Islam, Muslims, and the US

I am excited that Mr. Zaman recognizes the rapidly increasing significance of religion as a marker of identity among Muslims in the US. And, I must admit that I do not completely understand the complex and diverse reasons for the foregrounding of religion in identities of Muslims in America. But I feel that the post 9/11 policies of the US government, fear mongering by conservative media, have led to increased in-group solidarity and identification on the basis of religion.

Mr. Zaman, limits his analysis by viewing this situation in the binary – “melting pot” vs. “mosaic” (why not salad bowl).

I beg to differ but I have made simillar mistakes in past. I used metaphors of melting pot and mosaic writing about ethnic markets of North America in 1995.

I have always argued that identity is fluid and contextual. I am a Pakistani when someone in New York asks me ‘where are you from?’ When the same question is posed in Lahore, I am from Karachi. I am a ‘man’ when around women- I am a ‘straight man’ around gays and an ‘old man’ around young kids.

Talking about Indian writers in England, Salman Rushdie suggested these individuals who are neither completely English nor 100 percent Indians have “access to a second tradition.” And he argues that this tradition is one of cross-connections, not roots. He writes: “the cultural and political history of the phenomenon of migration, displacement, life in a minority group,” constitutes its own community “cross- and intraculturally.”

If we agree with Rushdie and locate ourselves in the “cross-connected” community and do not assign much value to the “roots”, it becomes much easier to grasp and respond to the post 9/11 identity crisis that has put many young men behind beard and young women behind veil.Recommend

This article is an abbreviated version of a longer article, The Aetiology of American Islamophobia, that provides links and references to citations.Recommend

islam is a religion that teaches moderate way of living. It has prohibited extremes. We must fight the Taliban to get the real picture of religion back and progress as a country. Living isolated will only take us ages back.Recommend

Brother Ibrahim Sajid Malick how are you? I really like what you have said, “I have always argued that identity is fluid and contextual. I am a Pakistani when someone in New York asks me ‘where are you from?’ When the same question is posed in Lahore, I am from Karachi. I am a ‘man’ when around women- I am a ‘straight man’ around gays and an ‘old man’ around young kids.”

I never thought about my ethnicity like this. When I am in Karachi I feel differently about my ethnicity and when I am in Peshawar it is different. If I get frozen over only one thing it is unfair to all other things that I am. A professor of history, son of a very a respectable parents, father of 3 beautiful daughters, husband of a great wife, a progressive thinker. I am a lot more than a “pathan.” Or a “Muslim.”

Thank you sir for clarifying this and giving me a new way to think about identity.Recommend

Do remind me the last time there was a slaughter of Ahmadis in the US? Or Shias? Or Christians? Maybe we should get our own house in order before we criticise others.Recommend

Thank you all for your comments. As usual, I am better educated for having read them.

By way of clarification, what I tried to write was a short history of how non-Muslims in America came to see Muslims negatively in the wake—not of 9/11, as is commonly thought—but of the 14-month Iranian hostage crisis (4 Nov 1979 – 20 Jan 1981, see original). It also tried to show how—not just what Muslims did but how—Americans think (about race and ideology) contributed to the development of their negative feelings about Muslims and Islam.

The intent was to highlight these facts that are neglected in the mainstream media. Clearly, the article provoked a number of important related and new thoughts, on three of which I comment further below.

Negative Perceptions of Muslims

All of us—Muslims included—need to live “good” lives; but not just to improve our image, but because this is an aspiration common to all human beings. Despite our best efforts however these negative perception will be sustained, if only to conduct this war. As a reformed veteran of the U.S. war on Iraq said six months ago: “Racism is a vital weapon employed by this government. It is a more important weapon than a rifle, a tank, a bomber, or battleship. It is more destructive than an artillery shell, or a bunker buster, or a tomahawk missile.”

