Critical Muslim 13 Race

Hassan Mahamdallie argues that racism is twenty-first century's main problem, Shannon Shah detects racial overtones within Islam, Robert Irwin examines race and racism in the Arabian Nights, Hugh Kennedy uncovers the ninth century Zanj slave uprisings, Sejad Mekic looks for signs of hope in Bosnia, Sadiyya Shaikh explores religious imaginaries of ibn Arabi, Avaes Mohammad evokes parallel lives in Blackburn, Gary MacFarlane revisits the Christian fundamentalism of abolitionist John Brown, Ziauddin Sardar has unsavoury encounters in Saudi Arabia, and Naima Khan accuses South Asian Muslims of looking down on Africans.

About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.





Also in this issue: Ruth Waterman's photographs of Bosnia, an epic poem on Bhopal, poetry by Dorothea Smartt, a short story by Aiysha Jahan, race relations in Trinidad and our list of ten political organisations that promote Islamophobia.

Ziauddin Sardar is a renowned writer, broadcaster and cultural critic. A former columnist on the New Statesman, he has also served as a Commissioner on the Equality and Human Rights Commission. He is professor of Law and society at Middlesex University, and the author of numerous books, the most recent being Reading the Qur'an (Hurst); Desperately Seeking Paradise: Journeys of a Sceptical Muslim (Granta); What Do Muslims Believe? (Granta); and Balti Britain: A Provocative Journey Through Asian Britain (Granta). Robin Yassin-Kassab is the author of the acclaimed novel, The Road From Damascus (Penguin). Born in west London, he has lived and worked in France, Pakistan, Turkey, Syria, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Oman. He is a regular contributor to the literary pages of The Guardian and The Independent.

RACE

Hassan Mahamdallie - Introduction: The Colour Line
Shanon Shah - Is Islam a Race?
Robert Irwin - The Dark Side of The Arabian Nights
Hugh Kennedy - The Revolt of the Zanj
Ziauddin Sardar - The Master Race
Avaes Mohammad - Blackburn
Jim Wolfreys - The Republic of Islamophobia
Gary McFarlane - John Brown Revisited
Sa'diyya Shaikh - Ibn Arabi and How to be Human

ESSAYS

Barnaby Rogerson - On Pre-Islamic Hajj
Abdelwahab El-Affendi - Londonistan's Other Big Bang

ARTS AND LETTERS

Ruth Waterman - In Camera: Bosnia
Tasnim Baghdadi - Hybrid Identity
Aiysha Jahan - Short Story: The Ladies' Beach
Dorothea Smartt - Bilal
Elmi Ali - Three Poems

REVIEWS

Declan Ryan - Home is the Journey
Samia Rahman - Cool Muslim Women

ET CETERA

Naima Khan - J'Accuse: South Asian Privilege
Hassan Mahamdallie - Last Word: On Trinidad
The List - Ten Xenophobic Parties to Avoid