If there be an upside to the horrific 911 tragedy, a senseless act of immense desperation, it is that Americans have finally discovered Islam. The entire country was jolted into becoming aware of Islam almost overnight through a form of shock therapy. In the aftermath Muslims and their religion came under a spotlight and placed on the global stage.
On the eve of the tragedy the vast majority of the people in the nation did not know anything about Islam or its followers. The last public opinion poll conducted on the subject, by Zogby enterprise, indicated that 66 percent of the Americans were ignorant of any knowledge on Islam. Only 34 percent of the respondents had either heard of the religion or knew something about it.
Immediately after the tragic event when it became clear that the incident was somehow connected with Muslims there was a run on the books dealing with Islam. The demand was so heavy that bookstores across the nation ran out of the copies of the Qur’an. Curious about what once was considered to be an exotic religion the clamor for information on Islam has not exactly vanished to this day.
Many groups and institutions sought speakers knowledgeable on Islam. The Muslim response, in the absence of sufficient knowledgeable and skilled people to do the job, was less than satisfactory. The quality of people in the Muslim communities is not particularly high despite individuals with degrees. The education from back home doesn’t cut it when it comes to oral communication in a public setting.
The clamor for Muslim input compelled Islamic activists to become organized to be able to reach out to the larger society. It is indeed ironic that people out there, in the mainstream, want to discover Islam but Muslims would not meet them even half way. Yet, Muslims constantly talk about dawah as one of their goals, but conduct almost none of it.
At many Islamic centers calls for interfaith dialogue poured in mostly at the initiative of Christian clergymen. These professionals, on behalf of their congregation, have been eager to develop and maintain neighborly relationships with Muslims. When assaults on Islamic targets were reported some church leaders, horrified, rushed to offer their helping hand. Churches have also been on the forefront of seeking speakers in order to educate their membership.
Public schools got in the act as well, with requests for presentations on Islam in their classrooms. The presence of Muslim children motivated teachers to seek resource persons for class discussions on Islam. In some schools this has become a regular feature during Ramadan and at the time of the two Eids. Perhaps, during the last three months more information has been provided to children than at any other comparable time period before.
On college campuses the demand for courses on Islam, Muslims or the Middle East is at an all time high. Most such offerings are oversubscribed, with long waiting lists, during the current semester. Students at universities are eager to learn about Muslims, their way of life, their history and culture.
During the past two or three decades a gradual trend has been evident at universities to focus on the study of Islam. The events of the last fall seem to have accelerated it. Courses have been developed and positions created. The professors who teach these subjects, with few exceptions, are virtually all non-Muslims. They do the teaching because qualified Muslim candidates are not available. In general Muslims simply do not go into these fields. It is said that “abba” and “mummy” discourage such pursuits.
The universities are good gauges for the American discovery of Islam. The demand for courses means that knowledge on Islam will be systematically transmitted to the next generation. Muslims can play a significant role in this regard if they prepare for academic careers and become specialists in the fields dealing with their heritage, culture and civilization.
Now that the American public has discovered Islam it is paying increasing attention to the articles that appear in the mass media. Unfortunately, the image presented is a negative one with Muslims appearing as barbarians out to destroy the human civilization. This poses a challenge to the Muslims of America. Indeed, to Muslims around the world. The Muslim response ought to be to embark on a “jihad” to intellectually mold the image of Islam as they want it to appear.