@Zainab — Muslims do need to rebuild a softer image. At the same time, however, we must recognize that this is far more important to (i) the Muslim diaspora (Muslims living in non-Muslim countries) and (ii) the Muslim “interlocutors” (Muslims who interact with Westerners, whether in servile, commercial, or resistant, modes), than it is to the bulk of the 1.5-2.0 billion—shall we call them “disengaged”—Muslims, who do not come into direct contact with Westerners. As for clearing “the doubts that exist in the hearts and minds of westerners” some of then arise from Muslim behaviour, but many also from deep-rooted racism and anti-Muslim bigotry [Caution: Link is to an Extremely Offensive Video], which will change only when changes internal to the Western imagination occur.

@Syed Nadir El-Edroos — I am not fully sure that I understand your comments, but I think you are saying that: (1) Muslims are losing the war of perceptions; and this is not only because of (2) non-Muslim control of media, wealth, and capital, but also because of (3) our failure to represent ourselves (to the non-Muslim powers) better. Subject to my comments above, I couldn’t agree more.

Moderation and Extremism; and Violence

There is a propaganda war that is going on—as a speaker at a military conference on “Af/Pak” in Tampa, FL observed 10 days ago: “The conventional battle space is as much a battle over narratives as over territory” (a themes underscored in numerous documents and public pronouncements). In this, words like Extremism, Violence, etc. are more powerful weapons than Rocket-Propelled Grenades, and should therefore be used after due reflection.

@Ali Hamdani — Obviously, we should be moderate and not extreme, but what does this mean in practice? When we have before us (1) good, (2) permissible, and (3) bad acts, should we be “moderate” in all three? Is someone who keeps all the fasts of Ramadhan, extreme? Is someone who steals only a little bit from a wallet full of money, being moderate? I may be wrong but it seems to me that we should be extreme in doing good, and in not doing evil; but moderate, in all permissible matters.

@Faraz — You express a widely held view (Muslims should quit violence in the name of religion) but whenever I hear this I am always left wondering whether this means that “Muslims should quit violence” or only “violence in the name of religion”? And should only Muslims quit violence, or others too—and should they do so even when under violent attack and/or occupation? And should we quit all violence—e.g. even if our country, community, home, family, or person, is attacked)—or only violence that takes place outside the framework of law and justice?

I hope we will agree that the problem is (extra-judicial) violence, and not the name in which it is carried out. Surely, we would also condemn violence on non-religious grounds—say of the nation (as when Israelis kill people to defend the security of Israel), ethnicity (as when Serbs kill Bosnians), or race (as when “white” men lynch “negroes”). In my view, all violence that is not sanctioned by law and judicial process, not just by Muslims but by any State or non-State group, is wrong.

Islam and Diaspora Muslim Identity

@Ibrahim Sajid Malick — You are absolutely right in pointing out the limitations of binary frameworks and, to add to your critique of what I wrote, the tendency of metaphors to mislead. My only excuse is that within the requirements of a 600 word article, not all mistakes can be avoided; and not all possibilities, considered!

You are too kind in attributing to me the recognition of “the rapidly increasing significance of religion as a marker of identity among Muslims in the US”—a new and important thought that is entirely your contribution. You have obviously given religion and identity—a large subject, deserving of separate treatment—considerable thought, and I agree with everything you have written. I feel however that you have more to say, and wish you would consider writing up your thoughts as an article for the Express Tribune, so we can all be educated.

These comments are offered in the spirit of informal reflections on the comments of the commentators. No disrespect is intended by the informal style, and there is certainly no desire to persuade or engage in debate.

With best regards.Recommend

Arshad Zaman Sahab,
Thank you very much for responding. You have done justice to the dialogue by clarifying your thoughts. I agree – 600 words are not sufficient to discuss this complex issue. But I am impressed with both; brevity and clarity of your thoughts.
Regards,
IbrahimRecommend

The problem is not Islam but Muslims – we have lost the desire to seek knowledge and skills and seem content with our ‘lot’ – this does not serve the future generations – its time we promoted full education and this especially in women

facebook.com/britpakRecommend

Quite informative article as I found some good information here. As far as my comments are concerned, I just want to say that there are problems within Islamic world, that is the reason we are being treated in a very harsh way, under the flag of human rights and terrorism.

