Moina J . Maaz

Claremont Graduate University, Philosophy of Religion and Theology (PRT), Graduate Student

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B.A Philosophy @UCLA , M.A Humanities @CSUN, Ph.D. student in the interfield of Religion and Cultural Studies @CGU. A lifetime researcher of the truth. Allegory of the Cave. A lifetime learner.
Supervisors: Dr. Tammi Schneider and Dr. Ruqayya Khan

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Okafor Christian I. (Senior Technical Advisor) Ph.D., M.Sc., B.Tech., Dip, MNITP, FIMC, CMC.

UN-HABITAT

Ahmed O S M A N Ibrahim

University of Hail

Yakubu Aminu DODO

Istanbul Gelisim Universitesi

Nadia Nurul Izza

Jahanzeeb Qurashi

Aliyu Salisu Barau

Bayero University, Kano

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Mounia Chekhab Abudaya

Qatar Museums Authority

Mizanul Hoque

University of Chittagong

Marina Apaydin

The American University In Cairo

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Papers by Moina J . Maaz

A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON HOW MIGRATION AND ARCHITECTURAL ADAPTATION RESHAPED THE LANDSCAPES IN TWO DESERT CITIES: MECCA-SAUDI ARABIA, AND PALM SPRINGS-CALIFORNIA

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Muslim Women and Social Criticism Given Michael Walzer's Political Thought

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Salafi Women and the Socioeconomic Disadvantage of the Proletariat

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MUSLIM WOMEN AFTER 911

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Preserving Marital Harmony in the Light of the Quran: A Shia woman's rereading of Q 4:34

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The Kaaba Between the Sacred and the Profane

Maaz The Kaaba is a cubic structure covered in silk curtains and calligraphy made of pure gold an... more Maaz The Kaaba is a cubic structure covered in silk curtains and calligraphy made of pure gold and silver. It is in the center of Masjid al-Haram 1 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The Kaaba is the holiest shrine in Islam; around it revolves one of the five pillars 2 , and it marks the direction of prayers for all Muslims worldwide. The Kaaba had a variety of functions throughout history. In the pre-Islamic era, it was a center for worshipping idols and a pilgrimage site that brought wealth and revived the trade between the tribes of Arabia. At the dawn of Islam, the prophet Muhammad 3 cleared the Kaaba from the idols. It became a center of worship that witnessed the rise of Islam as an institutional religion. Today, the Kaaba is Muslims' most sacred religious site and the most prominent economic revenue for Saudi Arabia. The Kaaba was destroyed twice; in 683 CE during a civil war between the Caliph Abdel Malik 4 and Zubair 5 , who controlled Mecca, and in 1626 CE due to a strong torrent, and religiously, the Muslims believe that its first destruction happened with Noah's flood. However, there is no historical reference to this claim. The Kaaba is a cubicle building on a marble and blue-grey stone base. It is 50 feet high and about 40 feet at its base. 6 The interior of the Kaaba consists of three wood pillars supporting the roof and a few gold and silver lamps. The floor is marble, and the door is made from 300 kg gold. The cover of the Kaaba (Kiswa) is made of 670 kg of black silk and 220 kg of gold and silver threads needed for calligraphy, and it consists of eight pieces supplied with cotton ropes. The Kiswa is changed yearly on the 9 th or 10 th day of Alhujjah, the last month of the Islamic 1 Masjid al-Haram is known as the Great Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. 2 The five pillars are the core beliefs and practices of Islam: The first pillar is the (Shahada), the belief that "there is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God. The second prayer. The third is Alms. Four is fasting, and the fifth is the pilgrimage to the Kaaba. 3 Prophet Muhammad is the prophet of Islam (570-632 CE) 4 Abdel Malik ibn Marwan is the fifth Umayyad Caliph ruling from 685 until 702. 5 Zubair (642-692) was the leader of Mecca that rivaled the Umayyads.

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Unveiling Identities; Young Muslim Women's Social Space in the U.S.

