An American Muslim Journal

Countering homegrown radicalization: Muslims Must Reclaim the Mosque as a Center of Religious Life

The news of so many home-grown terrorism schemes and plots being uncovered in the U.S. over the past two months is very disturbing.  The men who stand accused of these plots are not so different from me in age, religious observance and socio-economic status but their outlook on life seems incomprehensible to me.  With all due respect to some of our nation's dedicated American Muslim leaders and institutions who continue to downplay the problem, I do think the problem within our community is more dire than we are willing to state publicly.

When we discovered that British Muslims were responsible for the London bombings several years back and that they were born and raised in the U.K. there was a concern in the U.S. about something similar happening here.  With the exception of Hizb-ut-TahrirI could not think of any other Muslim organizations who were openly hostile to America and the West, and since, at the time of the London bombing Hizb-ut-Tahrir was long gone from the local scene (it had been many years since we had to endure their shouts and taunts in the mosques), I felt confident that the radicalization that took place among the London bombers could not happen here.  After all, we American Muslims are far more integrated into American society and comfortable with our identity as American Muslims.

CIVIC INTEGRATION: A BULWARK AGAINST RADICALIZATION

Even before 9/11 but certainly afterward, American Muslims stepped up their efforts to develop and execute strategies for civic integration into American society.  Unlike most other places in the world, the United States' affords many freedoms which empower American Muslims the ability to become "American" on their own terms.  A lot of us are taking advantage these freedoms to carve out our own unique American Muslim identity. 

The youth and the young adults seem to be the greatest beneficiaries of the freedoms.  Unlike places in Europe and even in a Muslim majority country like Turkey where public expression of one's Muslim faith is increasingly being curtailed, in America the freedom of religion still means something, and that allows American Muslim youth to develop a well integrated and stable identity. 

I see this process of integration taking place among the youth in mosques all over northern Illinois.  My own mosque in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, the Islamic Society of Northwest Suburbs (ISNS), is a good example of this positive development. 

This seamless melding of American and Muslim is particularly noticeable during congregational prayer.  In my mosque you see the youth lining up for the afternoon prayer with us at the end of Sunday school.  These kids are wearing their Bears and Bulls jerseys and the other trendy fashions.  The shoes, left just outside of the mosque's prayer hall, pretty much run the gamut of Air Jordan's to Transformers and Barbie brands and so on.  During breaks in between Sunday school classes kids will sneak out of the building to shoot some hoops or throw a football around.  This is level of integration is free form and perhaps due in large part to our consumer culture and the pressure to conform and be like everyone else.

Here in Illinois we have some very thoughtful and talent youth organizers who understand the challenges faced by American Muslims.  One youth organizer who rarely gets much attention but is doing outstanding work is Amal Ali.  Ms. Ali is the youth organizer for the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago(CIOGC) and she has both the academic training and hands on experience in the field of youth work.  Over the years Ms. Ali has been a personal mentor to scores of young American Muslims and through CIOGC she has developed programs to help build young American Muslims' self-esteem through retreats that feature mentoring, spiritual nourishment and tough physical challenges that blend individual courage with team efforts.   She works with the Muslim Students Associations in the Illinois universities and colleges to help build leadership skills and again, to provide mentoring from young American Muslim professionals and highly respected spiritual personalities that promote positive and constructive integration while also instilling a commitment to serve humanity.

These integration efforts are not just for the youth.  Again, CIOGC has played an important role in promoting civic integration.  Under the leadership of Dr. Abdul Malik Mujahid and now with Dr. Zaher Sahloul, the American Muslim community is effectively developing healthy interactions with civic and philanthropic boards and with elected leaders.  In May 2009 CIOGC took nearly 500 American Muslims from northern Illinois to Springfield for a day of common good advocacy.  CIOGC partnered with Faith in Place and Protestants for the Common Good to develop a common good agenda that went beyond Muslim "special interest" issues and addressed the environment and the inequities of Illinois' public education funding system.  I was there for this event and it was amazing to see the sense of empowerment among every age group from high school through senior citizens!

The idea is to forge an identity that allows American Muslims to be comfortable being American and Muslim.  Seeing and feeling the reality of civic integration is instrumental in building a positive sense of self among American Muslims.  That positive sense of self, that healthy American Muslim identity, is what empowers American Muslims to be passionate about the many injustices visited upon Muslims throughout the world with a sense that they have the power to do something about it within the system.  Civic integration empowers American Muslims to understand the tools and resources available to them and sustains hope that they can make a difference in a meaningful way.  In essence, civic integration can arrest the feelings of hopelessness and fear, and in the absence of these two emotions, American Muslims may be inoculated from radicalization.

NOT EVERYONE IS KEEN ABOUT INTEGRATION THOUGH...

Many American Muslims support civic integration, but there are individuals, groups and even mosques that pride themselves on their lack of integration.  It is not uncommon to hear an Imam shrieking during a Friday sermon about the sinfulness of befriending Christians and Jews.  Some American Muslims use our mosques and our communications tools to promote shallow Muslim supremacist ideas.

Groups like Hizb ut Tahrir are returning to the mosques and promoting a shallow message of top-down theocratic world domination and selling that simplistic notion as the answer to all the ills and suffering faced by Muslims through out the world.  Other groups are less public but equally resistant to integration.  Within our mosques we have co-religionists who are intolerant of others who do not accept other's understanding of Islam.  Reason and freedom of conscience have no place in such people's outlook.  I have had many unsavory encounters over the past 15 years with these types of American Muslims.

