An Interview with Ani Zonneveld

CJR: Volume 4, Issue 1 14 An Interview with Ani Zonneveld For an issue on “Women and Religion” it’s important to hear directly from religious women. Claremont Journal of Religion did not simply want this issue to be “about” women, we wanted it to be “from” women. In that spirit, Kile Jones got to interview a woman on the frontline of religious issues, the founder and President of Muslims for Progressive Values, Ani Zonneveld. As a progressive Muslim woman, how do you see religion playing a role in the status of women? When does it help women, and when does it hinder them? Much of the violence against women in Muslim societies is often upheld under the banner of Sharia law. But what is Sharia? Here’s a quick definition: Sharia is described in CJR: Volume 4, Issue 1 15 the Quran as “the watering hole that quenches your spiritual thirst.” Sharia law, on the other hand, is a mesh-­‐up of Sharia as extrapolated by medieval men, often misogynistic ones, with cultural, social and even pre-­‐Islamic norms of the day, blessed by the clergy, paid for the Caliphs, and bingo, we have ourselves “God’s law.” When injustices are committed in the name of Sharia law, as a Muslim organization, we go back to sacred text to argue against those justifications. Speaking the language of secularism or human rights is a foreign language for these perpetrators. So arming ourselves with like-­‐minded Muslim scholars is important. They are our lawyers. What shifts do you see taking place in Islam that give you hope for a brighter future for women? The push for the basic education of girls is the first step. We have also seen an influx of young women scholars of Islam all over the world. Granted some of them perpetuate the same misogyny, but the more women read the disconnectedness between the Quran and anti-­‐woman practice, the better. Populations in Muslim-­‐majority countries are also looking at American Muslims to speak up for their rights. We’ve been doing that at MPV in the name of Islam. It gives them hope that striving for justice, freedom of expression, freedom “of” and “from” religion does not compromise their Islamic identity and values. This is a Muslim identity that is rooted in the Quran and relevant in the 21st century. Some women consider Islam to be anything but progressive. They see Islam as a threat to freedom and women's rights. As the founder of Muslims for Progressive Values, how do you combat these views of Islam? MPV is not interested in combating negative views of Islam on a superficial level with press releases and lip service. Our work is to challenge this interpretation of Islam, CJR: Volume 4, Issue 1 16 and we do it in four ways. The first is to debunk the false definition of Sharia law as God’s law. There is a conflation of Sharia as being equal to Sharia law, not to mention hadith, from which all the justification of injustices and violence against women are perpetuated. How can Sharia law be God’s law if it contradicts the Quran? Second, we try to educate the masses: Muslims, non-­‐Muslims, and the media who unknowingly propagate this false information. Third, challenging Muslim-­‐majority countries at the United Nations for their human rights abuses, which are often committed under the pre-­‐text of Sharia law. Fourth, we combat this view of Islam by living out our egalitarian interpretations of Islam. Think of it this way: Sunni Islam is much like Orthodox Judaism and Catholicism in its gender inequalities, that is, women can never lead a congregation in prayer, give the sermon, or do the call for prayer. In our communities, women and LGBTQ people have the same opportunities to lead prayer as straight men do. We make no distinction between God’s creations, since the Quran does not forbid women’s leadership and emphasizes that judgment will be based off your good deeds, Muslim or NOT! We also pray “Mecca-­‐style,” that is, we don’t segregate in our prayer spaces, which enables families to pray together. The burqa and niqab are thought of by some women as representative of a kind of gynephobia that is present in Islam. Where do you stand on veiling, and how do you navigate Qur'anic practice versus cultural norms? The concept of ‘modesty’ in the Quran has become twisted in practice. Modesty of the heart and humility are the spirit of the message. Instead, in most Wahhabi Muslim societies, we have the coercive donning of the burqa/niqab, which has nothing to do with faith and more to do with a misogynistic interpretation of Islam. Gynephobia is not just expressed with the niqab: it is also seen in how people view women’s skin, thoughts, and CJR: Volume 4, Issue 1 17 voices. Fatima Mernissi is a Moroccan sociologist and in her book "Beyond the Veil" she clarifies and connects the influence of social construction on religious interpretations. All her books are amazing for that reason. Can you give our readers an inspirational story of how Muslims for Progressive Values gave someone hope? The number of emails and messages we’ve received from ex-­‐Muslims who have come back to Islam, stating that in their hearts they have always believed Islam to be truly egalitarian in its values, is inspiring. The problem is that they have not been able to find a community that practices those values. LGBTQ Muslims who find our affirming communities empowering, validating their God-­‐given identity, boosts morale and keeps self-­‐hatred, and mental health issues at bay. And from the non-­‐Muslims who find us in times of crisis, their responses are “thank you for existing and giving us hope for peaceful co-­‐existence." I understand you are also a musician. In what ways do you think of your musical and activist sides harmonizing? Do you see a strong connection between the two? I am fortunate to be able to use the gift of music. My singing voice can soften hearts and build bridges. I have seen hostility and fear melt away before my eyes. That was the turn I took after 9-­‐11: turning a life of a songwriter-­‐producer to a "conscientious" singer-­‐
songwriter. As a classical pianist, I’ve composed spiritual Islamic songs, a new genre called “Islamic Hymns," arranged in a traditional choral style. Singing is a spiritual experience, music has always been in our old traditions, but it's in a foreign language and in an Eastern musical scale. Creating worship songs in English in a Western tradition was a need in our progressive Muslim community. CJR: Volume 4, Issue 1 18 Ani Zonneveld is Founder and President of Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV). Since its inception in 2007, Ani has presided over MPV’s expansion to include chapters and affiliates in Los Angeles, Washington DC, Atlanta, New York, Chicago, Columbus, Canada, France, Chile, Australia and Malaysia, secured consultative status at the United Nations in 2013 member of the NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief. Ani is the co-­‐chief editor of the anthology Progressive Muslim Identities-­‐Personal Stories from the U.S. and Canada, a contributor to the anthology American Dreamers, AslanMedia.com, HuffingtonPost.com, OpenDemocracy.net and others. She is on Planned Parenthood’s Clergy Advocacy Board and on the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s. In 2006, she was named a Muslim Leader of Tomorrow by the American Society for Muslim Advancement. Ani is an unconventional bridge-­‐builder as she speaks-­‐sings her message of social justice and peace from a progressive Muslim woman’s perspective. She is a cultural innovator in her songwriting and production of Islamic hymns with the release of several solo CDs. As a songwriter/producer she has won many awards including a Grammy certification for her song contribution to Keb’ Mo’s album, “Keep It Simple." Born and raised Muslim from Malaysia, Ani spent a good portion of her formative years raised in Germany, Egypt and India as an Ambassador's daughter. Her exposure to different politics, religions and cultures has shaped her inclusive worldview.