Issues and Questions
By Dr Muzammil H. Siddiqi

Areas of Cooperation between the Muslims in America and the Muslim World

(Outline of lecture given at Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles to a mixed gathering of Muslims of America and Muslims from Saudi Arabia and other countries on July 18, 1998)
“Indeed the Believers are brothers... “ (al-Hujurat 49:10)
“Indeed this Ummah of yours is one Ummah and I am your Lord, so serve Me.” (al-Anbiya’ 21:92)
We are one Ummah, even though we live in different parts of the world.
The relations between the members of Ummah should be those of one body with care and love for each other.
1. The areas of cooperation between the Muslims in America and the Muslim world are many. We Muslims in America should not isolate ourselves, neither from other Americans nor from the Ummah. We are proud Muslims and we are proud Americans. We are part of America and we are contributing in the growth and development of this society, but we are also part of the Ummah and we must cooperate with the Muslim world.
2. We need each other. Muslims of America need the help and support of the Muslim world. Muslim world needs the cooperation and support of the Muslims of America.
3. Muslims of America have strong points as well as weak points. Our strong point is our uniqueness among all the Muslims of the world. We have a special position.
a. We are from different parts of the world. Muslims of America represent every race, color and language group. There are Arabs among them, there are Indians, Pakistanis, there are Africans, Europeans, Chinese etc. There are among them whites, blacks, brown and yellow. They are of many different backgrounds.
b. The Muslims of America are highly educated. They almost one hundred percent literate. Many of them are professionals, doctors, engineers, scientists, business people, educators etc. They are doing a lot for this country and they can do a lot for the Muslim world.
c. We are living in the most powerful country in the world today. They are living in a country that is known for its technological, economic and political strength and power.
But we also have our weak points. We are not yet a very established community. We are struggling to establish ourselves in this land. We do not have all the rights and recognition that we need and we deserve. We have to make this struggle and we shall inshallah succeed.
Although Muslims came to America, even before Columbus in the 13th century and with Columbus there were also some Muslim navigators. But until the beginning of this century Muslims remained in America as a very insignificant minority. The first Masjid was built in America in 1915. There are now over 2000 mosques and about 300 full-time Islamic schools, but about 80% of these mosques and schools were built only during the last 30 years. Since 1970 Muslims have become more visible.
There are more than 6 million Muslims in America. However, not being established, they are at risk of being lost, disintegrated. They may lose their Islamic identity. The most important thing that they need is help in their Islamic identity. Muslim world should not abandon us or ignore us. They must keep good relations with us and help us in maintaining our identity. We need:
a. Masajid: We do not have enough Masajid for us.
b. Islamic schools: Very few full time Islamic schools. Our children need good Islamic education and Islamic training.
c. Trained Imams who are knowledgeable about Islam and needs of our time.
d. Islamic literature and especially books for their children.
e. Scholarships for Islamic education in the Muslim countries. We need people with strong qualifications in Islamic sources and especially in the knowledge of Arabic language. Without good knowledge of Arabic there cannot be sound Islamic scholarship.
f. Exchange visit of scholars in conferences both here and in the Muslim world.
g. Visits of the Muslim youth to Muslim countries, especially at Hajj time or for ‘Umra.
4. Muslims of America on the other hand can help the Muslim world both here and in the Muslim world.
a. To the Muslim world, Muslims of America can provide the best minds in science, technology, education and medicine. They can help in the educational and technological development of the Muslim world.
b. Muslims of America can be the best spokesmen for Islamic issues and concerns in the Muslim world.
c. Help in the media and communication. They can make other Americans better aware of the Islam and the Muslim world.
d. Muslim world should invest with the Muslims of America and they can help better in the economic development of the Muslim world and can give better business to the Muslim world.
e. Muslims of America can be a better source of business for the Muslim world. Muslim world has billions of dollars in America; this money should be invested through the Muslims of America. They can provide better service and better returns
5. Our cooperation should be based on mutual respect of each and each others’ conditions. We should not unduly interfere in the internal affairs of the Muslim countries and we do not want the Muslim world to interfere unnecessarily in our affairs.
6. We respect the laws of this country and the laws of Muslim countries. What we do we must do in an Islamic and legal manner

- DrSiddiqi@aol.com

Editor: Akhtar M. Faruqui
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