Their favored tactic is to attack the sincerity and genuineness of another's faith in Islam.  For example, when I disagree with a point of view or a particular interpretation I am accused of deviating from the Quran and Sunnah (which, in my view, is tantamount to an accusation of apostasy).  This extremist approach has a chilling effect on some mosque administrators.  Rather than cutting off the extremists from institutional power, they are allowed to participate in mosque governance and often times they impose the "hecklers' veto" on programs and projects that do not comport with their particular religious understanding.

BRINGING MORE AMERICAN MUSLIMS INTO ORGANIZED RELIGIOUS LIFE IS ESSENTIAL

As we grapple with concerns over the radicalization of American Muslims it is critical that we recognize that we need American Muslims to be more involved in organized religious life.  At first blush it may seem counter-intuitive, but organized religious life is the best means of inoculating American Muslims from the extremist ideologies proliferating on the internet.

The five young American Muslims who recently traveled to Pakistan in search of jihad were largely radicalized via their exposure to violent extremist propaganda and e-fatwas extolling the merits of terrorism.  Where was their mosque's youth program when it was needed most?  Many mosque youth programs focus on apolitical issues in part because of the presence of the extremist voices that impose the "hecklers veto" on thoughtful discussions.  The educational forums offered by mosques rarely discuss socio-political or civic aspects of American Muslim life as well.  Again, this is due in part to the extremists' "hecklers veto".  As a result, many American Muslims, the vast majority who espouse mainstream and healthy Islamic values, feel either uncomfortable in mosques or feel that the mosques simply do not offer them anything useful (outside of Friday and Eid prayers).  Research on the American Muslim community suggests that only a fraction (perhaps as little as 5%) of American Muslims are affiliated with a mosque.

The isolated religious existence, while protecting American Muslims from the vocal minority of extremists within the mosques, can also become an incubator of extremism as well.  Maj. Nidal Hassan is one recent example.  While he attended the mosque for prayers on a regular basis, Nidal Hassan was not very actively engaged in an American Muslim community environment.  His spiritual and religious outlet came via the internet and blogs and electronic bulletin boards.

Done right, a mosque can provide a wholesome and nurturing environment that promotes an authentic application of Islamic values and creates a community life that supports a healthy Muslim self-image.  But to do it right, a mosque has to be an open and welcoming environment.  Women must be made to feel welcome.  The programming has to be engaging.  It has to be in English (except for the ritual prayer).  The imams who lead the spiritual life of the mosque should be well attuned to and positive about American culture because, at the end of the day, that is the culture of the vast majority of the 6 to 7 million American Muslims today.  The religious education for the youth and the the adults needs to be tailored to an American point of view in order to be effective.  The mosques must serve as a social safety net for a range of issues ranging from unemployment, hunger, substance abuse and domestic abuse.  And of course, there must be a social component within mosque community life (particular for the youth) as well.

SHIFTING PRIORITIES, BEING MORE BOLD

American mosques are largely funded by domestic contributions from American Muslims.  Since Islam forbids interest-based transactions, American mosques are purchased and built with cash.  And the mosques in America are being built in more and more places and existing mosques are expanding all the time.  I suspect that 90% of mosque donations are used to maintain physical structures and to fund expansion projects.  The vast majority of American mosques are also run and administered exclusively by volunteers.

American Muslims need to shift their priorities from bricks and mortar to programming and human resources.  Beautifully titled prayer halls with traditional domes and ornate chandeliers and exquisite Quranic calligraphy adorning the walls are not the antidote to radicalization.  In fact, these things are not even the answer to bringing more American Muslims into the mosque.  And yet, we continue to channel millions upon millions of dollars to support these types of projects.

All the while, mosques have no budgets for youth organizing, hiring trained professional youth workers and counselors, or for attracting more American Muslims to pursue careers as imams and Islamic spiritual leaders.  There is little money allocated to programming to create meaningful and engaging activities for American Muslim youth and young adults.  These are, however, the things that mosques need to spend on in order to create the kind of mosque-centric life that will help counter the radicalization being promoted on the internet and even within our mosques through the unregulated and unstructured study circles and discussion groups held in mosques but without much oversight by mosque administrators.

Moving forward, American Muslim leaders and administrators must be bold.  We have to stop kowtowing to the extremists within our community.  We lament the need to defend Islam and ourselves against the violence perpetrated by our co-religionists, but what we should really be angry about is how mosques have allowed the intolerant behavior of some extremists to stifle ideas, projects and programs that would create a more welcoming environment in our mosques.

If mosques will not provide thoughtful programming and an environment conducive to building a wholesome Muslim community, then American Muslims need to go the route of the Mohammed Webb Foundation in the western suburbs of Chicago.  The Webb Foundation is organization that provides a lot of the civic, social and educational programming in an open and welcoming environment that mosques should be providing but often do not.  We know what our priorities ought to be, and now we need to act boldly in pursuit of them!

ONE VIOLENT EXTREMIST IS ONE TOO MANY

It is true that the vast majority of Muslims, in America and throughout the world, are peaceful and faithful people committed to living an Islamic life of peace and justice.  And in the face of bigots and Islamophobes who viciously malign Muslims and Islam as violent, we are right to point to the billion plus Muslims who categorically denounce violent extremism as a solution.

We must, however, hold ourselves to higher standards.  One violent extremist is one too many.  In a community of 6 to 7 million American Muslims the handful of individuals accused of plots of violence is not even 1% of our community but its still unacceptable.  As American Muslims we have an enormous obligation to the rest of the world.  It is not about American Muslim "exceptional-ism" but rather, it is a simple matter of resources and opportunities.  We have the freedom and the resources to do much good for Islam and for the cause of justice at home and abroad.

We hamstring ourselves by allowing our co-religionists to succumb to the hirabi creed promoted by Al Qaeda and other violent extremist groups.  There is too much at stake for us to allow this to continue.

