Michael Muhammad Knight

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).

Michael Muhammad Knight (1977 - ) is an American novelist, writer, and journalist, well-known to those familiar with Progressive Islam.

Raised Roman Catholic, Knight's first exposure to Islam came when he was 13, discovering Malcolm X through the lyrics of rap group Public Enemy. Shortly after reading the Autobiography of Malcolm X at 15, Knight had his first meeting with his father, who dabbled in Nazism and the occult. Knight's study of Islam intensified and he later officially converted. At 17 he went to Islamabad, Pakistan to study Islam at Faisal Mosque and nearly left his studies to participate in jihad in Chechnya.

Contents

[edit] The Taqwacores

After a disillusionment with orthodox Islam, Knight wrote two books, Where Mullahs Fear to Tread and the Furious Cock, which he printed as xeroxed zines. In winter 2002 he wrote The Taqwacores, which told the story of a fictitious group of Muslim punk-rockers living in Buffalo, New York. Characters included a Straight edge Sunni Muslim, drunken mohawk-wearing Sufi punk, burqa-wearing riot grrl and Shi'a skinhead.

Knight originally self-published the novel in a spiral-bound, xeroxed form and gave away copies for free. The book was later picked up for distribution by Alternative Tentacles, the punk record label founded by Jello Biafra. An encounter with Peter Lamborn Wilson led to The Taqwacores being published by Autonomedia in 2004.

The Taqwacores was intended as Knight's "farewell to Islam," [1] but encouragement from readers caused Knight to reconsider his relationship to the faith. The novel has since inspired the start of an actual taqwacore scene, including bands such as the Kominas, Vote Hezbollah and Secret Trial Five. Carl Ernst, specialist in Islamic studies at UNC, called The Taqwacores a "Catcher in the Rye for young Muslims." [2]. The novel has been taught in courses at Vassar, University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, Trinity College and Indiana University.

[edit] Progressive Islam

In 2003, Knight began contributing articles to Muslim WakeUp!, an online magazine for Progressive Muslims. The articles were primarily travelogues in which Knight visited various mosques and historical sites, such as the grave of Elijah Muhammad and discussed his own issues with Islam. Knight was an original member of the Progressive Muslim Union's board of directors, but left the organization in 2005. [3] While maintaining a blog at ProgressiveIslam.Org, he continued to reject the term "Progressive Muslim." Knight was nonetheless included on a list of "Top 10 Pro-Regressive Idiots of 2005." [4]

The Taqwacores' burqa-wearing riot grrl, Rabeya, and her dialogue from the novel has been adapted in the Rapture Project, an ongoing puppet show regarding religion in American culture and politics. Rabeya, who in one passage of The Taqwacores gives a Friday sermon and leads the mixed gender group in prayer, also influenced author Asra Q. Nomani to organize a mixed gender prayer held March 18, 2005, in New York and led by Qur'an scholar Dr. Amina Wadud in support of women as imams. [5] Knight worked security at the Wadud prayer [6] and was also present when Nomani posted the 99 Precepts and her Muslim Women's Bill of Rights on the door of the Morgantown Islamic center March 1, 2005. [7] In her book Standing Alone in Mecca, Nomani writes that detractors attacked her honor by implying a sexual relationship between Knight and herself.

In Knight's road book, Blue-Eyed Devil, he is critical of both PMU and Nomani, and claims that PMU considered an alliance with Irshad Manji, which he witnessed while having dinner with Manji and PMU founder Ahmed Nassef.

[edit] Controversy

Knight is criticized for his participation in woman-led prayer, provocative articles, disrespectful attitude toward leaders of the American Muslim community, open admission of past apostasy, heretical attitudes, embrace of movements such as the Nation of Islam and Nation of Gods and Earths and often rebellious treatment of the Prophet Muhammad.

