Thanks to everyone who sent questions online for the Georgetown/On Faith symposium on "What it Means to be Muslim in America."

More than 200 people attended the 90-minute event Thursday at Georgetown and many were still standing in line waiting to ask questions when it was over.

We're going to try to get the panelists to answer as many of the online questions as we can in the coming days. Be patient and watch this site.

Meanwhile, here's a look at some of the best online questions we received by email. You'll find others in the 'comments' below.

1. Here's my question for the panel:

Do you think that the number of college students interested in Islamic studies has been increasing over the past couple of years and if so, why in particular?

How do you judge the level of knowledge, enthusiasm, preparedness of American students of Islamic studies?
(perhaps that'd be question for university professors in the panel).

Thank you.

Katarina Svitkova (Slovakia)

2. Here's my questions on Islam in America. Boy, I sure wish that I were there to ask them in person.

Can Islam in America ever be consistent with our values on women's rights? It's clear from the Islamic texts that women are worth less than a man, it's OK for husbands to beat their wives, men can divorce their wives easily, men can have multiple wives, women are stoned to death for adultery, etc. etc. etc. Please don't tell me that my perceptions are mistaken and that Islam really values women, because the textual material and how Islam has treated women in fact speaks otherwise. We only need to look at Islamic countries to see how women are treated. Or look at the photos posted on the website FaithFreedom.org.

It seems a contradiction to have a panel discussion on Islam, because that implies freedom of speech. Yet Islam has shown itself to be quite intolerant to any criticism, to the point where Fatwas of death are issued against those who criticize Islam or riots can start with the printing of a cartoon. Can Islam ever be consistent with freedom of speech to allow itself to be subjected to public scrutiny? Can you cite any Islamic country where a person can speak out freely, criticize Islam, and not have some fear for their lives? Be honest.

Thanks.

Kim

3. In the West, Christianity and secular authority have been working out their respective power sharing for the last 1000 years.

Here in America, and indeed in most "Christian" countries, secular authority came out on top, but allowing great latitude for religious expression and authority.

In the Muslim world, things are still quite mixed. Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan have always been secular, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and (formerly) Iraq are Monarchy / Dictatorship, and Iran and parts of Northern Africa are theocracies under Sharia.

In the long run, do you foresee any "equilibrium" type of Muslim government such as all theocracy or all secular?

Neal Jettpace
Indianapolis, IN