Research and Writing Internship at the ASMA

The New York-based American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA) is currently offering a Research and Writing Internship.

General Requirements:

• Strong verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills
• Friendly demeanor & pleasant phone voice
• Patience and good listening skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and email
• Proficient in MAC and PC computers 
• General knowledge about substance abuse, addiction and/or recovery 

Also:

• Middle East/Islamic/Women’s studies concentration preferred
• Strong interest in non-profit work, Islam, gender justice and women’s empowerment
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, steady, dependable, and energetic
• Culturally sensitive and aware; ability to work in international, culturally diverse environment

Employment with this organization is also a future possibility.

If interested in this internship, continue reading here.

Jobs and Internships at the American Muslim Alliance

On August 1st, the American Muslim Alliance had openings for a journalism and media intern as well as for a writer/researcher who would write articles for mainstream and ethnic media. If interested, contact the organization to see if these positions are still available.

Click here to learn more about these opportunities.

Resource: Religion Newswriters Association

According to this page on the Religion Newswriters Association website, Ebru TV is seeking a part-time host for Perspectives of Faith, a one-hour interview program on Islam, religion and interfaith dialogue. The listing is from May, so it may be that the position has since been filled.

Incidentally, the Religion Newswriters Association (whose aim is to help journalists cover religion with "balance, accuracy and insight") is a great resource for people writing about Islam.
On September 17th, for example, a conference called Covering Islam will be held in Washington, D.C. Topics of discussion will include the basics of the faith, the leadership role of women, and the rise in civic participation among American Muslims.

Also check out the following RNA Source Guides:

Covering Islam 101
Lots of resources, including demographic information on Muslims and surveys about Islam.

Covering Islam and Politics
A listing that includes research centers, organizations and scholars with expertise on the growing role of Muslims’ interactions with government and politics.

Islam: A Guide to U.S. Experts and Organizations
Lists more than 100 experts who specialize in such areas as civil rights, politics, foreign affairs, art, culture, history, law, family issues and more. It also includes Muslim advocacy organizations, research centers and think tanks.

Among other things, there are also scholarships and contests to benefit from. And, if you write for secular media, you'll definitely want to check out the Religion Newswriters’ Religion Stylebook for preferred spelling of religious terms, such as Koran/Quran, Muhammad (PBUH), Mecca/Makkah, etc.

IWA Updates

As the Web Administrator for the Islamic Writers Alliance, I am in charge of making regular updates to the organization's website.

Please make sure to check out this month's Member Showcases and Blog Entries. Among other things, I have posted one of my own articles: Couples Choose Islam before Culture

Finally, it is now time to vote in the IWA's fourth annual Poetry Competition, where winners in each of the three categories (youth, adult, and IWA member) will receive $50 each. The deadline for voting is June 30, 2008.

Deadlines Extended

Two deadlines of importance have been extended:

1. IWA 4th Annual Poetry Contest - extended to May 15, 2008
This contest offers prizes of $50 to the first place winners in each category

2. Open Letters, Open Hearts Anthology - extended to May 31, 2008 (deadline is slightly flexible)
Contributors to this anthology receive two complimentary copies of the published volume

Muslim Women Writers' Workshop - International

The Muslim Women Writers' Workshop International (MWWWI) is "an international organization for Muslim women involved in the literary arts. It was established to provide a voice for those previously voiceless; - a forum to nurture and develop published writers, aspiring writers, and supporters of the above. We believe that all power is from Allah (SWT) and through the application of the Qur’an and Sunnah we become empowered in our lives and writing.

"We are a new and growing multicultural Muslim organization and welcome Muslim women of all ages, occupations and ethnicities to join us in the sisterhood of writing. MWWWI was established for all writers, professional and those aspiring to become accomplished in the field."

Meetings for members of the organization take place each month in Sharjah, UAE. Visit the website for more details.

The International League of Islamic Literature

If you are interested in Islamic literature, you may wish to learn more about the International League of Islamic Literature.

The objectives of this organization are:

1. Enhancement and highlighting old and present features of Islamic literature,

2. Establishment of the rules of Islamic literary criticism,

3. Formulation of a complete theory of Islamic literature,

4. Development of Islamic methodologies for modern literary arts,

5. Re-writing the history of Islamic literature pertaining to Muslim people literatures,

6. Collection of distinguished Islamic literary works and translating them into the languages of Muslim people and other international languages,

7. Giving due care to children literature,

8. Criticizing and shedding light on the negative aspects of deviating literary schools,

9. Reinforcement of the international aspect of Islamic literature,

10. Fostering relations and cooperation among Muslim men of letters and combining their efforts in accordance with a wise and moderate methodology,

11. Contributing in the upbringing of Muslim generations and formulating the Muslim personality dignified with their straightforward religion and great heritage,

12. Facilitating means of publication for the members of the League,

13. Defending the literary rights of the League and its members.

From the website: "Faith is the essential link among all members of the League fostered by literary relationships. It is considered a special link that keeps Muslim men of letters tied to one another and presents unity of principles and objectives they are committed to."

Come Visit the IWA

Back in Ramadan, I was selected to be the new web administrator of the Islamic Writers Alliance. If you haven't ever visited the site (or if you haven't been there for a while), I hope you'll stop by, insha'Allah. It is really a great and supportive organization for Muslim writers. The site isn't finished yet (it's a constant work in progress), but we are adding lots of new material each month.