Knight developed a reputation for his Muslim WakeUp! articles, particularly accounts of the Islamic Society of North America's annual convention, in which he wrote of giving a "stink palm" to famous imam Siraj Wahhaj and Cat Stevens and engaging in a romantic encounter with a young Muslim woman. Commenting on woman-led prayer at his ProgressiveIslam.Org blog, Knight wrote, "If the Prophet wouldn’t have liked it, then in 2005 the Prophet is wrong, shit on him. La ilaha illa Allah." [8] The comment caused numerous Muslim scholars and thinkers to withdraw from the site, refuse participation or demand that Knight be removed.

At the 2005 convention of the Islamic Society of North America, Knight and the Kominas fraudulently obtained media passes and snuck into the press conference of Karen Hughes, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in the U.S. Department of State. They were taken outside and questioned by a State Department agent, but allowed back in by ISNA officials. It was later learned that the ISNA staff was concerned over Knight's jacket bearing the Alternative Tentacles logo. [9]

In a 2003 Muslim WakeUp! article, Knight claimed to have introduced himself to a member of the United Nation of Islam as "Ibrahim Hooper," the name of the Communications Director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Hooper threatened legal action if the act was repeated. In a later article on his trip to Elijah Muhammad's grave, Knight wrote that he had introduced himself as Ibrahim Hooper at the cemetery's office. Hooper again threatened legal recourses. Knight responded by publicly challenging Hooper to a wrestling match. [10]

On June 25, 2006, Knight staged his match against "Ibrahim Hooper" at a punk show in Lexington, Massachusetts, at the home of the Kominas' singer Basim Usmani. The role of Ibrahim Hooper was played by Grifin Tibbetts, bassist for grindcore band Animal Rampage. "Hooper" came to the ring waving the flag of Saudi Arabia. Knight wore a white shalwar kameez and curled-toe wrestling boots made famous by pro wrestlers such as the Iron Sheik. The referee was announced as "Hamza Yusuf," a reference to Islamic scholar Hamza Yusuf.

During the match, Knight was knocked from the ring onto a Beer pong table, hit with folding chairs, slammed onto thumbtacks and attacked by a woman in a patch-covered burqa wielding a dildo wrapped in barbed wire. At one point Knight himself became tangled in barbed wire. "Hooper" also stapled the Saudi flag to Knight's arm and used it to choke him. Knight eventually defeated Hooper with a move known in wrestling as the "camel clutch." After the match, Knight wrapped his bloody head in the Saudi flag and embraced his opponent. Knight later reemerged to join Animal Rampage in a performance of their song "Kill Rasputin."

[edit] American Islam

Image:BED cover.jpg

Knight's MuslimWakeUp travel writing led him to write Blue-Eyed Devil, an "American Muslim road odyssey" in which he travels over 20,000 miles by Greyhound bus in 60 days, searching for the "American Islam." Andrei Codrescu hailed the work as "today's On the Road...pertinent and suspenseful, a mystery rendered in brilliant detail and gorgeous depth...a masterpiece." [[11]] In the book Knight attempts to uncover the true identity of W.D. Fard, mysterious founder of the Nation of Islam.

Knight's fascination with Fard also led him to research the Nation of Gods and Earths ("Five Percenters"), a movement that broke from the Nation of Islam in 1964. An excerpt from Knight's forthcoming book on the movement appears in the 90-page booklet included with the 5% Album [12] by Lord Jamar of Brand Nubian, which also features members of the Wu-Tang Clan such as the RZA and GZA.

In Washington, D.C. on November 18, 2006[13] Knight also did a presentation, "Death-Angels and Muslim Sons: The Question of White Five Percenters," for the Afro-American Religious History Group of the American Academy of Religion.[14]

[edit] Articles

Remembering the Hijra. MWU.

A Weekend with the Five-Percenters MWU.

Journal of a Dumpster-Diving Sufi MWU.

The Sedition: An Interview With Omar X of Rogue Nation MWU.

  • Knight, Michael Muhammad (Jan. 6, 2004) Peace Offering MWU.
  • Knight, Michael Muhammad (Dec. 4, 2003)

Finding Elijah: A Journey through American Muslim Mythology MWU.

Jum'a with the Punks: An Excerpt from The Taqwacores MWU.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../m/i/c/Michael_Muhammad_Knight_46c7.html"