ttQuran 2017/1438

Hussein

Traditionally, Muslims read the Qur'an in its entirety over this time, in a section a day. The Qur'an is split into thirty sections, called juz', and one section is read each night. 

This year is the 9th year I am inviting people to tweet the Qur’an for Ramadan. I will be tweeting @islamoyankee.

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To see how the call has (not) evolved, here are the six call outs:

2009 Windsor Star Article

2010 (despite the title, which says 2011)

2011 USA Today Article

2012

2013 Storify (including press stories)

2014 A piece I did on Immanent Frame

The Background [from the 2009 post]

This year, I have been thinking it would be fun to tweet the Qur'an for Ramadan. Coincidentally, Shavuot came, and several people I follow on Twitter tweeted the Torah. Since that experience seemed to be successful, it further cemented my belief that this would be a good idea.

I remain grateful to Aziz Poonawala (@azizhp), who helps me refine our guidelines and provide technical feedback every year.

Our guidelines from last year:

  1. Anyone is welcome. You do not have to be Muslim.
  2. The point is to provide greater access to the Qur'an, so please tweet in English, regardless of the language you read in. Multiple language tweets are welcome.
  3. You should tweet verses that appeal to you each night, not the entire juz'. Some of you may wish to do the whole juz', but the idea is that we find comfort in the word of God, and we approach it and understand differently every time we come to it. Each night, there are certain verses that will have more power/resonance. Simply tweet those.
  4. Include chapter and verse numbers using "Arabic" numerals, eg. 1:1, 33:72, etc.
  5. Some verses may be too long for 140 characters. Split the tweet. Summarize. As you will, but make sure you make it clear what you are doing, and include the verse number.
  6. You should feel free to offer commentary on why you chose that verse. If you know some tafsir, please include as well, if relevant.
  7. Tags: please include #ttQuran .
  8. You do not need to commit to reading/Tweeting every night. However, when you do Tweet, please make sure you are on the same juz as everyone else.

If there are are other guidelines you believe should be included, please leave them in comments and I'll move up some to the main post.

This year, I plan on using:

Books

Hajj: The Pilgrimage | The Practice of Islam in America

Hussein

Hajj: The Pilgrimage | The Practice of Islam in America.

“Hajj: The Pilgrimage” 

 by Hussein Rashid 

 Chapter Summary 

 This chapter takes us on a journey to Mecca, site of the hajj, or annual pilgrimage. Hussein Rashid depicts this often once-in-a-lifetime experience for several Muslim Americans who represent a wide variety of ethnic, racial, and sectarian backgrounds. We learn about the pilgrimages of Khizer, a health care professional from Washington, D.C.; Zahra, an attorney from California; Debra, a college professor from Wisconsin; Suehaila, a professional recruiter from Dearborn, Michigan; and other Muslim Americans. They walk counter-clockwise around the Ka‘ba; pray outside Mecca at Mina and Mt. Arafat; reenact Hagar’s desperate search for water; and symbolically stone the devil, among other rites. In addition to giving essential background on each of these practices, Rashid asks these pilgrims what all these rituals mean to them and what they hope to gain by coming on hajj. As a result, we come to know not only about the logistical problems and gripes of pilgrims, but also about the failed relationships that led a couple of the pilgrims to seek solace or healing in Mecca in the first place.

Inter-faith

Rikers: An American Jail – Interfaith Discussion Guide

Hussein

There is a new film on Rikers, called Rikers: An American Jail, and I'm quoted in the interfaith discussion guide.

As a Muslim, when I hear about prison, I think to the Story of Joseph, told in Chapter 12 of the Qur’an: are we punishing difference, rather than actions, and putting the innocent in jail? Do we seek to turn people to repentance, or are we fulfilling our needs for revenge? One of the clear commandments in the Qur’an is to maintain the balance of justice, and to not give into our own desires and call it justice (55:9, 4:135). We are warned that we can easily corrupt society in the name of public good (2:11). The Qur’an seems to be warning us against our prison industrial complex, exemplified by Rikers Island Jail.

Events

G?D TALK: A Shabbat Potluck Dinner Series – “Hospitality” | Romemu

Hussein

G?D TALK: A Shabbat Potluck Dinner Series – “Hospitality” | Romemu.

G?d Talk Potluck Shabbat Dinner: “Hospitality” from Muslim, Jewish and Christian Perspectives 

Friday, May 12th, after services, 8:15PM, but you MUST register Led by Rev. Eleanor, Rabbi Jill Hammer, and guests Dr. Hussein Rashid and Rebekah Forni 

Tonight we explore the topic of “Hospitality” from biblical, theological and social perspectives with speakers from Muslim, Jewish, and Christian traditions, including Dr. Hussein Rashid, Rebekah Forni, and Rabbi Jill Hammer.

Media Appearances

In “The Promise,” A Reminder That U.S. Apathy to Genocide Endures | Religion Dispatches

Hussein

In “The Promise,” A Reminder That U.S. Apathy to Genocide Endures | Religion Dispatches.

Collectively, we are comfortable condemning the mistakes of the past, but never learning from them. As we turn Syrian refugees away, advocates for human decency pointed out that today’s refugee crisis had echoes to the Jewish refugee crisis of the early 20th century. Critics responded that the situation was different: those were Jews and these are not; that was in the 20th century and this is the 21st century. We note every difference to avoid taking action, and always condemn the mistakes of the past in the same way, because they are the same mistakes.

Media Appearances

We Must Learn from the Armenian Genocide – Truman Doctrine Blog – Medium

Hussein

We Must Learn from the Armenian Genocide – Truman Doctrine Blog – Medium.

Yet, as we see, the disease is not cancer, but autoimmune. The desire to create a nation-state causes the population to turn against itself, resulting in a body that is weakened and must collapse because of the lack of healthy, diverse cells. Armenians are part of the Turkish nation and present in every strata of society. However, because they are ethnically distinct, they are targeted by the Ottomans, who hold no claim to greatness at the end of World War I. The Ottomans inflict the powerlessness they feel onto a minority population within their own borders.

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