The veil, the Quran, and the Muslim women's movement / The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com

Islamic feminism faces strong resistance from the faith’s conservatives who want to preserve the male interpretation of Islam. But the movement’s roots in the Koran give it a better chance at changing attitudes than a transplanted women’s liberation movement from the West. In the end, the Koran may be an Islamic woman’s most direct route to equal rights.

This is pulled from the Christian Science Monitor. I'm glad someone is talking about this topic and shedding light on the critical thinking over women's rights in Islam and human interpretation of Islam vis-a-vis the Quran and the Sunnah in general.

Articles and editorials in the Christian Science Monitor are great because it helps the broader community better understand the diversity of thinking among Muslims in America and abroad. I hope Muslim organizations, Muslim thought-leaders and mosques will pick up this issue more often and with greater urgency in the very near future.

I respect Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab. What bothers me is the imposition of segregation and second class status on Muslim women. I am speaking about behaviors in the U.S. and in particular those behaviors that take place in mosques.

I attend and serve on the board of the mosque my father helped found. Things are improving in many facets but women's rights remains a hurdle.

Interestingly, many of my fellow board members agree that the offensive barrier used to segregate men and women in our activity room during events is not religiously required and that it is therefore demeaning. To boot, it impedes participation in the mosque's activities by women.

A few weeks ago we had an Eid dinner at the mosque. We had agreed a few weeks earlier that we would create a space for those women who felt they needed to be segregated and that we would provide them access to the speakers and so forth via a live television feed. The rest of the space (the majority of the space) would be set up for an integrated family seating arrangement.

When I arrived at the mosque an hour early my jaw dropped as I saw the room divider splitting the room in two.  I saw our board president and I asked him what this was all about.

"I knew you'd bring this up" he replied.  He and I had an intense discussion.  I had told my family and friends to come to this event and to become a part of our mosque because, as I saw it, we were really becoming the mosque I've wanted to be associated with.  Now they were going to come and see this room divider. 

Sigh. Same old same old.

My colleagues on the board buckled under the pressure of the vocal members of our mosque who wanted to separate the men and women with a barrier.  My colleagues on the board wanted me to be patient and to go slow and ease into the more open and respectful treatment of women (that's not how they phrased it but that's how I took it).

"No" I told the president.  We ve been dickering around this issue for 2 decades.  We cannot go any slower for fear of going backwards (and going backwards is a real concern since we have made solid strides elsewhere when it comes to civic engagement).

In the end the mosque president pulled out his ace card to end the discussion.  What was his ace card?  Democracy. 

He said the majority of the members wanted the segregation.  That's where we ended our discussion for the evening but frankly, that is not the end of this issue.

I am asking American Muslims who are not already members of a mosque to come and become a member of mine.  I need other like minded folks to join so that we can leverage the facilities and the resources of the mosque for programs and activities that we need and want.  We cannot sit on the sidelines and lament the direction that some of our co-religionists are taking our faith.  If we do not approve of it, then we need to get up and do something about it.  That call to action is a core part of our faith.

That said, I do not believe the majority supports the divider but the majority is afraid of raising the ire of the aggressive and outspoken minority of men whose most articulate argument is "Quran and Sunnah brother" as if uttering the words "Quran and Sunnah" is somehow meaningful as an explanation.  Most members of our mosque are very low key and opt to avoid confrontation, and as a result they keep their head down and avoid getting too involved with the mosque.  They come for Friday prayers, they drop off their kids for Weekend Islamic School and they attend an dinner here or there and that is the extent of their involvement.

I do not blame them for their approach.  Life is complicated and stressful.  Butting heads with the folks who want to keep women behind walls and barriers is frustrating and time consuming.  And who among us has a bunch of spare time on her hands?

I am not interested in getting into arguments and fighting over these issues either.  The mosque should be a place of prayer, reflection, education and social justice.  But I am not afraid to stand my ground either and that is precisely what I am going to do.

My daughter asked me after the eid dinner a few weeks ago: "Baba, why did they put all the girls and moms behind the wall?  That's not fair."  Voila!  There's my inspiration.

Nidal Malik Hasan & the Ft. Hood Massacre - A "Jihadi" Attack or Criminal Act of Mentally Disturbed American? Responses & Reactions the Day After

Nidal Malik Hasan, an American Muslim from the East Coast serving as a psychiatrist in the U.S. Army at Ft. Hood, went on a random and bloody shooting spree that killed 13 innocent people and wounded another 31 unsuspecting Americans yesterday (11/5/09) at Ft. Hood, Texas.  Americans of all points of view and from all walks of life and points of view have added their opinions over the past 24+ hours.

AMERICAN MUSLIM RESPONSE

Three major national American Muslim organizations, all mainstream and reputable, released statements immediately after word of the horrific attacks made the news.  The Muslim Public Affairs Council, the Islamic Society of North America and the Council on American Islamic Relations all spoke out quickly and clearly in statements that condemned the massacre of innocent fellow Americans (read more here).

That is important.  These organizations, collectively, represent the voice of mainstream Muslims and authentic Islam in America.  But there are grassroots organizations like mosques and even individual American Muslim who are also making their voices heard.  These are voices that need to be heard by all Americans.

A West Point Graduate, a Physician and an American Muslim in Afghanistan React

To be clear, I am talking about one individual here.  Dr. Imad Haque is a surgeon in the United States Army and is currently serving in Afghanistan.  I was able to reach Dr. Haque via email yesterday.  I asked him if he would share his reaction to the Ft. Hood massacre.  I did not know he had been deployed to Afghanistan when I emailed him.

