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Jun 24 Transforming Your Reality Jun 17 A History of Muslim Americans’ Political Engagement Jun 17 My Brother is Gay: Navigating the Intersection of Religion and Family An interview with Imam Wesley Lebron Jun 10 Islam and the Romans: Early Muslim-Byzantine Interaction May 20 Reclaiming the Sunnah of Adoption and Foster Care: An Interview with Basmah Salam Apr 29 National Poetry Month: An Ode to Faith, Visibility, and the Conversations We Don’t Forget Apr 15 Beyond Ramadan: Taking Its Lessons Farther  Apr 15 The Power of Saying No: A Reflection on Boundaries

Tag: racism

  • A Singular Struggle: How Black Muslim Woman Experience Islamophobia and Racism

    A Singular Struggle: How Black Muslim Woman Experience Islamophobia and Racism

    In 2020, I wrote an article titled “On Being Othered In Muslim & Non-Muslim Spaces” where I discussed the anti-black racism, colorism, prejudice, and Islamophobia black Muslim women face. Five years later, I wish I could say these issues have faded, but, sadly, they persist. Some might say this topic has been discussed endlessly, but how can one grow tired of a story that keeps repeating itself? How can you ignore an experience that continues to shape your everyday life?

    Islamophobia is an irrational fear, hostility, or hatred directed at Islam and Muslims. It can manifest in hate crimes, stereotypes, negative media portrayals, employment discrimination, and policies designed to exclude or monitor Muslim populations. This hostility is often fueled by misinformation, political rhetoric, and a fundamental lack of what Islam teaches.

    On the other hand, anti-black racism is deeply rooted in the legacies of slavery, colonialism, and segregation. It shows up racial profiling, economic disparities, police brutality, cultural erasure, and exclusion from professional and social opportunities.

    For black Muslim women, these two forces collide in ways that create a distinct and often overlooked form of discrimination. In most environments, we are either being racially discriminated against or religiously profiled, and many times, both experiences overlap, intensifying our challenges.

    The Crossroad

    In the West, Islamophobia is heavily racialized, centering predominantly on Arab and South Asian Muslims. When stories of Islamophobic violence, discrimination, or prejudice make headlines, the faces and names that dominate the conversation typically belong to these communities. For decades, the media and political discourse has portrayed Islam as something foreign, as something that belongs to the Middle East or South Asia. This narrow framing erases the presence of black Muslims, despite the fact we make up a significant portion of the global Muslim population.

    Black Muslims have played an integral role in shaping Islamic history and culture, yet our struggles with Islamophobia are frequently dismissed or ignored. This erasure is so common that when black Muslims face discrimination, it’s rarely recognized as part of the broader Islamophobic landscape. Instead, these experiences are often categorized solely as anti-black racism, as if our religious identity has no bearing on the biases we encounter.

    This creates what can be described as double invisibility, which leaves black Muslims vulnerable to both anti-black racism and Islamophobia while receiving little to no advocacy or support. Hate crimes, workplace discrimination, police surveillance, and racial profiling affect black Muslims just as they do other Muslim communities. However, because mainstream narratives rarely associate blackness with Islam, these stories remain in the shadows, leaving black Muslims to navigate these injustices alone.

    Unique Struggles

    Imagine going to work, knowing you have the experience, knowledge, and qualifications for a leadership role, yet continually being overlooked. When promotions arise, they always go to someone else, someone who never looks like you. Or learning that you have more years of experience, yet your salary is significantly lower than that of your lateral colleagues.

    Then, after enduring these challenges, you arrive at your local masjid, only to be met with skepticism about your faith. You’re questioned about how authentic your Islamic knowledge is, how much of the Qur’an you’ve memorized, or whether you are a “real” Muslim because your ancestry oftentimes isn’t seen as valid, or does not trace back to a Muslim-majority country.

    These are not hypothetical scenarios. They are realities many black Muslim women have experienced for decades and continue to face today.

    In addition to racial and religious discrimination, black Muslim women also face colorism and identity policing within both Muslim and non-Muslim spaces. Western beauty standards, which glorify fair skin, straight hair, and uncovered femininity, dominate mainstream media and pop culture. These ideals infiltrate Muslim spaces as well, where black Muslim women often are placed at the bottom of the hierarchy. For example:

    • We’re often the last to be invited to speak at Islamic lectures.
    • We’re frequently the last to be acknowledged for our religious or secular scholarship.
    • We’re usually the last to be represented in Muslim media.

    Within the broader Muslim community, our voices are almost always excluded from mainstream platforms; within non-Muslim spaces, we’re either tokenized or ignored. It’s an exhausting cycle of invisibility and hypervisibility, constantly proving we belong while fighting against the forces that try to erase us.

    Black Muslim Women Own Their Narratives

    Despite these challenges, black Muslim women have never allowed these barriers to define or limit us. Instead, we’ve built our own platforms, movements, and communities, using our voices to reclaim space and tell our own stories.

    For over a decade, the strength and resilience of black Muslim women have been magnified through social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Through these digital spaces, we’ve shared our experiences, built communities, and documented our histories; stories that mainstream Muslim and non-Muslim platforms often ignore.

    Take for example Dr. Su’ad Abdul Khabeer, the creator of “Sapelo Square,” an award-winning media and education collective that produces and archives the black Muslim experience in the U.S. Her work has been instrumental in preserving the voices and histories of black Muslims, ensuring our narratives are not erased.

    Or Hakeemah, the visionary behind “Double Pin It.” While her platform is centered on modest fashion, she’s spoken openly about facing both Islamophobia and anti-black racism in Muslim spaces. Her work not only highlights the intersectionality of these struggles but also serves as an example of a black American Muslim woman staying true to her faith and identity despite societal pressures.

    Black Muslim women have always been at the forefront of community-building, advocacy, and storytelling. We refuse to be invisible, and we continue to create spaces where we are seen, heard, and valued.

    Moving Forward

    One thing that remains true about black women is that we are always on the front lines of solidarity and support for others. But how often are those sentiments truly reciprocated?

    It’s time for other ethnic communities within Islam to amplify black Muslim women’s voices, not just in moments of crisis but as an ongoing commitment to inclusion and justice. Here are a few ways this can be done:

    • Support black Muslim-led organizations and initiatives.
    • Invite black Muslim women onto your platforms and into your spaces, not as an afterthought but as valued contributors.
    • Educate yourself on the history of black Muslims, particularly in the U.S.
    • Speak out against racism and prejudice within your own circles, families, and ethnic communities.

    True solidarity isn’t just about sharing hashtags, it’s about creating inclusive spaces where all Muslims, regardless of race, feel a sense of belonging.

    When we push past our discomfort and engage in honest conversations, we often realize that our struggles, though unique, are deeply connected. Instead of allowing our differences to divide us, we can use them as opportunities for deeper understanding and community-building. Because at the end of the day, justice is only justice when it includes all of us.

  • Combating Racial Bias in the U.S. and in the Muslim Community

    Combating Racial Bias in the U.S. and in the Muslim Community

    Can you recall the first time you heard about or were directly affected by racial bias, colorism, or any other type of discrimination? Although I never experienced bigotry firsthand until I moved to the United States, I do recall an incident that impacted me as a little girl growing up in Puerto Rico. My mother and I had gone to visit my great-aunt, and as I sat, legs crossed on her flowery couch and hands placed neatly on my lap, I overheard a strange conversation. My great-aunt, a white-haired woman with pale skin and faded blue eyes, lamented that her daughters chose to marry men of dark complexions and coarse hair.

    “Their children came out with that pelo malo, bad hair,” she exclaimed to my mother, throwing a frustrated gesture into the air. She glanced at me and apologetically added, “At least your husband is not so dark and yours came out cepillados.” The word “cepillado” in Spanish means to brush, remove dirt, clean, or smooth a surface.It is the same word we use to say, “brush your teeth.” So, she implied that since my brother and I were born with lighter skin and less textured hair than her grandchildren, we were somewhat cleaner-looking or acceptable. I could not believe my ears, and even though I must not have been more than 7 years old, I was offended to my core. After we left her house, I told my mother I never wanted to visit her again. My mother nodded in agreement, quite possibly feeling just as insulted.

    I wondered why, if we were all Puerto Rican, my great-aunt would feel like she was better than an islander with darker skin. Why did she demean her own grandchildren only because they had a caramel complexion and coily hair? After all, most Puerto Ricans have visibly mixed heritage; our ancestors are a rich blend of native, European, and North and West African. My father happens to be a Puerto Rican of mixed race, darker than my mother’s side of the family, who are of mostly European descent or mestizos. My grandfather had light brown hair and green eyes, and his family migrated to Puerto Rico from Corsica, then part of Italy. My grandparents on my mother’s side, however, are a mixture of indigenous Taino and African, with browner skin tones and features. I was angry that anyone, much less a family member, would point out our differences when I believed, in my childlike way,that our diversity is what made us so unique and beautiful. In fact, my parents lovingly referred to me as their negrita, or little black girl, a common term of endearment in our culture.

    Racism in a Historical Context

    NowI understand that this colorism and racial bias are byproducts of Caribbean colonialism, but as a child this was a concept too complex to understand.Racism, colorism, ethnocentrism, classism and other superiority biases are as old as time itself, and present in every part of the world, manifesting themselves in different forms. When the Spanish made their way to the New World, after the newly victorious Catholic monarchy expelled Muslims and Jews from the Iberian Peninsula, they brought with them their own brand of racist, supremacist, and anti semitic views. To be white and Christian was to be pure, untainted, and civilized. People of color were classified as subhuman, dirty, and uncouth, a sentiment fueled by hatred for the Moors, according to historian Alan Mikhail, author of the book, In God’s Shadow: Sultan Selim, His Ottoman Empire, and the Making of the Modern World.

    In the Caribbean Spanish colonies, a sort of caste system was put in place in which “Peninsular” Spaniards – those born in Europe – were the elite and ruling party, followed by the Puerto Rican born Spaniards, followed by mestizos – a mixture of Spaniard and indigenous,then the mulattoes – a blend of African and indigenous, and then the purely indigenous and Africans at the bottom of the barrel. This system became widespread in places like the Americas, European-occupied African lands, and the Indian subcontinent.

    We never learned about this aspect of history in school as children. In Puerto Rico and here, in the United States, Christopher Columbus and other famous explorers, like our founding fathers, are regarded as heroes, despite their racist ideals. We studied little about ethnocentrism around the world and why some dominant groups viewed others as inferior. As Dan Brown wrote in The Da Vinci Code, “History is always written by the winners. When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated, and the winner writes the history books – books which glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe.” To educate ourselves on this reality is to willfully begin a journey of reversing the effects of colonialism within our own minds, families, and communities. It becomes clear that our job now, as informed parents, guardians, and educators, is to teach our children that racism, colorism, classism, and every sort of bigotry is wrong and contrary to our Islamic faith.

    Indeed, this plague of bigotry, has even made its way back into our Muslim communities of today when over 1400 years ago, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, warned his followers against it. We hear, time and time again, of the Prophet’s final sermon, in which he famously declared, “… All mankind is from Adam and Eve; an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab.Also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over a white – except by piety and good action” (Bukhari).Thus, the only characteristic that distinguishes one human being over another, male or female, or whatever their ethnicity or race or culture, is their faith and deeds.

    In the Qur’an, Allah, Himself, may He be glorified, says, “O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes, that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Aware” (49:13).The two primary sources of our faith and practice, the Qur’an and the Sunnah, clearly prohibit any type of racism or tribalism. These teachings were groundbreaking, nevertheless, they are not always put into practice.

