Salam, I agree that Muslims need to explain Islam to the wider non Muslim community, but I also think that MPAC needs to stop bushing the Muslim community on these issues rather more confidence should be given to the Muslims to carry the dawah. Secondly in Islam we do have Jihad and so forth, these things need to be explained in their correct context rather then shying away from them.

Who can disagree with the general thrust of this article: that it's up to Muslims themselves to explain Islam?

So what should be the starting point? Having a dialogue in a Mosque is all very well, but that's just us talking to ourselves.

And an 'apology' isn't the same thing as Ijtihaad.

Take the following proposition: If you believe that ALL the Hadith are 100% authentic then you must believe, e.g. (1) It's ok for a 55 year old man to marry a 6 year old (or, by inference, a 55 year old woman to marry a 6 year old boy); (2) If a fly sits on dog-***t and then lands in your drink, you shouldn't throw you drink away; instead you should push the fly deeper into your drink, and then gulp it down because it is good for you.

(Its amazing that Muslim households will not allow people to walk-in with their shoes on, but will drink a cup of tea where a fly with dog-mess on its feet has landed, AND has been fully immersed).

As for Tabloid Guide to Islam -- hand-chopping, beheading, suicide-bombing, wife-beating, serial marriage -- these catch the reader's attention because they are not false. They DO happen. And who is responsible for that? AND these are generally applied to women and poor men.

The writer fails to mention that in order to engage with the wider community, Muslims need to benefit the community as a whole.

MPAC is a rare example where women are appearing in the media to explain Islam. In virtually ALL of the so-called Muslim countries women have practically no opportunity to speak up. Thus it has been for century upon century. So, all that body of Shariah: is it truly 'Islamic'? Or, have men 'interpreted' everything to suit them?

So they were 'Ulema' of their time. But where are the Ulema of today?

Unless Muslims persuade the Ummah that suicide bombing is utterly un-Islamic; that shrieking hysterically in the street as part of a 'flag-burning orgy' in protest at this or that, is not an example of 'peace', then the world in general will not believe that 'Islam is Peace'.

There will be some who will say they "don't care what the 'world' says, they have their 8th century rules, and to hell with the 21st century!" (And yet, they will watch TV, use microwave ovens, have X-rays, fly in aeroplanes, use mobile phones, eat margarine, when no one has ANY idea whether these are halaal or haraam!)

You might actually see them posting here! Look out for them.

I agree with this, we need not be apologetic about aspects of Islam that we find difficult to explain, rather we should first all of arm ourselves with knowledge and then present our arguments in the best way possible.MPAC has done a lot to highlight many issues impacting the Muslim community, but should avoid knee-jerk reactions or finger pointing when under pressure, only in this way can a cohesive response to the media and no Muslim community be delivered.

I agree it is imperative that muslims are reminded of their responsibilities. They seem to think that the responsibility is always somebody elses.

I also believe that Muslims must do better to explain why Islam is a peaceful religion. With the West being treated to the images and news about 9/11, 7/7, Bali, Beslan, Madrid, 21/7 plot, beheading plot, killings in Iraq and weekly arrests and trial concerning terrorist plots then its harder for the general population to understand Islam.

Rubeena, if you Muslims believe that the 'Hadith on the Fly' is authentic then why don't you go around catching flies to dip them in your drink by the dozens? Surely if one fly is good, then a hundred flies would be fantastic?

Answer me this: if you have an accident and need blood transfusion, is it 'halaal' or 'haraam' to accept blood from a kaffir/apostate/homosexual/Jew/Hindu?

Should a kaffir nurse care for you?

Should a homosexual doctor treat you?

Should you get on a bus driven by an apostate driver?

'Islam is Peace'? Then stop making a mockery of your religion by practising 8th century ignorant/violent facism!

Some interesting points, but just something we should be aware of when discussing the authenticity of hadith and also the laws derived from Quran and Sunnah:
The authentic hadith (e.g Sahih Bukhari, Muslim etc) have been rigorously collected , examined and their chains of narration validated by the scholars of hadith (who by the way include a number of prominent women scholars of classical Islam), so to simply reject a hadith because we do not undertsand it or because it conflicts with what we think is correct, is not the right approach.
What we need to understand is the context of the hadith and in what situations, if any, can it be interpreted.
For example there are some directives if the Quran/Sunnah that are clear cut and cannot be open to subjective interpretations, this is not because male Ulema have interpreted it, but because the Arabic text clearly states this without ambiguity, in certain cases.
In other Quranic verses/hadith there is room for Ijtihad to be applied.

There certainly are many problems in the Muslim community/society/countries, due to cultural issues and misapplication of Islamic law, but this is not because of the law itself, rather it is due its incorrect implementation outside of a cohesive Islamic system.

Islam does not mean peace. As simple as that. Do your research! Islam means submission. The statement that "Islam means peace" actually has a very real history that is about 150 years old. It arose out of circumstances of British occupation of Egypt prior to WW1 as part of an attempt to make occupation palatable to the masses. It is a poison and a lie...

Unfortunately, it seems that Sister Rubeena has missed the point that the writer appears to be making. Opening up the channels of dialogue between ourselves is the first step to educating and understanding islam. She presupposes that everyone has sound islamic knowledge....they do not. It is once we have educated oursleves that we can begin to educate others and influence positively the wider community.