Facing The Wrong way

Over seven hundred years ago Hakim Jami observed, “If the scissors are not used daily on the beard it will not be long before the beard is, by its luxuriant growth, pretending to be the head.”

And so it is with us and with the world. The image of democracy replaces the reality. The image of Islam replaces the Reality. Let us not be content with images only but look for the face of the Beloved, the One Source of All Joy beyond the multiplicity of smiles. Light shines from the fragments of the broken mirror. What value has our frown in this broken world?

Yes, Muslims are misunderstood. In this country, immigrant Muslims, minorities, peoples of color, and other vulnerable groups are demonized. But in other nations, sectarian differences lead to Muslims killing Muslims. Muslims misunderstand themselves. Facing this tragic human deficiency, how are we to communicate the message of peace—both to ourselves and to others? To start any dialogue, we need to simply understand the fears and perceptions of those around and among us.

Saadi of Shiraz tells us, “A foolish man was raving at a donkey. It took no notice. A wiser man who was watching said, ‘Idiot! The donkey will never learn your language—better that you should observe silence and instead master the tongue of the donkey!” This tale teaches that we need to be “in touch with our inner donkey” in order to master it; it does not instruct us to exploit and manipulate as those in some of our mainstream media do, to control us.

The US Department of Justice has ordered 34 Internet service providers, search companies, and security software firms to hand over information on its customers’ search habits. The DoJ wants customer search information from AT&T, Comcast Cable, Cox Communications, EarthLink, LookSmart, Symantec, and Verizon.

Moreover, Fox reported that last Friday a number of memos between senior Bush Administration officials were leaked that call for management at Viacom, Inc. to focus on stories and programming choices that "reinforce the Administration's positions" and to "ignore and/or discredit points of view in opposition to the Bush Administration's foreign policy objectives for the purposes of National Security." Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer has called for a congressional inquiry into such collusion; "This is it. This is a smoking gun.” Other activists have suggested contacting Viacom directly at (800)-421-0245. If we do not act, will the media hide its true face once again?

Of course the point is for us not to remain donkeys. If we are to master the foolishness of politics, don’t we need to engage –carefully and consciously? Of course it depends on your point of view. Idris Shah recounts the following: “A certain wise man was widely reputed to have become irrational in his presentation of facts and arguments. It was decided to test him, so the authorities of his country could pronounce as to whether he was a danger to public order or not. On the day of the hearing he was paraded into the courtroom riding on a donkey, facing the animal’s rear.

When the time came to speak for himself, the man asked the judge, ‘When you saw me, which way was I facing?’ And the Judge replied; ‘facing the wrong way.’ The man replied; ‘You illustrate my point. For I was facing the right way, from one point of view. It was the donkey who was facing the wrong way.”

Maybe Mr. Zacarias Moussaoui should have tried this. Or perhaps he did. In any case, a federal jury found last week that Moussaoui was responsible for at least some of the deaths that occurred in the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, meaning that he could be subject to the death penalty. Madmen are not so easily excused these days.

Also last week, Jose Padilla fell one vote short on Monday of persuading the Supreme Court to take his case. The result was to leave standing a decision by the federal appeals court in Richmond, Va., that endorsed the government's power to seize a citizen on United States soil and keep him in open-ended detention. This is most unfortunate.

Moreover, U.S. military commissions proceedings resume this week in the cases of four enemy combatants held here since 2002. Cases include the Canadian Muslim teen Omar Ahmed Khadr, who officials say killed a U.S. service member while fighting for al Qaeda in Afghanistan. The Defence department website alleges that, “Khadr was born in Canada in 1986 to a family of terrorists… Khadr, who was 15 at the time, threw the grenade that killed…” The website also alleges that Ethiopain Binyam Ahmed Muhammad will remain accused of conspiring to build and use an improvised "dirty" bomb with Jose Padilla, even though Padilla is no longer being charged in this way. It seems that standards of evidence in secret tribunals do not measure up to normal and will leave all the donkeys turning in circles!

Surely if we are ever to see the face of truth prevail in this nation, we need to be more involved in Guantanamo issues as a community. Fortunately, a large coalition has committed to struggle to close down this legal black hole; I attended their meeting in early April in which many participants expressed the need for more Muslim partners in signing letters, reaching officials, rallying and educating the community on this important moral issue. And have our community members even visited the website of the Center for Constitutional Rights regarding this issue? Or cageprisoners.com? May Allah bless those who love and continually strive for Justice. May we be humble enough to help them help us!

Another story: “a king who was also an astrologer read in his stars that on a certain day and hour a disaster would happen to him. He therefore built a house of stone and posted guards outside. In this “home security” situation he was reassured until he suddenly realized that some sunlight could still get through. In fear, he blocked the door to prevent any danger from entering. He made himself a prisoner with his own hands. And in this way the King died.”

Does this sound familiar? Let us not blame the stars. Let us not isolate ourselves as Muslims or as Americans. The coming days will provide many opportunities for reflection and for active engagement. Insha’Allah those who join will understand collaborative teamwork as well as scholarship. Such coalitions of the righteous truly need our support. As Saadi urges us, “Give money to the scholars, so that they can study things. Give nothing to the recluses, that they may remain isolated!”