"Surely, those who believe, and the Jews and the Christians and the Sabians, whoever have faith with true hearts in Allah and in the Last-day and do good deeds, their reward is with their Lord, and there shall be no fear for them nor any grief." Qur'an 2:62
CIP International Director Al-Alawi on Desecration of Mecca, Galloway's PressTV program, July 27, 2008
On Sunday, July 27, 2008, PressTV in Britain broadcast an interview of Center for Islamic Pluralism International Director Irfan Al-Alawi with George Galloway, British MP, on the program "The Real Deal." The show is accessible at www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1699225237.
CIP In the News: Executive Director Schwartz on Frank Pastore Show, KKLA radio, Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will speak from Germany about sharia agitation and mosque construction issues in Europe, on the Frank Pastore Show, KKLA radio in Los Angeles, 99.5 AM, Tuesday, July 15, 2008, at 4 pm PDT, 7 pm EDT. The show may be accessed on the internet at www.frankpastore.com.
Centre for Islamic Pluralism International Director Dr. Irfan Al-Alawi spoke on Sunrise Radio in London in Muslim rejection of shariah in the UK, at 1700 hrs GMT today, Friday, July 11, 2008.
CIP In the News: Al-Alawi on South African radio, July 7, 2008
Centre for Islamic Pluralism International Director Dr. Irfan Al-Alawi spoke live on the air at 1630 hrs UK time from London on South African radio, regarding the Wahhabi vandalism in Makkah.
Executive Director Schwartz on Gulen, Galloway's PressTV program, London, June 29, 2008
Background Note
The British opinion journal PROSPECT and the U.S. journal FOREIGN POLICY were recently surprised when a global poll on the world's public intellectuals produced a vote naming Fethullah Gulen, the Turkish Sufi figure, as the number one such personality.
This was a great surprise to PROSPECT and FOREIGN POLICY, neither of which ever before heard of Gulen.
On Sunday, June 29, 2207 GMT, PressTV in Britain will broadcast an interview of Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Suleyman Schwartz with George Galloway, British MP, on the program "The Real Deal." The show may be heard on the internet at http://www.georgegalloway.com/. The show will be reposted to CIP websites.
In the interview, Schwartz noted that the attempt at a public relations coup by the followers of Gulen had backfired, presenting the group to the West as manipulative and cultish. Schwartz described the background of the Gulen movement in Islamic history and Turkish politics. Galloway evoked the general bafflement of Western observers at this strange incident.
"Fethullah Gulen wished to be thought of as a Muslim Pope or Dalai Lama but appeared after the PROSPECT affair more as a Muslim version of any number of disreputable cultists", Schwartz commented later.
CIP In the News: Schwartz on Frank Pastore Show, KKLA radio, Los Angeles, Thursday, May 29, 2008
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will be featured on the Frank Pastore Show on KKLA radio in Los Angeles, 99.5 AM, Thursday, May 29, 2008, at 455 PM PDT, 755 PM EDT, discussing Saudi Arabia and its support for radical Islam in the U.S. The show may be accessed on the internet at http://www.frankpastore.com/.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will be featured on the Frank Pastore Show on KKLA radio in Los Angeles, 99.5 AM, Thursday, April 3, at 455 PM PDT, 755 PM EDT, discussing Saudi Arabia and its support for radical Islam. The show may be accessed on the internet at http://www.frankpastore.com/.
CIP In the News: Islam in Kosova -- Canadian radio CHQR-AM, February 20, 2008
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Suleyman Schwartz will discuss Kosova on the talk show “The World Tonight with Rob Breakenridge,” broadcast on radio station CHQR, AM770, Calgary, Alberta, at 10pm Eastern time on February 20, 2008.
As a night-time AM broadcaster in the Canadian prairie region, CHQR has a very wide listener audience in North America.
CIP Media Alert: Al-Alawi on UK sharia debate and Saudi cultural vandalism, February, 2008
International Director Irfan Ahmed Al-Alawi has spoken on UK radio discussing the proposal by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams for accommodation with Islamic sharia law in Britain. On Monday 11 February he was featured on BBC Radio live during the evening, UK time.
Because these shows are not archived for internet listening after they are broadcast, CIP will post transcripts of them when they become available.
Dr Al-Alawi, however, will be interviewed for two hours on South African radio CII Broadcasting on Friday, 22 February, at 6pm UK time. The program, titled "The Intellectual Challenge," may be accessed here: www.ciinetwork.net/broadcasting/schedule.htm.
CIP Executive Director Schwartz on KKLA-AM radio Los Angeles, February 14, 2008
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will be featured on the Frank Pastore Show at KKLA radio in Los Angeles, 99.5 AM, on Thursday, February 14, at 530 pm PST, 830 PM EST, discussing Saudi Arabia and the Wahhabi ban on Valentine's Day celebrations, including display of the color red. The show may be accessed on the internet at http://www.frankpastore.com/.
The Center for Islamic Pluralism expresses its horror and denunciation at the brutal assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan.