    Identifying and Eliminating Bias

    Human beings are intrinsically biased, we tend to have preferences when it comes to innocent things such as food, the weather, or pet ownership. However, bias becomes problematic when it is directed at groups of people based on preconceived notions or stereotypes. For my great-aunt, a Puerto Rican of darker complexion was undesirable based on the notion that blacks or mulattos were of a lower social status. In the book, Overcoming Bias: Building Authentic Relationships Across Differences, authors and experts on diversity, Tiffany Jana and Matthew Freeman, describe bias as a natural, normal human tendency. However, they say, “expressing bias toward or against people and acting on that bias gets people fired.” Their solution is to become a “cultural ally, someone who seeks to expand their understanding of others and use if for good.” There are certain steps that one must follow to become a cultural ally, and these can be applied by both adults and children.

    The first is to acknowledge our own biases. As Allah says in the Qur’an in chapter 13, verse 11, “Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.”Although slavery was abolished in the United States 155 years ago, the oppression and suppression of African Americans and other people of color has evolved in its form and operation and continues to this day. There is cultural and racial bias ingrained in the fabric of the American way of life. The escalating racial tension fueled by multiple cases of police brutality and targeted killings of African Americans in 2020is indicative of just how much more work needs to be done. Fortunately, these cases have garnered international attention and sparked movements for change, including in the Muslim community.

    One of the conversations that individuals and organizations are now having is that of privilege. Jana and Freeman mention checking one’s privilege and ego is the second step in combating negative bias. They say, “Generally speaking, privilege blinds you to the challenges that others face. Suffering through a challenge helps you build empathy for others in a similar situation.” An example of this is how certain groups within the Muslim community rally behind a cause depending on the nationality of those affected. Muslims should unify under the banner of faith and universal human rights to combat racism, using whatever privileges we enjoy individually, whether that be racial, socio-economic, or educational.

    Another step we can take to become cultural allies is to actively seek out diverse relationships. Jana and Freeman say that we should aim to be “someone who deliberately deepens her or his understanding of others through cultural fluency and cultural competence.” As Allah says in chapter 49, verse 13, as cited above, we must get to know one another. This should not be in a superficial manner, but rather through forging close, meaningful relationships across differences. The final two steps go hand-in-hand with some simple principles of communication:“ask, don’t assume” — if you are not sure what someone means and you ask them to clarify rather than assuming what they mean, you are enhancing communication with them and avoiding misunderstanding;and “listen, don’t judge” — this is not as easy as it sounds. But truly keeping an open mind about what another person is trying to convey and aiming to see their perspective, without any ego judgments, fosters mutual understanding and a sense of deeper connection as human beings. These communication guidelines apply to all human interactions, but especially are important when we communicate with people who are different from us, whether ideologically, religiously, racially, culturally, or otherwise.

    Taking all of these necessary precautions within our own circles to avoid racial bias and discriminatory practices may not completely obliterate racism in the world, but it can spark positive change in our community.

  • The Matter of Black Lives

    The Matter of Black Lives

    Every July 4th in the United States, citizens rush to the streets and parks to delight in the great spectacle of colorful and thunderous fireworks celebrating the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, a document declaring the 13 original American colonies’ demands for justice and independence from the British Empire. Within the pages of this famous document are the following universal words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

    It is unfair to generalize or suggest that all police officers are racist or quick to pull the trigger. The fact is that while law enforcement is crucial to maintaining law and order, African-American communities across the nation must feel confident that the police will deal with them fairly and humanely.

    These words, written in 1776, which profess to be true of “all men,” have unfortunately not been granted in full to everyone, especially the African-American community. Although race relations in the United States have certainly progressed leaps and bounds since the dark days of slavery, racial tensions in 2016 seem to be at a boiling point. And the notion of racial equality for all is more of a dream than a reality. The Black Lives Matter movement is currently at the forefront of the rallying cry to highlight injustices against the black community in America.

    Devaluing Life

    To begin with, it goes without saying that black lives absolutely do matter — they always have and always will — as do all lives, including blue lives (police officers). Islam rejects the notion that individuals or nations are superior because of color or race, or other arbitrary distinctions. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said in his final sermon: “All mankind is from Adam and Eve; an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black any superiority over a white, except by piety and good action.”

    Furthermore, life itself is sacred, and to kill anyone without lawful and moral cause is a travesty of justice. Allah (SWT) says in the Quran: “Whoever kills a person [unjustly]…it is as though he has killed all mankind. And whoever saves a life, it is as though he has saved all mankind” (Quran 5:32). Not only in America, but all around the world, whether on the battlefield or elsewhere, there is an unfortunate tendency to devalue the sanctity of life. This has been seen in the U.S. where some police officers have been found shooting and killing, rather than arresting, young unarmed black men. Likewise, around the world, innocent men, women, and children are viciously and senselessly slaughtered in the name of war. According to the Costs of War project at The Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University, “Approximately 210,000 Afghan, Iraqi, and Pakistani civilians have died violent deaths as a direct result of the wars.” This is only one region, but this ongoing problem of devaluing life in general, and the lives and blood of black and brown people in particular, is at the heart of the movement called Black Lives Matter.

    The Black Lives Matter Movement

    The Black Lives Matter organization was established in 2013, following the controversial death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin who was gunned down by neighborhood watch volunteer, George Zimmerman. Trayvon was walking home after purchasing snacks at a convenience store in Sanford, Florida. When Zimmerman was ultimately acquitted of all charges, cries of foul play, protests, and demands for justice ensued.

    According to Alicia Garza on BlackLivesMatter.com, “I created #BlackLivesMatter with Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi, two of my sisters, as a call to action for Black people after 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was posthumously placed on trial for his own murder and the killer, George Zimmerman, was not held accountable for the crime he committed. It was a response to the anti-Black racism that permeates our society and also, unfortunately, our movements. Black Lives Matter is an ideological and political intervention in a world where Black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for demise. It is an affirmation of Black folks’ contributions to this society, our humanity, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression.”

    Two other nationally covered cases added fuel to the fire and seemed to further ignite the strength and breadth of the Black Lives Matter movement. The first of these occurred when unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot on February 12, 2014 in broad daylight by officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, after being stopped on suspicion of burglary. Some eyewitnesses asserted that at some point Brown held up his hands in surrender, but a Department of Justice report concluded that Brown likely didn’t have his hands up when he was shot and many of the witnesses were ultimately found to be not credible or admitted they lied. A second DOJ report, however, investigated the Ferguson police department and found broad-based racial bias, and routine violation of the constitutional rights of African-American citizens. After Wilson’s acquittal, Ferguson, Missouri was a hot spot for protests, and unfortunately there were instances of looting and the burning down of stores. Another case which drew national attention and outrage was the chokehold death of Eric Garner on July 17, 2014, for allegedly selling cigarettes without a license. He is heard pleading, “I can’t breathe” as he is restrained. The medical examiner found his death was due to chokehold, chest compression, and poor health.

    The question of injustice in these cases has to do with the fact that the ultimate punishment of death was outrageous, considering the circumstances of these incidents: walking down the street after purchasing snacks — Trayvon Martin; being suspected of shop lifting — Michael Brown; and selling cigarettes without a license — Eric Garner.

    The Difference the Black Lives Matter Movement Has Made

    As in past civil rights/social justice movements such as Gandhi’s Indian independence movement and Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil rights movement, civil disobedience and protests have been an effective means to garner the attention of the powers that be, and effect permanent change. The more protesters demand change and justice, the more political leaders take heed.

    Khury Petersen-Smith had this to say about the BLM movement in an article in the International Socialist Review entitled “Black Lives Matter–A new movement takes shape”: “In a matter of weeks, the (BLM) movement shattered what remained of the notion of a ‘post-racial’ America and reoriented the entire national conversation on anti-Black racism. The movement follows in a tradition of Black struggles in the United States whose impacts far exceed the numbers of people involved and go well beyond their point of origin …The strength of today’s Ferguson-inspired movement can be gauged in a number of ways. For one, the movement has been militant from its inception. One of the movement’s most popular refrains in street protests and social media is ‘shut it down!’ Beyond a rhetorical slogan, this has found expression in the real world as activists in dozens of cities have marched onto highways to disrupt traffic; linked arms across railroad tracks to stop trains; sat down in urban intersections; delayed sporting events; and temporarily occupied shopping malls, major retail stores, police departments, and city halls.” The growing lack of trust between the African-American communities and law enforcement has been a central focus of the BLM struggle.

    Justice From and Toward Law Enforcement

    Disappointment and outrage against law enforcement has been at the heart of the Black Lives Matter movement, and the fact that some police officers have been caught on video using excessive or deadly force when apprehending suspects of color has given credence to ongoing allegations of police brutality.

    But it is unfair to generalize or suggest that all police officers are racist or quick to pull the trigger. The fact is that while law enforcement is crucial to maintaining law and order, African-American communities across the nation must feel confident that the police will deal with them fairly and humanely. Certainly officers must be able to protect themselves while policing the community. But they must also be trained and predisposed to de-escalating rather than ratchetting up tense situations. They need to be trained to avoid stereotyping, profiling, or pre-judging individuals or circumstances based on any sort of racial, religious, or socio-economic class bias. The tragic consequence of distrust and anger toward law enforcement – when it is not adequately addressed and therefore allowed to grow and fester — is the horrific targeting of police such as the murder of five officers in Dallas, Texas in July of this year.

    Islam demands that justice be served to all parties and on all sides of an issue: “O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be [for or against] rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. ….and if you distort or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well- acquainted with all that you do” (Quran 4: 135).

    Educational Inequity

    The issues of discrimination, of social and economic inequities, that the black community in America faces is brought to the fore by the graphic violence and injustice of police brutality. Far too many African-Americans are in prison, and there is unequal and inferior education in the inner cities. Education is seen by many as the great equalizer—as an opportunity to reach one’s greatest potential, to climb the socio-economic ladder so as to achieve economic independence and success. When quality public education is lacking, serious questions of injustice can and should be raised. Seeking and acquiring education is critical in Islam, and was the theme of the first words revealed in the Quran: “Read in the name of your Lord who created. Created man, out of a clot of congealed blood. Read, and your Lord is the most Generous, Who taught by the pen, taught man that which he knew not” (Quran 96:1-5).

    Nearly 60 years after the 1954 landmark ruling in Brown v. the Board of Education, in which the U.S. Supreme Court declared public education is “a right which must be made available on equal terms,” racial inequities in school spending persist. An article entitled “Students of Color Still Receiving Unequal Education,” on Americanprogress.org, gives clear evidence that the historical problem of inequity in American education has not gone away. The article presents the following data to back up that claim:

    • Across the country schools spent $334 more on every white student than on every nonwhite student
    • Mostly white schools (90 percent or more white) spent $733 more per student than mostly nonwhite schools (90 percent or more nonwhite)
    • The United States spends $293 less per year on students in mostly nonwhite schools than on students in all other schools. That’s 7 percent of the median per-pupil spending.

    Although slavery is thankfully a thing of the past, “justice for all” is still, unfortunately, an American dream unrealized. We need groups like the Black Lives Matter movement to keep such injustices in the forefront of our minds.

