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November 29, 2002
The Ground Shifts!
To the despondent Muslim-American community that had been constantly irked at the disrespect shown to Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and incensed at the way Islam was painted in the blackest of shades by the right-wing religious coalition, President Bush’s address at the White House Iftar party sounded music. The President’s words had been long awaited. And when he spoke after an excruciating silence, it was not a formal exercise in rhetorical abstraction. The President affirmed his administration’s commitment to faithfully adhere to America’s cherished values of fair play, and respect and tolerance for all: “Some of the comments that have been uttered about Islam do not reflect the sentiments of my government or the sentiments of most Americans. Islam, as practiced by the vast majority of people, is a peaceful religion, a religion that respects others…By far, vast American citizens respect the Islamic people and the Muslim faith. Ours is a country based upon tolerance… And we are not going to let the war on terror or terrorists cause us to change our values.” Splendid words!
Yet there was something far more significant in what the President said that went largely unreported, thanks to the continuing nonchalance of the media. According to Professor Akbar Ahmad who was one of the invitees at the White House Iftar party, for the first time in history an American President affirmed in unequivocal terms that Islam was an Abrahamic faith. It was not a religion of outsiders but a part of the Abrahamic family. By boldly owning this view, the President challenged his own Christian right that lately had been seething menacingly with anti-Islamic platitudes. With this observation, the ground shifts. The landscape changes. The goal posts are redefined.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Blissfully, at another Iftar party in Washington a few days later, Secretary Powell joined the President in refuting the harangue against Islam. Prefatory remarks over, he reaffirmed Mr. Bush’s observations in no uncertain terms: “This kind of hatred (remarks by conservative leaders) must be rejected…We will reject the kinds of comments you have seen recently where people in this country say that Muslims are responsible for the killings of all Jews.” This kind of language “must be spoken out against. We cannot allow this image to go forth of America, because it is an inaccurate image of America…”
Defining the specifics of the ‘melting pot’ phenomenon, he observed: “America is a nation where a Christian Secretary of State, the son of Jamaican immigrants, can host an Iftar for Muslim Americans who trace their ancestry back to South Asia, East Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and every corner of the globe.” The canker of religious prejudices getting bitter by the day did not seem to influence Secretary Powell even remotely as he made the concluding remarks which are sure to lighten the gloomy mood of Muslims across the length and breadth of the United States and beyond: “It is said that God listens to the supplication of the fasting person and answers that supplication. So tonight, I wish you wisdom in your supplications. I wish you peace, and I wish you prosperity throughout the coming year.”
Thanks to the strivings of CAIR, AMA, ISNA, ICNA, APPNA, et al. and the enterprise of Mrs. Seeme Gull Hasan Khan and Dr. Malik Hasan, Dr Akbar Ahmad, Dr. Maher Hathout, Dr. Mahjabeen Islam, Asma Gul Hasan, Ibrahim Hooper, and many more, there are hazy indications of prejudices giving way to reason. Yet, misperceptions about Islam and Muslims persist. The post-September 11 challenges look us squarely in the face. And this leads to a fresh exercise in stock taking and a reiteration of what has been stated in these columns earlier.
First, a manifest demonstration of renewed conciliation on the part of the Ummah with members of the two other Abrahamic faiths - Judaism and Christianity is a pressing need. A tall order, yet one that must be attempted despite obstacles of sorts. Some of them appear insurmountable. Some appear incomprehensible to an intelligent mind. Yet an effort has to be made. The three Abrahamic faiths must remain on a coalition rather than a collision course.
The Ummah’s second priority should be to bridge the gaps resulting from economic disparities and scientific inequalities to bring about a wholesome change. No individual, no group, no community, no nation, can hope to survive in today’s science-oriented world if it fails to make its mark in the fields of education and science. The two catalysts of social development have been sadly ignored by the Ummah which faithfully nurtured the creative impulse a few centuries back when creativity was its hallmark and remained unexcelled. According to Hugh Thomas (A History of the World, New York, Harper & Row Publishers, Inc.), “The citizens of the towns of what is now Iraq were responsible for the fundamental innovation…They reached a mathematical level of achievement not touched elsewhere until the Renaissance”. The Ummah should energetically respond to present-day challenges. Stanford, MIT and Cornell must be replicated in the Middle East on a larger scale. One can hardly dispute that the scientific size of a country is significantly correlated with its GNP - the more productive a country is in the sciences, the larger its GNP tends to be. A unified concept of R&D forms an integral part of economic planning in the United States, Europe and Japan and largely explains their burgeoning GNPs and enviable economic well being which act as an impetus for emerging nations to take to science and technology.
The performance of the Muslim media is also to be taken into account as one reviews the post-September 11fallout. In sharp contrast to the Western media which artfully paints the villain a hero and vice versa, the Muslim media is not fully schooled in the art of projecting the truth, what to say of calling a spade a spade. Slavish and cringing in outlook, it can neither mirror national feelings or failings nor counter adversarial comments. No wonder, the image of the Muslim world and the faith it professes suffers. It need hardly be emphasized that the Muslim media needs a fresh infusion of professional excellence, skills, talent and resources.
Blissfully, the Muslim America scene appears different and seems to provide a glimmer of hope. Most Muslims in the United States are highly educated and have made their mark in various fields. They belong to important professional groups like APPNA and have studied at prestigious Ivy universities. They have the insight and erudition to bring about the much-needed change in their respective countries. A forward surge. Sustained academic strivings. Whole-hog commitment to foster education and science. Research and Development breakthroughs. An articulate and vocal media.
Education and science can provide the Muslim world the opportunity to enjoy life in all its wondrous aspects as well as impart a feeling of pride in intellectual achievements. Endeavors of Muslim Americans in this respect could set off a chain reaction and precipitate a speedy diffusion of knowledge and higher technical skills in the Muslim world. In the United States, Muslim Americans could serve as a bridge of understanding between Muslims, Jews and Christians and help in mending fences and removing many misperceptions that mar inter-faith relations. Each one could be a public relations individual in his own right dispelling misgivings about the United States in the Muslim world and removing misperceptions about Islam in the US. They have the dash and the drive to furnish proof that Islam and the West have a common cause and the two are on a coalition rather than a collision course. It is for them to seize the opportunity and pave the way for the eventual rehabilitation of the Muslim world.
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