Dr. Haque responded to my email last night.  This is Dr. Haque's first message to me:

Junaid-

Salams. Good to hear from you... alas it is under such circumstances...Waking-up in Afghanistan- I just heard about the events at Ft.Hood. I will get my thoughts together and get you something in a few hours from now.Thanks again for your message.

Imad

About 14 hours later - mid-morning on Friday for me - I got another message from Dr. Haque.  His first concerns and thoughts were for the victims and their families.  This is what Dr. Haque wrote to me - from his deployment in Afghanistan - about his initial feelings:

Salams Junaid-
Well it's been a long contemplative day here-as a Soldier, a Doctor and a Muslim. My first feelings go out to the victims. Having been in a pre-deployment center very much like the one at Ft.Hood only a few months ago- I can only imagine the terror the victims must have experienced. My next thoughts are for the families that will be notified about the death or injuries of their loved ones. Then I think of my colleagues at Darnell, Scott and White and Methodist Hospitals who do what I do for a living- operate and try to save the lives put in jeopardy so senselessly. I prayed today for all of them.

Maybe I am reading more into this than Dr. Haque intended but I found it notable that he described himself as a Soldier first.  And that he took time today to pray for all those who were affected is a testament, in my opinion, to the strength of his faith.  Dr. Haque then turned his attention to the proverbial elephant in the room - Nidal Malik Hasan:

After these thoughts subside- my next thought is for my fellow military, American-Muslim physician. A career track not dissimilar to my own. Born to immigrant parents. Attending elementary and high school here. His choice of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences reflected a real commitment to the military and his country.

As a physician that has deployed and has cared for American Soldiers at nearly every level of care in the military health system- from a level II Aid Station to major hospitals in Germany and at home- my next question is what went wrong? What happened to my colleague that led him to undertake such an unspeakable act? I am not a psychiatrist by training- but I certainly remember the most basic tenants of the field- identify a patient if they represent a threat to themselves orothers. This is one of the most basic concepts in his field- yet he was unable to control these thoughts or have the insight to seek help.

Two men with similar backgrounds and upbringing and a seemingly shared commitment to service and yet two very different responses to the call to serve in a war zone.  Dr. Haque is deployed in Afghanistan faithfully serving his country while Nidal Malik Hasan lays in a hospital bed under constant guard awaiting a military tribunal that will ultimately decide his guilt or innocence. 

What is it about Dr. Haque that drives him to serve, far away from his beautiful family, while his fellow soldier and co-religionist resorted to a horrific homicidal rampage?  I think the last part of Dr. Haque's email sheds some light on this last question - the question of what motivates him to be a dedicated Soldier in the United States Army and a devout Muslim at the same time:

As a Muslim, Physician and Soldier- I chose to serve my country because of the opportunities it has afforded me. Most profound of these is the Freedom to be a Muslim and practice my faith more freely than anywhere in the world. Though I may not agree completely with all foreign policy decisions made or how they are executed- I do my duty as a soldier. As a citizen, I have an equally important duty to exercise my right to chose and change my leaders if I feel they do not represent my beliefs- not through the end of a gun- but through the very Islamic concept of Democracy.

I've known Dr. Haque - Imad - since we were both kids playing baseball at recess during the summer-long, day-long Islamic school we attended together at the Islamic Foundation Mosque & School in Villa Park, Illinois in the 1980s.  We lost touch over the years and reconnected via Facebook recently.  I've always thought it was laudable that he chose a life in the military.  But until now I've never really understood what an asset he is to us - to all Americans.  That is because he is a real life example of an American Muslim living the ideal of patriotism and God-consciousness together in harmony.  Outstanding indeed Imad!

Another American Muslim physician and a living, loving example of Islam

Dr. Hesham Hassaballa, a medical doctor in Chicago and another dear friend, shared his private thoughts and emotions in the wake of the Ft. Hood murders.  Dr. Hassaballa, like me and Imad, has lived his whole life in America and is now raising his own family as distinctly American Muslim.  All Americans should take the time to read Dr. Hassaballa's thoughtful reflections on God, faith and the vision of the peaceful coexistence of all people at his blog - God, Faith, and a Pen: Living in the Light of His Love.

In reflecting on Nidal Malik Hasan's murders yesterday Dr. Hassaballa wrote this:

My heart, my thoughts, and my prayers go out to the families of the brave soldiers who died at the hands of this barbaric murderer. Their sacrifice and loss is no less noble, no less important, no less appreciated than the loss of a fellow American in battle overseas. As a parent who has lost his own child, I know far too well the pain of the parents right now who have come to the horrific realization that they will outlive their child. May God be with them all.

I appreciate Dr. Hassaballa's blog posts because he puts himself out there completely for the sake of promoting greater understanding between people of different faiths.  This past summer he lost one of his children, a beautiful little daughter, to a long term battle with a crippling disease.  Most people (myself for certain) would be loathed to put that hurt out in the public's eye, but Dr. Hassaballa does just that, and he does this so that he can connect with us on the most intimate and personal level.  I challenge even the most hard-hearted extremists - of any faith or no faith at all - to be unmoved by Dr. Hassaballa's commentary.

EXTREMIST RESPONSES

The Islamophobes are, of course, foaming at the mouth over this tragedy at Ft. Hood.  The individuals over at places like "The Jawa Report" do not seem to care much for the victims so long as they can take unsubstantiated shots at any and all Muslims.  If you are an upstanding Muslim indivdual or organization then the "writers" at this blog will do their best to sully your name by labeling you a front for the Muslim Brotherhood. 

And then there are the Debbie Schlussels of the world.  The idea of driving more eyeballs to her vile website gives me pause but it is important for honest and decent people to see the unmitigated hate that some folks are spewing online and on talk radio (I believe Ms. Schlussel is keen to promote herself there and where ever else she can get some attention)(read more about Ms. Schlussel here and here).

