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'''Irshad Manji''' (born [[1968]]) is a [[Canada|Canadian]] author, journalist, and activist. She is a [[feminist]] [[Criticism of Islam|critic of Islam]] and orthodox interpretations of the [[Qur'an]]. ''[[The New York Times]]'' has described her as "Osama bin Laden's worst nightmare".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/04/international/americas/04FPRO.html|title=An Unlikely Promoter of an Islamic Reformation|author=Krauss, Clifford|date=[[2003-10-04]]|accessdate=2006-07-11|publisher=[[New York Times|nytimes.com]]}}</ref> Irshad advocates a revival of [[critical thinking]], known as [[ijtihad]] in Islamic tradition. She has launched Project ijtihad[http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/ijtihad.html] a program dedicated to encourage Muslim youth to question traditional and orthodox interpretations of Islamic scriptures and to create a network of Muslims interested in reforming Islam.

Her book ''[[The Trouble with Islam Today]]'' has been published in 25 languages, including [[Arabic language|Arabic]], [[Persian language|Persian]] and [[Urdu]]. Manji's articles have appeared in many publications, and she has addressed audiences ranging from Amnesty International to the United Nations Press Corps to the Democratic Muslims to Denmark to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Manji has made appearances on television networks including the [[BBC]], [[MSNBC]], [[CSPAN]], [[CNN]], [[FOX News]], [[PBS]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/inthenews-archive.html|title=Interviews with Irshad and book reviews - Archives|work=[http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/ Muslim-refusenik]|author=Manji, Irshad|accessdate=2006-07-11}}</ref>

== Biography ==
Manji was born in [[Uganda]] in 1968. Her family moved to [[Canada]] when she was four, as a result of [[Idi Amin]] expelling [[South Asian]]s from Uganda. She and her family settled near [[Vancouver]] in 1972, and she grew up attending both a secular and an Islamic religious school, known as a [[madressa]].  Manji excelled in the secular environment but was expelled from her religious school for asking too many questions. For the next twenty years, she studied Islam via public libraries and Arab tutors.

Manji earned an honors degree in the history of ideas from the [[University of British Columbia]].  In 1990, she won the Governor-General's Medal for top humanities graduate. She has worked as a legislative aide in the Canadian parliament, press secretary in the Ontario government, and speechwriter for the leader of the [[socialist]] [[New Democratic Party]]. At age 24, she became the national affairs editorialist for the Ottawa Citizen and the youngest member of an editorial board for any Canadian daily.  She has hosted or produced several public-affairs programs on television, one of which won the Gemini, Canada’s top broadcasting prize. In 2002,  she became writer-in-residence at Hart House in the [[University of Toronto]], from where she began writing ''The Trouble with Islam Today''. Since then, she has served as a fellow at [[Yale University]].

Manji was awarded [[Oprah Winfrey]]'s first annual [[Chutzpah]] Award for "audacity, nerve, boldness and conviction". [[Ms. Magazine]] named her a "Feminist for the 21st Century", and Immigration Equality gave her its Global Vision Prize. The [[World Economic Forum]] has selected her as a Young Global Leader. Recently, too, the [[Jakarta Post]] in [[Indonesia]] - the world's largest Muslim country - identified Manji as one of three Muslim women creating positive change in Islam today.

Manji is a friend of controversial writer [[Salman Rushdie]] and, like Rushdie, has received numerous death threats. The windows of her apartment are fitted with bullet-proof glass.

== Views ==

Manji is an outspoken proponent of [[Ijtihad]]; she describes it as Islam’s lost tradition of independent thinking which went into a decline toward the end of the 11th century and was replaced by more narrow and rigid interpretations of the [[Qur'an]]. She believes economic empowerment of women in the Muslim world is the key to reviving and democratizing the spirit of ijtihad. She also argues that Muslims in the West are best positioned to re-discover ijtihad because “it is here that we have the precious freedoms to think, express, challenge and be challenged on matters of religion, without fear of government reprisal."
[http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/ijtihad.html]

She has stated her support of the state of Israel, and referred to it as a model for other Middle Eastern nations. [http://www.jewishpostandnews.com/irshadmanji.html] 

In March 2006 she co-signed the high-profile MANIFESTO OF TWELVE: Together Facing The New Totalitarianism [http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/lettersarchive1.html#manifesto].  The manifesto defends freedom of conscience and denounces violence as a response to offensive expression.  The Manifesto emerged after violent protests in the Islamic world surrounding the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy.

== Praise ==

[[The Trouble with Islam Today]] has created debate worldwide.  The praise comes from both Muslim and non-Muslim sources.  Notable examples include [[Khaleel Mohammed]], an imam and professor of Islam at [[San Diego State University]].  In his forward to Manji’s book, he writes that “Irshad wants us to do what our Holy Book wants us to do: End the tribal posturing, open our eyes, and stand up to oppression, even if it's rationalized by our vaunted imams… She remains obedient to the Divine Imperative: ‘O you who believe! Be upholders of justice, witnesses for God, even if it be against yourselves, or your parents and kin.’ (Quran, 4:135).” 

