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Education

Will America’s First Muslim College Serve as a Bridge Between Islamic Culture and Western Values?

Feb. 5, 2013 8:59am Billy Hallowell

Zaytuna College is likely unfamiliar to most Americans, as it is a small, Islamic higher education institute that was founded quite recently. Described as the nation’s “first Muslim college,” Zaytuna, located in Berkeley, Calif., seeks to mesh Islamic values with Western educational tenets. While the school currently has only 31 students and is renting space from a Baptist seminary, it plans to have its own campus next year — an expansive act that showcases the potential growth and trajectory of the emerging school.

On its web site, Zaytuna’s purpose is clearly highlighted as educating and equipping Muslim students to embark on a journey in the modern era. Noting that the Islamic population is growing in the West, the school believes that there are a number of challenges facing Muslim-Americans, particularly when it comes to integrating Islamic and Western cultures.

This Is Zaytuna College: Americas First Muslim Liberal Arts College

Photo Credit: Zaytuna College/Facebook

The college further explains these sentiments on its web site:

Islam has never become rooted in a particular land until that land began producing its own religious scholars. There are several million Muslims in the United States and rapidly growing Muslim populations in Canada, Great Britain, and Western Europe. Yet, there are no accredited academic institutions capable of training students in the varied sciences of Islam, while also instilling in them a sophisticated understanding of the intellectual history and culture of the West. Clearly, there is an essential need for Muslim institutions that can wed Islam’s classical texts with the contemporary context.

This reality has led to two lamentable situations. First, there are very few Muslim scholars who can meet the religious and pastoral needs of a rapidly expanding Muslim community in the West. Second, much of our younger generation has become alienated from the mosque and from religious culture.

To satisfy its educational goals, Zaytuna College pledges to continue its growth, while modeling itself as an institution that will rival some of America’s best religious seminaries and general educational facilities. Students participate in a curriculum that is described as “rigorous,” with classes in Islamic Studies, Arabic, humanities and the social sciences. The notion is that graduating students will become “scholars who understand the specific needs of contemporary societies.”

Advancing its goal of offering Muslims the opportunity to better learn and understand “Islam’s critical role in the modern world,” Zaytuna currently offers two majors: Islamic Law & Theology and Arabic Language (full course listings for the programs are available at the aforementioned links).

As far as cultural awareness goes, the school believes it can be a bridge to assist in what it calls the “indigenization of Islam in the West.” This is code for cultural understanding and the adopting — or, at the least, the understanding — of the two cultures by one another. An explanation on the college’s web site points to the general notion that Muslims are “outsiders” in America, something Zaytuna is attempting to temper and rectify.

“God willing, a Zaytuna College education will prepare students for a meaningful life as compassionate, productive, and educated citizens of the global community who understand Islam as a living, viable, and relevant faith, and who represent that faith with dignity, wisdom, and honor,” the web site continues.

A recent Al Jazeera report has more about the school’s goals, along with student testimonials:

While the college is not currently accredited, officials are working toward that goal, with hopes of reaching it by the time the first graduating class accepts diplomas in 2014.

Learn more about Zaytuna College on the school’s web site.

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Comments (147)

Capitolalb
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 3:00am
I’m happy that there is a muslim university. Change is good for America.

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Ex_marine_dude_8313
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 12:52am
The Bible says that we should love thy neighbor. Turn the other cheek. I guess the so-called Christians around here forget about those parts.

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meeknotweak
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:21pm
Can we open an exclusive Christian College and School with the express purpose of converting (I mean illuminating the Hope of Chrsitaninty that is not shown or taught to) Muslims. And will I be able to get all the same tax breaks, from the cultural and interfaith NGO;s ? Lastly, will the media do the same soft sell advertorials, thank you.

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Harry19
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:05pm
Burn it to the ground, and send them all HOME with their Leader Obama and his pet monkey,Michelle.

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TheGrtDcptn
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:26pm
2 Corinthians 11:14-15 ‘And no wonder, for satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 ‘And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.’

Revelation 13:16-17 ‘And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.’

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mash4077
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 7:26pm
welcome to Jihad U. die infidels! their football team loves to throw the bomb.