MEDIA ALERT! CIP Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will appear on "Extension 720 With Milt Rosenberg," WGN AM Radio (720), at 10:15 PM Central Standard Time (Chicago time), on Thursday, December 27, 2007, discussing the crime. WGN is a superstation with a wide audience and its programs may be heard over the internet at http://wgnradio.com/.
CIP In the News: Executive Director Stephen Suleyman Schwartz on Saudi King Abdullah's Qatif Decision, Canadian Radio CHQR-AM, December 17, 2007
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Suleyman Schwartz has expressed support for the decision of Saudi King Abdullah to vacate the arbitrary sanctions ordered against the still-unidentified "woman from Qatif," a Saudi Shia rape victim threatened with 200 strokes of a metal rod and jail time.
Schwartz described Abdullah's action as part of a slow but progressive process of change in the Saudi kingdom, on the talk show "The World Tonight with Rob Breakenridge," broadcast on radio station CHQR, AM770, Calgary, Alberta, on December 17, 2007.
As a night-time AM broadcaster in the Canadian prairie region, CHQR has a very wide listener audience in North America.
CIP in the News: International Director Al-Alawi on Saudi commercialization of Mecca and the Hajj, BBC Radio 4, Sunday, December 16, 2007
Discussion on Hajj and commercialization
Millions of people make a pilgrimage to Mecca every year to wash away their sins, but muddying the waters of this spiritual experience is a (205 million sterling) luxury timeshare development looming over the House of Allah.
As they make a journey of a life time many are only going for commercial purposes rather then performing a religious ritual.
Dr. Irfan Al-Alawi, international director of the Centre for Islamic Pluralism, a historian of the two holy cities and an expert on Saudi Arabia, will discuss the changing attitudes of Muslims towards the Hajj, and how a mockery is being made out of the sprit of Hajj.
The programme will air on Sunday, 16 December at 0700 hrs GMT on BBC Radio 4.
CIP In the News: Executive Director Schwartz, San Francisco radio KSFO (560 AM), second interview, Monday, December 10, 2007
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will be interviewed again on the Lee Rodgers/Melanie Morgan talk program at KSFO radio (560 AM) at 635am PST Monday, December 10, 2007, discussing events in the Muslim world.
Center for Islamic Pluralism International Director Irfan Al-Alawi will be interviewed on BBC News at 2200 hrs GMT, 5 December 2007, on developments in Islam.
The programme may be accessed here, under the heading "Danny Kelly" (moderator):
UK and European listeners are invited to call in. If a transcript is released we will repost it to our websites.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will be interviewed on the Lee Rodgers/Melanie Morgan talk program at KSFO radio (560 AM) in the 8AM hour Wednesday, December 5, 2007, discussing events in the Muslim world.
Executive Director Schwartz on KKLA radio Los Angeles, October 30, 2007
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will be featured on the Frank Pastore Show at KKLA radio in Los Angeles, 99.5 AM, on Tuesday, October 30, at 530 pm PST, 530 PM EST, discussing the Muslim Students' Association (MSA) and the drive of radical Muslims for a protected minority status in the West. The show may be accessed on the internet at http://www.frankpastore.com/.
TV Alert: Sinclair Broadcasting will include interviews with CIP Executive Director Stephen Schwartz in its coverage of the protest against Saudi/Wahhabi incitement of terrorism in Iraq, scheduled for 1 p.m., October 22, 2007, at the Royal Saudi Embassy in Washington, DC. The demonstration was called by a new coalition of American Muslims, al-baqee.org.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will appear on "Extension 720 With Milt Rosenberg," WGN AM Radio (720), between 9 pm and 11 pm. Central Daylight Time (Chicago time) on Friday, October 19, 2007, discussing terrorism in Pakistan.
WGN is a superstation with a wide audience and its programs may be heard over the internet at http://wgnradio.com/.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will appear on the Fox News Channel at approximately 1120am EDT Wednesday, September 5, 2007, discussing the latest Al-Qaida-linked conspiracy in Germany.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will be featured on the Public Radio International show "To the Point," in the 2pm-3pm EDT period, Thursday, August 30, broadcast from KCRW in Los Angeles. The topic will be the new Turkish government and its foreign policy.
