[Author's note: This article is adapted from the author's recent talk at the Woodlands Islamic Center, Woodlands (greater Houston), USA on April 30, 2011. Although it addresses a problem facing the American Muslims in particular, the substance of the issue discussed applies equally to all Muslims in the Diaspora, especially in the Western countries.]
The American Muslims are currently going through what one could characterize as a critical, trying time. It’s a great irony that today, they find themselves trapped in a very delicate situation due to home-grown terrorism that has involved “Muslims” in name. Such “Muslims” are a microscopic minority of extremists – examples: Nidal Hasan, Faisal Shahzad and their likes. Nidal Hasan is an American-born Army Major of Palestinian descent who is shortly to undergo trial, having been accused of killing more than a dozen soldiers and injuring dozens more at the Fort Hood army base. Pakistani-born Faisal Shahzad is serving a life in prison term for attempting a car-bomb attack at the New York Times Square. They are self-declared, self-righteous, so-called jihadists or soldiers of God who are influenced by the fundamentalist, fanatic, and militant ideas of some Muslim writers like Sayyid Qutb of Egypt and Maulana Mawdudi of Pakistan. Other extremists include American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki now probably holed up in Yemen, five American Muslim students who were recently arrested in Pakistan for contacting al Qaeda via the Internet and for trying to join a Pakistani militant-training camp and one Saudi student of Texas who was recently caught buying explosive chemicals online. They are a handful of indoctrinated Muslims who would not hesitate to even kill themselves to take innocent lives. This new development is a matter of serious concern to all Americans, and in particular to Muslim Americans. The critical question they face is: How do they deal with this situation?
Islam’s image – also American Muslims' image – is being tarnished by the activities of these violent extremists. American Muslims have become a victim of their activities – they are being singled out for a close watch. Concerns are being voiced in some quarters that American mosques are the breeding ground of radical "Islamists" and that the Muslim community here does not co-operate well with the law enforcement agencies. Worth mentioning in this context are the hearings being conducted by the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King, which were begun in March 2011. There have been a lot of criticism of, and protests against, these hearings by both Muslim and non-Muslim activists and civil rights groups. The first Muslim Congress Representative Keith Ellison who testified at the hearings called the Committee’s approach “contrary to the best of American values.” He broke down in tears talking of a Muslim paramedic killed in the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. The potential backlash American Muslims face is being exacerbated by continued acts of violence and terrorism perpetrated by Muslim extremists overseas – in other non-Muslim and Muslim countries. A 2007 Newsweek article remarked, “American Muslims are vulnerable as never before.” This remark is all the more apt today.
The Obama administration has sought to reassure Muslim Americans. Deputy Security Adviser Denis McDonough in a recent speech at an interfaith gathering in a Virginia mosque has echoed what American Muslims themselves would have liked to say. He has said that violence and extremism are not unique to any one faith. Muslim Americans are not part of the terrorism problem facing the U.S. – they are part of the solution. "Being religious is never un-American. Being religious is quintessentially American," he said. The administration has tried to strike a balance on the thorny issue, working to go after home-grown “Islamic” extremists without appearing to be at war with Islam and the Muslim world.
What are American Muslims – the silent peaceful majority – to do in this situation? More than ever, they need to be well aware of their duties as Americans, while not forgetting their roots as Muslims. They have a role to play as Americans – they need to become part of an integrated American society. The onerous responsibilities that devolve on them involve a multi-pronged strategy of action on their part:
Ø they themselves need to be peaceful and tolerant enough;
Ø they need to propagate and disseminate the peaceful and tolerant message of our religion, wherever it is necessary and appropriate;
Ø they need to remain vigilant about, and identify, extremist elements in their midst and confront them appropriately; and
Ø they need to co-operate well with the law-enforcement agencies.
