We finally have an answer to whether or not Anousheh Ansari is a Muslim. Sort of.

In this USA Today article (per a commenter in the other linked post), she's quoted as calling herself a "liberal Muslim" (whatever that means).

This could be the most useful event in human spaceflight for months. Ditto the State Department.

Armies of talking heads on the ground won't be able to change minds the way Ansari could potentially do from space. In this War on Terror the most powerful weapon is the point of view weapon: Al Qaeda release tapes to radicalize the West and get Westerners to see it their way, we can use space to focus the spotlight on more constructive values and see it our way.

I wish Ansari every success!

I find it rather reassuring that the first Muslim in space and the first Jew in space were both women. When I was a little girl I wanted to be the first Jew in space but Judith Resnick beat me to it in August of 84, when I was eleven. I had a nice signed picture of her on my wall and everything. Needless to say, January 1986 hit me pretty hard, and I had some things to say about it in my Bat Mitzvah speech a few months later.

So is a "liberal Jew" not a Jew? Is a "liberal Christian" not a Christian? Why do you say "sort of"?

I think this guy would count as the first Muslim in space:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultan_bin_Salman_bin_Abdulaziz_al-Saud

...at the time, I wondered, if he's devout about his daily prayers, how does one manage to continue to face Mecca from low orbit?

So is a "liberal Jew" not a Jew? Is a "liberal Christian" not a Christian?

I dunno. It depends on who you ask. Some orthodox Jews might not consider a Reform Jew (not sure what a "liberal Jew" is) a Jew. Some Christian sects don't necessarily recognize others as Christian. I'm sure that Osama (and in fact many in Arabia) don't recognize Ms. Ansari as a Muslim, because they don't accept the concept of a "liberal Muslim." That's what "liberal Muslims" are going to have to fight against.

Not being any of the above, I have no firm opinion. Part of the problem is that the word "liberal" itself is so ill defined these days.

Why do you say "sort of"?

For the reasons state above. I'm not in a position to define what is and is not a Muslim, and I know nothing about her beliefs, other than that she chooses to call herself a "liberal" one. If I ever interview her, I would probably ask her, assuming she felt it relevant.

at the time, I wondered, if he's devout about his daily prayers, how does one manage to continue to face Mecca from low orbit?

I see a potential niche market. Mount a platform so it can rotate through a full range of motion, motors rotate it so it always faces Mecca no matter where in orbit the craft is. Updates can be sent so it will still function beyond earth's orbit . . .

'Cus it's in the subscriptions where the real money is.

""liberal Muslim" (whatever that means)."

It means she's the opposite of what you would be if you were Muslim.

When Ansari reaches ISS, Condi Rice would do well to call up and congratulate her at some stage in the flight.

What an amusingly stupid (and therefore in character for you) comment, Brian.