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This perspective is one of the reasons why I want to do this podcast.
SciFi is for *anyone* to speculate about how all aspects of their cultures, traditions and practices will evolve, disappear or harden in different scenarios, timelines, planets, etc. https://twitter.com/wlexner/status/1333128732748472320
SciFi is for *anyone* to speculate about how all aspects of their cultures, traditions and practices will evolve, disappear or harden in different scenarios, timelines, planets, etc. https://twitter.com/wlexner/status/1333128732748472320
I suspect this is a common perspective in the (English speaking) publishing world and quite possibly why we see more historical fantasy from Muslim’s than speculative futures. I wonder if romanticizing this past seems safer than letting Muslim’s imagine themselves in the future*.
If we insist that whole groups of people refrain from imagining themselves in the future, then it’ll be easy for people to think they have no place in the future. And if you don’t think that’s dangerous, then I invite you to study this reality: https://www.vox.com/2020/7/24/21337172/china-detaining-uighur-muslims-worldly-podcast
To be clear, my intent isn’t to create a space for Muslims to beat their chests about “reestablishing the caliphate,” whatever that means 
And I suspect that’s the real underlying fear. That letting Muslims imagine their future is perceived as us strategizing against them.
And I suspect that’s the real underlying fear. That letting Muslims imagine their future is perceived as us strategizing against them.
But really, I just want to create a nerdy space where Muslims can talk about things like the absurd reality that we’ll probably continue to debate the sighting of new moons when we’re light years from Earth.
Or a space to discuss how we’ll interrogate practices like that the further we go from Earth. Or speculate how and why new practices will come to fruition.
It’s also interesting to think about how religion is acceptable in mainstreaming SF, but usually if it’s non-human and/completely fictional religion. Like in Star Trek humans are almost completely sterile when it comes to religion.
But they frequently encounter more advanced species that have committed spiritual and religious practices rooted in their cultures. (Even when they don’t really believe in them).
Anyways, I’m encouraged by how many people are tired of the sterile futures classic SF often presented that pretends religion will evaporate, rather than deal with the complex challenges of extrapolating how it might actually play out.
(*Not to diminish the on going challenges Muslim fantasy authors face in publishing as well).
Also if you’re curious about the mundane aspects of religion that come up in my own work of near future sci-fi, here you go: https://www.sameemwrites.com/
