Contra persisting anti-Shariah sentiments, 2011 survey findings show that mosques are a great source of good in their communities.
Hesham A. Hassaballa notes:
Among the survey’s findings: 63 percent of mosques conducted outreach activities in the past year, such as open houses for neighbors; 79 percent are involved in interfaith activities. Contrary to the perceptions of many, the overwhelming majority (70%) of Friday sermons are conducted in English.
The vast majority (88%) of American mosque leaders say domestic abuse should be addressed. A majority of mosque leaders (71%) agree that their mosque is working for social justice, and African American mosques are even more likely (87%) to be active in social justice. What’s more, mosques compare favorably to other houses of worship in terms of social services. Surveys show that only 26 percent of congregations of other faith traditions are involved in providing some type of health programming, as compared to 45 percent of mosques. Only 29 percent of other religious congregations are involved in community-organizing activities, while 47 percent of mosques are involved in these types of activities.
Wajahat Ali and Zahra Suratwala’s All-American: 45 American Men on Being Muslim, a compliation of essays, offers a closer up view of what it means to be both fully Muslim and American.
Hassaballa comments, “In the stories of Moghul and Moy, it comes out so very clearly how American these (and all the other) contributors are. In fact, these men are fully Muslim and fully American, and they feel no contradiction in being both. Indeed, some didn’t feel that way in the beginning, but in the end, they all come to that conclusion.”
As Amer Ahmad, Comptroller for the City of Chicago (my hometown), writes: “we [American Muslims] are made up of diverse, culturally-rich, and storied communities that are proud of our American heritage.” Jason Moy writes: “But for every nasty or disapproving look I received, I can think of a time when I was able to communicate to others the love I have for Islam. My colleagues knew of my faith and also realized that I was a normal dude who liked Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Lost, and video games.” Blogger and medical physicist Dr. Aziz Poonawalla remarks: “The simple truth is that America is the greatest Islamic country on the face of the earth, and as an American and a Muslim therefore I am doubly blessed.”
Perhaps these American Muslims have some reminders for the rest of us about how to be truly American:
A recent poll says that nearly 60 percent of Americans say they do not know a Muslim, and this lack of personal relationships that provide knowledge about Islam—along with a near-constant barrage of negative images and news coverage—has led to an increasingly negative feeling about Islam and Muslims. Yet, as co-editor of All-American Wajahat Ali writes in the introduction, “How do we get to know a people, really? Even in America, we often say, ‘Hey man, tell me your story.’ So, here are forty-five American Muslims telling their story.”
. . . but only if we listen.
August 31st, 2012 | 8:51 pm
It’s very interesting, to be sure. But I’m curious what a survey might show about how many followers of Mohammed (since, inexplicably, it seems to be verboten to use the term “Mohammedan” here on FT; what’s next, no more saying “Calvinist”?) believe that the murder of innocents can be legitimate in pursuit of religious or political objectives. What portion do and do not condemn honor killings? How many American followers of Mohammed think Israel ought to be eradicated? I wouldn’t say that because they self-describe as working for “social justice” (whatever that means), we can overlook the rest of what followers of Mohammed believe in regards to their interactions with others.
September 1st, 2012 | 7:08 pm
“The vast majority (88%) of American mosque leaders say domestic abuse should be addressed.”
So 12% either disagree or have no opinion. It’s not that this question is strongly worded. Addressed. I bet it’s “addressed” even in Iran. Of course, the Koran gives husbands license to beat their wives, so it’s addressed… in a manner unfavorable to the battered wives, but addressed nonetheless.
“The simple truth is that America is the greatest Islamic country on the face of the earth, and as an American and a Muslim therefore I am doubly blessed.”
Ah, so this gentleman counts himself lucky that he is not a Christian, a Jew or an atheist.
“and this lack of personal relationships that provide knowledge about Islam”
How would a personal relationship provide ‘knowledge about Islam’? Who here dwells on religion when talking with friends?
“along with a near-constant barrage of negative images and news coverage—”
Who created those ‘negative images’? Oh, of course, those dastardly news organizations… I dislike them for not hiding actions carried out by people of the Muslim religion.
“So, here are forty-five American Muslims telling their story”
Why should we only listen to Muslims hand-picked by an advocate intent on presenting Islam positively? Why not listen to the other ones?
And why only listen to Muslims when they are in the minority? Can’t we look at how followers of the religion of peace act when they are in the majority?
If you are curious, take a look: http://pewresearch.org/databank/dailynumber/?NumberID=1184
September 2nd, 2012 | 7:40 pm
Maximilian writes:
“Why should we only listen to Muslims hand-picked by an advocate intent on presenting Islam positively? Why not listen to the other ones?”