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twotoo
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 6:05pm
Islam is here to dominate, make no mistake about that. Imams have laughingly stated that they will use “your (America’s) own laws and freedoms to destroy you.” Read the Quran, the Sunna and the Hadiths and understand that Islam means “SUBMISSION”, not peace. Within 2 years, on 2 small blocks in the town where I live, 6 halal grocery stores and restaurants have opened. A friend of mine went in to one of the stores. The owners of the store were VERY, VERY slow in serving this man and did so reluctantly. Unbeknownst to the store owners however, this man speaks Arabic and understood every word that they said. The store owners were laughing about the stupidity of Americans and how the USA actually welcomes jihadists into their midst. They spoke of a time when Islam will dominate in America. No one in my town is worried about these businesses, even though at times, large numbers of men seem to use these businesses as meeting places.
We are allowing the enemy to live, work and prosper among us.

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- mash4077
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 7:28pm
  we even put one in the white house/mosque.
  
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Palmer1943
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 5:39pm
I don’t see how it could be a good thing. The Koran is so filled with hatred and murder that there is only one way that it can go. example, all from the Quran: non believers must be crucified, enslaved or murdered. not quite sure how you spin that into a good thing for the rest of us.

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twotoo
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 5:35pm
Muslims like to portray Islam as a peaceful religion. While it’s true that there are some peaceful verses in the Koran, these were the suras (verses) that were written during the earlier Meccan period when Mohammed was just beginning his quest for Islamic hegemony. The later verses, written during Mohammeds exile in Medina, abrogate or cancel (Naskh) the earlier written verses per Koran 2:106. For example, “No Compulsion in Religion” 2:256 (Mecca verse) is abrogated “canceled” through the later (Medina) “Verse of the Sword” 9:5 “Kill the infidels wherever you find them.”

There are 164 verses in the Koran requiring Muslims to act violently against Infidels for Jihad. Muslims are not only allowed to kill us, but REQUIRED to kill us per Koran 9:111 as the ONLY guaranteed way to get to heaven.

Islam is the perfect religion (Koran 5:3), forbidden to be doubted (Koran 2:2), the original Koran is in heaven with Allah (Koran 85:21-22), by Allah (10:37) only in Arabic (43:3), transmitted through angel Gabriel over a period of a quarter-century (23 years) to the illiterate Mohammed (7:157).

Muslims are the noblest of humans (Koran 3:110) while we non-Muslims are diseased (2:10), evil (2:99), deaf dumb and blind (2:171), can’t be our friends (3:28), are our enemies (4:101), losers (5:53), pigs and apes (5:60), evil (5:59), worst beasts (8:55), filthy (9:28), perverts (9:30), and the vilest of creatures (98:6).

Muslims should follow Mohammed as he is an

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- twotoo
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 5:39pm
  Muslims should follow Mohammed as he is an “excellent example of conduct” (Koran 33:21). and “exhaled standard of character (Koran 68:4) and Muslims must obey Mohammed (Koran 3:32, 3:132, 4:13, 4:59, 4:69, 5:92, 8:1, 8:20, 8:46, 9:71, 24:47, 24:51, 24:52, 24:54, 24:56, 33:33, 47:33, 49:14, 58:13, 64:12).
  Muslims do not consider any of the following acts bad, wrong or evil. All of the acts below are considered by Muslims, per Allah with the message delivered through Mohammed, good, right, and virtuous. These acts are NOT sinful and Muslims are allowed/condoned/required to do the following: Beheading of Infants and Babies (8:12, 47:4), Pre-Pubescent Child Rape/Marriage/Divorce (65:4), Killing Us While We Sleep (7:97), Killing Dogs (Buhkari Volume 4, Book 54, Number 540), Having Sex Slaves (4:24), Rape (24:13), Death for Insults to Mohammed or Islam (Koran 2:217), Amputation and Crucifixion (5:33), Wife/wives Beating (4:34), Wives Raping (2:223), Theft and Robbery (entire Chapter 8 of Koran called Booty), Extortion (9:29), Terrorism (8:12, 8:59-60), Murder to Get to Heaven (9:111), Lying (3:28, 5:51), Stoning to Death for Adultery (Sahih Muslim 17.4206), Death Penalty for Escaping Islam:Mohammed said “Whoever changes his Islamic religion, then kill him.” (Bukhari Volume 9, Number 85, Number 57), and Mohammed said, “I have been made victorious through terror.” (Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 220). Muslim beliefs per Hadith Qudsi 16, reinforced by Sahih Bukhari and Sahi
  
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bankerpapaw
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 5:09pm
Muslim bridge? They will only blow it up.