Islam is one of the most misunderstood religions because of the violence and hostility attributed... more Islam is one of the most misunderstood religions because of the violence and hostility attributed to it by the ideologies and practices of radical Muslim groups and by the concept of Orientalism that rejects Islam and perceives it as the unintelligible “other” that needs to be “civilized.” The West has been generalizing these practices of radical Muslims and attributing them to the core of Islam. Moreover, Muslim women have been a part of this dilemma as they are viewed as oppressed and submissive to the men within their religion and religious practices.
My research explores the personalized social space that young Muslim women constructed in the United States after 9/11. This space is based on religious tradition, education, fashion, sport, careers, and interactions with social media. Through this space, the young Muslim women present a new facade of Islam compatible with religious duties and American values. The personalized social space that young Muslim women constructed and still construct in the United States is safe for the American public to enter and explore Islam and Muslim women. It is safe because it appeals to Western ideals of athleticism, professionalism, education, modern fashion, and, most importantly, good citizenship. This research will help bring forward a new understanding of Islam and the rights and duties of Muslim women, Islam which can be compatible with the values of freedom, equity, and autonym, especially for women.

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A study on Scripturalizing the Turba in the Twelver Shiism

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Consciousness

Consciousness Consciousness is a challenging concept that refutes the credibility of the scientif... more Consciousness Consciousness is a challenging concept that refutes the credibility of the scientific reductionist theory. While the nature and the function of the human body can be reduced to a mere physical explanation, consciousness proposes a problem that scientific laws cannot solve yet. However, the problem of consciousness is twofold: In the first part, consciousness can be reduced to a mere physical function but the second addresses how these physical functions give rise to the subjective experiences. There are different kinds and levels of consciousness: the total unconsciousness, the minimal consciousness, the perceptual, and the introspective and in the first part of this paper I will clarify the meaning of each of these levels. In the second part I will be discussing the accountability of science in explaining the nature and function of consciousness in all its levels. Consciousness is a very complicated concept and we can form a deeper understanding of what consciousness is if we attempt to explore each of its levels in depth. When a person lacks consciousness, he becomes in a state of unconsciousness and in this state his mental activities have different format of operation. The person becomes unconscious either during sleep or under anesthesia and in both cases the mental archive, where memories, knowledge, beliefs, and emotions are dwelling, remains preserved but not active. Armstrong says that, while being unconscious, these states of mind are "casually quiescent" (p,57). In his article about consciousness, he compares the states of consciousness to a computer in a sleeping mode. The programs and the information that were uploaded to the computer will remain saved even when the computer is not activated. Consciousness is the master of the human mind and it has the power to access the information that are stored in the mental archive according to the person's needs. In this archive we have a hagiarchy of input: knowledge and beliefs in the bottom and

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Reality vs Perception

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Emptiness

Emptiness Buddhism is a way of life; a philosophical ideology that can see beyond what is commonl... more Emptiness Buddhism is a way of life; a philosophical ideology that can see beyond what is commonly seen, and that can leap past the materialistic realm. Within its essence, Buddhism contains so any concepts that can be grasped in different depth depending on the power of understanding of each human being. These concepts were presented to the international audience through a series of movies allowing it to touch upon a world that is full of wisdom. "Emptiness" that is the core the Heart Sūtra (the shortest of the Perfection of Wisdom "Prājñaparamitā" Sūtras), is one of the most essential concept of Mahayana Buddhism. The meaning of "emptiness" was somehow explained, contradicted, and analogized in the following movies: Little Buddha, Spring, summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring, and Doing Time, Doing Vipassana. These three movies will be analyzed in the light of the concept of "emptiness" in the following paper. The Little Buddha (1993) by Bertolucci, is a film that says the story of Tibetan Monks from a monastery in Bhutan searching for the reincarnation of a very powerful Buddhist teacher. These monks believed that a little American boy from Seattle can be a candidate for the reincarnation of Lama Dorje. These monks ended up finding three manifestations of this reincarnation: a little boy named Raju that reincarnates the physical look of the deceased Lama, a little girl "Gita" that reincarnated the language of Lama Dorje, and Jessy the little boy from Seattle that manifested his mind. Parallel to this story is the tale of the prince Siddhartha who rejected a life of luxury and went off in search for the truth of his reality and the reality of all creations. Siddhartha went through tons of hardship and challenges before he was able to reach

