Sleeping Muslims Wake

Despite a cool drizzle of rain last Saturday, the Freedom Ride Rally for Immigrant Rights brought together thousands of diverse men and women to call for recognition of immigrant rights. Around the edges of the crowd one could visit information booths for labor unions, nonprofit social services, and spicy Mexican food. At the same time, brothers and sisters mingled with their fliers from the ICNA New York Unit, engaged in Dawah.

As I stood at the rally, a colleague from Arab American Def informed me that her friend would not be joining her— a number of his friends in Haifa had been killed in the latest suicide bombing. The bomber was a law school graduate revenging the murder of her brother by Israeli bombers.

We could give up our attempts to nourish intercultural and inter-religious understanding. We could join the endless cycle of violent retribution. We certainly have some in our community ready to demonize whole groups of men, women and children because of their religious identity. The fact that we Muslims suffer from this same stereotyping does not move them from their own prejudiced ways of thinking. They interpret the Qur’an in a narrow way that suits their prejudice. To them even children are fair targets.

How do we describe such a style of thinking that leads to such violent confrontation? Some Hindus, Christians, Jews and Muslims all suffer from this delusion. And so do some secular Americans, standing in their modern kitchens, listening to Talk Radio.

As the Hadith says, Jews that sell un-kosher fat against their own laws are accursed. This curse, we would note, comes because their actions go against their own traditions, which proceed however imperfectly from their Holy Book. This recognizes their status as Ahl al Kitab; the curse is linked to specific behavior, not their identity as Jews.

Are not Muslims who sell wine—not to mention drugs—equally if not more at fault? I recently questioned a young Egyptian Muslim selling wine across the street from a mosque. He was quite untroubled by the issue. He seemed to believe he was Muslim by birth not by behavior. But surely, unlike Jews, we cannot equate our faith with tribal identity as a “chosen people”. May Allah guide us to right action.

I hope that local Muslim leaders will dare the mockery of their congregations, and speak to the Muslim wine-sellers, as well as those that profit from anti-Muslim newspapers and the like. A plan is needed. Meanwhile we know that those leaders who have spoken out for Palestinian rights have been persecuted in the press. The New York Sun smeared A. Alamoudi in front page headlines last week. He has already apologized for some of his past remarks that may have been irresponsible —but they continue to get play in the media, again and again. We do not know if he has made other mistakes that can be used against him and others in the community. But we do know that much of the media (not all) is engaged in a sort of public lynching.

Culturally many Muslims in the US seem to be comfortable with “family values” politics—as are right wing evangelical Christians, Jews and Catholics. It is difficult to stand in such hostile company however. The more liberal churches – most of those affiliated with founding this nation, and the creation of the US Constitution— seem to give more freedom to the individual, both to make mistakes and also to grow. They are promoters of human rights as well as equal rights. There are strengths and weaknesses to every position. But in such a diverse nation as ours we all would do well to remember to protect the rights of those we do not agree with. We American Muslims also need our human and civil rights to be protected, according to law. The Bush Administration has been alarmingly careless of checks and balances and the rule of law, while amassing power to detain, to rule, and to invade.

And now we face the possibility of a robot governor of California—a show-biz weight-lifter --- God only knows if “Arnold” will rise to the occasion. But if the voters choose him, political standards will have fallen to new lows.
Our community has its own Way and destiny, insha’Allah, as part of the larger American society. We do not need to reject everything about this country, and this once-inclusive culture. And, while we may criticize the rampant materialism, corruption and cynicism that surround us, we must admit that these defects stain souls the world round. What should heal, through the revival of individual human Conscience, is faith and virtue. Robot Muslims have no conscience. Instead, we need living, breathing, sincere men and women who have not lost the ability to repent, reflect and know His Mercy. Sleeping Muslims wake!