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KIOTI-TEXAS
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 4:21pm
How long are we going to put up with this $hit AMERICA??? Our GOVERNMENT SHOULD STOP THIS $HIT NOW…..ISLAM IS TERRORIST……….

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Tri-ox
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:12pm
‘First college-level Islamic Indoctrination Center opens’

http://www.barenakedislam.com/2013/02/04/berkeley-california-where-else-first-college-level-islamic-indoctrination-center-opens/

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- twotoo
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 5:38pm
  To conclude:
  Muslims should follow Mohammed as he is an “excellent example of conduct” (Koran 33:21). and “exhaled standard of character (Koran 68:4) and Muslims must obey Mohammed (Koran 3:32, 3:132, 4:13, 4:59, 4:69, 5:92, 8:1, 8:20, 8:46, 9:71, 24:47, 24:51, 24:52, 24:54, 24:56, 33:33, 47:33, 49:14, 58:13, 64:12).
  
  Muslims do not consider any of the following acts bad, wrong or evil. All of the acts below are considered by Muslims, per Allah with the message delivered through Mohammed, good, right, and virtuous. These acts are NOT sinful and Muslims are allowed/condoned/required to do the following: Beheading of Infants and Babies (8:12, 47:4), Pre-Pubescent Child Rape/Marriage/Divorce (65:4), Killing Us While We Sleep (7:97), Killing Dogs (Buhkari Volume 4, Book 54, Number 540), Having Sex Slaves (4:24), Rape (24:13), Death for Insults to Mohammed or Islam (Koran 2:217), Amputation and Crucifixion (5:33), Wife/wives Beating (4:34), Wives Raping (2:223), Theft and Robbery (entire Chapter 8 of Koran called Booty), Extortion (9:29), Terrorism (8:12, 8:59-60), Murder to Get to Heaven (9:111), Lying (3:28, 5:51), Stoning to Death for Adultery (Sahih Muslim 17.4206), Death Penalty for Escaping Islam:Mohammed said “Whoever changes his Islamic religion, then kill him.” (Bukhari Volume 9, Number 85, Number 57), and Mohammed said, “I have been made victorious through terror.” (Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 220). Muslim beliefs per Hadith Qudsi 16, reinforced by Sahi
  
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TheAcknickulousOne
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:03pm
Are you serious? are we really allowing this to happen? Should we be allowing this to happen? The United States has to stop allowing this type of nonsense to go on. When are we as Americans going to wake up and take over our country again? Is this what’s it’s coming to? I’m not supporting this type of crap in MY Country!
If we don’t stand up we are never going to stand out. If things keep going they way they are we are going to bet stepped on like we have been for the last 20 years. I wouldn’t send my dog to this school

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DefyTYRANNY
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:58pm
This college represents simply another step in the “Peaceful Infiltration” phase of Jihad.

Nothing more.

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Restoration & Improvement
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:54pm
As soon as they renounce Sharia, wife beatings, face and body covering, Islamic countries taxing and killing Christians among a host of other topics that keep their religion in the dark ages, maybe juts maybe I’ll take them seriously.

Not holding my breath.

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Concernd4USA
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:53pm
While this may be the first Official Muslim college. I went to an engineering school called East-West University in Chicago where I got a 25% discount to take a course on Islam. It was about 45% Musilm 50% Hindu/Buddhist and 5% Other including Christian. My school closed and they transferred all of my credits and tuition payments there.

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azitdad
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:43pm
Yeah, no!

Muslims don’t want a “bridge”. They want us to capitulate. Period. Australia has the right idea and we should follow their example.

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zoro51
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:41pm
HELL NO THIS WONT GO.. a muslum a MURDERIG MUSLUM SCHOOL teaching more MURDERING MUSLUMS HOW TOP KILL MAKE BOMBS>. no dont even entertain this school BAN THIS FROM HAPPENING … DEPORT ALL MURDERING MUSLUMS…. save the usa form thier brand of MURDER HATE N DEATH

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idontknow3
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:29pm
Look, I’m Baptist. I have doctrinal issues with anyone that isn’t a Baptist. Thing is I can sit and have civil disagreement with them because we have common ground on which have a discussion. The BIBLE.
I like King James 1611. We can even discuss which Bible to use. We all believe that Jesus Christ is THE Son of God. GOD is the GOD of Abraham, Issac and Jacob.

