Darwish - Now They Call Me Infidel: Why I Renounced Jihad for America, Israel, and the War on Terror

Shortly after the hardcover publication of this book in November 2006, students from Brown University in Rhode Island invited me to their campus for a discussion, to be sponsored by the Jewish student-run organization called Hillel.

Though Im accustomed to speaking before large groups of college students, I was particularly honored to speak at an Ivy League university, which represents Americas best and brightest. Free thought, free speech, reason, tolerance, diversity of opinionall the things that my book laments are deficient in the Arab world, I expected to find flourishing at Brown.

Then something puzzling happened.

The invitation to speak was pulled at the last moment, prompted by Browns Muslim chaplain. According to an article titled, Cancelled Appearance of Pro-Israel Speaker Sparks Controversy, in the November 27, 2006, edition of the Brown Daily Herald , In a presentation to the executive board, [Rumee] Ahmed said he believed Darwishs beliefs are too controversial and potentially disrespectful to the religion of Islam to be invited to speak on campus.

Browns Womens Center, which had initially expressed interest in my message of expanded freedom for women in Arab society, shockingly stood in solidarity with Ahmed.

Reluctant to challenge this alliance, Browns Hillel group revoked its invitation. I was stunned. I am careful never to insult Islam or the prophet Muhammad; what, then is so offensive or divisive about my message? And why would an organization devoted to womens rights distance itself from an Arab woman who calls for greater respect for women in her native culture? The title of my presentation, after all, was, The Road to Peace: Womens Rights.

The American media paid generous attention to the publication of my book even before controversy erupted, but the banned at Brown angle gave new life to the story.

Within a short time, Brown Universitys administration graciously stepped forward and reinvited me to campus under its official auspices.

On February 7, 2007, I respectfully addressed a large and diverse audience at Brown. My presentation was followed by a heated (and largely hostile) question-and-answer session.

Several Muslim students angrily critiqued my views, and insinuated that I lacked the academic credentials to hold the opinions I do. I responded that my opinions are based on my experience as a human being who had lived for thirty years in the Middle East.

A young American woman asked me, Why are you speaking about Muslim womens oppression? Why not American womens oppression? Are you implying that Islam is oppressing women?

I replied that just because I am speaking about the plight of Muslim women does not take away the right of others to speak about the oppression of women in their own cultures. However, I added, one cant escape the major difference between many Muslim countries and this one: If a husband beats his wife in America, he will be prosecuted under the law. If a husband beats his wife in a Muslim country, his actions are defended by Sharia law.

Then Rumee Ahmed, the Muslim chaplain, asked the last question. He seemed to relish the opportunity to discredit me once and for all. You mentioned the definition of jihad according to Al Azhar University, he said, referring to one of the Cairo institutions publications. Can you tell me the page number?