The gist of these anti-Muslim and Islamophobic extremists' argument is that since Nidal Malik Hasan is a Muslim then his murders are, ipso facto, terrorism.  It does not get any more bigoted and narrow-minded than that.

But alas, Muslims are not ones to be out done in the extremism department.  At the discussion forum of the notorious Hizb ut Tahrir one commentator said this of Nidal Malik Hasan's murderous actions:

To be honest, a lot of people cast doubt on the iman of a Muslim who agrees to join the British or American army but I see this as a good thing that there must have been some iman in there for him to take such a big step as this.

So, according to this person who is described as a "senior member" of the discussion forum at Hizb ut Tahrir, Nidal Malik Hasan's homicidal rampage is a sign of his faith?  People of sincere faith know that this is an absurd notion but it does not stop extremists from espousing it and promoting it.

OTHER RESPONSES

In addition to the American Muslim response and the extremists' response there was also quite a bit of thoughtful reflection from columnists, interfaith leaders and friends and neighbors from coast to coast.  A friend of mine wrote on my Facebook page:

I'm just so upset that we have to defend this maniac's religion in the first place. After all, no one asks me to defend Timothy McVeigh....It's just a clear commentary on where the Muslim-Arab population (and those perceived as such) stand these days. We all know killing people is wrong. Why should anyone have to apologize?!

Essentially this friend was responding to an earlier blog post and some other comments that were posted on Facebook in response to the blog post.

John Nichols of The Nation weighed in very early yesterday with a very thoughtful piece entitled "Horror at Fort Hood Inspires Horribly Predictable Islamophobia".  In the article Mr. Nichols said:

The point here is not to defend the soldier or his alleged actions -- the evidence at hand suggests that he was, at the least, a deeply troubled man whose statements and actions should have raised concerns among his superiors long before Thursday's incident. By Friday, there were news reports that he shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is great") before opening fire. There was clearly something wrong with this imperfect follower of Islam. But that does not mean that there is something wrong with Islam.

These comments, one from a friend posting a note of support, solidarity and encouragement on Facebook and the other from  The Nation news magazine, a major news and opinion publication, illustrate that the responses to the heinous murders at Ft. Hood do not have to be couched in anti-Muslim and Islamophobic rhetoric to be fair and balanced.

CONCLUSION

It has been a day and half since the shootings.  We still have a lot to learn about Nidal Malik Hasan.  Hopefully he will survive and will stand trial.  In this short time we have seen a wide range of reactions both good and bad, accurate and inaccurate.  It is important for us as a pluralistic, diverse nation to understand these events and to process them in a way that is fair and reasonable, not because it is good for American Muslims, but because our future ability to coexist in peace depends on it.

Islamophobic response: Maligning legitimate civic action in the wake of Luqman Ameen Abdullah shooting

It was bound to happen sooner or later.  The Islamophobes are out in force maligning the legitimate efforts of American Muslims to engage in civic action that seeks to bring about an independent investigation into the shooting death of Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah by the FBI on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 in Dearborn, Michigan.

The reliable Islamophobes of Jihad Watch (a biased an hateful blog that is proudly Islamophobic) unfairly (surprise surprise) twisted the legitimate calls for justice at Abdullah's funeral last week by describing them this way:

They're trying to shift attention away from the jihadist violence allegedly being plotted at the Masjid al-Haqq, and onto the supposed excess of the FBI reaction.

Jihad Watch is also suggesting that because American Muslims called for justice at the funeral this means that the shooting of Abdullah was unjust.  No, that is not what it implies.  A person was shot and killed.  What were the circumstances surrounding the shooting?  Was the shooting necessary?  Did the FBI act properly before, during and after the shooting?  A call for justice is a call to have these legitimate questions answered.

The tactic is well known but too many honest people who are looking for a better understanding of Muslims and Islam fall for this tactic because these bigoted people are adept at creating an echo chamber of anti-Muslim hysteria that unfortunately gets passed off as legitimate information.  The tactic is to impute a negative intent on otherwise benign words and then repeat the false charge over and over again until it "appears" that this is the popular and correct assumption.

In this case Jihad Watch and Steve Emerson and Robert Spencer and others are trying to argue that anything short of uncritical support for the FBI in its handling of the attempted arrest of Abdullah is a support for the alleged views and actions of Abdullah as recorded in the indictment and affidavit that predicated the arrest warrant.  This is not the case at all.  The allegations about Abdullah as set forth in the Leone affidavit are repugnant.  But the allegations, not matter how heinous they may be, do not justify an unlawful shooting. 

Unfortunately, it appears that the Islamophobes can notch this case up (at least thus far) as a success.  Although major American Muslim organizations have called for an investigation (see here), there has been very little done at the grassroots level in places like Chicago to call for an independent investigation.  This is possibly the result of fear.  American Muslim leaders are afraid of speaking up because they are worried that their calls for justice will be perceived as support for the alleged actions and views of Abdullah.

What a shame.  It is a shame that leaders of the American Muslim community have not taken a more vigorous stand on this issue.  This is a time when American Muslim leaders can show that they understand how civic engagement works by effectively organizing and mobilizing people into constructive civic action that brings about a fair, full and independent investigation into the shooting death of Abdullah.

Locally in Illinois the largest (at least based on self-professed reach and scope and capacity) Muslim organization - the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago - is silent on the shooting death of Abdullah.  One of the past chairs of CIOGC sent an emotional email to the community's leaders (it had its various shortcomings too) calling them to stand up and act for justice in the wake of the Abdullah shooting.  Nothing came of it, and so far as public information discloses, nothing more is forthcoming from that past chair or anyone else.

