Presidential leadership extends far beyond honesty alone. All societies, in fact, expect their leaders to embody certain virtues like honesty, courage, justice, compassion, and wisdom.

As an American, I look to our rich history of virtuous leadership: George Washington, Susan B. Anthony, Woodrow Wilson, and Martin Luther King Jr., just to name a few. Within the Muslim tradition, we define the virtue of leaders – and humans in general – according to a code of honorable conduct of chivalry known as the futuwwah, which includes such characteristics as mercy, generosity, fairness, knowledge, humility, loyalty, and bravery.

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The Question: Jeremiah Wright's sermons continue to be an issue in the presidential campaign. Why? What do you think of his preaching style? What do you wish you understood better about it?

The Reverend Jeremiah Wright’s recent reemergence in the media is generating intense coverage solely because of his connection to Senator Barack Obama. Equally interesting, however, is the gap between Americans on Wright and his so-called “black preaching,” a gap which reveals the extent to which race and religion still divide our country.

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The Question: In his speech to U.S. bishops last week, Pope Benedict XVI said: "Any tendency to treat religion as a private matter must be resisted . . . To the extent that religion becomes a purely private affair, it loses its very soul." Do you agree or disagree? Why?

The Pope’s comments reflect the growing anxiety amongst religious Europeans that religion is being viewed with suspicion and even ire. This is nothing unprecedented, but the waves of Muslim immigrants have perhaps given the question a new dimension.

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The Question: Pope Benedict's recent baptism of a well-known Italian Muslim has prompted criticism in much of the Islamic world. Has Benedict done enough to build bridges to Islam?

While Pope Benedict has consistently signaled his desire to extend a hand of respect and dialogue to the Muslim community, he has routinely acted without caution, thus impairing the bridge-building work of innumerable Catholics and Muslims. This is true in the case of the Magdi Allam baptism. Read my earlier post on this issue.

The Catholic Church has certainly supported a number of important interfaith initiatives. For example, high-level Catholic and Muslim leaders recently established the “Catholic-Muslim Forum” to foster dialogue. The first Seminar of this ongoing Forum, initially proposed by 138 Muslim scholars globally, will center on the theme “Love of God, Love of Neighbor.” Though this Forum represents a significant step sponsored by the Vatican, Pope Benedict has not yet lived up to former Pope John Paul II’s legacy of consistent and sincere outreach to Muslims.

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By now, most Americans are aware of Rod Parsley and his brand of hate-preaching, but for whatever reason, Senator John McCain has not been pressured to explain his relationship with Parsley or condemn Parsley’s highly aggressive comments on Islam.

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Pope Benedict’s choice to publicly baptize the Egyptian-born Muslim Magdi Allam at the Vatican was a regrettable one for Muslim-Catholic relations. While it cannot be considered a hostile act, it was inconsiderate, unnecessary, and ultimately harmful.

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The Question: Which "ism" is more entrenched in America, sexism or racism? Which should religion address?

The assertion of one group’s superiority over another is a human epidemic, a disease that has befallen every culture and society throughout our history. For Muslims, the Qur’an itself recognizes this condition in chapter 23, verse 53: “But they became divided into sects, each rejoicing in their own ideas. So leave them in their ignorance for a time.”

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Religion and spirituality remain a seminal feature of American society and culture – unlike in many parts of Western Europe – in large part because of the vibrant and fluid nature of Americans’ religious affiliations. The fact that Americans are switching their religions is indeed characteristic of an animated and healthy religion in this country.

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Barack Obama continues to elicit responses of profound passion and enthusiasm from many Americans. He evokes hope and inspires people to act. In this sense, whether or not we agree with his particular policies is irrelevant, because surely we must recognize that his person and candidacy represent much larger phenomenon in American society.

Millions of Americans who have heard Obama speak – in person or on their TV screens – feel a visceral connection with something greater: CHANGE and the hope for a government that can restore the luster of the American Dream.

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I am thankful that the issue of religious leadership was raised. I am so passionate about this issue’s monumental importance, especially in contemporary Muslim communities, that it literally consumes me.

When religions are represented by bad leadership, faith is often corrupted and poisoned, and its adherents become disillusioned. Whenever I read statements by certain Muslim leaders promoting hate, I cringe. Not only does this offend the Divine and His love of peace and tolerance, it has real implications for humans in this world, Muslims and otherwise.

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As an American Muslim woman activist, I’m letting out a resounding, “Let’s chill out!”

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s statement that Great Britain should consider accommodating aspects of Islamic law (or Shari’ah law) into its civil law was not a declaration against women or liberty. Rather, he merely proposed his own solution to the ongoing processes of reconciling the integrity of a secular state with the widely-held religious beliefs of people within that state, which may include certain legal provisions. This is, by definition, complicated, and different nations have offered different solutions. While we can disagree with the Archbishop’s conclusions, by simply (and without sufficient knowledge) disparaging Islam and Islamic law, we are frankly missing the point of this larger debate.

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“Let there be no compulsion in religion.” Surah al-Baqarah (2):256

Islamic beliefs certainly do not preclude freedom of speech. The Qur’an is replete with verses denouncing, for example, the use of force to compel belief, and the Prophet Muhammad is consistently told that an individual’s faith is a matter between him/her and God. Not surprisingly, Muslim history is full of believers challenging mainstream thought and practice. Of course, as in the context of other faiths, many of these individuals were persecuted; others, however, thrived and made an enormous impact on their communities and the Islamic faith as a whole.

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