Islam

Twelve Years Later, Words Are Still Not Enough

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Today, the twelfth anniversary of 9/11, monsters pretending to be my brothers in faith declared a holy war against my home and killed almost 3,000 innocent of my fellow countrymen and women in one terrifying swoop. Certainly their actions were taken by the entire country as a sign that Islam is a violent, bloodthirsty religion, wanting nothing more than to force the West to its knees through murder and mayhem. Ordinary Muslims such as I were aghast that such terrible actions could hold more weight than the statements of millions of Muslims in the United States and abroad who vehemently denounced them individually and collectively. But that’s human nature, isn’t it, that actions speak more clearly and resound louder than mere words do?

Interfaith

Ramadan Roundup

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The Islamic month of Ramadan is at an end, and right about now many Muslims across the world are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr – the biggest celebration of the year – as well as expressing sadness at having bid adieu to a time full of blessings. The repetition of fasting and praying is such in this month that many events blend into each other, seemingly endlessly and with the danger of being forgotten. Here then, is a roundup of what occurred in the United States in the month of Ramadan and how it affected the millions of Muslims in this country.

Islam

Trayvon Martin and the American Muslim Perspective

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The racial inequality that thrives in the United States today is prevalent not only in the African American community but also other minority groups. Perhaps more than any other minority, American Muslims identify with the travesty of a trail that just ended. Trayvon Martin was black, but could easily have been Muslim. Exchange the hoodie for a hijab or a beard, and the parallels in stereotyping become quickly obvious.

Culture

American Mosques – The Tides Are Finally Changing

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Mosques are critical to the maintenance and growth of Muslim communities. Yet, there has been vocal and insistent opposition to the building of new mosques in America. Of course, protests against the construction of new mosques aren’t the only time American Muslims feel targeted for, and even experience hate crimes because of, their faith. Still, the recent rise in mosque construction in the U.S. is hopeful, reflecting generosity and support across religious and ethnic differences.

Islam

Blasphemy Laws Hurt No Matter Who They Target

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Learning about blasphemy laws and other religious impediments to freedom is extremely important for Americans. Firstly, in the global village of the twenty first century, events occurring in one corner of the world are quick to affect people living in another corner. So when we see offensive laws being enacted by a Muslim government abroad, we assume that Islam encourages or condones such laws. The truth, however, is that just as the actions of so-called fundamentalist Christians don’t define Christianity, and hardline Jewish behavior in Israel doesn’t reflect the teachings of the Jewish faith, similarly Muslim extremists don’t speak for Islam and so-called Sharia laws of many Muslim countries are actually opposed to the peaceful teachings of Islam. Without this crucial understanding, we in America, risk losing the essence of our freedoms as we view minority groups through the lens of extremist actions. Secondly, intolerant laws in other countries – whether the blasphemy laws in the Middle East, anti-Ahmadi laws of Pakistan or the Islamophobic laws of France – affect all Americans because understanding these complex issues means the possibility of raising our collective voice against such injustices.

Islam

Traveling to the Past to Build Bridges to the Future

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At Dachau, beneath a bronze sculpture of gnarled human forms caught for eternity in barbed wire, and at Auschwitz’s execution wall, the sight of Muslims prostrate in praying stopped tourists in their tracks.
If there was any lingering skepticism on anyone’s part, it melted. We were no longer Jewish and Muslim leaders but people sharing a heartfelt desire to learn, and the impossible task of trying to comprehend. It was a life-altering trip and deeply personal for all. Islam is a religion that champions compassion. That was amply demonstrated to us by the profound compassion and care that these Imams demonstrated throughout the journey, speaking with survivors, and honoring the places where few survived.

Culture

Free Speech on Social Media: Anything Goes

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In continuation of my series on First Amendment rights as they impact religious minority groups, I address current controversy over social media posts maligning religious groups. My previous post in this series entitled Does Freedom of Speech Allow Stereotyping discussed a greeting card that stereotyped Muslims as terrorists in an unusually offensive and glaringly inaccurate way. This week I have chosen another unfortunate event, a Facebook post that ignited debate over the possible classification of certain types of content as threats instead of free speech. Tennessee County Commissioner Barry West posted a picture on his Facebook page showing a cowboy aiming a shotgun at the camera with the caption “How to Wink at a Muslim”. My personal feelings of disgust aside, the post once again shows a classic example of stereotyping, this time through social media, which is so much more viral than a greeting card.

Islam

A New Generation of Political Terrorists

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How long will we continue to condemn and apologize for the actions of the deranged, as if one, ten or even a couple of million can represent 1.6 billion Muslims? When a white shooter kills elementary school kids, or a pastor burns the Quran, Christians everywhere don’t scramble to apologize publicly for the actions of individuals or fringe group. This discussion isn’t new, and yet the world in general doesn’t seem to have learned that divide and conquer has always been the best military/political strategy of all time. And so with the blame game, the terrorists win again.

Islam

America's Chosen Muslims

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While the voices of moderate Islam are many, they are not a cohesive or collective voice because Muslims apart from the Ahmadiyya Community are not unified under a single leadership. They disagree among themselves regarding religion, tradition and practices, and those disagreements become obvious to others. Without unity in the Muslim “Ummah” or community, radicalization and extremism is common because youth fall through the cracks. Each Imam guides his own flock without any idea of what’s going on in the mosque next door. Perhaps that’s the way of most religious groups. The Ahmadiyya Community on the other hand, has the organizational skills and unified approach to get things done on a local and national level, thereby gaining the attention of policy makers and media alike. They have a single message and a common goal: to bring about the rise of moderate, peaceful Islam.

Culture

Does Freedom of Speech Allow Stereotyping?

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The precious freedom of speech we all hold dear should never be limited, but stereotyping isn’t free speech. It’s a harmful, dangerous yet insidious way to hold down a group and deny them equality. Let’s not go down that road… again.