Look, Genesis 15 thru 17 is the recorded beginning of the Jews and the Arabs. Genesis 17:20&21 clearly states the Covenant of GOD went with and has come down thru Isaac. It was not and is not thru Ishmael.

Ok! What has this got to do with a Muslim college and a cultural bridge? Everything! America was founded by men whose principles of law and life come from the BIBLE not the Koran. Because the only way to GOD is thru Jesus Christ. For a muslim it is mohammad. GOD did not make more than one way. GOD does not consider the culture or lack of culture of mankind. Only that mankind is lost, needs salvation and Jesus Christ is the only way, the only truth and the only life of that salvation.

World domination under sharia law is the ONLY goal of Islam. If that means the death of ALL that they consider to be infidels then so be it. The muslim community could be a nice addition to the melting pot of America. They will have to leave the political aspects of shiria and the koran at the border when they come in. To be an American citizen should be the goal, not a citizen of Islam living in America.

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- idontknow3
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:51pm
  I know! I’m replying to myself. I thought of something else. (Side note to “The Blaze” here – 10,000 characters and be able to insert pdf files in the body of the text. I’m just sayin’.)
  
  On to my thought. If they want to have a muslim college in America then America should require before learning more on Islam they should spend two years studying CIVICS, you know the American Constitution and American government. Then they should be required to spend four years at a Baptist Seminary. After that they then can become a student in their muslim college. Hey that sounds pretty good for every graduating high school student in America before they go on to the college or university of their choice. This is pretty much tongue in cheek here but he that controls curriculum controls the mind. The liberals and progressives have controlled curriculum since the 1950′s and just look at where we find ourselves today. Not only that but they used your money to do it.
  
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marineminer
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:48pm
I church of SATAN would be more welcome in America than a muslim church because Islam is a more insideous evil outright Satanism .

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Arshloch
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:34pm
Aptly named. Isn’t zay tuna a rotten fish? Aptly located, Berkley. This is just one more attempt to bring sha-ree-a-law to a place where it is not wanted. Umm a perfect grouping – Ber-ke- lee, sha-ree-a, umm umm umm!

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fancynancy
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:03pm
Muslims seem to have more religious rights than Christians due to political correctness. The goal of Islam is to take over the land where ever they are. Sorry, you want a Muslim college, go back to the middle east.

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Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 12:53pm
Islam seeks to destroy true religions. It is written, it is at the core of this non-religion. That makes it a crime in the U.S. where real religion is protected form anyone NO MATTER what they call THEMSELVES. That’s right. The law of the land forbids Islam in the interest of protecting “Freedom of Religion” WAKE UP!
ISLAM IS A CRIME. Those who have taken an oath and do not enforce the law are accomplices. They shall be forcibly removed from office and charged accordingly. Sooner or later. I might run for office on it.

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strawberry411a
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 12:50pm
Well congrats California. YOu have just moved GroundZero from Dearborne to the west coast. If you think for one minute that this is something more than a jihadists paradise think again. It is amazing the level the California state system of education will go to to harass intimidate and undermine the Christian religion but they are willing to openly welcome the biggest future reason for this country’s downfall…AND THEY OPENLY ADMIT IT EVERY DAY! DESTROY THE CRUSADER, THE WESTERNER THE AMERICANS.

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PeteOH
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 12:36pm
I’m sick and tired of Muslim using our freedoms, laws and guilt against us! No to this college. Let’s revisit this matter after we’ve gotten the permit to build a Christian College in Mecca. How long can you hold your breath?

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- Concernd4USA
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:04pm
  I do not want to argue with you but freedom means allowing those that you do not agree with to build what they want as long as it is peaceful in nature. Before you state that you have a problem with it, I graduated from a Christian University. Is it ok to have a Christian university because we are the majority? If so what about when we are not? If the current trends continue within 3 generations we will be in the minority. Freedom means allowing all peaceful entities to exist. I personally have a bigger problem with Farrakhan and his thugs spreading their hatred than I do with a university.
  
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