A Memo to American Muslims ("EXCELLENT READ")

It is time that we acknowledge that the freedoms we enjoy in the US are more desirable to us than superficial solidarity with the Muslim World. If you disagree, then prove it by packing your bags and going to whichever Muslim country you identify with." In the wake of September 11, Dr. M. A. Muqtedar Khan calls for soul searching, reflection and reassessment among US Muslims.

In the name of Allah, the most Benevolent and the Most Merciful. May this memo find you in the shade of Islam enjoying the mercy, the protection and the grace of Allah.

I am writing this memo to you all with the explicit purpose of inviting you to lead the American Muslim community in soul searching, reflection and reassessment.

What happened on September 11th in New York and Washington DC will forever remain a horrible scar on the history of Islam and humanity. No matter how much we condemn it, and point to the Quran and the Sunnah to argue that Islam forbids the killing of innocent people, the fact remains that the perpetrators of this crime against humanity have indicated that their actions are sanctioned by Islamic values.

The fact that even now several Muslim scholars and thousands of Muslims defend the accused is indicative that not all Muslims believe that the attacks are unIslamic. This is truly sad.

Even if it were true that Israel and the US are enemies of the Muslim World, wonder what is preventing them from unleashing their nuclear arsenal against Muslims, a response that mercilessly murders thousands of innocent people, including hundreds of Muslims is absolutely indefensible. If anywhere in your hearts there is any sympathy or understanding with those who committed this act, I invite you to ask yourself this question, would Muhammad (pbuh) sanction such an act?

While encouraging Muslims to struggle against injustice (Al Quran 4:135), Allah also imposes strict rules of engagement. He says in unequivocal terms that to kill an innocent being is like killing entire humanity (Al Quran 5:32). He also encourages Muslims to forgive Jews and Christians if they have committed injustices against us (Al Quran 2:109, 3:159, 5:85).

Muslims, including American Muslims have been practicing hypocrisy on a grand scale. They protest against the discriminatory practices of Israel but are silent against the discriminatory practices in Muslim states. In the Gulf one can see how laws and even salaries are based on ethnic origin. This is racism, but we never hear of Muslims protesting against them at International fora.

The Israeli occupation of Palestine is perhaps central to Muslim grievance against the West. While acknowledging that, I must remind you that Israel treats its one million Arab citizens with greater respect and dignity than most Arab nations treat their citizens. Today Palestinian refugees can settle and become citizens of the United States but in spite of all the tall rhetoric of the Arab world and Quranic injunctions (24:22) no Muslim country except Jordan extends this support to them.

While we loudly and consistently condemn Israel for its ill treatment of Palestinians we are silent when Muslim regimes abuse the rights of Muslims and slaughter thousands of them. Remember Saddam and his use of chemical weapons against Muslims (Kurds)?. Remember Pakistani army’s excesses against Muslims (Bengalis)?. Remember the Mujahideen of Afghanistan and their mutual slaughter? Have we ever condemned them for their excesses? Have we demanded international intervention or retribution against them? Do you know how the Saudis treat their minority Shias? Have we protested the violation of their rights? But we all are eager to condemn Israel; not because we care for rights and lives of the Palestinians, we don’t. We condemn Israel because we hate “them".

Muslims love to live in the US but also love to hate it. Many openly claim that the US is a terrorist state but they continue to live in it. Their decision to live here is testimony that they would rather live here than anywhere else. As an Indian Muslim, I know for sure that nowhere on earth, including India, will I get the same sense of dignity and respect that I have received in the US. No Muslim country will treat me as well as the US has. If what happened on September 11th had happened in India, the biggest democracy, thousands of Muslims would have been slaughtered in riots on mere suspicion and there would be another slaughter after confirmation. But in the US, bigotry and xenophobia has been kept in check by media and leaders. In many places hundreds of Americans have gathered around Islamic centers in symbolic gestures of protection and embrace of American Muslims. In many cities Christian congregations have started wearing hijab to identify with fellow Muslim women. In patience and in tolerance ordinary Americans have demonstrated their extraordinary virtues.

It is time that we acknowledge that the freedoms we enjoy in the US are more desirable to us than superficial solidarity with the Muslim World. If you disagree than prove it by packing your bags and going to whichever Muslim country you identify with. If you do not leave and do not acknowledge that you would rather live here than anywhere else, know that you are being hypocritical.

It is time that we faced these hypocritical practices and struggled to transcend them. It is time that American Muslim leaders fought to purify their own lot.

