The World as it is; Faith, Politics, and our Need to Give

The World as it is; Faith, Politics, and our Need to Give

Two weeks ago an article in this paper suggested that Muslim countries should leave the United Nations. Brilliant! Arab, Muslim and non aligned voices actually have some influence in the United Nations— at least in the General Assembly the many and the poor do have a voice on a variety of issues. Yes, there are many concerns about UN corruption, but most complaints are political. So you say that we Muslims should leave, to do our own thing? Among others, Israel would really love that!

Israel’s former ambassador Dore Gold has written a book entitled, “Tower of Babble; How the UN Has Fueled Global Chaos.” Israelis note that there are 56 Muslim countries and only one Jewish state, of course also supported by the US and sometimes its puppet pacific island nations. Still, there are only 23 Israeli employees out of 2,000; and there are 3 special committees that are critical if not antagonistic towards Israel; the Division of Palestinian Rights; Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinians; and the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices. Some of this bureaucracy is no doubt wasteful political posturing and should be reduced. Of course the UNRWA refugee assistance to Palestine must continue. So, even looking at the issue of Israel-Palestine, why would Muslims leave the UN?

The US Right Wing is well known for its antipathy to the UN and to international law. Neo-conservatives (including some influential Muslims) hide their real agendas behind fear rhetoric invoking the dangers of world government. Yet it is these politicians that stand behind the worst of the civil liberties restrictions at home and abroad. And as for the Christian right—are they even Christian?

In an important article in this month’s Harpers magazine, writer Bill McKibben writes of “how a faithful nation gets Jesus wrong.” He observes the tragic irony that a nation that is overwhelmingly Christian does not follow Jesus in his example of radical self sacrifice and caring for the poor, adding; “In 2004, as a share of our economy, we ranked second to last, after Italy, among developed countries in government foreign aid. Per capita we each provide 15 cents a day in development assistance to poor countries. And it’s not because we are giving to private charities for relief work instead. Such funding increases our daily donation…to 21 cents. (Also) despite the sixth commandment, we are of course the most violent rich nation on earth, with a murder rate four or five that of our European peers. We have prison populations greater by a factor of six or seven…”

It is clear that instead of following Jesus, the neo-Christian sects have been absorbed in some monstrous capitalist, consumer-oriented ethic in pursuit of power. Let us show them a better example! Like Muslims, other faith groups face ideological challenges from extremists within. For the religious right of every faith, the dream of happy world domination replaces the reality of working for unity step by step. Dream peddlers sell us a pyramid scheme to benefit modern day pharaohs. Though very imperfect, the UN is a place for such daily work, not a utopian dream of domination. Recognizing this, we Muslims need to use this resource more wisely, and not give up! And the US needs to take its international responsibilities more seriously—and pay its UN bills!

Senate Democrats have for several months blocked the appointment of neo conservative John Bolton to represent the US at the United Nations. They were alarmed by his history of intimidation tactics against intelligence analysts, his lack of diplomatic skills as well as extreme negativity towards the UN. However last weekend they expected that the White House would take advantage of the Congressional recess to appoint him-- without a vote.

However, it also came to light that, among other failings, Mr. Bolton had failed to tell lawmakers that he had even been interviewed as part of a State Department-CIA joint investigation on intelligence lapses relating to the Bush administration's false claim that Iraq tried to buy uranium from Niger. With his unsavory reputation, and his lack of accountability, is this the man to trust with international relations?

Meanwhile, the people of Niger are facing starvation; and last weekend the first cargo plane of UN food arrived in Niamey, capital of Niger, carrying 44 tons of vitamin-fortified biscuits from Italy, with storage tents and generators following. The UN World Food Program and UNDP provide life-saving emergency services to millions every year. I ask again--is it not better to reform the UN than to leave it?

Of course Muslims should also give generously to charities of our own to supplement (even in a small way) the donations of the nations. ICNA Relief’s website (www.reliefonline.org) reminds us that “At least 2.5 million people in the three countries need food aid and like Niger they were hit by drought and a plague of locusts last year… Hunger also threatens three other countries in the region - Mali, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.” We are very fortunate not to be facing this scale of crisis in our daily lives; insha’Allah you and I will not wait till Ramadan to give. As Muslims we need to respond now: “…On them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve (2:274).” Brother, sister, what are we waiting for?

No Excuses: No Baggage: Waiting for the Train

No Excuses: No Baggage: Waiting for the Train

In Boston; I am waiting in the early morning station gloom for a Red Line train. No train, but oh, no; here comes that scary announcement again; "If You See Something, Say Something… Report any suspicious activity large or small to us; contact (617) 222 1212. Have a safe day…" Again, it repeats, loud and clear; and again and again. It is another version of the announcement in New York, probably now echoing in stations around the nation.

