Muslim Reform Movement

[xoxoxoBruce]

These Muslims just nailed their 95 Theses to the Mosque door.*

* They didn't really, that was Martin Luther.

Preamble

We are Muslims who live in the 21st century. We stand for a respectful, merciful and inclusive interpretation of Islam. We are in a battle for the soul of Islam, and an Islamic renewal must defeat the ideology of Islamism, or politicized Islam, which seeks to create Islamic states, as well as an Islamic caliphate. We seek to reclaim the progressive spirit with which Islam was born in the 7th century to fast forward it into the 21st century. We support the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by United Nations member states in 1948.

We reject interpretations of Islam that call for any violence, social injustice and politicized Islam. Facing the threat of terrorism, intolerance, and social injustice in the name of Islam, we have reflected on how we can transform our communities based on three principles: peace, human rights and secular governance. We are announcing today the formation of an international initiative: the Muslim Reform Movement.

We have courageous reformers from around the world who will outline our Declaration for Muslim Reform, a living document that we will continue to enhance as our journey continues. We invite our fellow Muslims and neighbors to join us.

They're in deep shit now.

Founding Signatories

Tahir Gora,Author, Journalist, Activist, Toronto, Canada

Tawfik Hamid, Islamic Thinker and Reformer, Oakton, VA, USA

Usama Hasan, Imam, Quilliam Foundation, London, UK

Arif Humayun, Senior Fellow, American Islamic Forum for Democracy, Portland, OR, USA

Farahnaz Ispahani, Author, Former Member of Parliament, Pakistan, Washington, D.C., USA

M. Zuhdi Jasser, M.D., President, American Islamic Forum for Democracy, Phoenix, AZ USA

Mohamad Jebara, Imam, Cordova Center, Ottawa, Canada

Naser Khader, Member, Danish Parliament, Muslim democracy activist, Copenhagen, Denmark

Courtney Lonergan, Community Outreach Director, American Islamic Forum for Democracy, Professional facilitator

Hasan Mahmud, Resident expert in sharia, Muslims Facing Tomorrow, Toronto, Canada

Asra Nomani, Journalist, Author, Morgantown, WV, USA

Raheel Raza, Founder, Muslims Facing Tomorrow, Toronto, Canada

Sohail Raza, Vice President, Coalition of Progressive Canadian Muslim Organizations

Salma Siddiqui, President, Coalition of Progressive Canadian Muslim Organizations, Toronto, Canada

Are we witness to a reformation or suicide?