Raheel Raza

Raheel Raza
Raza speaking in 2014.
Born	1949/1950 (age 66–67)[1] Pakistan
Residence	Toronto, Canada
Alma mater	Karachi University
Occupation	Journalist, author, public speaker, media consultant, anti-racism activist, and interfaith discussion leader
Known for	Opponent of terrorism in the name of Islam
Notable work	Their jihad-- not my jihad!: a Muslim Canadian woman speaks out (2005)
Board member of	Muslim Canadian Congress
Religion	Islam
Awards	Constance Hamilton Award of the City of Toronto Canadian Ethnic Journalists & Writer’s Club award for excellence in journalism[2]
Website	Raheelraza.com

Raheel Raza (born 1949-50 in Pakistan) is a Pakistani-Canadian journalist, author, public speaker, media consultant, anti-racism activist, and interfaith discussion leader.^[3][4][5][6] She lives in Toronto, Canada.^[7] She has been compared to Asra Nomani and Amina Wadud for her controversial views on Islam.^[8]

She is the author of Their Jihad, Not My Jihad: A Muslim Canadian Woman Speaks Out.^[3] She opposes Islamic extremism.^[9] As a result, she has received death threats with some people considering her an Islamophobe.^[10]

Early life

Raza is a Pakistani currently living in Canada.^[11] She graduated from Karachi University with degrees in Psychology and English.^[12] In 1989, she, her husband and her two sons moved to Toronto.^[6][12]

Activism and political views

On Islam

She has unequivocally condemned 9/11, terrorism and all violence in the name of religion, and in the name of Islam in particular.^[4][9] She claims "radicals" have their own interpretation of Islam, and that the Koran does not justify suicide bombings.^[13]

She alleges that hatred has been preached in places of worship and elsewhere, and urges parents to be on the alert for this so that extremism does not get imported into Canada.^[14] Raza identifies herself as a libertarian.^[15]

Female-led mixed gender prayers

Raza has been a human rights activist, and has advocated what she believes is gender equality, especially for Muslim women.^[9][16] She became the first woman to lead mixed-gender Muslim prayers in Canada, in 2005.^{[11][17][18][19][20]} Raza termed it a "silent revolution" and said she hopes to become an imam someday. She also dreams of having a mosque "for women by women".^[17] She received death threats following the 2005 prayer event.^[10][21]

Imam Amina Wadud, another Muslim woman, had previously led mixed-gender prayers in New York City, which had led to fatwas and death threats against her.^[11][22] After Wadud led mixed-gender prayers in Oxford in 2008, Raza was invited by Dr. Taj Hargey to go to Oxford and become the first Muslim-born woman to lead a mixed-gender British congregation in Friday prayers.^[1] According to Muslim reformist Tahir Aslam Gora, such prayers did not become regular.^[18] The Canadian Islamic Congress said Raza's concerns were a "non-issue for Canadian Muslims".^[19]

Opposition to prayers in schools

Raza opposed congregational Muslim Friday prayers in public schools, saying that in 1988 the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that the use of the Lord’s Prayer in public schools was not appropriate. She said such prayers are contrary to the notion of separation of church and state. She called the prayers "discrimination and harassment" for requiring girls to pray at the back of the room and for disclosing their "private personal female condition".^[23]

Banning veils

She has argued for a public ban in Canada against the hijab and the burqa.^[24]

Opposition to Park51 Muslim community center

In August 2010 Raza, along with Tarek Fatah, both from the Muslim Canadian Congress, opposed the Muslim community center, Park51, located near the World Trade Center site (or Ground zero). She describes the project as a Fitna, meaning that it was done intentionally to provoke a reaction and make trouble.^[25]

In a Fox News interview with Bill O'Reilly she referred to Mayor Michael Bloomberg as having a "bleeding heart" for this cause that is actually dangerous for those who were affected by the 911 terror attacks, as the location of the Ground Zero Mosque seemed unnecessary and hurtful for the victims of the attacks.^[26]

On Immigration

Raza has called the Canadian government to suspend all immigration from "terror-producing" countries, like Iran in 2012.^[27]

Organizations

Raza is a board member of and Director of Interfaith Affairs for the Muslim Canadian Congress.^[28][29][30]

She founded and is currently president of Forum for Learning, an interfaith discussion group. It is a non-profit organization.^[31]

In 2006, the National Muslim Christian Liaison Committee honored her for promoting Muslim-Christian dialogue in the wake of the Pope Benedict controversy.^[32]

Donald Trump

Raza stated in an interview with Bill Maher that Donald Trump was “an equal opportunity offender. And, secondly, this is supposed to be the First World, the civilized world, but he is really fudging that line about civility.”.^[33] In a later article for USA Today, Raza wrote that "as politically incorrect as his language may be," Trump had "succeeded in sparking an international conversation about radical Islam that we must have now", and called for Trump to "step up and put moderate Muslims on stage."^[34]

Writing

Raza is a freelance writer.^[35] In 2000, she received an award from the Canadian Ethnic Journalists and Writers Club.^[12] She has written for The Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, Khaleej Times, Gulf News, FrontPage Magazine, and The Commentator.^[36][37] She has also lectured at York University on the portrayal of Muslims in the media.^[38]

Raza is the author of Their Jihad, Not My Jihad: a Muslim Canadian woman speaks out, a collection of her op-ed columns from the Toronto Star.^[3][39] She is also a poet and a playwright.^[13]

Works

Books

• Their Jihad... Not My Jihad: Revised 2nd Edition, Raheel Raza, Possibly Publishing, 2012 ISBN 0981943748
• How Can You Possibly be an Anti-Terrorist Muslim?, Raheel Raza, Possibly Publishing, 2011 ISBN 1-4609-2279-4

Documentary Film

Raza participated, together with eight other women's rights activists, in the documentary film Honor Diaries^[40] which explores the issues of alleged gender-based violence and inequality in Muslim-majority societies. Her personal story was featured alongside those of the other activists, all of whom are working to combat gender prejudice that is embedded in honor-based societies.^[41]

Select articles

• "Flavours of a desi Christmas; For Canada's South Asian Christians, Christmas is a festive time full of unique traditions – especially when it comes to food", Raheel Raza, the Toronto Star, December 13, 2007
• "In the Arms of Extremists", Raheel Raza, Ottawa Citizen, December 28, 2007
• "Steeped in superstition; When folklore, traditions and imagination intersect, the resulting beliefs are something even educated people take seriously", Raheel Riza, the Toronto Star, March 19, 2008
• "'Islamophobia' used too often to stifle debate or criticism", Raheel Riza, The Vancouver Sun, June 17, 2008
• "Mischief in Manhattan; We Muslims know the Ground Zero mosque is meant to be a deliberate provocation", Raheel Raza and Tarek Fatah, Ottawa Citizen, August 7, 2010

See also

References

External links

• Official website
• Facebook page