Each time, my fellow riders look more and more suspicious to me. I look at them. And they look at me. And look, there's a Muslim woman! And a dark skinned man! A young man with a backpack-now, two men with big, black bags. And what's that smell? Is it the perfume of cheap explosives or the normal body order of these sweating, waiting people? Should I get up and move, or will that look suspicious?

I wonder how my co-workers are affected in New York City, with the new, random baggage searches in the subway. And I wonder about Muslims in other cities. I guess we Muslims will just have to leave our baggage at home. Hold on to your Qur'ans, but leave that heavy burden of resentment and fear at home, no, even better to throw the extra cultural and emotional baggage away. Can we?

With all the media reports of course we are all understandably somewhat anxious. But we must ask ourselves: will US police follow a shoot to kill policy as in London, where bomb squad officers murdered an innocent, defenseless Brazilian in the train station on the way to work? According to witnesses; "He looked terrified as a cornered fox," as they shot him five times in the back of the head! In the coming days we will hear excuses for this deplorable act; but is fear really an acceptable excuse for adult men and women, law enforcement or civilian?

Responding to that fear, the US House of Representatives have just voted to make most of the Patriot Act restrictions permanent. While the Senate may modify this law slightly, it is very bad news indeed. You and I know directly how these and other such laws have targeted thousands of Muslims with no link to terror. We must also note that FBI and other Law enforcement agencies are now putting peace activists and even the American Civil Liberties Union under extensive surveillance. Moreover, law enforcement now depicts abortion foes and even animal rights activists as domestic terrorists if they conduct operations that may damage corporate property, as SHAC and ALF activists free chickens from vast and unnecessarily cruel factory farms. Feathers fly! The Bush Administration really gets a lot of use out of the word "terrorist."

Yes, the Muslim community is not the only target of this power hungry, capitalist cabal. Just as neo-conservative think tanks denounce Muslim groups to Congress, they also denounce other dissidents. Even the New York Times has condemned as "Orwellian" and "hypocritical" such groups as the so-called "Center for Consumer Freedom" which harasses and smears critics of their powerful corporate masters.

Breaking a law in the service of an ideal is not necessarily wrong; it certainly does not have to be terror. If punishment is called for, let it be proportional. If he had not broken a few laws through civil disobedience, Martin Luther King could not have led his successful movement for social justice; in fact, without such tactics we might be still enjoying the inhuman benefits of slavery. And across the harbor from this train station in 1774, the Boston Tea Party "Indians" protested unfair taxes with a bit of political theater, just like today's Greenpeace activists. But today they might well be called terrorists, and our founding fathers would be languishing in Guantanamo!

However, recent statements that minimize or seem to justify acts of terror are ill advised. Good to know that 500 imams signed a statement against terror in Britain; let us hope they will exhibit the same solidarity on other issues as well. Why isn't solidarity more important to us Muslims? Recently I helped to organize a statement against sectarian violence, the fratricide between Sunni and Shia, especially in Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of the New York area Muslim leaders who signed it had family in the affected regions. Why did certain reactionaries object to this statement, when it was meant to strengthen Muslim solidarity? I was disappointed by this, but glad that independently MPAC organized a similar statement on the West Coast. We do not need to be finding excuses for violence that weakens the Ummah.

There are also other ways to build a peace. Here in New York, I join other Muslims in a monthly dialogue with FBI, to bring serious complaints, organize Town Halls for discussion, and to provide cultural sensitivity and more advanced trainings. These may be risky, but many Muslim groups believe that lines of communication are quite necessary in the current political climate. In Houston, ICNA and CAIR have trained FBI; and Islamic Networking Group (ING) has prepared a curriculum for training other law enforcement officers. A similar dialogue also exists on the West Coast, and perhaps even in your locality. If there are, then ask: are mature Muslims involved who know how to maintain boundaries and stay on message? Muslims who know they are not there to make friends, trade secrets, or advance their faith based careers? And are there diverse Muslims, lawyers and civil libertarians involved in the discussions? Such initiatives should be transparent and accountable, to avoid any mistake. May Allah guide them -and us-- towards the truth.

And now my train has arrived. I hope my ride and yours will be a safe one, wherever you may be, insha'Allah. Let us be alert to those warnings, repeating and repeating mechanically, but also alert to the precious human gestures all around us, gestures of generosity and goodwill between Muslims and with non-Muslims too. Trusting in Allah, may we allow our hearts to remain free, open and receptive to His signs of Beauty and to His informing Light.