Irshad Manji: Calling for Reform in Islam

Irshad Manji, author of controversial book “The Trouble with Islam Today” has been called “Osama bin-Laden’s worst nightmare” by the New York Times and  “one of three women creating a positive change in Islam today” by the Jakarta Post. Her book has been translated into French, Spanish, Italian, Persian, Urdu and Arabic. Manji is the recipient of the Simon Wiesenthal Award of Valor.

Manji was born in in 1968, her family relocated to when she was four. She has a bachelor’s degree in History from

University
of
British Columbia

. Currently she is a Visiting Fellow with the International Security Studies program at

Yale
University

.

While Manji has been applauded for her work in “The Trouble with Islam Today”, she has also faced criticism for the book. Critics say that she has resorted to Arab bashing and appeasing the Jewish block to gain name and fame. The book which discusses in length about the way Islam has forgotten its tradition of critical thinking, called “ijtihad”, and the way it discriminates women and promotes violence against people of other faith especially the Jews. The book attempts to explore the Islamic tradition and the Holy Koran to know what the Prophet really preached. Since she is not an Islamic scholar, critics have said that she is not qualified to talk about the issues in Islam and her views are not to be taken seriously.

Manji’s critics may have a point in saying that she lacks religious scholarship, but the fact that so many people, not only Muslims but Jews, Christians and Hindus, are reading the book and applauding her for her strength and courage in discussing such taboo subjects means that she has some valid points. She may not be an Islamic scholar but she is a lesbian Muslim woman who has valid questions on why she is discriminated against for her gender and for her sexual preference? She is right in questioning if Islam really preaches violence against Jews.