Progressive Muslim Movement was a movement in North America that sought to create a modern and more inclusive Muslim populace at home with modernity and secularism. Its major leaders included Asra Nomani, Amina Wadud, Tarek Fateh, Syed Farhaj Hassan, Jawad Ali and Yasser Latif Hamdani.
The progressive Muslim movement got launched soon after 9-11-2001. There was an awakening of sorts. What used to be progressives meeting on Yahoo group lists became organized into a more concrete body of people with a mission and a set of principles.
Progressive Muslim Union (PMU)started the movement primarily made up of activists with scholar Omid Safi as the inspiration. Unfortunately progressives being who they are, too independent minded for their own good, the group disbanded.
Muslim for Progressive Values was founded by two ex-board members of PMU, Ani Zonneveld and Pamela Taylor and established itself as a non-profit in 2007.
Since then there has been several more progressive groups in the United States. There is the New York Progressive Muslim Community, American Islamic Foundation (Atlanta), and probably more operating under the radar.
Famous quotes containing the words progressive, muslim and/or movement:
“A radical is one of whom people say “He goes too far.” A conservative, on the other hand, is one who “doesn’t go far enough.” Then there is the reactionary, “one who doesn’t go at all.” All these terms are more or less objectionable, wherefore we have coined the term “progressive.” I should say that a progressive is one who insists upon recognizing new facts as they present themselves—one who adjusts legislation to these new facts.”
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)
“For the salvation of his soul the Muslim digs a well. It would be a fine thing if each of us were to leave behind a school, or a well, or something of the sort, so that life would not pass by and retreat into eternity without a trace.”
—Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904)
“When delicate and feeling souls are separated, there is not a feature in the sky, not a movement of the elements, not an aspiration of the breeze, but hints some cause for a lover’s apprehension.”
—Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751–1816)