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Short essay Christian and Islamic View on Body and Marriage

Christianity views the body as a tool to ascend toward God and in its early days, it encouraged p... more Christianity views the body as a tool to ascend toward God and in its early days, it encouraged practicing extreme forms of fasting and abstinence from sex as a way to tame one's desires and control his instincts. Women who preserved their virginity infinitely were considered to be closer to God and chastity was revered as a higher physical functional level that can help the individual achieve his ultimate spiritual goal. Although Chasity was a higher level of spiritual performance, monogamous marriages were sacred in Christianity. On the other hand, Islam is a tradition that offers different perceptions on the body, and even though the body can be a tool for ascendance toward God, Muslims were advised and encouraged to marry and neglect chastity and to stay away from extreme self-inflicted suffering which may include unsupervised fasting and resisting one's instincts. Marriage is a sacred union in Islam, but it doesn't have to be "till death us do part" and polygamy is permissible under strict rules. I would like to address the Christian and Islamic views on the body and marriage and present the differences and similarities of these binary views and the cause behind it. Christianity is a tradition that is heavily saturated with Greek and Latin influence because it saw the light under the Roman Empire that was adjunct to the Greeks. However, Christianity had its own innovative perception of the body and marriage. While the body was a public property in the Greek and Roman times and the men were encouraged to keep a healthy lifestyle with exercise, nutrition, and open relationships, Christianity came along looking down upon flesh and sex; they were considered impure and dirty and implementing suffering on the body was believed to free and strengthen the soul and allow the person to be closer to God. The pleasures of the body were the devil's weapons according to Christianity (Goldhill, 105), therefore, the perfect Christian was bound to carry an ascetic lifestyle. Christianity promoted that desires are

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Craig Martin's hermeneutic of suspicion and functionalism

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Drafts by Moina J . Maaz

Michelle Obama

First Lady Michelle Obama. A Role Model of Feminine Strength, Resilience, and leadership Little i... more First Lady Michelle Obama. A Role Model of Feminine Strength, Resilience, and leadership Little is known to the public about the norms and the traditions that the First Ladies in the United States have to abide by and adjust to. Being the First Lady is no simple task especially when a black woman from a middle-class family takes upon her shoulder this role and challenges the stagnant norms that were typical to a particular race and class. First Ladies, besides being the wives of the presidents of the United States, have to be active social and political members as well as role models for American women in their path towards growth and personal efficiency. In 2009 Michelle Obama (Born Robinson; 1964) became the first African American First Lady and she presented to the United States and the world, with her achievements and personal qualities, a supreme model of women's resilience, leadership, and strength. This essay will address the general norms that the First Ladies have to follow during their husband's presidency and will focus in particular on the normative challenges that Michelle Obama faced, challenged, and overcame and on the new dimensions that she created to make a change in the world. I will argue that First Lady Michelle Obama was able to bring forward an unprecedented role model of female leadership that altered the typical norms and traditions of the White House during her husband's presidency. First, she was the first African American woman to reach that position and therefore she had to overcome the racial barriers that are rooted in the American social fiber and gaze. Second, Michelle Obama was able to role model how women can preserve their agency and actualize their views while being considered a "sidecar" to the president. These two components of her leadership were new to the White House and this essay will take the readers on a journey to discover how Michelle Obama's agency was coherent in some sense with few norms of the White House and non-confirmative in so many other ways.

