Fort Hood Tragedy and the Aulaki Angle
By Dr. Abidullah Ghazi
Chicago , IL
Major Nidal Hasan’s brutal murder of thirteen of his colleagues and serious injury to many others at Fort Hood on November 5 is a censorious and atrocious act by any standard. However, it is all the more so given that he was an army officer, one whose honor-bound duty was to defend his country, all of its citizens and to stand up for the lives and reputations of his fellow soldiers.
As a medical doctor Major Hasan was trained to relieve the pain and suffering of others, and as a Muslim he had to live up to the commitment, promises and demands of his faith in fulfilling his duties. In all three dimensions of his responsibility he failed utterly. He survived his rampage and when he recovers, we would hope to learn of his motivations for this dastardly crime. As Muslim Americans, we pray that - his understanding of or misunderstanding - Islam is not among them.
We have heard through the news that Major Hasan was stressed out about his upcoming tour of duty in Afghanistan, or perhaps, as some reports suggest, he was influenced by extremist ideologues. In any case and for any reason this act is neither justified nor could be condoned. Unfortunately, our land is filled with violent crimes and ruinous scandals. The religion of the people who commit these crimes is not mentioned and the faith community they belong to is not maligned. Mason, John Gassy, Jim Johns, Timothy McVeigh and scores others committed crimes, whether individually or with religious motives, but are looked by media and columnist as individual acts with no relation to their religious identities. In most such crimes very often there is one reason of insanity; it was this reason that murderous attacker on President Regan and his entourage was set free. I am not asking of a benefit of doubt, but could it be possible that his tensions had him take over doze of sedative which made him lose his mind? That his action does not in any way represent the message of Islam, ethos of the Muslim world and his American Muslim community, which loves this country and is contributing for the welfare of all its inhabitants.
Unfortunately in case of Muslims some sections of vocal media and Islamophobes go out of the way to impute Islamic motives for any crime committed by a Muslim for whatever reason, and do not hesitate to cast suspicions on the entire community to make it a vicarious guilt that must be shred by the entire community. It is reported that Major Hasan said Allahu Akbar before his brutal act, it is also becoming known that he was in touch with the extremist American born Yemeni Imam Aulaqi and he offered his regular prayer in a masjid, all these appear prima face a reason of his act being called “ Islamic terrorism,” posing new security risks to this country from “Islamic Terrorists” abroad and its own Muslim community.
Imam Aulaki unfortunately has come out from his hiding in Yemen, to support this heinous act declaring Hasan an Islamic hero and condemning American Muslims who disassociated the community from this act and condemned it openly as hypocrites. We do not know how much impact Alkali’s remarks would have on impressionable minds worldwide. However, it is a fact the overwhelming Muslim population of the world and majority of this country regards American wars against Iraq and Afghanistan and its policies on Israel-Palestine as injurious to its own larger interests.
The disenchantment to American policies does not mean an act of terrorism but it does provide the terrorism fertile ground for its innocent recruits who are indoctrinated to committed crimes for lure of money or a place in paradise. Terrorism, however heinous it may be, is an ideology and needs a fight on both grounds, ideological, political and military. President Obama has shown starting from his election campaign to immediate actions that he understands all the three dimensions and is active on all of them. For our policies that went so wrong for such along time, it would take time to put them on track and it would need at the home from rebooting our minds for a new vision and fresh plans of actions.
As the President is persistently pursuing various fresh approaches in our international and national arenas, we must have patience to see the final outcome. He is now evaluating various options in Afghanistan and taken initiatives on other areas of conflict he will arrive at a just way to resolve these issues that alienated us from the Muslim world and are proving divisive for our own society. Our best export, I suggested to President Obama through a proposal, is our educational system and not armed action. It is time when we change our priorities from overseas adventures to overseas and at home investments in education and social programs.
We hear every day on the news the great stress our army is having in fighting a war that at least, sufficient number of them and majority at home does not subscribe to its objectives. There is an alarming rate of suicide among veterans and major problems in the adjustment to normal life. There are stories of their neglect and psychological problems after their arrival and each week we have calls from charities taking care of the veterans of previous wars.
The Muslim community of North America is as diverse as America itself is. It is highly educated and professional. It is not surprising that many youth of this community are proudly serving their country in the army, and this country appreciates their services and provides for them, as it does for all faith, opportunities to freely profess and practice their religion. As the citizen of this country Muslims share equal responsibility for its defense and several thousand Muslims are serving the army with honor. The issue of Muslims serving in the American army, police or intelligence is no different from their serving in any other profession. In fact, each sector of economy and profession works to support the other; the army, intelligence and police provide us security and, defense of our freedoms and is important part of the whole which holds the fabric of the society together. The Muslims of America are part of a pluralistic, secular and democratic society, which offers them equal rights and opportunities, which unfortunately, most Muslim societies do not offer to their citizens.
Many Muslims are trying to live in the past that no longer exists and could not be reconstructed. Such hopes are ending in frustrations. We must recognize and accept that the world paradigm has changed radically. The Holy Roman Empire and Islamic Khilafah is part of history and the colonialism has yielded its power to nationalism and sovereign states. Muslim Ummah is today a religious description and not national identification. Muslim Ummah is extremely diverse, globally dispersed with no central authority. Islam is the religion of a majority in 57 states and a minority in almost every state of the world. Each independent state has its own policies and concerns with national interest. The situation of each Muslim minority widely differs one from the other and each must accept to adjust its place in respective society. Both Pan-Islamism and confrontation with majority or the government is detrimental for the minority existence of the community.
The Fatwa of Imam Aulaqi applauding Major Hasan’s act as heroic and asking American Muslims to follow his irresponsible opinions is utterly irresponsible and tantamount to asking American Muslims to commit suicide or leave America and go to another safe haven. He does not suggest that what were the safe places where he sees Islam more secure and prospering than in America. For American Muslims, this is our country, our safe haven and we have no intention to abandon it and we are resolved to serve it sincerely.
It is the responsibility of our ulama (scholars) to refute such ideologies that emanate from extremists who have no religious authority and no humanistic impulse. We are living in a country where we have rights and we know how to use our freedoms. We American Muslims are much wiser and far sighted; we cannot condone a criminal act of any of its members, or the provocations of any extremists. America is our homeland: we shall defend it and serve it to the best of our ability and let all Americans see through our actions the true face of our religion and noble tradition.
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