     Beyond Protests: A New Vision Towards Policy Change and Justice

    According to an article on NBCnews.com, entitled “Black Lives Matter Releases Policy Agenda,” the movement has taken serious and unified steps to communicate and document clear goals and demands for policy changes to support racial equality and social justice. The plan, “A Vision for Black Lives: Policy Demands for Black Power, Freedom and Justice,” is the work of more than 50 organizations nationwide, and advances six core demands and 40 policy priorities. According to Montague Simmons of Organization for Black Struggle and the Movement for Black Lives Policy Table: “Our grievances and solutions extend beyond the police killing of our people; state violence includes failing schools that criminalize our children, dwindling earning opportunities…., and so much more…That’s why we united, with a renewed energy and purpose, to put forth a shared vision of the world we want to live in.” The six core demands are as follows:

    • End the war on black people
    • Reparations for past and continuing harms
    • Divestment from the institutions that criminalize, cage and harm black people; and investment in the education, health and safety of black people
    • Economic justice for all and a reconstruction of the economy to ensure our communities have collective ownership, not merely access
    • Community control of the laws, institutions and policies that most impact us
    • Independent black political power and black self-determination in all areas of society
    Global Solidarity Between the BLM Movement and the Palestinian Struggle

    There is a shared longing for change within the Palestinian and African-American struggles for justice. In an article entitled “Black Lives Matter Activists Declare Solidarity with Palestine” at in these times.com, it is noted that as far back as 1970, black activists published a full-page ad in the New York Times titled, “An Appeal by Black Americans Against United States Support of the Zionist Government of Israel.” This ad was signed by fifty-six writers, educators, and activists, and the first paragraph reads: “We, the black American signatories of this advertisement, are in complete solidarity with our Palestinian brothers and sisters, who, like us, are struggling for self-determination and an end to racist oppression.”

    The BLM platform of 2016 states: “The US military accounts for over 50 percent of discretionary federal spending, a total of 598.5 Billion dollars spent annually, as compared to 70 billion spent on education, 66 billion spent on healthcare, 63.2 billion spent on housing and 29.1 billion spent on social security and unemployment. In addition, approximately 3 billion dollars in US aid is allocated to Israel, a state that practices systematic discrimination and has maintained a military occupation of Palestine for decades… In the years since September 11 and the US-driven ‘global war on terror’, US military spending has increased by 50 percent. This war has led to the killing of 4 million civilians in the Middle East. US arms and military corporations have made billions of dollars in profit off of waging disaster and destabilization in the Middle East, while increasing western control over the land and resources of the region. In South America and the Caribbean the war on terror has combined with a long-running war on drugs intensifying forced migrations, land grabs, and political disenfranchisement. The war on terror, has not made us safer and has only increased hopelessness as our fears are realized.” The call for justice by the BLM movement, in conjunction with social justice organizations around the world, will continue until social, economic, and political justice objectives are achieved.

     The Need for the BLM Movement in America

    The Black Lives Matter movement and other civil rights and social justice campaigns in America and abroad are critical in bringing the existence of inequality to the fore and into the political discourse, and in demanding change. We can no longer turn a blind eye to attitudes of discrimination, racism, or rancid and retrogressive notions of the inferiority of persons of color. The United states is said to be a “land of opportunity,” and all people deserve an equal opportunity to “pursue happiness.” Justice and peace go hand in hand–where there is no justice, then there will likewise be no peace.

    The words of Martin Luther King Jr. in his “I have a Dream” speech still ring true: “There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, ‘When will you be satisfied?’ We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until ‘justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.’”

    Until education is equal, job opportunity is equal, and the police and courts treat all men and women equal—the Black Lives Matter Movement will remain necessary to lead the rallying cry against the systemic attitudes, policies, and behaviors that oppress African-Americans and other people of color.

    As the Quran teaches, humanity is one family—and there will never be universal peace until all of our brothers and sisters are treated with justice.

    “O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female and have made you into nations and tribes for you to know one another. Truly, the noblest of you with God is the most pious. Truly, God is All-Knowing, All-Aware” (Quran 49:13).

  • Un-Islamic, Radical Terrorists: A Tool for Election Hype

    Un-Islamic, Radical Terrorists: A Tool for Election Hype

    Neighbors were frightened of Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, the man who plowed a truck into a celebratory crowd in Nice, France, killing more than 80 people and injuring over 200. People who knew him explained that he was anything but a devout Muslim. He had a record of petty crime, often displayed unrestrained bouts of anger, drank alcohol, used drugs, and neglected to pray or fast. Bouhlel, in recent times, was convicted of assaulting a motorist, and abused his estranged wife. In fact, he had a history of mental illness documented by visits to psychologists in Tunisia. What remains unclear is whether or not he had any direct links to terrorist networks.

    Inflammatory speech invariably has a negative impact on the unity of our nation

    Gunman Omar Mateen, who opened fire inside a nightclub in Orlando Florida, had a long history of behavioral problems, documented by school records over the years. He was expelled, arrested and eventually enrolled in an alternative high school after numerous fights in which he injured other students, and what one of his teachers noted as his “inability to show self-control.” According to witness Patience Carter, who survived the Orlando rampage, Mateen announced his motive as he murdered club-goers, saying he wanted “Americans to stop bombing his country.” His parents were originally from Afghanistan.

    Richard Reid, also known as “the shoe bomber,” attempted to take down an American Airlines passenger plane in 2001 by igniting explosives contained in his shoes. Upon his arrest, he told officials conducting his interrogation, “Your government has sponsored the torture of Muslims in Iraq and Turkey and Jordan and Syria with their money and weapons. It’s in your hands.” Like the others, Reid had a history of delinquency and criminal offences. When he was born, his father was absent, having been incarcerated for car theft. After dropping out of school at the age of 16, Reid pursued a life of crime, often winding up in prison himself.

    “Do you think that you will enter Paradise without such [trials] as came to those who passed away before you? … Yes! Certainly, the Help of God is near!” (Quran 2:214)

    ISIS entry form documents of roughly 4,000 foreign recruits recently released to the Associated Press prove what Muslims have been saying for years. In an August 19 article in the Times of Israel, the authors note that the terrorist organization known as ISIS, “preys on those with minimal connection to Islam, because the more they know the less likely they are to endorse its methods.” Recruiting members largely ignorant of Islamic teachings, allows extremist organizations to indoctrinate them with a distorted version of Islam, designed to help advance its aggressive territorial expansion and slaughter of innocent men, women, and children.

    Compulsive Use of Misnomer: ‘Islamic’ Terrorism

    According to these and many more examples, it appears that an overwhelming number of terrorists display similar characteristics: ignorance and lack of devotion to Islam, mental illness, recurrent criminal behaviors, and violence towards innocent people. They are motivated – not by religion – but by geopolitical grievances and a thirst for vengeance. Despite these glaring facts, and their availability to the public, we continue to witness the term “Islamic” consistently being attached to heinous terrorist crimes and their perpetrators.

    Certain politicians, TV personalities, and pundits help form public sentiment surrounding attacks, branding them as “Islamic” while the shock and horror are fresh, and details that undermine the “Islamic terror” narrative are yet unavailable. Information acquired in the investigations following attacks, in most of the cases, tends to paint an entirely different picture: individuals with a criminal history and psychological and behavioral issues, who are motivated by anger and driven by very real and disturbing geopolitics.

    The confidence with which the initial speculations were presented, and the subsequent time that elapses in which people return to their daily routines, inevitably renders subsequent investigations and analysis far less newsworthy. The lack of sensation and inconsistency with the favored theme of “Islamic terror” renders almost inconsequential the ensuing findings such as non-existent religiosity, lack of clear ties to terrorist networks, no overtly political motivations, records of criminal activity, and/or histories of mental health problems.

    A Tool for Election Hype

    While we can’t always assume that the statements made by political candidates are intentionally misleading, this election season is a perfect example of disinformation about Islam and Muslims being used for political gain. From the inflammatory rhetoric of reality star and now presidential candidate, Donald Trump, to the attempts to garner attention by former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, we are seeing a lot of very strong words being thrown around without much concern for the real consequences they have for average Muslim citizens. And inflammatory speech invariably has a negative impact on the unity of our nation. Polarizing rhetoric such as Trump’s infamous call for Muslims to be banned from entering the United States, and his blanket (and frequently grammatically challenged) statements like “I think Islam hates us,” have done more than raise eyebrows.

    Newt Gingrich, on national television went so far as to say, “Western civilization is in a war. We should frankly test every person here who is of Muslim background and if they believe in sharia, they should be deported. Sharia is incompatible with Western civilization.” Statements like these have proven to elicit intense levels of bigotry, hatred, and violence that have apparently been pent-up in a portion of the American electorate.

    The Pressure of Polarization

    These alarmist calls from powerful people to equate Islam with terrorism urge the general populations of Western countries to associate all Muslims with violence and danger, thus engendering distrust and fear of all things Islamic. Consequently, we are seeing an unprecedented rise in crimes against Muslims in the United States and elsewhere ranging from verbal abuse and discrimination to physical assaults, and sadly, hate-motivated murder. We can sense the increasingly negative sentiments in our neighborhoods and communities. Many of us feel awkward, ashamed, and even frightened to go to public places immediately after tragedies such as the recent attacks in France, San Bernardino CA, and Orlando FL. The pressure may be felt even more by those of us who outwardly appear to be Muslim, primarily women who cover and men who choose to wear ethnic clothing and kufis.

    David Lisnard, mayor of Cannes in southern France, fueled controversy with incendiary statements regarding Muslim women who choose to go swimming, yet insist on covering their bodies while doing so. Referring to a ban on Muslim swimwear he said, “I simply forbid a uniform that is the symbol of Islamic extremism.” Thierry Migoule, Cannes’ head of municipal services, echoed the mayor’s sentiments, saying, “We are not talking about banning the wearing of religious symbols on the beach… But ostentatious clothing, which refers to an allegiance to terrorist movements which are at war with us.” Yes, they both just said that any Muslim woman who chooses to cover her body while swimming is displaying support for terrorism and extremism. Do they hope to force Muslim women to acquiesce to their standards of fashion and stop standing out so confidently in their voluntary modesty? Whatever it is behind those words, the result is the same: an increasingly polarized population, pitting the general population against Muslims.

    These politicians have whitewashed the complexity of reality and presented a simplistic picture to the public: good vs. evil – and they are defining what means good and what means evil. People are afraid for their lives, for their futures. These politicians are capitalizing on that fear and telling all of us: choose a side – or else. This, in turn causes innocent people to appear guilty.

    The Heat is On

    Being under constant suspicion can cause individuals to feel guilty – even when totally innocent. Dalia Mogahed explained how she felt after 9/11, saying, “Not only had my country been attacked, but in a flash, somebody else’s actions had turned me from a citizen to a suspect… for the first time in my life, [I was] afraid for anyone to know I was a Muslim.” This guilt by association is advanced and reinforced by few, but very loud voices. After the Nice attacks, Kelvin Mackenzie, a columnist from the UK’s Sun newspaper, wrote a controversial column questioning why a “young woman wearing a hijab” had been allowed on television to report on the attack in Nice. He was horrified that the reporter, Fatima Manji, was visibly Muslim. He asked. “Was it appropriate for her to be on camera when there had been yet another shocking slaughter by a Muslim?”