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How has the cognitive science of religion contributed to our understanding of magic religion

How has the cognitive science of religion contributed to our understanding of magic/ religion? Al... more How has the cognitive science of religion contributed to our understanding of magic/ religion? Although the classic approach to the study of religion and magic presented valuable inputs that shaped the way the West perceives religion and magic, the cognitive science of religion (CSR) offers unprecedented scientific and objective contributions that shaped the western understating of these classic theories. These contributions are expressed on three levels: the aberrant use of scientific methods in the study of religion, challenging the classical theories about religion and magic, and emphasizing the religious implications like rituals as they are depicted by the cognitive processes. First, I will discuss what CSR is. Second, I will highlight some methods often employed by CSR scholars and showcase how they differ from the previous ones as presented by CSR researchers and Professor Legare's fieldwork. Third, I will discuss how an understanding of intuitive biases towards the origin of the natural world has influenced the western understanding of religion and how CSR contributed to altering this understanding. I will be using White's argument about cognitive biases and their role in blocking the understanding of scientific explanations about the origin of the world. Fourth, I will discuss how CSR analyzes the rituals and presents them as implications of the cognitive processes that are similar across cultures and religions.

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Biography

Biography of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini

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Case study paper "The Muslim Ban"

Moina Maaz Huma 600 06/18/2020 CASE STUDY POSSIBILITY #3 The Travel Ban; Its Source, Indications,... more Moina Maaz Huma 600 06/18/2020 CASE STUDY POSSIBILITY #3 The Travel Ban; Its Source, Indications, and Ramifications. Immigration is a solid part of human history and it is a flow motivated by so many factors: oppression, insecurity, violence, and so on. The United States is one of the most active nations, on the international level, in accepting immigrants because it offers endless opportunities, and its economic system values hard work and perseverance. It is a land that attracts dreams and helps make them a reality because of its diversity, economic power, and endless resources. Consequently, immigrants' laws and policies have been fluctuating from supportive to restrictive according to the status quo and they have been fairly evolving to reflect a humanitarian and inclusive American ideology. However, in 2017 the president of the United States, Donald Trump, issued an exclusive order (order 13769) related to immigration that was hostile and seemingly foreign to the American ideology. This unprecedented order called the travel ban or "Muslim ban" prohibits the entry of Muslims from seven Muslim countries and suspended the admission of all refugees. In this essay, I will be explaining the nature of this order, its ramifications on the American internal and external politics, and how it brought to the surface the xenophobia that the Americans have been dealing with for centuries. First, I will highlight the nature of this ban, and how it impacted American society. Second, the aftermath of this ban will be in perspective along with how it was perceived by authorities like the supreme and federal court. Lastly, I will discuss President Trump's popularity that made an order like the Muslim ban, and regardless of its discriminating and prejudiced nature, endorsed by the American public.

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Gains and Losses of Iranian Women Between Modernity and Islam20200228 77474 t17zm9

Moina Maaz Religion 185 02/26/2018 Gains and Losses of Iranian Women Between Modernity and Islam ... more Moina Maaz Religion 185 02/26/2018 Gains and Losses of Iranian Women Between Modernity and Islam Sameh presented in From Tehran to Los Angeles to Tehran, an overview of the one million signature campaign to end discriminatory law against women in Iran. This campaign initiated the reformation of the social and political position of the Iranian women who were subjects to a huge ideological shift between the Shah pre-revolution era and the Islamic revolution of 1979 and its aftermath. Iranian women are historically known to be strong worriers1, independent and powerful women that were active in the religious, social, and political domains2. During the Shah's era, Iranian women started to lose their power as the dictatorship of the Shah immobilized their growth as active members of the society. The Shah and his government had a hostile approach toward the Muslim women3. This approach disabled the biggest majority of women in Iran from pursuing education or being a force in the work industry. When the Islamic revolution took place in 1979, the Iranian women had an active role in this revolution hoping to attain the gender equality and regain their rights that Islam promotes in its essence. After the Islamic revolution, the civil law in Iran was based on the conservative interpretation of sharia law. The women found themselves lost between ideologies trying to survive and digest the changes that has been happening in their society. That is when the million signature campaign saw the light, it was born 1 Archeological work broadcasted by Reuters from Tehran in December 4,2004. 2 women were key players in the Constitutional Revolution of 1905-11 (Sameh).

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