What “other ones”? If you mean by that pundits who only care to cast Islam in a negative light, why should I bother to attend to their words? It would be like listening attentively to the words of Strom Thurmond on African Americans or Ezra Pound on Jews — aside from perhaps providing a deeper understanding of an individual’s bigotry, a waste of my time.
September 3rd, 2012 | 5:57 pm
Benighted: What “other ones”?
Muslims other than the ones hand-picked by advocates to present a positive image of Islam. For examples, follow the link I posted.
Benighted: It would be like listening attentively to the words of Strom Thurmond on African Americans or Ezra Pound on Jews
Islam is not a race, it’s a belief system that should be open to criticism.
September 3rd, 2012 | 6:51 pm
Everywhere large numbers of Muslims live with Christians, Christians are attacked in the name of Islam. Do these Muslim Americans repudiate this violence – not just as a matter of strategy or contingent conditions but on principle? And if they do, how do they support this interpretation of Islam against the weight of history and most importantly against the weight of their fundamental texts?
I know and respect many Muslims. I do not fear them in the least. For them Islam equals religion equals obeying God and doing good to their fellow citizens. I ask myself if they have really taken Islam seriously or if they pick and choose what comports with their (admirable) thoughts about how they ought to live and their respectable middle class American values.
September 4th, 2012 | 2:09 am
Maximilian writes:
“Islam is not a race, it’s a belief system that should be open to criticism.”
Judaism isn’t a race, either. And Islam is more than just a system of belief.
In any case, there’s a big difference between making criticisms of a system of belief and vilifying it: the difference between being a critic and being a fanatic.
September 4th, 2012 | 9:52 am
Benighted: Judaism isn’t a race, either.
Jewishness is a race. Hitler did not target religious Jews, he targeted the Jewish race. It did not matter if you were a convert to Christianity, you were still victimized. Nearly all anti-Semites (Semite is a reference to race and not religion) target Jews for their race, and not their religion.
Anti-Semitism is racism, and is thus never legitimate. The Jewish religion, of course, should be open to criticism, like any other religion.
Benighted: And Islam is more than just a system of belief.
Yes, it’s politics, too, because Islam has no separation of mosque and state. See the link I posted.
Benighted: In any case, there’s a big difference between making criticisms of a system of belief and vilifying it:
And yet any criticism is labeled vilification. Not even criticism, simply stating the truth about Islam is labeled vilification. You can’t win with political correctness.
September 4th, 2012 | 1:39 pm
Maximilian,
I find your use (as proof) of the obscene, yet farcical, Nazi “Rassenhygiene” definition of Judiasm as a race to be both puzzling and offensive. You can’t be serious.
As for Islam being more than just a system of belief, scholars (not bigots) such as Bernard Lewis and the late Samuel Huntington go so far as to call it a civilization. And they did so/do so in such a critical fashion that other scholars, such as Edward Said, scolded them for representing Islam in (what they argued) was too negative and unrealistic a light. And yet Lewis’ and Huntingtons’ books and articles were published, and their criticisms of Islam were heard in a public forum. So much for the power of “PC.”
Of course, bigots and fanatics are always concerned with “the truth about (fill in the blank).” Invariably, for a bigot the truth is almost always negative — even if “positive,” it still manages to reflect badly on the targeted group. All evidence confirms their initial bias. You can’t win with them.
September 4th, 2012 | 6:31 pm
Benighted: I find your use (as proof) of the obscene, yet farcical, Nazi “Rassenhygiene” definition of Judiasm as a race to be both puzzling and offensive. You can’t be serious.
Then you admit that the Nazis targeted Jews not for their religion, but for their race. The same is true for most people who hate “Jews”. The same is true for people who call themselves “Jews”, even though they do not even believe in a god. Are they puzzling and offensive too?
Benighted: And yet Lewis’ and Huntingtons’ books and articles were published, and their criticisms of Islam were heard in a public forum. So much for the power of “PC.”
I have many of Lewis’ books, and not once have I read any “criticism” of Islam. You may not like the representation of Islam, but that’s different from it being actual criticism. And you completely failed to address the fact that several Danish cartoons lead to murderous mobs torching embassies and kidnapping any Scandinavian, while the politically correct sit on the sideline and attack cartoonists as ‘disrespectful’ and ‘offensive’.
Benighted: Of course, bigots and fanatics are always concerned with “the truth about (fill in the blank).”
Pointing out that Muhammad married a 6-year-old girl when he was 54 and committed an unspeakable act when she was 9 comes straight from multiple, credible and canonical Islamic sources – and yet pointing out this verifiable fact leads the politically correct to attack one as ‘offensive’ and ‘disrespectful’.
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