<p>"PLAINSBORO, N.J. A group of American Muslims, led by two prominent scholars, is moving closer to fulfilling a vision of founding the first four-year accredited Islamic college in the United States, what some are calling a "Muslim Georgetown."</p>
<p>Advisers to the project have scheduled a June vote to decide whether the proposed Zaytuna College can open in the fall of next year, a major step toward developing the faith in America.</p>
<p>Hmm. I think it would be a good thing if the plan goes through. Besides, America should make an example of multiculturalism by setting up some schools for specific kids of a certain race or religion. Since there are Jewish and Christian schools [no offence please], opening a Muslim school should be accepted as well.</p>
<p>Reading the article, the aims of the school seems confused. It speaks at first as though they plan a seminary, which makes sense, but then it talks about mixing men and women and preparation of non-religious careers. I would say the Muslim community clearly needs a seminary, since as the article notes mosques still tend to have clergy from overseas.</p>
<p>^ I agree, and it seems so does the scholar Ayoub who is quoted at the end of the article. I also think that given post-911 stereotypes and American fear of and resentment toward Muslims, they stand to gain more by integrating into secular American colleges than by segregating themselves. There is a large Mulim community (mostly foreigners), mosque, and newly-founded Muslim K-12 school near where I live. Unfortunately, due to the safety of that haven, the majority of Muslims simply do not need to mix with non-Muslims in the community and don’t. The parents of Muslims that attend my daughter’s secular elementary school do not greet or talk to non-Muslim fellow parents at school functions. I say hello and am met with silence, perhaps a tiny nod. This does not help their image one bit.</p>
<p>Personally, I agree that integrating with American culture would be the better choice,but I applaud their efforts. My only worries are as follows:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>If they get a lot of funding from various arab countries,which is very tempting and possible, there might also be “strings” that come with the money. For example, they could be required to teach some wahabi thought,which is an extremist form of Islam. </p></li>
<li><p>The univeristy could become a mecca for terrorist activities.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Will this happen? Maybe not,but it is very possible especially if foreign governments help fund the school!</p>
<p>For those posters who think that I am being a bit paranoid, just check out the archive at <a href=“http://www.memri.org%5B/url%5D”>www.memri.org</a>. that lists speeches and articles noted in Islamic countries. You would be shocked and dismayed at what professors at various Islamic Universities are saying about Americans, westerners, jews and christians, and this comes from many of our “allied” countries such as Egypt.</p>
<p>You have GOT to be kidding me. Terrorism has nothing to do with Islam. It has a lot to do with extremist thought, misinterpreted fundamentalism, cultural values, brainwashing and misinformation, historic and deep-seated hatred, consequence from poor Western choices (read up on US Policy and Iran in the eighties and early nineties) and a considerable amount of Western influence. Terrorism has NOTHING TO DO WITH ISLAM. Get real. Please, please, please educate yourself. Islam and Middle Eastern cultures are two incredibly misunderstood bodies of knowledge.</p>
<p>I also don’t agree that by building an Islamic-affiliated college, they would not be integrating into American culture. Do we say that the students who are attending Georgetown or Boston College aren’t integrated into American culture because those students attend a religiously affiliated university? I don’t think so. I think the problem some people have with this idea is because it’s ISLAM. There are few qualms about Jewish or Christian colleges (I hold many of those qualms, though). Someone who practices Islam is not somehow “separated” from or not “taking part in” American culture. Actually, they ARE taking part in America - they are practicing their freedom of religious choice and freedom from government establishment of religion.</p>
<p>i doubt it will be a “mecca” (the pun is almost obnoxious) for terrorism. The place is liberal enough that it doesn’t even segregate men and women (liberal in terms of muslim schools around the world).</p>
<p>foreign governments funding the school is not a problem. what is a problem is individuals with certain reactionary islamic agendas, as they can shape the ideology of a place. foreign governments are most all opposed to letting islamic extremism and radical imams propogate because they challenge the government’s sovereignty. and i don’t think any US institution will be foolish enough to accept the money of a radical imam. don’t confuse the positions of individuals with the countries they come from. </p>
<p>it’s not like this place is a wahabi school.
and this place is not a seminary. i’ve read news articles that specifically point this out. it is simply a muslim educational institution, much like there are other faith-based educational institutions.</p>
<p>EXACTLY!! What planet would somebody have to be from to think that any terrorists are inspired by Islam!!?? I mean, what shred of evidence is there that groups of terrorists, or even one lone terrorist, has been inspired Islam???</p>
<p>Will women and men study together? Will secular ideas be included? Will students of other faiths be accepted and embraced?<br>
A Methodist kid at Brandeis or a Jewish kid at Baylor, an agnostic kid at Notre Dame, or a Muslim kid at Loyola are all considered part of the spectrum and generally respected. Will the new college be built on that inclusion? Depends entirely on whose vision prevails.</p>
<p>Shortly after 911, I attended a multi-faith service held in the mosque I mentioned. Can you believe what passage from the Koran was read by the imam on this occasion? One which warned Muslims against friendship with non-Muslims. The fact that he either did not comprehend how inappropriate that selection was, or else cared not, convinces me it is not at all “ignorant” to fear that a Muslim university could become a breeding ground for anti-American sentiment.</p>
<p>I hope this mean that they won’t be teaching Creationism in a Biology course or something. Hopefully, this will pan out the way they say it will, and not a Islamic version of Liberty U.</p>
<p>911 was just one “incident.” But to those of us who live in or around NYC, that was a sufficient substantiation for fear and concern. Tracing the connections of the 911 terrorists to mosques in my home state was pretty disturbing as well. Personally experiencing the rejection of our people and culture by Muslims in my very own community is just the lid on the pot.</p>
<p>Creationism promotes respect for all life since it was created by God. Christianity such as that taught at Liberty Univ., commands us to be just and compassionate in our treatment of the foreigners in our land, and also to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. That is the antithesis of the hatred which motivates terrorists. For you to equate the two is ridiculous.</p>
<p>I am not going to start a mini war to justify Islam to you. Frankly, if you fear Muslims then really it is your own loss. There are well over a billion Muslims in this word…some good and some bad, just like all humans. </p>
<p>I also believe you lost my point into equating Liberty U with this Islamic College. I was not talking about Creationism as a belief, but as a science. Whether one personally believes in evolution or not, it is quite standard for all universities to teach evolution exclusively in a Biology course, and not parallel it with the same stature as Creationism. Now, obviously, the merits of Creationism vs. Evolutionism can be discussed in perhaps a Philosophy course or religions course.</p>