The current chair, Zaher Sahloul, is surprisingly mum on the issue.  That is very odd since he speaks of CIOGC as an institution that brings American Muslims together and works for justice and the common good.  Today Sahloul said in an editorial that

CIOGC has been working relentlessly toward this goal of a justly balanced community, where Muslim Americans can play a role in bearing witness to their fellow Americans by defending justice, promoting common good and fighting evil.

I will concur that CIOGC has done some very good work in working for justice and promoting the common good.  But where is it now?  What is CIOGC doing vis-a-vis this issue?  Sahloul invokes Imam Siraj Wahaj in the editorial this way:

According to Imam Siraj Wahhaj, chair of the Muslim Alliance in North America, the Council is one of the few organizations in the nation that is doing real work in the field to integrate the indigenous Muslim communities and the immigrant Muslims through its Mosque-pairing initiative and Intrafaith action.

What better way to show CIOGC's efforts to bridge the gap between the immigrant Muslims and African American Muslims in our community then by taking a stance on the shooting death of an African American Muslim?  Interestingly, Sahloul's editorial is entitled "the power of unity".  There certainly is power in unity, but is unity something that can be embraced when it is convenient and not at other times?  Is that really unity?

Just talking the talk is not enough.  It is (or it should be) unacceptable to let this important issue (the call for an independent investigation into the shooting death of Abdullah) fester while attention is focused on the community's elite rubbing elbows with Governor Quinn and complimenting one another on what greatly leaders we are at Saturday's annual community dinner.

There is still time to do the right thing.  Sahloul can use the annual dinner as an opportunity to place the spotlight on the Abdullah shooting.  Sahloul has some incredible people on the professional staff.  He and his board can work with the professional staff to put together petitions for the dinner's attendees to sign.  These petitions can be addressed to the Illinois congressional delegation asking them to support the call for an independent investigation into the shooting death of Abdullah by the FBI.  Sahloul can raise tough questions during the dinner as members of the FBI will be there as guests as well.  The question is, do our leaders have the will to speak out for justice when it may be uncomfortable or even inconvenient for them to do so?

Let's hope the maligning rhetoric of Islamophobes does not stop our leaders in Illinois from taking up another cause for justice.

CIOGC - Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago silent over Luqman Ameen Abdullah shooting death

The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC) has nothing to say after the FBI shot to death a prominent Imam in Detroit?  That is unacceptable.

As of this evening - 11:05pm on Sunday, November 1, 2009 - the CIOGC website's press release center  has no statement on Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah's death.

How is this possible?  There is a press release from CIOGC relating to the arrest of two Pakistani American Muslims in Chicago last week.  That press release went to great lengths to remind the public that those two men are to be presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.  What is different about the case in Detroit, Michigan?

This is a situation that demands leadership from CIOGC to organize and mobilize the American Muslim community to hold the FBI accountable.  I know that CIOGC has a good relationship with the local FBI office and the local FBI office has been very open with the American Muslim community in northern Illinois.  That is important.  It is a valuable relationship.  Kudos to CIOGC for creating and nurturing that relationship.  It is almost a given that both local community liaisons and the agent in charge will be at the CIOGC annual community dinner on 11/7/09 at Monty's in Bensenville, Illinois.  But if this relationship makes the local leadership gun shy about speaking out against possible FBI mistakes, then I'm not sure of the value of that relationship.

Frankly, I think it is acceptable and legitimate for CIOGC to organze and mobilize the mosques to get the American Muslim community to push for an independent investigation into Luqman Ameen Abdullah's shooting death.  This will not jeopardize the relationship that exists between American Muslim leaders and the FBI in northern Illinois.

What has to happen now in order to get CIOGC to assume the leadership role that is really its responsibility?

Are Chicago-area mosques up to the challenge of helping Iraqi refugees?

Today's Chicago Tribune article on the challenges and struggles of Iraqi refugees in Chicago really hit home.  One of the last board meetings I attended at the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC) had an add-on agenda item dealing with the needs of Iraqi refugees.  I'm pretty sure it was Ahlam Mahmoud, the woman referenced in the Chicago Tribune article, who visited us during the board meeting.

An important issue that was not raised in this series of articles but merits examination and further discussion is the support Iraqi refugees have received from mosques in the Edgewater neigbhorhood; or to be more precise, the lack of support.

When Ms. Mahmoud came to speak with CIOGC she did so because, as the "Council of Islamic Organizations", she assumed CIOGC would be able to help secure more support from the mosques in the Edgewater neighborhood.

Ms. Mahmoud pointed out that many of the families within the Iraqi refugee community are women-headed households.  I knew what the problem was going to be as I sat in that meeting this past summer.  I knew even before Ms. Mahmoud said anything that the families were not  being welcomed by the mosques in that part of Chicago.  That is because, in many instances, the mosques in the Edgewater/Rogers Park neighborhoods are men-only institutions.

This meeting took place in July 2009.  I know that nothing was done up until I left CIOGC.  From the time we met Ms. Mahmoud through the end of September CIOGC leaders directed the professional staff to do no programming beyond fundraising.  Too bad.  This is an issue that CIOGC could take up and which really needs the collective attention of the American Muslim community.

The UMMA Center in Waukegan is doing great work with refugee families in Lake County.  This is one of the few organizations (Muslim led) that works on refugee needs.  The UMMA Center's executive director, Ashfaq Mohiuddin, is a great guy.  I don't know the other staff but I feel comfortable saying that UMMA Center is a reputable organization based on my association with Ashfaq Mohiuddin over the past 10 to 12 years.  Check out UMMA Center's website and try to attend the UMMA Center's fundraising dinner this coming Friday (10/30).

