Dispelling Misperceptions: Council on American-Islamic Relations hosts panel discussion in Kingwood

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) held a Women in Islam panel discussion at Lone Star College-Kingwood.
Six panelists convened Wednesday March 4, and took turns speaking about American society’s media-driven misconceptions concerning Muslim women and Islam in general.
Daniel Abdullah Hernandez, Imam of the Pearland Islamic Center and National spokesperson for Islam in Spanish, began the discussion by discrediting some of the errors in people’s understanding of Islam.
According to Hernandez, one of the most common fallacies is the belief that Muslim women are not granted autonomy.
“Islam dictates that women and men are spiritual equals,” explained Hernandez. “Both genders have an obligation to seek knowledge of God, of the world, and of their own interests.”
Another common misperception that some might have concerns the hijab – the traditional Muslim head-covering.
Despite public assumption, women are not forced to wear it. Moreover, the hijab is not as foreign of a concept as some Americans imagine. As a Muslim who converted from Catholicism, Hernandez is in the unique position of drawing parallels between both religions.
“Christianity has a similar link between God and veil,” Hernandez noted. “This can be seen in the garments worn by nuns.”
Mujidat Saaka, strategy and development consultant for various nonprofit organizations, expanded on Hernandez’s “unveiling” of the truth about Muslim women.
Saaka practices Islam, but like many American Muslims, she wears characteristic American attire. The stereotypical image of a Muslim – veils, abayas – represents only a fraction of Islam’s cultural diversity.
“Media has created a one dimensional portrayal of a multifaceted identity,” Saaka said. “In the city of Houston, over 90 different languages are spoken. That’s 90 different cultures in one city. So, how could it be possible that the second largest religion in the world has only one culture?”
Maryam Chambler, a post-graduate student at the University of Houston and member of many organizations including the Student Veterans of America, expounded upon why this narrow perception of Muslim women exists.
“Humanity has yet to evolve past bigotry,” Chambler said. “Recall public opinion of the Jewish community in Germany before World War II, or of African Americans post-emancipation, or of Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor. People have the need to stereotype and group, and Muslims are the new target group.
“Unfortunately, because of traditional garb like the hijab and abaya, Muslim women attract more attention and therefore more prejudice. The only way to end this prejudice is by spreading knowledge of culture.”
Shireen Jasser works at a UT Family Practice and focused her speech during the panel on the impact of discrimination on the mental health of Muslims in America.
According to Jasser, “since 9/11, Islamiphobia has become much more prevalent. The media tends to show Islam in an extremist light, making Muslims seem more prone to violence, or more likely to be terrorists.”
“Muslims are getting a lot of negative attention. We’re under surveillance due to unfair legislation like the Patriot Act which disproportionally targets American Muslims. Law enforcement focuses a lot on the Muslim community; going to homes, asking ‘what are you doing,’ or ‘where are you going.’ What’s tragic is that we don’t see a lot of religious communities having to deal with this, but American Muslims do.”
With all of the negativity surrounding the perception of Islam, many Muslims reportedly suffer from identity confusion. They have an unjustified sense of guilt derived from the allegedly inseparable bond between Islam and terrorism. Such stress has led to an increased number of depression and anxiety cases in the Muslim community.
“We need to challenge Islamiphobia,” stated Jasser. “An individual shouldn’t feel like they have to internalize the wrong-doings of another. You answer for the actions of one.”
Afshan Jilani is active in the Spring Interfaith Dialogue council which brings several religions together to promote unity in diversity. Jilani believes that helping society is more important than any one religion.
“The media fuels this culture of mistrust which is perpetuated by fear of the unknown,” explained Jilani. “And a myopic attitude leads to xenophobia. Interfaith work is so important because we are seeking commonalities. When you do that, you’ll find that they far outweigh our differences.”
Lauren Santerre shares Jiliani’s advocacy of interfaith programs. Santerre believes that the solution to the problem of prejudice is simply to learn how to be humans in a pluralistic society.
“Use your heart,” she advised. “And use your ears. Often, we’re too quick to talk and too slow to listen. People will tell you what they need either through what they say, and often what they don’t say. It’s important to educate yourself about others, but also about your own religion. People will want to know. We all have our spheres of influence, so give your resources: time, talents, and money.”
Organizations like CAIR are doing their part to break the cycle of xenophobia. Knowledge is the only way to accomplish this goal, so it is vital to seek and distribute information about America’s misrepresented minorities like women in Islam.
Credit to Melanie Feuk

