By Mahjabeen Islam, MD, Toledo, Ohio
Muqtader Khan was interviewed by Fox News for a full 15 minutes. The points that he made were: American Muslims are torn in a sense and most of them identify with Osama and consider him a hero for standing stolidly for the Palestinian and Iraqi cause, something all the puppet Muslim regimes have not done effectively. If American Muslims decry Osama then they should come out and unequivocally say so The fact that American Muslims have no conclusive proof of his innocence, he must be guilty, and lately his statements show ownership of 9-11.
I have several issues with the above. Firstly media ops like this at a time like this are virtual gold. They should not be squandered away so heartlessly.
What measure does Muqtader use to say convincingly that American Muslims identify with Osama? Which poll has he used to assess this? Most of the Muslims that I have interacted with despise the man, for compromising our lives and that of our children and their children in ways that will multiply and we are not even aware of yet.
All Muslim organizations have come out and unequivocally condemned the heinous acts of 9-11. Does Muqtader want the American Muslim populace to come out into the streets in a show of unabated condemnation of Osama, and is this the only way that his absurd statement/requirement will find peace?
The entire premise of guilt and innocence is flawed the way that Muqtdader presents it. The American and not the British legislative premise is used here, therefore the fact that we do not have conclusive evidence of his innocence, does not automatically prove him to be guilty. Indeed the circumstantial evidence against him is overwhelming but we should not be trying him in the court of the media, presided over by Dr. Muqtader Khan.
Muqtader should have used the tremendous opportunity to suggest to Muslims in America to re-examine their faith, to avoid extremism and to go out on an education campaign in churches, schools and workplaces.
One understands a person better if you can tag them. I am not able to tell what it is that Muqtader wants or what lies in his agenda. Self-advancement/self-glorification? Wanting to be the poster child of Muslim America or defanged Islam? Either way, it was a giant opportunity wasted.
The viewing American Muslim audience is already reeling under the vast and varied pressures of the 9-11 tragedy. It is incriminating and in fact adding insult to our collective injury to have Muqtader Khan spout off self-styled sermons aimed at fixing us right up.
I would urge Muqtader Khan to indulge in some heavy inventory of self, determine unequivocally what exactly it is that he is trying to achieve and then go after it without hedging and hesitation.
Like the Urdu verse that says so well:
Khoob parda hai key chilman say lagey baithey hain
Saaf chuptey bhi nahin, saamney aatey bhi nahin