What is the traditional background of ours as Muslims? It is unfortunate though, but we have inherited and developed a culture of intolerance and violence that has a long history starting soon after the death of our beloved Prophet. It is unfortunate that our Islamic history is riddled with stories of conspiracy, conflict, and bloodshed. Three of of the four close companions of the Prophet who became Caliphs after him were murdered. A grandson of the Prophet was brutally killed. Now we have to come out of that culture. We have to shun any form of intolerance and violence. We should not be oblivious of the fact that our religion does not really promote violent extremism and terrorism. Far from encouraging intolerance and violence, the Quran clearly advocates peace, tolerance, and peaceful and compassionate co-existence. The Quran emphatically proclaims: there's no room for force or coercion in religion – la ikraha fi-ddin (2:256). Our Prophet was strongly urged to avoid, and he avoided, any force or compulsion in religion (10:99; 50:45; see also related verses 88:21-22). He was urged to say to the disbelievers: To you your religion, to me my religion – lakum dinukum walia din (109:6). Hence, American Muslims have to be moderate or tolerant enough. Indeed they need to revisit the tolerance issue in a whole new light. How should do they judge whether they are tolerant enough? There could be several tests or criteria.
1. They must first see if they are good enough to their own people, to their close relatives, to their own spouses. Charity begins at home. They must first look upon women with an eye of dignity, magnanimity, and equality. The Quran does not warrant us to treat them as inferior. The Quran says that women have rights over men similar to those of men over women (2:228). The Quran depicts the husband-wife relationship as one of love, compassion, and complementarity (30:21; 2:187; 9:71).
2. They must be tolerant to others’ views, to other communities. Charity, kindness and peace among communities are God-loved virtues (4:114). God urges us to engage in cooperative ventures for good work with other communities (3:64; 4:114; 5:2). The Quran urges us not to revile others’ gods, lest they should revile our God in ignorance (6:108). The Quran urges us not to deceive others (26:181-183) – not to make our oaths a device of deceit for others (16:94) – deceiving others rather amounts to deceiving one’s own self (2:9). God has strongly warned humankind against causing any injury or harm to others, and against any act of wrongdoing, corruption, or mischief in the land (7:56, 74; 13:25; 26:151-152, 181-183; 27:48-49; 47:22-23).
3. They should always remain vigilant about those who are intolerant amongst them. They should be courageous enough to raise a voice of protest against any hate speech, any intolerant utterances on the part of anyone amongst them against any community or against the State. They should not be tolerant only in one case, i.e., against intolerance. They should have zero tolerance against intolerance.
4. The Quran emphasizes a spiritual, humane, and intellectual practice on our part. Such a practice necessarily implies decent behavior on our part to fellow beings and citizens. Our religion also promotes human dignity, equality, and human rights, which include non-discrimination of sexes. These are consistent with American values, too, which are enshrined in the US constitution.
5. God does not like us to give others things that we ourselves do not like (2:267). That means that He wants us to be as good to others as we are to ourselves. He wants us to save a man rather than kill him – the Quran states that killing a person (without any just reason) is like killing the whole of humankind and saving a person is like saving the whole of humankind (5:32). In accordance with this spirit, we need to serve humanity to save them from any danger and disadvantage – from death, disease, injury, deprivation, ignorance, misery, poverty and hunger regardless of race, religion, sex, color, nationality, or any other like criteria.
6. American Muslims must be proud that they live in a country where there are full religious freedom, recognition of human dignity and human rights. In this context it is worth noting that parallel to the Peter King hearings, another series of hearings is being conducted by a Senate Judiciary Sub-committee chaired by Senator Dick Durbin and this is on whether any discrimination is being made against American Muslims in US communities, workplaces and schools. This kind of activity is imaginable and possible in a country like the United States. Ironically, it is Muslim countries where such freedoms and such concerns for human dignity and human rights are lacking. American Muslims are partaking of the affluence and amenities of this land. They cannot at the same time be hostile to this land. Being hostile will be hypocritical.
