((PKG)) FREELANCE MUSLIM
((Banner: Universalist Islam))
((Reporter/Camera: Arturo Martinez))
((Map: Los Angeles, California))
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
We have to understand the institution of marriage. In the
modern times, its not the same as in the time of the Prophet.
In fact, it wasn't even the same 100 years ago.
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
My name is Zaman Stanizai. I consider myself more of a
freelance Muslim as far as sectarian differences are
concerned. So, I attend different mosques and IMAN Center
is one of those. I was invited to participate in the Quranic
forum here.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
What people do in most Muslim societies is that they take
the exception as the law and the law as the exception.
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
I'm neither Shia nor Sunni. When Afghanistan was invaded,
about a year after the Soviet invasion, I had to leave, like
most everyone else who feared for their life. That brought
me back to the United States.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
The stigma that is attached to Islam these days was not
there. Everything was wonderful until the 9-11 and the rest
of the story which turned everything upside down.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
I can't take responsibility for the action of someone else
simply because they look like me or they come from the part
of the world I come from or they share a, say, religious
identity with me.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai, Professor, California State University))
Why I chose Los Angeles? I think it's because of this
cosmopolitan nature. Here I can go to a church, to a
synagogue, to a mosque, to a gurudwara. I could go to any
temple and the doors are open.
((NATS))
Long time no see. How are you?
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
If I'm driving, and it's time for prayer, I pray while I'm driving.
I can have perfect concentration. When you're worshipping
a God that does not have form, then why should we stick to
the form?
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
I am a professor. I've taught for a little over half century in
Afghanistan and in many institutions of higher learning here
in the United States and Southern California.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
For one, if they had them so meaningfully before the war,
there will be no war, right?
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
Currently I teach Islamic traditions and political science. If
you can analyze issues facing them on the human behavior,
a lot of these world conflicts could be solved diplomatically,
peacefully, instead of resorting to wars. So, that's how I use
the Islamic dimension in the political science courses.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
Understand confusion, right? It's the name of your best
teacher in life.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
I approach Quran analytically. I study it. When I've
questions, I go there. Sometimes people may not see me as
their "ideal type of Muslim and I don't care because my faith
in God is between me and God, not between me and anyone
else. Any level of identifying yourself with a smaller group,
we are narrowing that window of seeing the universal divine.
((NATS))
((Banner: Universalist Islam))
((Reporter/Camera: Arturo Martinez))
((Map: Los Angeles, California))
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
We have to understand the institution of marriage. In the
modern times, its not the same as in the time of the Prophet.
In fact, it wasn't even the same 100 years ago.
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
My name is Zaman Stanizai. I consider myself more of a
freelance Muslim as far as sectarian differences are
concerned. So, I attend different mosques and IMAN Center
is one of those. I was invited to participate in the Quranic
forum here.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
What people do in most Muslim societies is that they take
the exception as the law and the law as the exception.
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
I'm neither Shia nor Sunni. When Afghanistan was invaded,
about a year after the Soviet invasion, I had to leave, like
most everyone else who feared for their life. That brought
me back to the United States.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
The stigma that is attached to Islam these days was not
there. Everything was wonderful until the 9-11 and the rest
of the story which turned everything upside down.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
I can't take responsibility for the action of someone else
simply because they look like me or they come from the part
of the world I come from or they share a, say, religious
identity with me.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai, Professor, California State University))
Why I chose Los Angeles? I think it's because of this
cosmopolitan nature. Here I can go to a church, to a
synagogue, to a mosque, to a gurudwara. I could go to any
temple and the doors are open.
((NATS))
Long time no see. How are you?
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
If I'm driving, and it's time for prayer, I pray while I'm driving.
I can have perfect concentration. When you're worshipping
a God that does not have form, then why should we stick to
the form?
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
I am a professor. I've taught for a little over half century in
Afghanistan and in many institutions of higher learning here
in the United States and Southern California.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
For one, if they had them so meaningfully before the war,
there will be no war, right?
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
Currently I teach Islamic traditions and political science. If
you can analyze issues facing them on the human behavior,
a lot of these world conflicts could be solved diplomatically,
peacefully, instead of resorting to wars. So, that's how I use
the Islamic dimension in the political science courses.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
Understand confusion, right? It's the name of your best
teacher in life.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State
University))
I approach Quran analytically. I study it. When I've
questions, I go there. Sometimes people may not see me as
their "ideal type of Muslim and I don't care because my faith
in God is between me and God, not between me and anyone
else. Any level of identifying yourself with a smaller group,
we are narrowing that window of seeing the universal divine.
((NATS))