    Avoiding the Herd Mentality

    More than one-third of those killed by the attacker in Nice were Muslims. According to a report published by the Counter Terrorism Center at the US Military Academy, Al-Qaeda kills over seven times more Muslims than non-Muslims. The majority of ISIS’ victims are Muslims. If it’s offensive for a Muslim to report a terror attack on television, is it also offensive for us to mourn our dead? We have to reject this idea outright and think critically: was it wrong for a Christian to report on the murder of Dr. George Tiller by anti-abortionist terrorist Scott Roeder in 2009, or the Centennial Olympic Park bombing in 1996 by Eric Rudolph who had ties to the white supremacist “Christian Identity” theology and movement? In fact, both Roeder and Rudolph had ties to another Christian terrorist group, The Army of God. To suggest that a Christian reporter should not cover a terror act committed by a fellow Christian is clearly, easily, and immediately recognized as preposterous.

    In the face of this monumental and growing problem, I refuse to allow others to determine how I feel about myself. As Muslims, we have to be the masters of our own thoughts and allow no one to convince us we are guilty by association due to our faith. That our modest attire or names or beards are incriminating, that the word “Islamic” must appear next to its antithesis, terrorism… No! The Quran differentiates between human beings who reason and those who follow the crowd without intelligent thought: “Or do you think that most of them listen or use their reason? No, they are but like cattle. Rather, they are even less conscious of the right way” (Quran 25:44).

    Fighting Doubts

    Prophet Muhammad said, “The people will see a time of [much-needed] patience in which someone adhering to his religion will be as if he were grasping a hot coal” (Tirmidhi). It’s becoming clearer that this applies to our current time. Some of us feel like giving up. Being under constant scrutiny, guilt-tripped, cursed at, ridiculed, and hated – it is exhausting. It might appear easier if we just took our headscarves off, shaved our beards, and changed our names. The thing is, though, the solution is in the same hadith – the heart of the issue — that we adhere to our faith. Letting go of it will never lead us to success or ease.

    We’ve Got a Choice to Make

    It’s election season. Time to make a decision. And while it’s important to exercise your right at the polls, there’s an even more important choice to make, right now. Allah says, “The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills – let him believe; and whoever wills – let him disbelieve” (18:29). Our akhirah is waiting and the choices we make today will be there for us to see, either as witnesses against us or in our favor. It helps to remind ourselves again and again:

    “Do you think that you will enter Paradise without such [trials] as came to those who passed away before you? … Yes! Certainly, the help of God is near!” (Quran 2:214). All of this life is intended to be a test. If it weren’t this or that test, it would be something else. So, remember the advice of Jacob to his sons, “Despair not of relief from God. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from God except the disbelieving people” (Quran 12:87).

    All the Information We Need

    It’s about time that we turn off our TVs, sign out of our social media accounts and turn to the Quran. The Quran provides the bigger picture and lays out a plan for the future – putting everything into proper perspective: “So be patient. Indeed, the promise of God is truth. And ask forgiveness for your sin and exalt with praise of your Lord in the evening and the morning. Indeed, those who dispute concerning God’s signs without authority having come to them – there is not within their hearts except pride, [the extent of] which they cannot reach. So seek refuge in God. Indeed, it is He who is the Hearing, the Seeing” (Quran 40:55-56).

    Allah’s plan is geared towards our success, if we choose to follow it. With Allah’s help, we can make our ummah great again. “O you who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allah that you may be successful” (Quran 3:200).

  • Anti-Muslim Rhetoric and Its Violent Consequences

    Anti-Muslim Rhetoric and Its Violent Consequences

    It’s been a volatile summer for American Muslims.

    In New York, an Imam and his assistant were brutally murdered outside a local mosque shortly following prayer services. In Oklahoma, a 37-year-old Arab American man was gunned down on his porch by his neighbor who presumed he was Muslim, less than an hour after contacting police to express fear that his soon-to-be murderer would harm him. The neighbor had previously run over the family’s matriarch with his vehicle, and then left the scene of the crime where the victim was seriously injured.

    election2In Illinois, two American Muslim women were assaulted by another female in a parking lot. The perpetrator called them “ISIS” and bystanders encouraged her. In Texas, a caller threatened a local mosque, saying, “We will cut all of your heads off,” while describing Islam as a “violent religion” and calling for a “Christian crusade.” In South Carolina, a postcard threatened an attack against a mosque unless Dylan Roof, the white supremacist responsible for a mass shooting at a black church last year, was released.

    And, that’s just a snapshot of the most egregious acts or threats of anti-Muslim violence reported in the news media during the first few weeks of August, 2016. The month commenced with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s disparaging statements about Khizr and Ghazala Khan, Gold Star parents of an American Muslim soldier who lost his life while serving his country in a controversial war in Iraq, a war premised on a claim of WMDs that never were.

    As you may recall, Khizr Khan had publicly criticized Mr. Trump at the Democratic National Convention for consistently attacking the character of the American Muslim community. He questioned Mr. Trump’s sacrifices for our nation and his knowledge of the U.S. Constitution while, now famously, offering to lend his copy after pulling it out from his suit jacket pocket. Significantly, the harrowing acts and threats of anti-Muslim violence described above fit a larger pattern that has emerged during the current 2016 U.S. presidential election season.

    election4Indeed, earlier this year, Georgetown University’s Bridge Initiative, where I research, write and speak about Islamophobia, released a study titled, When Islamophobia Turns Violent: The 2016 U.S. Presidential Elections. Our study examined the relationship between anti-Muslim political rhetoric by presidential candidates and acts and threats of violence targeting the minority faith community, from March 23, 2015 through March 2016.

    We made the following key findings:

    • The 2016 U.S. presidential season began against a backdrop of already rising Islamophobia in 2015, threatening American Muslim religious freedom.
    • During the course of 2015, there were approximately 174 reported incidents of anti-Muslim violence and vandalism, including: 12 murders; 29 physical assaults; 50 threats against persons or institutions; 54 acts of vandalism or destruction of property; 8 arsons; and 9 shootings or bombings, among other incidents.
    • Anti-Muslim violence remained significantly higher in 2015 than pre- 9/11 levels with American Muslims approximately 6 to 9 times more likely to suffer such attacks. The number of incidents in 2015 is also higher than the total number of anti-Muslim hate crimes reported in 2014: 154.
    • In 2015, American Muslim men were twice as likely to be victims of physical assaults and 5 to 6 times more likely to be victims of murder than American Muslim women.
    • Since the first candidate announced his bid for the White House in March 2015, there have been approximately 180 reported incidents of anti-Muslim violence, including: 12 murders; 34 physical assaults; 49 verbal assaults or threats against persons and institutions; 56 acts of vandalisms or destruction of property; 9 arsons; and 8 shootings or bombings, among other incidents.election3
    • Since the start of the presidential election cycle, American Muslim men have been twice as likely to be victims of physical assaults and about 11 times more likely to be the victims of murder than their female counterparts.
    • Also during each period, Muslim murder victims were most likely to be aged 18 to 24.
    • Children and youth – as young as 12 years old – were among those responsible for acts and threats of anti-Muslim violence.
    • Although Islamophobia made an appearance during the first GOP debate in August 2015, the first surge of anti-Muslim political rhetoric occurred in September 2015.
    • It corresponded with an international development: the Syrian refugee crisis. The deepening crises dominated news media headlines in the U.S. and Europe potentially highlighting the media impact on political discourse.
    • This surge in September 2015 was accompanied by approximately 10 reported incidents or threats of violence, including 3 murders. In comparison, there was one (1) such incident in August 2015 representing a significant increase in anti-Muslim violence over the course of one month.
    • Donald Trump escalated anti-Muslim vitriol in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris, France in November 2015 rather than urge calm or international unity. The attacks signify an international event that triggered a second surge in Islamophobic rhetoric in addition to the uptick in bias attacks.
    • Trump made many anti-Muslim statements during televised appearances on mainstream news media outlets, impacting millions of viewers across the U.S. and around the world.
    • As Mr. Trump called for shutting down mosques in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks and the mass shootings in San Bernardino, California in December 2015, anti-Muslim attacks initially tripled with nearly half of those attacks directed against mosques.
    • Anti-Muslim attacks surged once more in December 2015. There were 53 total attacks that month, 17 of which targeted mosques and Islamic schools and 5 of which targeted Muslim homes. By comparison, when the presidential election season began just 9 months earlier, there were only 2 anti-Muslim attacks. Attacks on Muslims during this month constitute approximately 1/3 of all attacks last year. In fact, in December 2015, anti-Muslim attacks occurred almost daily and often multiple times a day.
    • At least three separate incidents of violence involved perpetrators who were public supporters of presidential candidate Donald Trump. There was otherwise a strong perception among American Muslim leaders that political rhetoric created fertile ground for threats and acts of anti-Muslim violence.
    • While anti-Muslim political rhetoric gives cause for alarm, the ensuing violence has inspired expressions of solidarity with the American Muslim community, too.

    Several additional observations are worth noting here. First, as highlighted above, our research demonstrated a spike in anti-Muslim violence post-Paris attack in November 2015 and again in December 2015, in the aftermath of the San Bernardino mass shooting. While the violence appeared to level off in the beginning of 2016, it still remained 3 to 5 times higher than pre-election levels. Significantly, the Paris and San Bernardino attacks by self-identifying Muslims were also accompanied by anti-Muslim political rhetoric and policy posturing by GOP presidential candidates, including now Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

    election1In the immediate wake of the San Bernardino attack, Trump issued a public statement calling for his now notorious ban on Muslim immigration that he continues to revisit and expand upon during press interviews and campaign rallies. It is important to highlight that many of his discriminatory remarks and proposed policies have received massive coverage in the news media, thereby amplifying the reach and impact of Trump’s Islamophobic message. His rhetoric is not only impacting hundreds or thousands of attendees at political campaign events or rallies, but millions of Americans across the country and even more people around the world.

    Second, the violence our report exposes is part of a larger trend of growing Islamophobia that pervades so many aspects of American life today. Indeed, research suggests that there has been a steady rise in Islamophobia in recent years. The FBI’s 2014 hate crime statistics, for example, show that bias crimes generally went down across the board except where American Muslims were concerned. Similarly, in 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal government agency responsible for handling employment discrimination cases, experienced an increase in religious discrimination claims involving Muslim employees. While Muslims constitute approximately 1% to 2% of the entire U.S. population, their claims account for 40% of cases.

    In addition, anti-Muslim bullying in our schools seems to be getting worse, if not evolving. A recent report from the Southern Poverty Law Center examining the impact of the presidential elections on students found that at least a 1/3 of the teacher respondents saw an increase in anti-Muslim sentiment in their classrooms. Some reported suicidal ideation among some Muslim students related to bias-based bullying. But there is an alarming trend that goes beyond conventional bullying. Whereas we typically think of school bullying as peer-on-peer harassment, research suggests that adults – essentially the very people responsible for ensuring a healthy learning environment – are increasingly the perpetrators of Islamophobia. Indeed, all of these indicators evidence Islamophobia as a growing American problem.

    Finally, as our report suggests, anti-Muslim political rhetoric during the course of the presidential election season has contributed to this very real religious-freedom challenge. It is important to acknowledge other factors, however, that may help contribute to this dangerous phenomenon. The rise of ISIS, as well as actual terrorist attacks on U.S. and European soil, has also played a role, for example. This, together with foreign military interventions in Muslim majority countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan, has contributed to American fears concerning a potential enemy within our borders that constitutes a potential national security threat.

    Additionally, news media coverage of terrorism as an exclusively Muslim phenomenon — even though study after study suggests that a greater domestic threat lies with far right extremists and white supremacists — helps perpetuate the stereotype of Muslims as the “terrorist other.” When an American knows a Muslim or Muslims personally, this helps counter the negative media depictions. Since Muslims only represent about 1% to 2% of the total population, however, the chances of an average American encountering Muslims at work, school or in their neighborhood is slim. Most Americans get their information about the minority faith community from whatever they consume on the computer, TV and smart phones. Research shows that last year alone, 9 out of 10 news media stories about Muslims and Islam in the U.S., U.K. and Germany were in the context of violence: war or terrorism.

