Muslim WakeUp!

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Muslim Wake Up (sometimes abbreviated MWU!) is a website founded to promote progressive and reformist ideas within Islam. Their website was cofounded by Ahmed Nassef and Jawad Ali in January 2003. It publishes articles contributed from affiliated collumnists as well as guests on its main page as well as opinions on its blog. It also organizes special events and serves as a discussion forum.

1 History
2 Mission
3 Universalism
4 Ahmed Nassef
5 Historic Jumu'ah led by Amina Wadud
6 Controversy
7 Muslim Community's Views of Muslim WakeUp!
8 See also
9 External links
10 Websites critical of MuslimWakeUp!

[edit] History

Although the web presence of Muslim WakeUp! began in 2003, the organization has its roots in social movements in the late 1980's in Southern California. The group, which included founder Ahmed Nassef organized events and demonstrations protesting oppression, bigotry, and racism, especially when such ills affected Muslims. The group also began challenging Muslim leadership in Los Angeles to make its voice heard on justice issues domestically and abroad. The collective successfully took part in a first-of-its-kind three-day radio broadcast celebrating Muslim peoples and cultures.

[edit] Mission

Although its editors are primarily from the United States and Canada, '"Muslim WakeUp!' has a universal mission to bring together people of different faiths and from different regions of the world. This universalism comes from the idea that Islam is first and foremost a monotheistic religion, and that all who believe in one God and one humanity should be free to exchange ideas and learn from each other. The group’s mission is to celebrate cultural and spiritual diversity, tolerance, and understanding. They take part in online and offline events: sponsoring speakers, publishing articles and pamphlets, creating a forum for discussion, disseminating information about events, etc. They see themselves as Muslim opponents of intimidation, authoritarianism, dogmatism, oppression, bigotry, sexism, and racism. In this, they are noted for reaching out to minority groups within Islam such as the Ismailis and gay and lesbian Muslims. [1]

[edit] Universalism

The site has a "Hug A Jew" section, which shows solidarity with Jewish individuals sympathetic to Muslim concerns. The contributors have written about Sunni-Shi'ah relations, and are critical of figures who in the name of Islam condemn other peoples, be they other religions, groups within Islam, or nationalities and cultures.

[edit] Ahmed Nassef

Co-founder Ahmed Nassef has become a spokesman, not just for Muslim WakeUp! but for progressive Muslims in general. He has been interviewed on C-Span, Fox News, and NPR, as well as published by the Christian Science Monitor, and was featured in articles by the LA Times and the Voice of America. Nassef was educated at UCLA, and currently lives in New York. He also co-founded and is co-chairman of the Progressive Muslim Union of North America (PMU).

[edit] Historic Jumu'ah led by Amina Wadud

The website along with close affiliate, the Progressive Muslim Union of North America, helped sponsor a Friday Jumu'ah prayer service in New York City led by a female imam, Dr. Amina Wadud on March 18, 2005[2]. Dr. Wadud, who is professor of Islamic studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, spoke largely about the history of Muslim women who held power, prestige, and were well educated. The event was originally to be held in a Mosque, but after that location and a backup art gallery received bomb threats, the prayer was moved to the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Divine. This activity sparked intense debate; it was condemned as well as applauded by Muslim groups and individuals throughout the world.

On July 1, 2005, Progressive Muslim Union co-chair Pamela Taylor led a similar Jumu'ah at United Muslim Association Mosque in Etobicoke, a suburb of Toronto. The Union has created a listing of major proponents of women led prayer [3], which includes Sheikhs from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Spain. They also have a listing of other instances of women led prayer. [4]

[edit] Controversy

The site has created controversy among both conservative and more moderate Muslims with its "Sex and the Ummah" section, which features sexually explicit articles (mostly fiction) with Muslim themes. Also, some of the writers have written articles which support same-sex marriage.

[edit] Muslim Community's Views of Muslim WakeUp!

Although MWU! is often criticized by both moderate and conservative Muslims, it has grown to be a fairly popular Muslim website in North America.^{[citation needed]} Its controversial and provocative content has made it a daily stop for many^{[citation needed]} liberal Muslims, though the terms progressive and liberal have been challenged by some Muslim thinkers. MWU! received support from groups like Jihad Watch and the right-wing establishment when it was hacked. One of many criticisms that has been levelled against MWU! is its views of self-professed reformists are not balanced by any educated scholars. In addition, the group has been criticized for blanket statements dismissing many moderate American Muslims who do not agree with all of their views.