[[Jane Mansbridge]], Adams Professor of Political Leadership and Democratic Values at [[Harvard University]], says that “all is not lost if people of Irshad Manji's capacity can carry a fresh and convincing message to the coming generation. I cannot urge her more strongly to maintain her frank, open and intelligent approach. This cause is, I believe, the most important new movement in several decades.”

Many pro-Israeli campaigners support Manji's due to her support of Israel, and open criticism of Palestinians. [http://www.jewishpostandnews.com/irshadmanji.html]

== Criticism ==
Manji has also been criticised for her book. Khaled Almeena, Editor of the ''Arab News'' in Saudi Arabia, says “This fraudulent book has now become a guide to Islam...”  Some Liberal Muslims have also allied with Islamists to denounce Manji’s work. One example being Tarek Fatah, who generally alleged that her book "is aimed at making Muslim haters feel secure in their thinking." [http://www.muslimwakeup.com/main/archives/2003/11/thanks_but_no_t.php]

Other criticisms of her work note a double standard between her criticism of Muslim nations, and her defence of Israel. [http://www.chowk.com/show_article.cgi?aid=00004158&channel=gulberg&start=0&end=9&chapter=1&page=1]

==References==
<div class="references-small"><references /></div>

==Bibliography==
*''Risking Utopia: On the Edge of a New Democracy'' ([[1997]])
*''[[The Trouble with Islam]]: A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith'' ([[2002]]) 

==See also==
*[[Liberal movements within Islam]]
*[[Ayaan Hirsi Ali]]
*[[Asra Q. Nomani]]
*[[Islamic scholars]]

==External links==
* [http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/ Irshad Manji's Official Website]
* [http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/ijtihad.html Project Ijtihad]
* [http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/lettersarchive1.html#manifesto Manifesto of 12: Together Facing the New Totalitarianism] 
* [http://www.myspace.com/irshadmanji Irshad's Myspace Page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/projectijtihad Project Ijtihad's MySpace Page]
* [http://www.geraldinesherman.com/Truth.html Truth and Consquences] - 2004 profile of Manji in ''[[Toronto Life]]'' magazine by Geraldine Sherman
* [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s1189233.htm Interview with Andrew Denton]
* [http://www.web.net/sworker/En/SW2004/419-08-islamophobia.html Critique of Manji from a socialist perspective]
* [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/11/16/1100574465155.html?from=storylhs Muslim reformists threaten the faith]
*[http://www.averroes-foundation.org/articles/free_and_equal.html Free and Equal under the Qur'an] - an analysis by Havva G Guney-Ruebenacker
*[http://www.muslimwakeup.com/main/archives/2003/11/thanks_but_no_t.php Thanks but no thanks: Irshad Manji's book is for Muslim-haters, not Muslims] by [[Tarek Fatah]]
*[http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060619/lalami The Missionary Position], a book review by [[Laila Lalami]]
*[http://muslim-refusenik.com/news/globe-dec2-03.html The trouble with à la carte critics] Manji's response to Fatah
*[http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/inthenews-archive.html Irshad Manji: Long list of articles and interviews]
*[http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/news/theaustralian-05-08-22.html Denial is scourge of Islam]
*[http://www.examinethetruth.com/manjism/Irshad_Manji_propaganda.htm Critique of Manji from an Islamic perspective]
*[http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/02/07/1458210 Debate with As'ad AbuKhalil] Debate with As'ad AbuKhalil, professor of political science at California State University, on the 2006 cartoon controversy and the worldwide protests.
*[http://www.secularislam.org/articles/manji.htm Irshad Manji interview:Muslims need critical thinking]
*[http://lark.phoblacht.net/AM19030611g.html Profile: Irshad Manji] and further discussion [http://lark.phoblacht.net/AM04040613g.html Manning the Firewalls]
*[http://aqoul.com/archives/2006/03/how_to_be_a_mus.php "How to be a Muslim Reformer"]
*[http://www.islamicamagazine.com/issue-13/the-trouble-with-the-trouble-irshad-manji-and-the-cost-of-progressive.html "The Trouble with the Trouble: Irshad Manji and the Cost of Progressive Islam" - Book Review by Haroon Moghul]
*[http://www.collectionscanada.ca/rights-and-freedoms/023021-1600-e.html Manji on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms]

[[Category:1968 births|Manji, Irshad]]
[[Category:Canadian journalists|Manji, Irshad]]
[[Category:Canadian feminists|Manji, Irshad]]
[[Category:Feminist writers|Manji, Irshad]]
[[Category:Islamic politics and Islamic world studies|Manji, Irshad]]
[[Category:Lesbian writers|Manji, Irshad]]
[[Category:LGBT writers from Canada|Manji, Irshad]]
[[Category:Living people|Manji, Irshad]]
[[Category:Canadian Muslims|Manji, Irshad]]
[[Category:Muslim reformers|Manji, Irshad]]
[[Category:South Asian Canadians|Manji, Irshad]]

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