    So, is it truly surprising that there is a palpable fear of and hostility towards Muslims, or those perceived to be, particularly in absence of any alternative positive portrayals of the minority community? And, of course, there is the multi-million-dollar Islamophobia industry that has been exposed in the Center for American Progress’s report, Fear Inc., as well as in various CAIR publications. If there is a silver lining to growing Islamophobia in the U.S., it may be the responses of American Muslims — which have proven just as diverse as the community itself — to the stereotyping, bigotry, and threats of violence, which have proven just as diverse as the community itself. During the election season alone, we have witnessed heroic efforts to counter anti-Muslim prejudice and discrimination by the most ordinary citizens, from Rose Hamid to Khizr and Ghazala Khan. We have witnessed social media campaigns from American Muslim women, like #CanYouHearUsNow, to challenge stereotypes about, and attacks against, the minority faith community. We have also seen increased political engagement, from more voter registration drives to visible participation of Muslims at the Democratic National Convention and other political forums. We have also seen American Muslim youth showing extraordinary strength and resiliency in the face of bigotry, from Texan “clock boy” Ahmed Mohamed to Oklahoman Samantha Elauf who took her religious discrimination claim against the popular retailer Abercrombie & Fitch all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court — where she won.

    It’s rather extraordinary.

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  • Latinos Make America Great Again, and Again

    Latinos Make America Great Again, and Again

    The current presidential race has left many unbiased Americans stunned and not-so-broadminded others rejoicing, as we all witness a surge in derogatory attacks by candidates against entire minority groups, such as Muslims, African-Americans, and immigrants, particularly Latinos/Hispanics. The drama continues to unfold in what could potentially be the most controversial election in the history of the United States of America. While unity has often been declared the focal point in shaping American society, this election has polarized the American people and contributed to a rise in racially-driven violent hate crimes, xenophobia, and islamophobia.

    Republican nominee Donald Trump and his GOP rivals who fell to the side during the primaries, like Ben Carson and Ted Cruz who are, ironically, descendants of immigrants or minorities themselves, have all contributed their share of attacks against members of the Islamic community and Latinos, through their campaigns, town hall meetings, news interviews, and even through social media. Their xenophobic and Islamophobic rhetoric questioning the allegiance and morality of Muslims and Latino immigrants, is reminiscent of the Second Red Scare during the McCarthy era, in which a hysterical fear of communists (Reds) caused panic throughout the U.S.

    Of course, the most vocal of the GOP presidential hopefuls and the most controversial has been Trump, the business tycoon and former reality TV personality who starred in NBC’s The Apprentice from 2004 to 2014. Trump has since laid to rest his famous catch phrase, “You’re fired!” and replaced it with his campaign slogan, “Let’s Make America Great Again.” He began his primary race for the Republican nomination with harsh criticisms of Mexican immigrants. Speaking from the Trump Tower Atrium in Manhattan on June 16, 2015, he said, “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists”; after smearing almost the entire Mexican population, he sympathetically added, “And some, I assume, are good people.” One of Trump’s diehard political plans to curb illegal immigration from Mexico is to build a wall separating the border between the U.S. and Mexico. He claims that the Mexican government will be paying for the construction of the wall, and Trump has even outlined exactly how they will be persuaded to do so on his promotional website.

    History Provides a Deeper Perspective

    In order to understand the level of absurdity in the statements about Mexico and the Mexican people, it becomes necessary to explore the history of the United States and its southern neighbor. What is today Mexico, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and California were once colonies belonging to Spain. In 1822, Mexican settlers, following the example of the American Revolution, rebelled against the Spanish government and won their own war of independence. Less than 25 years after Mexico became a free nation, by 1846, the U.S. had invaded and entered into war with Mexico in order to obtain their territories north of the Rio Grande River and westward all the way to California. In 1848 Mexico surrendered to the terms set by the U.S., transferring ownership of New Mexico, California, Texas, Utah, most of Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming, for $15 million (An Historic Overview of Latino Immigration and the Demographic Transformation of the United States, David G. Gutiérrez, PhD., University of California).

    These states were already populated by Mexicans; 75,000 to 100,000 former citizens of Mexico chose to remain north of the new border at the end of the war and were granted automatic citizenship by the U.S. government (The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo: A Legacy of Conflict, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1990). In reality, while Trump and his followers blame Mexicans for stealing jobs from Americans, bringing crime to the U.S., and causing other problems, the fact is that much of the Western part of the U.S. was built and inhabited by Mexicans. It was, in reality, Americans who first sent troops over the border in order to incite a war against Mexico and gain territorial dominance.

    Immigration from Mexico into the U.S. thereafter became a complicated love-hate relationship, where the U.S. government would open its borders and welcome Mexicans to come and perform jobs that Americans were either unable or unwilling to do, and later would begin mass deportation when Mexicans were no longer needed or desired. Beginning in the late 1800s, U.S. companies began to fill a rising demand for labor in agriculture, mining, construction, and transportation with Mexican laborers. During the Great Depression, when average Americans were struggling to find jobs, local, state, and federal government agencies began forcing Mexicans out. A short time later, when the U.S. entered World War II and experienced a farm labor shortage, the Federal Government signed an agreement with Mexico to allow Mexican workers to again enter the U.S. and work. Much the same pattern has ensued ever since.

    This is America, Speak Spanish!

    In a childish move during the GOP primaries, Donald Trump insulted former opponent, John Ellis “Jeb” Bush, by tweeting, “Jeb Bush is crazy, who cares that he speaks Mexican, this is America, English !!” (Twitter account, @realdonaldtrump, Donald J. Trump, 7:14 PM – 24 Aug 2015). There are many things wrong with this ignorant statement. First of all, Trump confused the nationality, Mexican, with the language, Spanish, a simple fact that everyone hopes a candidate to the presidency of the U.S. would know. Secondly, the statement, “this is America, (speak) English!” implies that as Americans, everyone should give up their native tongues and trade them for English only. It is a matter of fact, however, that America consists of both North and South America, and the vast majority of the Americas is Spanish-speaking. Not to mention that hispanophones (those who speak Spanish) inhabited or explored territories of the present-day U.S. way before English settlers stepped foot on the land.

    Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world and, more specifically, in the U.S. It is also the language most studied by Americans. The Spanish influence in the nation is everywhere from the names of states, counties, and cities, such as Florida, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Las Vegas, Santa Fe, El Paso, etc., to the names of bodies of water, valleys, forests, mountains, and forts. American English has borrowed common, everyday words from the Spanish language as well, such as rodeo, ranch, banana, alligator, armadillo, barbecue, and chocolate. The bottom line is this — not only the Spanish language, but Latino/Hispanic culture as well, are deeply woven into the fabric of U.S. history and heritage.

    Understanding the Latino/Hispanic Identity

    Some people not so well-versed in geography, often categorize all Latin-Americans as Mexican. However, there are a total of 21 countries in the world where Spanish is the official language. The majority of those are in Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean. Mexico is the only Spanish-speaking country that shares a border with the U.S. Thus, the majority of Hispanics in the U.S. are Mexican or of Mexican origin (64.6 percent in 2011 according to the Pew Research Center). However, all Spanish-speaking countries are represented throughout the U.S.

    The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a Latino as “a person who was born or lives in South America, Central America, or Mexico or a person in the U.S. whose family is originally from South America, Central America, or Mexico”; whereas Hispanic means “coming originally from an area where Spanish is spoken.” Hispanic origin is based on ancestry, lineage, heritage, nationality and/or country of birth and, therefore, Hispanic people come from a variety of countries, backgrounds, and social strata. Whites, blacks, and Asians are all considered racial groups. Hispanics are an ethnic group, which means that although they share a common language and heritage, they do not share a common race. They can be black or white or Asian, or be descendants from indigenous peoples of a place colonized by Spain.

    South American and Caribbean Hispanic immigration in the U.S. experienced the fastest growth beginning in the mid-1900s until the present day. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2013 more than one-quarter (28 percent) of the foreign-born population in the U.S. came from Mexico, 9.6 percent from the Caribbean, 7.7 percent from Central America, and 6.7 percent from South America.

    Latin-American Contributions to the US

    Hispanic immigrants, as well as second and third generation immigrants from Latin America, have had a major impact on shaping the course of U.S. history. They strengthen the economy, serve in the military, defend the country during times of war, and hold offices in government. In addition to influencing the political sphere, they have also had significant imprint on American culture, arts, sciences, and education. Entrepreneurship in the Latino community helps the U.S. economy tremendously. According to the American Immigration Council, “One out of every five people in the country is Latino or Asian. Together, Latinos and Asians (both foreign-born and native-born) wield $2 trillion in consumer purchasing power, and the businesses they owned had sales of $857 billion and employed 4.7 million workers at last count. Immigrant, Latino, and Asian workers, taxpayers, and entrepreneurs are integral to the U.S. economy—and they are a potent electoral force” (Strength in Diversity: The Economic and Political Power of Immigrants, Latinos, and Asians, January 1, 2015).

    Back in June of 2013, Donald Trump tweeted, “Sadly, the overwhelming amount of violent crime in our major cities is committed by blacks and hispanics-a tough subject-must be discussed” (Twitter account, @realdonaldtrump, Donald J. Trump, 4:05 AM – 5 Jun 2013). He reiterated this sentiment in 2015 when he accused Mexicans of being rapists and drug dealers. However, nothing can be further from the truth. In a special report, published on July 13, 2015 by the American Immigration Council, entitled The Criminalization of Immigration in the United States, researchers affirm that, “immigrants are less likely to commit serious crimes or be behind bars than the native-born, and high rates of immigration are associated with lower rates of violent crime and property crime. This holds true for both legal immigrants and the unauthorized, regardless of their country of origin or level of education.” In addition, Census data from 2010 found that the incarceration rate of undocumented immigrant men from countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador is significantly lower than that of males born in the U.S. In other words, what the American people are witnessing during this presidential election are outright lies and sensationalist propaganda used to sway public opinion and stir controversy in order to garner attention, support, and votes from a xenophobic sector of the American constituency.

    Just as all racial, ethnic, and religious groups are part of the diverse and vibrant fabric of the U.S., Hispanic Americans are revitalizing the nation’s diversity as contributors to society, doing their part to uplift and uphold the standards that make this country great. There are countless Latinos and descendants of Latinos serving the nation as government officials, lawyers and judges, advocates and activists for social justice, and military personnel. There are Latino athletes, with immigrant parents, who proudly competed for Team U.S.A. in the just-completed 2016 Olympics. There are Hispanics contributing to all sectors of society, from the laborers who work to build the residences and commercial spaces where businesses thrive to the entrepreneurs providing opportunities for countless Americans to work; from the Latino teachers who contribute to the education of our youth to the doctors who provide healthcare. All are working for the benefit of themselves, their families, and the collective American success story.

    Immigrants in this country work hard to make a better life, and they do not take their new home for granted, but rather cherish the opportunities it provides. This is the United States of America, and they are an integral part of the whole, striving to fulfill the U.S. potential as a tolerant and inclusive land of great hope and opportunity for all its inhabitants, as well as a beneficial force for good throughout the world.