This does not mean that American Muslims cannot raise their voice and seek remedies, against any wrongs done to them (3:134; 5:45; 8:38; 16:126; 42:40). Also, this does not mean that they cannot criticize government policies. They have full rights as citizens to criticize the American administration on any policy issues they deem fit. But they cannot turn themselves into American enemies, cannot play into the hands of others fighting against it as jihadists, or commit acts of terrorism on the American soil or elsewhere.
The bottom line is: they need to become good men and women to become good Muslims.
Who is Really a Muslim?
Islam, of course, embraces many things. But what are the main things that would characterize a person as a Muslim? The very first thing we may note is that the words “Islam” and “Muslimun” or “Muslim” are derived from the same root letters Sin, Lam and Mim, which form the root word “Salama”, which means “peace, security, or safety.” Accordingly, a Muslim should be peaceful – one who provides security and safety, and one who could be fully trusted as a person in whose custody one can feel safe. “Salama” can also mean “surrender.” We surrender to God, Who in turn has an attribute or name “Salam.” Whichever way you look at it, a Muslim must be a peaceful person by definition.
Another, broader definition of a Muslim is implicit in a Quranic verse:
2:62 Surely, those who believe, and those who are Jews, and Christians, or Sabians (some Middle East groups traditionally recognized as having a monotheistic orientation), whoever believeth in God and the Last Day (or ultimate outcome), and doeth right deeds – surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them, nor shall they grieve. (See also 5:69)
This verse, which is found in two places in the Quran captures well the gist of what makes a Muslim. It is also an inclusive definition – it includes people of other communities. Some orthodox Muslims reject this verse claiming that it has been abrogated by other verses. But this is a preposterous claim! The Quran cautions us against partial rejection or acceptance of its verses (2:85).
The key things required for one to be a Muslim are:
Ø Belief in God and the Last Day (iwwam-al-akheri); and
Ø The doing of righteous deeds (amela saalehan).
The Quran provides a detailed account of what constitute righteous deeds.
A Muslim is a good and peaceful person by definition. It is righteous deeds that make him or her a good and peaceful person. The Quran asserts that a Muslim is the most civilized creature on earth (98:7). Righteous deeds involve many things. It is not simply the performance of some rituals that makes one good or civilized. The outward appearance of what we do with rituals can in fact be deceptive. Whatever rituals we do, they cannot be delinked from what other things we do in life. In fact God curses those worshipers who mistreat the orphans, do not encourage feeding or helping the poor and helpless and refuse aid or acts of kindness (107:2-7).
Being a Muslim also means that he or she should be helpful to others no matter whoever they are. Our Prophet gave refuge or asylum to pagans who sought such asylum even during wartime (9:6). He used to distribute charitable items even among the poor non-Muslims.
The Quran wants us to speak nicely to others (2:83; 31:19), argue decently with others (16:125; 29:46), greet others with an even better greeting, if possible (4:86), and to be duly polite and respectful to those who are worthy of respect (2:104; 4:46; 24;62-63; 33:56-57; 58:11; 49:1-5).
It is wrong to suggest that we have no obligation for doing justice to non-Muslims. The Quran requires Muslims to do justice even to those whom they hate (5:8, 2). It requires Muslims to be staunch in doing justice – to testify truly even against themselves and their parents and relatives, whether rich or poor (4:58, 135).
Muslims provide shelter and help to others in need (8:74). When they spend on the needy and for good causes, they are neither stingy nor extravagant (25:67). They keep their word (2:177; 3:17; 13:20; 16:91; 23:8; 33:23; etc.). They restore things entrusted with them to their owners (4:58). They are patient, and enjoin on one another truth and patience (25:75; 33:35; 103:3). They are humble (11:23; 23:2; 25:63; 33:35); they walk in the land with humility, and when the ignorant address them they say “Salam” or “Peace” (25:63); they turn away from the ignorant, or from their idle talks, saying “Salam” or “Peace” (28:55; 43:89). They are (are supposed to be) the most civilized people on the earth (98:7).