Will
the Recent Fatwa Refurbish Muslims’ Image
in the United States?
By Moin Moon Khan
Chicago, IL
The recently issued religious
edict “fatwa”* by numerous American
Islamic organizations may result in a far-reaching
impact, depending upon how passionately it is
implemented by them.
Since the 9/11 tragedy, several American Muslim
organizations have released denunciations against
violence in this form. However, the most significant
element of this document is the support from the
constellation of all the major Muslim organizations
* Fiqh Council of North America, Muslim American
Society, Council of Islamic Relations (CAIR),
Islamic Society of North America, and Muslim Public
Affairs Council as well as an endorsement from
the local Council of Islamic Organizations of
Greater Chicago.
By standing up against earlier fatwas issued by
Al Qaeda and their supporting outfits, American
Muslims are upstaging irresponsible rhetoric being
generated outside the United States. In the same
sprit, peace-loving American Muslims are developing
their own unique identity that will distinguish
them from Muslims growing up in Al Qaeda cells
elsewhere in the world. This declaration puts
American Muslims in direct confrontation against
radical Islamists.
Needless to say, immediately following 9/11, American
Muslims should have started this battle of rhetoric
and ideas. However, it is certainly appropriate
to say it is better to be late than never. But,
if this condemnation is purely a reaction to the
mainstream news media’s criticism that Muslims
have not been doing enough to oppose suicide bombings,
the effect of this fatwa will evaporate before
the next bombings takes place anywhere in North
America.
This pronouncement can work as an insurance contract
for American Muslims from any future backlash
only if they display their disdain against Islamic
terrorists as ferociously as Pakistan’s
President Pervaiz Musharraf has exhibited.
Like Musharraf, American Muslims have to wage
a spiritual battle against Al Qaeda and other
Islamic terrorist groups. On Fridays, sermons
of moderation should reverberate in all the mosques
of the United States.
The preaching against infidel, if any, must cease.
The culture of negativity needs to be challenged.
Seminars on the issue of tolerance, patriotism,
excellence, inspiration, and civic duties could
help enlighten local Muslims (particularly next
generation Muslims) and make them more vigilant
to any unscrupulous activities. Muslim organizations
can encourage their members to report to their
officers of any group that advocates hatred. Islamic
institutions could call FBI agents and find out
ways how to monitor such wrongful activities or
the institutions could develop their own internal
policing system. They can also partner with local
law enforcement agencies in order to avoid any
mistrust. Islamic centers can hold classes on
anger management, stress containment, and counseling
as they organize free health care diagnostics.
They can encourage their patrons to volunteer
for local PTAs, fire departments, Fourth of July
commissions, zoning boards, planning committees,
advisory councils, and numerous other civic organizations.
These activities can prove that there is no umbilical
cord between suicide bombers and American Muslims,
and can reinforce American Muslims’ claim
that they are doing whatever is necessary to do.
As a result, it could silence the islamophobic
elements of this country that are certainly fanning
hatred against Muslims and alienating a few Muslims
who are on the radical fringes. Furthermore, instead
of being on the receiving end (by the accusation
of being silent and soft against violence), American
Muslims can ask Muslim bashers: Are they hearing
what Muslims are saying?
In order to establish themselves as a positive
element in the United States, American Muslims
have to demonstrate their commitment to the safety
and security of this country of George Washington,
Albert Einstein, and Muhammad Ali is as solidly
as any US Marine’s. However, their loyalty
to this country (where their children were born
and some of their parents are buried) does not
result in naïve acceptance of all the US
foreign policy objectives and adventures that
are generating most of the anti-American sentiments
in the Muslims worldwide.
Indeed, there is a dilemma for the majority of
Muslims in accepting policies of unilateralism,
regime change, and continuous covert and overt,
as well as dejure and defacto occupations of Muslim
lands on one pretext or another as is happening
in Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Afghanistan,
Tajikistan, Chechnya, and Iraq. They believe this
is not a war of civilizations or cultures or religions,
but, undoubtedly, they perceive it a battle of
land, oil, and hegemony and not a benevolent attempt
to spread democracy.
But Muslims can also take comfort in the fact
that vast majorities of Americans, Britons, and
Spaniards as well as various other people of the
West do not support the occupation of Muslim lands.
They have overwhelmingly sympathized with Muslims’
frustration with the foreign policies of their
own Western governments. Major anti-war rallies
were held in these countries and not in the capitals
of the Muslim World where the so-called Islamic
governments suppress them as brutally as the coalition
forces that are allegedly wreaking havoc. In recent
parliamentary and presidential elections in Britain
and the United States, a vast majority of citizens
voted for candidates who opposed the Iraq invasion
despite the fact that there was a kind of consensus
on the Afghanistan incursion. Anti-war candidates
lost. But in democracies, people’s mandates
are respected. In the civilized world, bullets
do not change governments. The strategy of an
eye for an eye does not bring desired results
for anybody. It simply delays the truce and endangers
the peace process. Opposing public policies is
a legitimate democratic act, but killing innocent
people is immoral, illegitimate, and reprehensible.
Muslims can learn lessons from the people of other
faiths on how they have kept their image intact
despite setbacks. Admittedly, non-Muslims of the
West waged major fratricidal wars against each
other on numerous times in the last century that
notably include WWI, WWII and the Holocaust, Vietnam
and Korean wars, and Bosnian ethnic cleansing.
Atomic, chemical, and Hydrogen weapons were developed,
sold to others, and used on two cities of Japan
and numerous towns all over the world. Non-Muslims
colonized most of the world in the name of spreading
religion. It’s also true that despite these
cataclysmic events, their religions were not called
violent or demonized as it is happening with Muslims
and Islam.
However, in their defense, Christians and Jews
have also invented many medicines that we all
use to cure ourselves, developed machineries,
technologies, and vehicles, established the League
of Nations, United Nations, International Monetary
Fund, and European Union, made peace among themselves
and helped others to negotiate, created the Internet,
explored space, etc. Their academic and scientific
contributions are evident from the number of Nobel
prizes they have received. Among them were the
top inventors, innovators, discoverers, and pioneers
in the last two centuries. In combating AIDS,
TB, illiteracy, and recently at the time of Tsunami
disaster, they have outnumbered all other religions’
records.
Muslims, and particularly Muslims who are living
in the West, have to develop similar contrasting
levels of excellence and benevolence to downplay
the image of radical Islam. Most of the Muslim
population went into the 20th century nearly as
powerless as they were while entering the 21st
century. In the recent G-8 summit, there was not
a single Muslim seen on the stage. In the list
of 10 prominent industrial countries, no Muslim
nation’s name is appearing.
It is easy to get frustrated and disappointed,
resulting in radicalization. However, American
Muslims, who have tasted and reaped the benefits
of a peaceful pluralistic society, should work
tirelessly to help produce leaders like Mandela
and King. The peers of these men also thought
of violence as an alternative but these leaders
took a high moral ground. Similarly, the leadership
of the American Muslim community should rise to
the occasion.
(Moon Khan can be reached at moonkhan2020@gmail.com
Visit his website at www.friendsofmoonkhan.com)
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