  • Model for Civic Engagement – Dar al-Noor Masjid (MAV) in Manassas, VA

    Model for Civic Engagement – Dar al-Noor Masjid (MAV) in Manassas, VA

    Civic engagement for America’s Masajid could not be more crucial than now. America is facing challenges that can only be overcome by propelling the voices of reason into public and civic life and driving the voices of bigotry and closed- mindedness out of the public spotlight. We are facing the public rise of anti-Islamic sentiment while some of the country’s political leadership, both at the local and state levels and in Washington, D.C., have become detached from reality. Consequently, the safety and security of our families have become a growing concern for everyone. Muslim-Americans must engage in the civic arena in order to ensure, by Allah’s permission and will, that we contribute to the betterment of America, something that we, and all fair and decent citizens, want for ourselves and for our children.

    With civic engagement, your Masjid will have a voice in government decisions both big and small; your Masjid can achieve solutions for issues in the community; and your Masjid can do its part to ensure social justice and equality for all – with Allah’s guidance and help. Muslim-Americans’ civic engagement with their communities and our participation in the political process is a mutually beneficial affair. Engaging with our elected and public officials guarantees that the voices of Muslim-Americans are heard, especially on topics such as presenting accurate information about Islam, countering terrorism and violence in our communities, and finding sensible solutions to community issues.

    The Muslim Association of Virginia (MAV) has, in fact, been active in the civic arena for some 16 years now. Alhamdulillah, MAV has been successful in achieving major accomplishments for our community including the successful defeat of the anti-Sharia legislation in the Virginia Congress; the introduction and passing of a Halal bill in Virginia to regulate the labeling, identification, and sale of Halal products; lobbying for legislation granting students a religious holiday for Eid; and active voter registration which resulted in registering over 200 voters during Ramadan this year.

    MAV has identified some crucial steps and activities in a successful civic engagement program, and encourages all Masajid and Muslim organizations who have not already done so, to develop their own civic engagement program. Some of the steps and activities include:

    Set Up Voter Registration

    Your primary leverage with elected officials is demonstrating that you represent a large group of voters. In order to effectively represent your Masjid, you must ensure that its members are registered to vote. There are two ways to accomplish this goal: (1) your Masjid can set up its own voter registration team with registration tables at Jumu’ah prayers; or (2) you can bring in an outside organization that focuses on getting voters registered.

    Provide a Forum for Community Engagement

    The Masjid is a perfect space for school board or town hall meetings, and for debates between local, regional, and even national candidates. Not only does this benefit your community by bringing the information directly to your Masjid, but this also allows some non-Muslim members of the community an opportunity to set foot inside a Masjid for the first time in their lives. That opportunity to introduce community members of other faiths to your Masjid and their Muslim neighbors is critical to the success of your civic engagement program.

    Assist Homeless Shelters

    Show your community how vital charity is in Islam. Assist with food drives, help find shelter for families in need, visit the elderly at senior centers, become mentors/tutors for disadvantaged youth, volunteer at local schools or hospitals — your involvement in charity outside the Masjid demonstrates that you are dedicated to improving the community and, more importantly, that we care about our fellow citizens, Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

    Build a Relationship with Local Law Enforcement

    The security, good will, and community building that your Masjid receives from fostering a good relationship with local law enforcement is vital to the success of your civic engagement program. When a tragic event injures or takes the life of an officer protecting your community, be proactive about supporting the police station and the families of the officers. Your support of law enforcement events, memorials, and parades establishes a relationship of trust between the Masjid, its community, and local law enforcement. Inviting local law enforcement leaders to the Masjid is a great way to begin that relationship.

    Encourage Members of your Masjid to Get Involved

    Members of your Masjid should strive to serve on school boards, commissions, and civic associations, and to run for elected office. Having Muslims in those positions amplifies the voice of your Masjid and the Muslim community, from the grassroots level and up.

    Participate in Public Events

    Announce at your Masjid public events like parades and 4th of July celebrations and encourage attendance. If possible, provide transportation to such events to ensure turnout and that your community supports these events as a unified group. The more the wider community interacts with the members of your Masjid, the more successful your civic engagement program can, and will be, insha’Allah.

    Offer Elected Officials Speaking Time During Jumu’ah and Eid Prayers

    Invite local, state, and federal elected officials and candidates to speak at your Masjid. This benefits your Masjid in the following ways: 1) gives your members an opportunity to hear directly from officials and candidates; and 2) offers an opportunity for your members to speak directly to their elected official, asking questions to learn where that official stands on important issues. Set aside time (approximately 10-15 minutes) before the start of prayers to allow elected officials to speak to your community (for those officials who did not get to speak, acknowledge them and their attendance). It is vital that you make every effort to invite all candidates who are running for an elected office, regardless of party affiliation. Ensure that you are keeping a record of those invitations so that the non-profit status of your Masjid is protected and not placed in legal jeopardy.

    Support Sensible Elected Officials Regardless of Party Affiliation

    Do not engage with only one side of the political spectrum. Not every issue your Masjid encounters will be a shared concern of the major political party you (may) typically affiliate with. There are sensible elected officials in every party and it is important to have the opportunity to speak with them and raise issues, regardless of their political affiliation.

    Work Towards Common Goals

    When you engage an elected official, work towards achieving common goals rather than debating divisive issues. Your Masjid’s civic engagement program cannot solve every issue. Identify what issues are feasible for that elected official to accomplish and focus on those. Aggressively pursuing issues that the elected official is strongly opposed to, or where an agreement cannot be achieved, will usually result in little being accomplished and can burn rather than build bridges of understanding and cooperation. Choose your battles carefully.

    Organize with Others When Meeting Elected Officials

    Communicate with other Masajid, interfaith organizations, civic organizations, and local entities to encourage leaders from those organizations to attend meetings with elected officials alongside you. Showing unity and representation of a large voting bloc is important when speaking with elected officials. Don’t show up at the elected official’s office with a mob, however. Carefully choose leaders that represent a variety of organizations with goals and concerns in common with your Masjid.

    Know your Strengths and Abilities

    If you know you have large numerical or widespread support in the community – and can demonstrate or document it – strategically and tactically let officials know. Do not be hostile or overbearing at any time. Do not exaggerate your capabilities and strengths. Accentuate your good relations with other elected officials who support your position(s) and who may be allies to the particular official you are meeting with. Be organized in your presentations, making sure to highlight the key objectives or issues on your list.

    Establish Interfaith Engagement

    Reach out to other faith organizations in your area and work with them in all aspects of your civic engagement program. They likely already have some activities and strategies in place and may be willing to share what they have learned. And many faith organizations share similar values with Muslims. Remember, the more unity, the better!

    Promote on Social Media

    Remember that most Americans get their news and social views from what is on their social media feeds. Promote your Masjid and community events on social media and connect with other local organizations and your wider community.

    Determine the Intentions of Those Who You Engage With

    There are three reasons why another organization or an elected official is engaging with your Masjid:

    • They are focused on the best interests of the community
    • They are there for their own self-interest
    • They just need your Masjid for a photo opportunity
    • Know what you want to accomplish with those your Masjid engages with and focus your efforts on those who can produce positive results.

    Designate a Credible Spokesperson

    Your Masjid’s civic engagement program must have a credible spokesperson who can meet with elected officials, other organizations, and the wider community to successfully engage in the civic arena. The designated spokesperson does not need experience in politics; they just need to be able to accurately and effectively convey the community’s issues and messaging to elected officials.

    REMEMBER:

    In order for 501(c)(3) organizations to participate in civic political engagement, they must invite all candidates who are involved in an election and they must announce that they do not endorse or oppose any candidate.
    ——
    This article is compiled by Dar al-Noor Masjid (MAV) in Manassas, VA.

  • Planting Seeds of Hope: Raising Muslim Kids in an Era of Islamophobia

    Planting Seeds of Hope: Raising Muslim Kids in an Era of Islamophobia

    I’m one of those parents who stares at her kid as she sleeps. I notice every curve of her face and arch of her eyebrows. I know what her steady breathing sounds like. I’ve memorized the intonation of her laughter and the way she throws her head back and giggles when I tickle her. She is so effortlessly mine as I am hers… she’s from me, as though a piece of my being broke off and claimed its own place in this world. But with this belonging and this connection comes a heavy sense of responsibility. Raising her in an era fueled by social upheaval and warring political parties that often bring out the worst in people is daunting to say the least.

    A day will come when our kids’ awareness of themselves and their environment will be heightened. With all our hearts we want that day to be one of unfolding maturity and self-assurance, not a day that might cause them to retreat into themselves, intimidated by bigotry and hatred directed toward them.

    Think about it for a moment – as adults we struggle every day to maintain a strong and holistic Muslim identity. I recently heard a Muslim woman say that she sometimes feels “itchy” in her own skin. She is so hyper-aware of all the negative stereotypes that people have about Muslims that she has become uncomfortable with herself. She is trapped in a self-imposed panopticon of sorts – assuming that she is being observed and judged from every angle. If these are the very real and palpable struggles of adults, how do our children fare? They’re still frighteningly malleable and they’re still being shaped and molded into the people they will become. It’s only natural that we should worry about our children having an even harder time navigating this current political climate.

    As parents, we yearn to shelter our young ones from the hatred and suspicion geared towards people who are visibly Muslim. More than anything, we want them to have normal childhoods full of bike riding, popsicle-eating, sleepovers, and unbridled fun. But a day will come when their awareness of themselves and their environment will be heightened. With all our hearts we want that day to be one of unfolding maturity and self-assurance, not a day that might cause them to retreat into themselves, intimidated by bigotry and hatred directed toward them. I comfort myself with the knowledge that it’s often in times rife with great difficulty that strong, confident change-makers and leaders are born. Rather than looking at the political climate with despair and asking ourselves, “How is my kid going to survive with his or her faith intact in such a messed up world?”

    we should raise children who we sincerely believe will be a part of the solution. Of course, that’s easier said than done! But here are some ways we can get started.

    Foster a Strong Sense of Identity

    Before occupying ourselves with whether our kids have eaten a proper breakfast, or whether they’re too warm or cold in what they’re wearing, or how well or poorly they’re doing academically, we need to ask ourselves – does my child feel comfortable in his own skin? Are our children comfortable being Muslims? Do they know what they believe in and why? Fostering a strong sense of identity starts when our children are young. I’m a great believer in books and storytelling as a way to ingrain a sense of self-acceptance. I still remember the books I read when I was a child and how they, to this day, affect the way I process my feelings and realities. Thankfully, we’re living in a time where great stories about Muslim kids are not hard to come by. Find these books and read these stories to your kids. Normalize and together cherish their names and faith and cultures, as we live in a place where their names will often be mispronounced and their faith and cultures misunderstood. Make their faith a source of comfort, love, and inspiration. Only then will they embrace their Muslim identities without discomfort or resentment. Make Eids meaningful celebrations for them. Let them feel joy and ease in their faith instead of feeling judged or forced. Help them find a second home in the mosque by creating fun and welcoming programs for them.

    One of the most important contributions we can make to nurturing our children’s identities is to ensure they have good like-minded companions. It’s important to make an effort to connect with other strong Muslim families whose kids can become companions for yours. A man asked Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) about the Hour (Day of Judgment), saying, “When will the Hour be?” The Prophet (pbuh) replied, “What have you prepared for it?” The man said, “Nothing, except that I love Allah and His Apostle.” The Prophet said, “You will be with those whom you love.” The company we keep has a very real and direct effect on our level of faith, and our standing in the sight of God. In a world where a child’s group of friends is instrumental to his or her development and self-concept, making sure that they have good companions is paramount to their success.