I agree with my brother who said there are no problems in Islam (it is actually the cure for all problems), problem is with Muslims, and the American agenda is to modernize us. Thats what they are calling WIN in the battle in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now please anyone tell me, can they take away the Muslim Faith from all of us? It’s not possible, USA is on a suicide mission. Many Americans know this their Govt is not fair with them.

I just pray that Allah (SWT) for mercy on the mankind. Ameen!Recommend

Islam, Muslims, and the US – that makes the troika.Recommend

@Ibrahim Sajid Malick

I agree with you that it boils down to the question of identity for Muslims in America.Recommend

@ Marcello: I am not sure I understand why you find “in the Census, Pakistani is a race” to be a misleading statement. The wording on the form is:

9. What is Person 1′s race? Mark X one or more boxes.

The respondent then has several options (“boxes”) to choose from, including:

“Other Asian — Print race, for example, Hmong, Laotian, Thai, Pakistani, Cambodian, and so on.”

If “Pakistani” is an “example” of (an Asian) “race” on the Census form, then I don’t think it is misleading at all to say that in the Census Pakistani is a race. What else does “example” mean? (Can you say: “Print gender, for example, Male, Female, Greek, etc.”?)

For an image of the form and more comments on it, see “Pakistani” is Now a Race in America.

Kind regards.Recommend

….And the only form of licensed racism today in Pakistan is anti-Qa….Recommend

As a Muslim American I find this Op-ed intriguing in that what Dr. Zaman has so correctly made aware is that Muslims, and to be more specific Islam was not aware to the U.S. as who these people were and what this religion is about.

The first modern American observation of Islam and Muslims was the Iran hostage crisis. So, as a group Muslims and Islam hit the world stage negatively. We really have not attempted to change that negative look upon our religion until recently (post 9/11). We have come late to the game, but even though we are late in changing the view we want to portray to the world stage as Muslims there is an obligation to change this negative view. Not every American is unwilling to find the truth behind what Islam is truly about. In fact post 9/11 there have been more converts to Islam than previously.

I disagree with Dr. Zaman’s statement:

“This essential negritude of Muslims, and Islam, requires that Muslims re-construct Islam to accept the moral superiority of the white race, or they accept exile, or death.”

I don’t believe Muslims need to re-construct Islam to cater to the “superiority” of a race. If that were a necessity for Muslims to re-create their religion then so many non Muslims would not be rushing to learn more and embrace Islam. What is mandatory on part of Muslims who have practiced Islam through out their whole lives is to gain a better understanding of their religion. If a Muslim or any person in any religion blindly follows what someone tells them about their religion and does not seek it for themselves then they are essentially lemmings. This is often misconstrued as faith, and the concept of faith is more complex then just doing what someone has told you to do.

One of the first stories that we hear about the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) is his first encounter with the Angel Jibreal. The Prophet (S.A.W) was commanded to read. Essentially to learn and as Muslims to change this negative portrayal of who we are among the US and the world is by becoming knowledgeable in our own religion and spread what Islam is truly about to the rest of the world. We should not resign to accept exile or death.

In the US I believe this negative portrayal is being diminished among those who are in or are entering higher education in that students are actively seeking what Islam is about. The movement to change this negative portrayal of Islam is there but it is not going to grow unless as Muslims we gain a better, stronger grasp on our own religion.Recommend

This is a war of perceptions guess and this is what we need to fight. All Muslims are not terrorists but a few black sheep’s have ruined our image globally. A more liberal, rational and open approach will pave the way for future generations to be less effected by these perceptions.Recommend