Respectfully, Mr. President: American Muslims are not Afraid

Dear President Barack Obama,

You mentioned in a recent Los Angeles Times op-ed: “But we know that many Muslim Americans across our country are worried and afraid.” Gee, Mr. President, with all due respect, did any Muslim American leader tell you that most American Muslims, although concerned, are also patient, faithful, believe in the power of prayer, and have put our trust in our Lord?

You see Mr. President, to many of us, Islam is a religion; not a political ideology. And as such, there are numerous verses in our scripture and prophetic traditions that teach us how to deal with negative statements about Muslims and Islam. I'll just mention a couple:

    All that is with you is bound to come to an end, whereas that which is with God is everlasting. And most certainly shall We grant unto those who are patient in adversity their reward in accordance with the best that they ever did.” 16:96.

Here's one more:

    Endure, then, with patience (all that they who deny the truth may say] -always remembering that it is none but God who gives thee the strength to endure adversity and do not grieve over them, and neither be distressed by the false arguments which they devise.” 16:27.

So you see Mr. President, some American Muslims simply do not have the time to sit around being afraid and worried about anti-Muslim sentiment. Our faith and trust in the Lord keeps us calm.

Some of us are more concerned about health care, unemployment, paying our bills, and getting our children through college than we are about who praises or criticizes Muslims.  Don't get me wrong Mr. President, this doesn't mean we are not concerned about the rising anti-Muslim rhetoric. However, that's not the only thing that we are concerned about. Some of us are concerned about the erosion of free speech in this great country of ours. Some of us are concerned that there are American Muslim leaders who fraudulently claim to speak for all of us when, in fact, they do not and cannot speak for us all.

Some American Muslims believe that in the United States of America people have the right to like or dislike whoever or whatever they want, as long as they do not resort to violence or break the law. In fact, Mr. President, American Muslims believe that our right to live as Muslims and to love Islam is connected to the right of others not to be Muslim and to dislike, even hate, Islam. American Muslims are not a tribe, we don't have tribal chiefs imbued with the authority to tell all of us what to think, what to like or not like, how to feel, or what to fear.

If you really want to know who American Muslims are, Mr. President, you might want to ask around a little bit more, and not rely on a few Muslim political organizations. By the way, we didn't elect those guys to represent us in the first place. We did elect you to be our President, and I at least expect you to dig a little deeper before you ask our entire country to give American Muslims a special pass that other groups who have endured negative criticisms of their faith did not have.  Some American Muslims prefer not to be held hostage by fear and anxiety about things that we do not control. Only God has full control over what is in people's hearts. Our time is better spent believing and trusting in Him and calling ourselves into account, before the Day comes when we are called into account.

You know Mr. President, I clearly remember when the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated. I was a fourth grader at Francis D. Pastorious Elementary School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We were all instructed to go outside, stand in full assembly, and sing “We Shall Overcome.” The second chorus was, “We are not afraid.” I wasn't afraid then, and I sure as heck am not going to start being afraid now. It does not serve any noble purpose that Americans, Muslim or non-Muslim, live in a perpetual state of fear.

In the meantime I will defend, without violence, the right of any and every American, whether they like Islam, hate Islam, are ambivalent towards Islam, or are an adherent of Islam, to speak according to his or her own conscious and conviction, whether it be political, religious, satirical, or editorial. You can tell people who you want them to be, but you cannot tell them who they are and what to think. I believe that God will call every person into account on the Day of Judgment based upon who they are, not who they said they were, or who someone else thought they were. In the end, it is God who will decide who is right and who is wrong, and at that time nothing else will matter. I don't speak for all American Muslims, Mr. President. In fact, I don't believe anyone can – that's just my take on it, sir. If I can be of any additional service, please contact me. I'm sure you have my number.

Imam Luqman Ahmad