    Leave Your Bubble and Get Involved!

    While it’s important to build a great foundation for our children around other Muslims and within the Muslim community, that absolutely must not translate into segregating ourselves or our kids from the wider community where we live. Distancing ourselves from the non-Muslim population will just lead to the unhealthy practice of “othering.” Our beloved messenger Muhammad (pbuh) was known for decades in his community as a trustworthy individual – he lived with the people, he was one of them, he had real relationships with them. He celebrated with them, and mourned with them, all before ever receiving wahi (revelation) from God. When he began to preach the message of guidance, he was already familiar with the mindset and traditional ways of his people. No doubt it was an uphill battle, but there was a level of trust of the Prophet (pbuh) present, even amongst those who never accepted Islam.

    It was not his practice to segregate himself or his family from those who didn’t believe in his message. Quite the contrary! He interacted with them a great deal – he was generous with them, he was just towards them, and he kept his promises to them. While we’re working on strengthening our children’s Muslim identities, we shouldn’t forget that they need to know how to navigate the greater community as well. They are part of that community, integral to its existence and its well-being.

    I strongly believe that getting involved in positive activist work is one of the most important ways to instill a sense of purpose and confidence in our children. Enjoining good and forbidding evil is an important and well-known cornerstone of our faith. In the Quran, Allah (SWT) praises the believers who support and promote good actions and who prevent evil actions. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, along these lines, “Whoever amongst you sees an evil, he must change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is yet unable to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest form of faith.” As Muslims, our faith instructs us to be beacons of justice. But that means leaving our comfort zones. It means taking on a responsibility to change both our Muslim community and broader community for the better.

    Teaching our kids to align themselves with groups and communities that face similar challenges to those that Muslims face will ensure they not only “integrate,” but also become active contributors. Building meaningful alliances is about supporting everyone facing injustice. Black Lives Matter is an instrumental example of this. For as long as black Americans have lived in the U.S., rampant racism has been the foundation of their experience. Although the civil rights movement brought about many positive changes, racism and unequal treatment of black Americans is, unfortunately, still the default in so many places and aspects of our society. From police brutality to unequal education opportunities, the intergenerational cycle of poverty and discrimination subjects black communities to ongoing experiences that reflect a multitude of trickle-down effects of slavery.

    It’s important to understand that we cannot separate ourselves from the struggles of black Americans. We are often the same community, and Muslims of African-American heritage also face a double-edged sword when it comes to prejudice. But even when our identities do not overlap, their struggle is our struggle. It must be. When we come together as communities to fight Islamophobia, racism, classism, and any form of injustice, we become stronger, more skilled, and more capable. Brick by brick, we build the bridges that we may need to cross someday.

    Be Your Child’s First Role Model

    Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) lived at a time of ignorance. Families were ashamed to have daughters instead of sons, people were judged by the color of their skin, and those who held onto their Islamic faith were humiliated and severely oppressed. Through all this, the Prophet was not discouraged in the least. His message of mercy and guidance rang true and shone a bright light that pierced the darkness. He brought a message of hope, a message of mercy, love, and fair treatment for all people regardless of race, gender, nationality, or religion. His patience and perseverance transformed his community and the entire world. There is barely a place on this globe that has not been touched by this light.

    Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his companions did not hide away, ashamed of who they were or what they believed. They stood tall in the face of criticism and abuse, continuously striving to establish justice and equality. They did the work needed to actually better their community. Our children are intelligent beyond words. As parents, if we emulate and exemplify those early Muslims, pushing through the darkness of hatred to create light and hope, our children will see and recognize that virtuous and strong character in us.

    There have been so many days when I’ve worried about how to teach my daughter to be kind and charitable, to share, and to ask for forgiveness when she makes a mistake. I used to lose sleep over it, looking at her napping cherub face and wondering: how can I help her become a good person? I was in a constant state of apprehension, searching for good Islamic books and resources to help me convey to her the beauty of good character. While I still scour Islamic conference bazaars for helpful resources, I have come to understand that the answer is actually quite simple – I must be who I want her to be. I should speak to her the way I expect her to speak to others. I should pray the way I expect her to eventually pray. I should dress the way I wish for her to dress; I should exude confidence the way I wish for her to. In me, my daughter has her first role model. In me, she has the person who she will – without her consciously understanding it – imitate. And while verbal instruction is important, actions are overwhelmingly what will determine what our children learn and internalize. As we all know, it’s a running joke that we eventually become our parents!

    Seek Help from Allah

    This point should be number one on the list. We are not capable of doing a single thing until Allah (SWT) wills it. But we do have a tool in our tool chest that unfortunately can go unused for long periods of time. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, “Three supplications will not be rejected [by Allah] — the supplication of the parent for his child, the supplication of the one who is fasting, and the supplication of the traveler.” We can employ every parenting trick in the book, expose our kids to only the best books and media, get them involved in positive activism and volunteer work, and make sure they’re around good role models – but when all is said and done, it is only Allah (SWT) who is the controller of hearts. So be steadfast in asking Him to guide your children, and to make them grow and mature in a way that renders them fit to be leaders of the believers. Our hope always remains pinned on Allah’s all-encompassing mercy.

    “Our Lord! Grant to us from our spouses and our offspring the comfort of our eyes, and make us models for the righteous (Quran 25:74).

  • The 2016 Election: Voting for Diversity, Pluralism, and Justice

    The 2016 Election: Voting for Diversity, Pluralism, and Justice

    Since September 11, 2001, the American Muslim community has gone through a journey of social and political ups and downs. And in our current turbulent times, public opinion about Islam and Muslims is worsening once again. Hate crimes against Muslims and their masajid are increasing across the country while Islamophobia has become, unfortunately, mainstream during this presidential campaign of 2016. However, at the same time, a good number of individuals, both professionals and regular folk, have spoken forcefully and persuasively in support of the Muslim community, and occasionally American Muslims receive positive media coverage; this was the case during the funeral services of Muhammad Ali in early June, and after the speech of Khizr Khan on the last night of the Democratic Convention in July. The late Imam W. D. Muhammad used to say, “This is the worst time for Muslims in America and this is also the best time for Muslims in America.”

    A window of opportunity has been opened as Muslims respond in a variety of effective ways to the challenge of combatting Islamophobia and presenting a positive and accurate narrative to the American public

    Acts of discrimination, bigotry, and racism against non-White or non-Christian minority groups are not uncommon phenomena in America. The U.S. used to be considered a WASP (White Anglo Saxon Protestant) nation. That dominant group always felt anxiety and reacted unfavorably towards the growth of other minority groups or the influx of new immigrants they didn’t identify with. However, religion as an election issue has not been very common in American political history. Religion did play a role in the presidential elections of 1928 and 1960, when Alfred Smith and John F. Kennedy, respectively, were the nominees of the Democratic Party. They both were Catholic and the Republican Party launched a nasty campaign suggesting their loyalty would be split between the Pope and the U.S. Constitution.

    In the 2016 presidential election cycle, even though Muslims constitute less than 2 percent of the total American population, Muslims and their faith have been front and center. Trump and his campaign have been creating fear and hatred toward Muslims, but also toward Mexicans and women. Three disturbing notions or developments affecting Muslims have arisen, all fomented by Trump and his surrogates: 1) All Muslims are suspect of holding extremist views or sympathies; 2) Muslim Immigration should be banned until the development of a proper vetting process; and 3) Islamophobic rhetoric has gone mainstream.

    The hope for those who are deeply concerned about a Trump presidency is that enough independents will be disgusted with Trump’s extremist views and positions — xenophobic, Islamophobic, and misogynistic — to block his ascendency to the “highest office in the land.” Independent voters tend to identify with one party or the other, but they also tend to be more moderate as compared to those who belong to either the Republican or Democratic parties. Interestingly, according to Gallup, in 2014, Americans self-identified in the following ways: 38% conservative; 24% liberal; and 34% moderate. The percentage of self-identified moderates has shrunken from 43% in 1992 to 34% today. That coincides with the political polarization that we are seeing during the current election cycle. During the same time frame, 1992 through 2014, the percentage of liberals has grown from 17% in 1992 to 24% today; conservatives have likewise increased, but at a much smaller percentage, from 36% in 1992 to 38% today. It remains to be seen if the majority of Americans will turn away from the hatemongering of the Republican candidate.

    Donald Trump, who has no prior political or government experience, has become the Republican nominee, attracting a significant number of Republicans, especially less educated, White, working class and older Americans who feel threatened with changing demographics and a perceived loss of their political power and social dominance, especially after Obama was elected. Those who want to “take back the country” feel lost in a society that embraces diversity and pluralism. They are most comfortable with a White dominated culture that harkens back to earlier times when racism and discrimination were socially and politically unchallenged, for the most part. Precisely for these reasons, this election has also become more important than other critical elections.

    Muslims should be ready for a long struggle. Islamophobia will not go away in the short term. A window of opportunity, however, has been opened as Muslims respond in a variety of effective ways to the challenge of combatting Islamophobia and presenting a positive and accurate narrative to the American public. The One America Campaign and Million Voters Registration Drive, for example, are national initiatives under the banner of the US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO). There is no doubt that Muslims are growing in resilience, showing political maturity in an atmosphere that is too often hostile, suspicious of their American identity and loyalty. We should continue to be involved in the political process, locally and at the state and federal levels. And we must join with other concerned Americans who stand for ethics in politics as in personal life, and who rally against bigotry and discrimination wherever it appears. We must do our part to ensure that this election of 2016, a contest for the soul of America, leads to celebration of diversity and pluralism and, more importantly, justice for all its citizens.

  • Looking Inward: Racism in our Muslim Communities

    Looking Inward: Racism in our Muslim Communities

    Racism is a polarizing topic and one that many in the Muslim community would rather avoid, lest finger pointing begin—and where finger pointing is concerned, a wise person once said: “When you point one finger at another, look at your hand, and you will see that three fingers point back at you.” The goal here is not to encourage finger pointing, but rather to open a sincere discussion that each of us can first have within our own hearts and subsequently with our Creator, seeking His guidance regarding the appropriate rationale and conduct in race relations.

    Where race is concerned, all is not as it may seem, and in fact we all have more commonalities than differences.

    Allah (SWT) has given mankind the Quran and Sunnah as rules to live by. He has taught us right and wrong and then allowed freedom of choice — to choose right and just actions or the contrary. Within that realm of choice also lies the freedom to make mistakes. Whatever choices we make, good or bad, with sound or ill judgment, there are consequences that result, sometimes in this life and certainly on the Day of Judgment. Racism, within this schema, is a choice. One can engage in it overtly or covertly, consciously or subconsciously. Some Muslims say that it doesn’t exist in our communities, but this is simply an outright lie or evidence of them living in denial of a clear and apparent reality in our Muslim communities.

    Whenever I’ve spoken to non-Muslims about Islam and the topic of racism has come up, I’ve always ardently explained to them that Islam provides the only religious teaching which directly addresses and answers the question of racism. Allah (SWT) has said in the Qur’an: “O mankind! We created you male and female, and made you nations and tribes so that you may know one another [not despise one another]. Verily, the most honored of you, in the sight of Allah, is the most righteous of you. Allah is Knower, Aware” (Quran 49:13).

