Muslims Can
Change Negative Views with Deeds
By Hasan Zillur Rahim
New America Media
Americans know more about Islam
than ever before -- and they don’t like
what they see.
A new CBS News poll conducted in early April suggests
that 45 percent of Americans hold negative views
of Islam, compared to 33 percent in the tense
aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. A Washington Post-ABC
News poll in March also showed a growing number
of Americans (46 percent) expressing unfavorable
opinions of Islam.
The situation has become so bleak that Muslim
religious leaders sought the help of a Nobel Laureate
to stem this rising tide of negativity. The Dalai
Lama, 71, led leaders from Buddhism, Christianity,
Judaism, Islam and Native American traditions
at “A Gathering of Hearts Illuminating Compassion”
conference in San Francisco recently. The leaders
appealed to Americans not to equate Islam with
terrorism.
What makes these polls so scary for Muslims is
that the queried Americans confirmed that they
were better informed about Islam now than they
were five years ago.
In other words, despite all the mosque open houses,
outreach and interfaith programs, books and articles
on Islam, the idea that increased knowledge will
lead to greater tolerance toward Islam and Muslims
has become more elusive than ever.
Is there a contradiction here? Not really, if
you think about it.
Consider the situation from the point of view
of an average American.
During the week of April 10-16 alone (a remarkable
convergence of Passover, Easter and the Prophet
Muhammad’s birthday), the average American
learned that Zacarias Moussaoui, the Al Qaeda
terrorist, had “no regrets, no remorse”
for the nearly 3,000 people killed on Sept. 11,
2001.
There is the consistent horror of Sunnis and Shias
dismembering each other in Iraq and Pakistan,
always when the gathering is large, as during
the Friday congregational prayers.
There is also the daily genocide that the Muslim
janjaweed militia wages against the indigenous
tribes of Darfur, Sudan, most of whom are also
Muslims but of darker skins.
Yes, most Muslims are as outraged by these horrors
as the average American in question. But isn’t
it too much to expect that this typical American
will continue to be reassured by our words (the
fanatics are not of us and we are not of them,
and besides, every faith has its fanatics) while
the horrific deeds continue unabated?
He sees what Muslims are doing to Muslims, how
some of them are spewing murderous hatred for
the West, and while he may hold his own country
responsible for the catastrophe in Iraq, it does
not diminish his growing conviction that Muslims
are disproportionately prone to violence. Talk
of peace and harmony can only go so far; he is
more persuaded by the grim reality on the ground.
In the same week, however, quiet (and recurring)
events of different sorts were taking place throughout
America, far removed from the gaze of the mainstream
media.
In a crime-infested neighborhood in East Oakland,
Calif., for example, two Muslims stand at a street
corner, giving out free popcorn and cotton candy
to passersby. Their only goal is to spread some
cheer and hope to their downtrodden neighbors.
With help from their activist friends from the
nearby mosque Masjid Al-Islam, they host year-round
soup kitchens for the poor and the hungry.
We also learn that Habibe Husain, founder of Rahima
Foundation, has received the Human Relations award
of California’s Santa Clara County. Her
organization distributes clothes, food and other
necessities to the less fortunate residents of
Silicon Valley and adjoining areas since 1993.
In cities such as Sacramento, New York, Philadelphia,
Chicago, Detroit, Tampa Bay and Atlanta, local
Muslim doctors provide poor and uninsured residents
with free medical care. And through organizations
like Habitat for Humanity, Muslims also volunteer
their time and skills to build homes for the homeless.
Is our average American aware of these “events?”
Perhaps not. There is no requirement that he should
be, unless he is a beneficiary himself. After
all, we Muslims providing humanitarian services
are doing so not to enhance our standing in the
polls, but as a religious calling to help the
less fortunate.
But these acts do teach us an important lesson.
While it is undeniable that there is a need to
educate Americans about Islam and Muslims, perhaps
our efforts will go further if more of us engaged
in deeds rather than words.
Just as a picture is worth a thousand words, an
act of charity is worth a thousand sermons. So
here’s a humble suggestion to my fellow
American Muslims: Let’s cut down on the
number of seminars and conferences at our local
mosques by about half, and replace them with charitable
acts that help the homeless, the needy and the
destitute. That will require more effort than
writing a check or listening to an Imam expound
on the same tired topic. But in the end, it will
make us better Muslims.
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