More than 14 years after 9/11 attacks –that spotlighted U.S. relations with the Muslim world like never before – Muslims in the United States generally find little understanding about their faith, culture and traditions among fellow Americans.
A conversation at Arlington’s Temple Rodef Shalom, which for years has worked with the McLean Islamic Center towards interfaith understanding and harmony, provided an opportunity to participants from the two institutions to explore some of the answers to issues of perception and reality.
Amy Schwartzman, senior Rabbi welcomed the gathering while past TRS president Sam Simon moderated the discourse that brought together American Muslims from diverse backgrounds including Muhammed Rafay Hassan, a Virginian board member of the McLean Islamic Center (MIC), Abdullah Baig, a 19-year-old student pursuing his degree in International Relations and Economics, and Sarah Cochran, a Foreign Policy specialist with experience in international conflict management focus on the Middle East and South Asia.
Sarah Cochran cited her own efforts at advancing understanding about Muslims, saying although they make up just 2 percent of the total U.S. population, Muslims must come forward, meet with members of other communities and take part in informed discussions. She said both the Muslim and Jewish communities in the United States have important roles toward promoting interfaith understanding as they live in a country that provides them religious freedom and other democratic rights.
“How Muslims and Jews interact, is going to reverberate,” she said, alluding to significance of interfaith relations towards resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East.
When a participant drew the panel’s attention to anti-Semitism prevalent in some parts of the world, she argued that everyone believing in peaceful coexistence should challenge such thinking.
Cochran, said she hardly has experienced any discrimination except on one odd occasion during a travel but added she understood how women wearing the hijab could be vulnerable to discriminatory treatment at public and work places.
Dr Maqsood Chaudhry, Director Department of Outreach and Interfaith, McLean Islamic Center, and Dr. Sultan Chaudhry from MIC, in their brief interventions referred to efforts towards addressing Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.
Dr. Maqsood Chaudhry with Senior Rabbi Amy Schwartzman, Rabbi Jeff Saxe, Senior Cantor Michael Shochet at a recent event Photo courtesy Dr. Chaudhry
Abdullah Baig apprised the gathering of his experience as a young man building coalitions of communities and said he also encountered some stereotypes, even the preposterous suggestion that Muslims were trying to take over America. He pointed out that “80 percent of the media” portrayed Muslims in negative light. He said American Muslims are high achievers but they are not known to much of America. For example, he said, there are more than 20,000 highly qualified Pakistani-American physicians serving in various states.
Both the Muslim and Jewish communities have to contribute to raising mutual understanding, he said. “(we have to pursue) coalition building, inclusivity, tolerance. We have to do it together.”
Muhammed Rafay Hassan, a native Virginian, said since he is a white person his fellow Americans are amazed at discovering that he has a Muslim name. “We have got to break down stereotypes,” he said, noting that some of the social issues like human rights violations particular to a region or society are also confused with Islam but actually that is not the case.
The discourse assumed greater importance in view of unprecedented political rhetoric against Muslims during the 2016 presidential election season following attacks in Paris and San Bernardino in California, expansion of ISIS from multiple theaters of Middle Eastern conflicts, and fierce ongoing ideological tensions between literalists and progressive voices of Muslim societies.
Panelists with Rabi Amy Schwardsman at Shalom
Photo: Views and News
A majority of Americans learns about Muslims through news on some terrorist attack on Western targets. President Barack Obama also noted this in a recent speech. That remains the case despite the fact that Islam has been part of America for centuries, and Muslims have built the country along with other communities. Historians say 3o percent of African slaves brought to America were Muslims.
The discourse drew participation of intellectuals from the communities with some candid questions and answers. For example, an international relations expert from the Jewish community said her community also has to do more to promote interfaith affinity. When a participant asked about practice of stoning people to death in some tribal parts of the Muslim world, the panelists and members of the McLean Islamic Center clarified that the Holy Qur’an does not allow anybody to take law into their hands. On the question of “Shariah Law” the Muslim participants and a Rabbi also noted that it is the supreme law of the land that takes precedence over other laws, that different communities might have in their societies of origin.
The dominant view emerging from the discourse appeared to be on building bridges through collective efforts: While American Muslims must step up to the task of fostering understanding about their faith and culture, messages of common affinity and convergences for peaceful coexistence also need to resonate through coalition of communities, constructive interfaith colloquiums, and more open and honest media presentations.