    Islam has answered the question of racism and set the standard for racial equality, and yet ironically most, if not all, Muslims have fallen at one time or another into the trappings and ignorance of racism. In the previous Quranic ayah, Allah (SWT) explained that He created us differently for the sake of variety and the opportunity to increase our knowledge and awareness of others and, thereby, our own selves —not to despise each other or make antagonistic divisions among ourselves. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word despise means to look down on with contempt or aversion, and to regard as negligible, worthless, or distasteful. Despising others and viewing them as being inherently inferior is part of what lies at the root of racism.

    Roots of Racism

    Before we can look ahead for solutions to this problem of racism in our communities, it is helpful to look back and examine some of its roots. In fact, throughout history and around the world, racism has existed in varying degrees, and has been found in oppressive and exploitative ideologies and practices like white supremacy, colonialism, military occupation, and apartheid–all systems intended to oppress, exploit, and discriminate against people of color for the purpose of, among other things, maintaining economic and/or political advantage.

    There are other factors to consider as well. According to an article in Science Magazine written by Elizabeth Culotta, “Racial prejudice apparently stems from deep evolutionary roots and a universal tendency to form coalitions and favor our own side. In experiments, people easily form coalitions based on meaningless traits or preferences—and then favor others in their ‘group.’ Researchers have explored these innate biases and begun to ask why such biases exist. Several avenues of research are probing the origins of what many psychologists call in-group love and out-group hate.” Racism has quite the checkered past, and in American society today racist beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors still exist, though they are more subtle. However, racism’s overtly oppressive grip was an open reality not so long ago during the slave trade days. As if slavery itself wasn’t humiliating enough, there was also the three-fifths clause formerly found in the American Constitution in Article 1, Section 2, Paragraph 3 which stipulated that in determining a state’s population, to the number of free persons in that state would be added “three fifths of all other Persons [slaves].” In effect, a slave was counted not as a whole person, but rather three-fifths a person.

    Racism has clearly been a world-wide phenomena throughout history —and unfortunately the Muslim community has not been immune to it’s venomous grip. Although societal and cultural influences and pressures can be considered contributing factors to the existence of racism in the Muslim community, ultimately every individual is accountable to Allah (SWT) for his or her own actions and behaviors toward fellow Muslims and fellow man. Perhaps at the heart of the racism discussion are a number of questions that Muslims should ask themselves: “Do I believe that an individual born with white or lighter skin is superior to an individual born with darker or black skin?” “If I think this, am I further willing to entertain the notion that Allah (SWT) favors one skin color or ethnic group over another?” “In everyday activities, do I give preferential treatment or greater respect to individuals with white or lighter skin, while discriminating subtly or overtly against individuals with darker or black skin?”

    However one answers these questions, it is imperative to know, without equivocation, that Islam promotes equality of worth and dignity and spiritual potential, a veritable foundation for unity rather than division, and rejects any notion that Allah (SWT) favors a skin color, a race, or an ethnicity, one over another. Prophet Muhammad (saws) has said: “Verily, Allah does not look to your faces, to your lineage, or to your wealth, but He looks to your hearts and your deeds” (Muslim).

    Examples of Racism Among Muslims

    Racism, as already stated, is not a problem confined to the non-Muslim world. The harsh reality is that members of the Muslim community have engaged in various racist practices. Within our Muslim communities, there are reports of a dynamic that plays off a light-skin / dark- skin hierarchy. This dynamic is seen in the African American, Arab, Latino, and South Asian communities, amongst others, wherein the lighter the complexion the more respected and privileged the person is. In addition, there is also ignorant racial stereotyping in our communities. This particular phenomena was recently addressed by Dawud Walid, Executive Director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) where he talks about how there is still name calling and put-downs in our Muslim communities directed by some at African American Muslims:

    “A hurtful symptom of the disease of racism among us is seen in the derogatory terms that are used by many Muslims to describe people of various racial groups. From my observations it appears that Black Americans are the subjects of the majority of this name calling. It is not uncommon for Arabs from the Levant to refer to Blacks as abeed (slaves). In the South Asian community, Blacks or people with darker skin are sometimes referred to negatively as kallu (Black person). In the Somali community, it is also not uncommon to hear other Blacks being called jareer (nappy head) and adoon (slave). And even among some Nigerians and Ghanaians, there is widespread usage of the word akata (wild animal) to describe descendants of their former enslaved tribesmen, who are Americans.” This practice is insulting and humiliating and is meant to demean others, and to declare the superiority of the one ethnic group over another. This practice is a violation of the rights of our fellow Muslims, and Allah (SWT) cautions us against this in the Quran. “And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames (49:11).”

    In addition, there have been complaints of racial injustice rearing its ugly head within the walls of Masjids and Islamic schools. Incidents have been reported such as people of certain immigrant ethnic groups being paid far better compared to African Muslims or African American Muslims for the same positions in Islamic schools and Islamic organizations. Other examples include the unwillingness of some immigrant Muslims to hire African-American Muslims or African Muslims in a leadership role like principal of a school, or to vote them in as president of an Islamic center. And there have been some cases where African or African-American Muslims are hired for such a position or voted into office but then soon after ousted or fired as a result of some provoked or contrived controversy. There are also complaints that some Arab Muslims promote the idea that they alone should be leaders because of their knowledge of the Arabic language and the Quran, even though they may be lacking in leadership skills, organizational competence, or other relevant traits.

    Another problem is the ethnic isolationism that has become commonplace in our Muslim communities. Masjids are becoming exclusive to one ethnic group, creating congregations dividing along racial lines – the Pakistani masjid, the Arab masjid, the African American masjid, the Turkish masjid, the Somali masjid, and so on. These masjids are typically run solely or predominantly by a particular ethnic group and the khutbas are often delivered in the corresponding language of that group. This problem of isolationism becomes even more severe when members of other cultures or ethnic groups feel unwelcome, and each ethnic community becomes a world unto its own, with the broader goal of Muslim unity completely broken down.

    Likewise, ethnic isolationism also takes place inside the masjid itself. Within masjids attended by various ethnic groups, a hurtful but commonplace activity is the unfortunate tendency of some Muslims to offer the Islamic greeting “Salamu Alaikum” exclusively to one’s own ethnic group, treating others, consciously or not, as invisible or insignificant. Although some Muslims may use shyness as an excuse for this tendency, they should consider that fellow Muslims of other ethnic groups could feel hurt by this and believe they are being ignored solely because of their race or culture. To avoid hurting or excluding fellow Muslims in this regard, we should heed the words of our Prophet Muhammad (saws) who said: “Should I direct you to a thing which, if you do, will foster love amongst you? Offer the salutation to one another by saying ‘as-salamu alaikum’“(Muslim).

    Interracial and Intercultural Marriages

    Some Muslims marry exclusively within their own racial, ethnic, or cultural groups. The question of interracial and intercultural marriage within the Muslim community is a delicate topic. On the one hand, it is understandable that some people have an affinity for their own culture and prefer to find mates who share similarities of language, traditions, and perhaps even family ties. After all, these commonalities can provide a good marriage foundation. However, problems arise when a potential spouse is rejected solely on the basis of race or culture, even when he or she appears to be a compatible match in terms of personality, life vision, and religious dedication. This problem usually surfaces when children of immigrant parents express interest in marrying someone outside of their family’s race or culture. Yet, there are several hadeeth which speak about ideal characteristics to look for in choosing a marriage partner, and skin color or race is never one of the criteria.

    Allah (SWT) says in the Quran, “And among His Signs is this – that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are Signs for those who reflect. And among His signs are the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations of your languages and colors; surely in these are Signs for people of knowledge” (Quran 30:21-22). Islam clearly permits interracial and intercultural marriage, and it is important to point out that Allah (SWT) follows the verse about marriage with one that describes the diversity of human languages and skin colors as one of His Signs.

    In Islamic history there have been examples of interracial marriage. After the death of his first wife Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Prophet Muhammad (saws) married Maria Al-Kibtiyyah, a Coptic who was born in Egypt. The Prophet (saws) also encouraged an interracial marriage for one of his Sahaba, Bilal Ibn Rabah, who married an Arab woman. In fact, Bilal’s father was Arab and his mother was Ethiopian. Marriage is a family issue, and some individuals and their families are more comfortable with a marriage within their own ethnic/cultural group. This is not an issue if that choice is not sullied by racism.

    Muslim Marriage Opportunities

    With the rise of immigrant families settling in North America, there are unique opportunities for their children when they reach the age of marriage. These children have cultural influences from their family’s heritage as well as the experience of growing up within the American culture. When these individuals come of age, they have the opportunity to consider partners who, like themselves, were born and/or raised in North America while maintaining their ethnic heritage, to one degree or another. That ethnic heritage might be the same or might be different. For example, a Pakistani-American young man and young woman might find themselves a wonderfully compatible match; but so might two young adults raised in America but with different ethnic backgrounds or races. These respective couples all have the common experience of being raised Muslim in America. These are matches that are potentially successful, and are certainly acceptable Islamically. The common denominator in all these matches is that each individual is Muslim and that is the most important identifier.

    An Anthropological Look at Race

    Where race is concerned, all is not as it may seem, and in fact we all have more commonalities than differences. As such, racism and the “race war” can seem somewhat ironic. Those who studied Anthropology 101 in college may recall that research shows that there are three primary races—and every human being fits into one or a mixture of these three races: Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid. The three primary races share 99.99 percent of the same genetic material. Thus, all human beings have almost total genetic commonality, with negligible genetic differences. The distinctions that we make that divide us arise out of a desire for feeling superior to others. We should keep in mind that this was the error of Iblis (Shaitan) when he stated that he was better than Adam. Allah (SWT) reproaches him, telling him he is arrogant and because of that he shall be despised and humiliated (7:12-13). For sure, Islam sets the record straight, teaching us that we all descend from the same first humans – Adam and Eve. Then, according to Islamic teachings, unity rather than division is a means of moral and spiritual upliftment. And still further, we are taught that only taqwa, a God-conscious righteousness, elevates a person in the sight of God, for taqwa represents superior faith and character and that is what counts.

    Islam rejects any notion that certain races are superior to other races. The Prophet Muhammad (saws) said in his last sermon. “All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black, nor a black any superiority over a white – except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not therefore, do injustice to yourselves” (Bukhari).

    Celebration of Diversity and Multiculturalism

    We all come from Adam and Eve, and Allah (SWT) says in Surah Hujurat (49:13), as cited above, that we are created as nations and tribes so that we can know one another. Life is so much more interesting in its diversity, with many languages, cultural traditions, ethnic foods, manners of dress, and so on. Yielded out of Allah’s infinite wisdom, there are over 6,000 spoken languages in the world today. And we are blessed to enjoy such culinary variety as biryani, mansaf, falafel, spaghetti, tacos, sushi, pizza, or even halal hot dogs. After all—isn’t “variety the spice of life”? We need to appreciate our differences rather than using them to build walls of segregation.

    Our Communities Must Be Exemplars of Non-Discrimination

    Rather than dehumanizing, despising, and discriminating against one another, Muslims in our communities should promote and practice in everyday affairs unity and a respect for diversity. Masjids should be inclusive, allowing people of various ethnic groups to have a voice and hold positions on the boards. If we are to be the “ummah, justly balanced,” that Allah (SWT) speaks of in the Quran (2:143), then we must practice justice, and promote equality and mutual respect. Prophet Muhammad (saws) said: “Thank God Who has removed from you the blemish of ignorance and its arrogance. O people, men are divided into classes – the pious and righteous, who are honorable in the sight of Allah, and the sinful and vicious, who are contemptible in the sight of Allah; whereas all men are the children of Adam and Adam was created by Allah from clay” (Muslim).