The show is broadcast nationally and may be heard on WNYC in New York and WAMU in Washington (at 3 p.m. EDT). It is also accessible online. Information on the show is available here
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will be featured on the Frank Pastore Show at KKLA radio in Los Angeles, on Thursday, August 30, at 630 pm PDT, 930 PM EDT, discussing U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia. The show may be accessed on the internet.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will appear on the evening of Friday, August 17, 2007 on the Sinclair television network stations discussing websites and video games as means of Islamist indoctrination and recruitment for terrorism. The Sinclair network affiliates are located in the U.S. northeast, southeast, and midwest.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz was interviewed on the U.S.-Saudi relationship on August 3, 2007, at 415 PM PDT on the Frank Pastore Show on KKLA radio in Los Angeles. More information is available at the websites www.kkla.com and www.frankpastore.com.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will participate in a panel discussion on U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, July 31, 2007, between 2:15 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. EDT on the National Public Radio show "To The Point." The show is broadcast nationally and may be heard on WNYC in New York and WAMU in Washington (at 3 p.m. EDT). It is also accessible online. The show is produced by Public Radio International, and information on it is available here:
Executive Director Stephen Schwartz of the Center for Islamic Pluralism will appear on Fox News Live in the 11AM EDT hour, Wednesday, July, 18, 2007, commenting on Saudi participation in Sunni terror in Iraq.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will appear on Sinclair TV stations (mainly in the U.S. northeast, southeast, and midwest) on July 2, 2007, commenting on the latest terror attacks in the UK.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will be interviewed on Canadian radio station CHQR 770 AM, in Calgary, Alberta, at 1005 pm EDT today, July 2, 2007. The show is titled "The World Tonight With Bob Breckenridge." The topic will be the latest UK terror campaign.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will appear on "Extension 720 With Milt Rosenberg," WGN AM Radio (720), at 9:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time (Chicago time) on Friday, June 22, discussing a range of topics.
WGN is a superstation with a wide audience and its programs may be heard over the internet at http://wgnradio.com/.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Suleyman Schwartz will be interviewed on KGAB-650 AM radio in Cheyenne, Wyoming, at 9:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, May 15, 2007. KGAB is a major station serving the Denver area as well as Cheyenne.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will be interviewed regarding the Wahhabi counter-attack among Balkan Muslims, on The Crane Durham Show, a talk program titled "Nothing But Truth," accessible at www.971talk.com, 1 AM EDT, Thursday, May 10, 2007.
Foreign recipients should note that this is an internet radio program.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz appeared on the Neil Cavuto program on Fox News at 410 p.m. EDT, May 8, 2007. The topic was the alleged involvement of Balkan Muslims in a plot to attack Fort Dix, NJ.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will appear on Sinclair Broadcasting affiliated television stations in the U.S. East Coast and Midwest regions, on the evening of Thursday, May 3, to discuss Islamist terrorist use of the internet and means to combat it.
As part of CIP's response to this problem, a new website has been established in England, at www.islamicpluralism.eu.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz was interviewed on "The Morning Zone," radio station KGAB-AM in Cheyenne, Wyo., USA, on Monday, April 16, 2007.
The topic was the preaching of Hamza Yusuf Hanson.
KGAB-AM has web access for its interviews at www.kgab.com.
2006
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will appear December 26 on news programs at TV stations affiliated with Sinclair Broadcasting, based on an interview regarding the execution of Saddam.
Sinclair stations are located in the East, Midwest, Texas. Oklahoma and Nevada.
CIP correspondents in the U.S. are notified that the excellent movie "Behind Enemy Lines," with Gene Hackman and Owen Wilson, which truthfully portrays the reality of war in Bosnia-Hercegovina, will be shown on the FX cable channel on Sunday, December 17, and on Cinemax on Saturday, December 23.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will appear on John Kasick's "Heartland" show, on the Fox News Channel, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, on Saturday, November 25, 2006.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz appeared on Fox News' Fox and Friends from 5:30 a.m. EDT to 7:00 a.m. EDT today, June 8, and will return to the channel at 1:00 p.m. EDT, also June 8th.
Subject: The demise of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will appear on Fox News Weekend Live at 12:40 p.m. EST, Saturday, February 4. Topics: America's Addiction to Oil, President Bush's SOTU, and the Saudi Reaction.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will be interviewed at 10:30 AM EST, Wednesday, January 11, on the Laura Ingraham Show, discussing Warith Deen Umar and the New York prison clerics.
2005
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Suleyman Schwartz was interviewed in a one-hour talk show today by al-Hurra, the U.S.-backed television station broadcasting to the Arab countries. The topic was the Islamic Conference meeting in Saudi Arabia and declarations made there in support of improved interfaith relations, pluralism in Islam, and other changes.
If an English transcript of the show is made available to us we will post it.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz is scheduled to appear on Fox News Channel's Fox and Friends at 6:20 a.m. EST, Monday, November 7, 2005, to comment on the disorders in France. As previously, such dates are subject to cancellation or change.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will appear on Fox News Channel's Fox & Friends at 6:10 AM Eastern time, Friday, August 12, 2005, discussing the deportations and other actions against radical clerics taken in Britain.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will appear on Fox News Channel's Dayside in the 1 pm EDT hour today, Tuesday, August 8, discussing Al-Qaeda phase 2 in Europe.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will appear on Fox and Friends at 6:15 A.M. Eastern Time Friday, August 5, discussing the latest Zawahiri video broadcast on al-Jazeera.
Center for Islamic Pluralism Executive Director Stephen Schwartz will appear on Fox News Channel's Weekend Live Sunday, July 24, 2005 at 1 p.m. EDT to discuss the appointment of Prince Turki ul-Faisal as Saudi ambassador to the U.S.