Other organizations like Hamdard Center have some services for refugee families but they are not equipped to deal with the challenges on the scale described by the Chicago Tribune story.  This all begs the question: what do we (American Muslims) do from this point forward to address this problem (of unmet refugee needs within our community)?

There are numerous dedicated individuals working on refugee issues.  One person that anyone interested in refugee issues should get to know is Naazish YarKhan.  Although Naazish is a writer by profession, it seems her primary avocation is serving refugee families.  Over the years she's worked with and through the Islamic Foundation in Villa Park, IL to provide services to refugee families and she was the person who directed Ahlam Mahmoud to CIOGC back in July 2009.

One thing I gathered from talking to Naazish a couple of times on this issue is that the challenges of addressing refugee needs is a full time endeavor and cannot possibly be addressed adequately by volunteers.  She wanted CIOGC to take up this issue by possible bringing on someone like Ahlam Mahmoud to work exclusively on refugee services.  I told her that this would be wonderful except that the American Muslim community seems to have an aversion to funding human resources.

However, until we commit to funding full time professionals to serve the needs of the refugee community we are not going to be able to adequately address the longterm issues they are facing.  Mark my words, this article from the Chicago Tribune, if it sparks any sympathy from the American Muslim community, will promote fundraising for food, clothing, household goods and so forth.  The efforts will be focused on short term needs.

I can hear the arguments now: "At least we are doing something by helping them with these immediate needs.  This is our duty!"  This is true but the underlying although unstated assumption, that doing this and funding a longer term solution by funding one or more professionals to work with the refugee communities are mutually exclusive, is false.  We have money in the American Muslim community.  Given that we don't finance the building of our mosques we know that we have the capacity to raises millions of dollars every year not only to maintain the gigantic buildings we now possess but to expand them and to build new ones as well!

I'm not alone in the community when I say that we need to put a moratorium on bricks and mortar projects and begin funding human resources for needy and worthy projects like helping refugee families in need.  However, until people speak up and say no to more bricks and mortar projects and yes to funding services to refugee families, the powers that be will keep on building and expanding the mosques.  Meanwhile, families like those of Ahlam Mahmoud will continue to suffer.

American Muslims are guilty...of civic engagement

Salam Al-Marayati has a great op-ed in today's (10/19) Huffington Post.  Salam put's the fiasco of last week's McCarthy-esque episode into perspective. 

Salam says what we've all been thinking these past few days: we're all guilty... of civic engagement.  In the Huffington Post article Salam writes:

I confess. I've met with Presidents Clinton, Bush and advised them on counter-terrorism strategy. I've met with the FBI Director and discussed what helps partnerships with Muslim communities and what hurts. I've spoken before the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security and at the Secretary of State's Open Forum. I am guilty of civic engagement.

The nefarious strategy that got a bunch of freaky U.S. representatives all work up was a Muslim civil rights group promoting public service on Capitol Hill by American Muslims.  Salam goes on:

What's next? Muslims trying to infiltrate the Congress by scheduling lobby days, or by simply meeting with their members of Congress? It's a testament to how far some right-wing conspiracy theories have come that even the normal behavior of any advocacy group can be used as so-called evidence of a dangerous, seditious and destructive "plot".

The behavior of these U.S. representatives is un-American.  These four individuals - Sue Myrick [R-NC], John Shadegg [R-AZ], Paul Broun [R-GA] and Trent Franks [R-AZ] - seem to be telling us Americans that some Americans should be treated as second class citizens.  Is this how low and how desparate the right-wing fanatics of American politics have become?

Thankfully there have been some noteworthy statements of support for American Muslims and clear condemnation of the Freaky Foursome from within the U.S. Congress.

Have we heard anything from the Illinois Congressional delegation?  What efforts have American Muslim institutional leaders taken in Illinois since last Friday?  Sadly, it appears that here in Illinois our institutional leaders are not saying much.

As of this writing the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC) has no public statement condemning the Freaky Foursome.  There is no news of any outreach to the Illinois Congressional Delegation seeking their support of American Muslim civic engagement.  Too bad.  This was a critical issue that demanded institutional leadership.  It was a key opportunity to be relevant.  It is an opportunity lost.

So, locally, who is going to represent us when these issues come up?  These are times when the American Muslim community should come together and just say no to this blatant fearmongering.  This is the time for us to reach out to our interfaith partners and ask them to step up and speak out in support of American Muslims being involved in civic life without being second guessed by the Freaky Foursome and their ilk.

What we need in Illinois is for American Muslims who are committed to working in interfaith collaboration on issues of the common good to come together.  We can't wait any longer for the "powers that be" to act.  It's obvious that they can't.  Unfortunately, its equally obvious that there are people like the Freaky Foursome who are keen to marginalize American Muslims.

Caution: new Censorship virsus attacking listserv at CIOGC

Amazing!

We talk about vision, leadership and professionalism, but at the first sign of criticism the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC) leadership resorts to cutting off community leaders from its Shura Listserv (a listserv of community leaders past and present from throughout northern Illinois).

Over the past few weeks there has been some criticism (not much) about some questionable decisions by the CIOGC leaders.  In response the main communications tool, an unmoderated listserv had at least one vocal critic silenced by quietly removing him from the list.  When that was not enough, the list was shut down.

Then, about a week or two later an email comes out saying "Sorry for the inconvenience but our listserv was experiencing technical difficulties... ."  Right.  It was a bad case of the censorship virus!

These are heavy-handed tactics used to suppress people.  The American Muslim community should demand more from our leaders.

It's times like this when we acutely feel the loss from not having a vibrant, independent media to hold our leaders in check.

Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago Uninvites Keynotes - But why?

The following is an open letter I sent to mosque leaders and fellow American Muslims whom I believe are the future leaders of our community (this email was sent to CIOGC leaders as well):

Dear Friends, Colleagues and Fellow Community Members,
 
Assalaamu Alaikum and Peace.
 
Insh'Allah this email finds you in good health.  I am writing to you this evening to share with you my dismay over the Council's decision to dis-invite Naim Shah, Jr. and Shahid Buttar as the Annual Community Dinner keynote speakers.  This was a bad decision, it is unprofessional and it reflects poorly on all of us as a community.
 
First and foremost, these two brothers are accomplished and up and coming leaders from the national Muslim community and we were blessed to have them with us.  You can get some insight into who these brothers are through the following links:
 
Shahid Buttar Bio

Naim Shah Jr. Bio
 
You can hear both of these brothers speak at the following links:

Shahid Buttar on YouTube:
 
 

Naim Shah Jr. on YouTube:


 
Let me be very frank and direct - this was, in my estimation and opinion - a very bad decision.  I am embarrassed by the brothers and sisters who supported this decision.
 
Salam al-Marayati is the high profile keynote who has been invited in place of Naim and Shahid.
 
Lest there be any confusion let me also be very clear - I love Salam Al-Marayati as do you all.  Salam is a friend.  Salam is a great leader.  He has committed his life to working for justice.  Salam is a strong ally of the Illinois Muslim community.  I welcome him in Chicago always.  I am certain that Salam will be the first person to tell us that he does not need the stage and that he will be with us just to support us whether we call him our keynote or something else.
 
So why do we have to uninvite Naim and Shahid?  After all, don't we need more strong young leaders?  Don't we need to promote more of our young leaders?  Some of the Council leadership may argue that we've secured Gov. Pat Quinn and we needed to make room for him in the program and that is why Naim and Shahid had to be uninvited.  This is not true.
 
We always had a spot for a "special guest" who would be a politician and that politician - Quinn, Daley or someone else - would come in, say a few nice words and leave.  We could have easily done the right thing by keeping Naim and Shahid while still welcoming Gov. Quinn and having Salam play an important role in the annual dinner.
 
I resigned from the Council for very specific reasons.  This latest fiasco comes after the fact but it is symptomatic of the problems which caused me to step down.
 
I believe that leaving the Council was the only way to send a clear message that the organization is in many ways dysfunctional.  This most recent debacle is just the tip of the iceberg (which is not to say that the Council does not have many good points - the remaining professional staff are each examples of all the good that still exists within the Council).
 
I have no doubt that some will accost me for raising these issues, but alas, if our community is to become stronger then we need to bring our dysfunctional behaviors into the sunlight and discuss them openly.  I've already been treated with some very unsavory behavior and I've received a few hateful emails from insiders.  I'm girding myself for more.
 
That's all fine.  Until today I kept these issues to myself but this unprofessional behavior (uninviting our keynotes with just a few weeks to go before the annual dinner) was the tipping point for me.
 
If you think I'm wrong, let me know and let me know why.  I'm open to your feedback. 
 
If you agree with me and you are asking yourself - "So what can we do?" then I say we take action.
 
When our elected officials act badly we petition them.  We write letters to them and we call them to account for their actions.  Why shouldn't we do the same thing with the leaders of our American Muslim institutions? 
 
I am asking them to account for this as a member of the American Muslim community.  I have a right to know why this was done.  So do you.
 
Finally, lest there be any doubt, I affirm with sincere conviction that the Council leadership are very good and kind and generous people.  I simply feel this was a very bad decision and one which could have been avoided on multiple occasions if the leadership had acted with diligence and with vision.  Please do not let our leaders argue that the ends justify the means.
 
Please forgive me for my errors and shortcomings - I have many of them.  No doubt - some of you feel I've quit on the community.  I understand your sentiments but I assure you that is not the case.  I am happy to work for the community like all of you - as a volunteer.  Atleast now the powers that be cannot hold the damocle's sword of termination over me for speaking my mind.
 
We should apologize to Naim and Shahid, bring them back into the program and put this sordid little episode behind us.
 
Was'salaam & peace,
 
Junaid M. Afeef

"Healing & Reconciliation" event in Chicagoland... An Intra-faith affair

The Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA) is collaborating with Shura of Islamic Family Counselors of America (in suburban Chicago, IL) to present a panel discussion, lectures and a fundraising dinner.  The event is titled "Healing & Reconciliation" and it appears to be working on "reconciling the historical differences in the American Muslim community."  The MANA event is slated to take place at Monty's Banquets on Sunday, October 4, 2009.

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to visit New York City for a MANA organized meeting.  The meeting brought together community organizers and leaders from all over the U.S.  MANA's vision is to begin working in earnest to address the challenging issue of intra-Muslim divisions within the United States.

It was a daylong meeting and there were some very accomplished and proven American Muslim leaders at the meeting.  I think we all left the meeting with an understanding that mending the rifts and divides within the American Muslim community will take time.  It is a challenging problem without a simple answer or solution.

Locally and simultaneously the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago has been and is working on building bridges and relationships between immigrant Muslims and African American Muslims in northern Illinois.  Amina Saeed, President of the Muslim Bar Association of Chicago, and Dr. Mikal Ramadan of the Taqwa Islamic Center (located on Chicago's southside) held a historic intrafaith iftar on September 9, 2009 at the Ephraim Bahar Cultural Center in Chicago, Illinois.

For more information about the event and to purchase tickets please click here.

The featured speakers are Imam Siraj Wahhaj, Amir of MANA and Imam Suhaib Webb, Resident Scholar of MCA in Santa Clara, CA.