About this Meetup

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a Moderate Muslim?

We are just a group of Muslims who like to get together and chat in an open, non-judgemental environment. Many of our members are people who aren't necessarily plugged into the Muslim community, but who would like to meet and hang out with other Muslims. We have no statement of beliefs. For instance, if you go to the webpage of the Progressive Muslim Union (with whom we are not affiliated), you'll find a "statement of principles" listed there. Some of our members agree with every single one of those statements, and others disagree with almost all of them. And that's fine! The only requirement in this group is to respect each other's opinions and to maintain a respectful environment for everyone to speak freely and without judgement. Many people have different ideas of what it means to be a "Moderate Muslim." You can read some interesting discussions on this here and here. Feel free to add your own two cents!

• Is it OK if I wear hijab?

Of course! Some of our female members wear hijab (women's Islamic head covering), and some don't. Please feel free to dress however you are most comfortable.

• It looks like this group is listed as "Progressive Muslims" in some places. Why is that, and what is a Progressive Muslim?

Originally we were called Progressive Muslims, because that is the category that meetup.com created for this group. But it became clear that this name scared people off, because no one knew what the heck that meant, and they weren't sure they wanted to find out. There's also the potential of confusing us with the Progressive Muslim union. Moderate Muslims seemed a more appropriate title, so we changed it.

• What do you guys talk about?

Whatever comes up in conversation! Often we talk about our experiences being part of the Muslim community, what we like about it, what we'd like to change, and our experiences as Muslims in a non-Muslim society as well. We'll also talk about our understanding/interpretations of Islam or about Islamic history. Or sports. Or whatever.

• Do I have to be Muslim to join?

No, not at all! We welcome anyone who is interested in being a respectful presence in our group, regardless of their faith.