For over a decade we have watched as Muslims in the name of Islam have committed violence against other Muslims and other peoples. We have always found a way to reconcile the vast distance between Islamic values and Muslim practices by pointing out to the injustices committed upon Muslims by others. The point however is this – our belief in Islam and commitment to Islamic values is not contingent on the moral conduct of the US or Israel. And as Muslims can we condone such inhuman and senseless waste of life in the name of Islam?

The biggest victims of hate filled politics as embodied in the actions of several Muslim militias all over the world are Muslims themselves. Hate is the extreme form of intolerance and when individuals and groups succumb to it they can do nothing constructive. Militias like the Taliban have allowed their hate for the West to override their obligation to pursue the welfare of their people and as a result of their actions not only have thousands of innocent people died in America, but thousands of people will die in the Muslim World.

Already, half a million Afghans have had to leave their homes and their country. The war has not yet begun. It will only get worst. Hamas and Islamic Jihad may kill a few Jews, women and children included, with their suicide bombs and temporarily satisfy their lust for Jewish blood, but thousands of Palestinians then pay the price for their actions.

The culture of hate and killing is tearing away at the moral fabric of the Muslim society. We are more focused on “the other” and have completely forgotten our duty to Allah. In pursuit of the inferior jihad we have sacrificed the superior jihad.

Islamic resurgence, the cherished ideals of which pursued the ultimate goal of a universally just and moral society has been hijacked by hate and call for murder and mayhem. If Bin Laden were an individual then we would have no problem. But unfortunately Bin Laden has become a phenomenon -- a cancer eating away at the morality of our youth, and undermining the spiritual health of our future.

Today the century old Islamic revival is in jeopardy because we have allowed insanity to prevail over our better judgment. Yes, the US has played a hand in the creation of Bin Laden and the Taliban, but it is we who have allowed them to grow and gain such a foothold. It is our duty to police our world. It is our responsibility to prevent people from abusing Islam. It is our job to ensure that Islam is not misrepresented. We should have made sure that what happened on Sept. 11th should never have happened.

It is time the leaders of the American Muslim community woke up and realized that there is more to life than competing with the American Jewish lobby for power over US foreign policy. Islam is not about defeating Jews or conquering Jerusalem. It is about mercy, about virtue, about sacrifice and about duty. Above all it is the pursuit of moral perfection. Nothing can be further away from moral perfection than the wanton slaughter of thousands of unsuspecting innocent people.

I hope that we will now rededicate our lives and our institutions to the search for harmony, peace and tolerance. Let us be prepared to suffer injustice rather than commit injustices. After all it is we who carry the divine burden of Islam and not others. We have to be morally better, more forgiving, more sacrificing than others, if we wish to convince the world about the truth of our message. We cannot even be equal to others in virtue, we must excel.

It is time for soul searching. How can the message of Muhammad (pbuh) who was sent as mercy to mankind become a source of horror and fear? How can Islam inspire thousands of youth to dedicate their lives to killing others? We are supposed to invite people to Islam not murder them.

The worst exhibition of Islam happened on our turf. We must take first responsibility to undo the evil it has manifest. This is our mandate, our burden and also our opportunity.

Muqtedar Khan, Ph.D. Director of International Studies, Adrian College, MI Association of Muslim Social Scientists Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy.

would Muhammad (pbuh) sanction such an act?

Most definitely, if Dr. Khan is referring to the Muhammad of the Quran. Since most Muslims are not encouraged to read the Quran on their own, they might not even know what Muhammad sanctioned. In fact, "sanctioned" is not a strong enough word. "Demanded" would be more accurate.

He says in unequivocal terms that to kill an innocent being is like killing entire humanity (Al Quran 5:32)

This text is repeatedly quoted by Muslim apologists as proof that Islam condemns the killing of innocents. Unfortunately, if the entire verse were quoted, along with the following verse 33, it would prove the opposite. Sura 5, Verse 32 and 33 read:

That was why We laid it down for the Israelites that whoever killed a human being, except as a punishment for murder or other villainy in the land, shall be looked upon as though he had killed all mankind; and that whoever saved a life shall be regarded as though he saved all mankind. Our apostles brought them veritable proofs; yet it was not long before many of them committed great evils in the land. Those that make war against God and His apostle and spread disorder shall be put to death or crucified or have their hands and feet cut off on alternate sides, or be banished from the country.

The supposedly noble sentiments of this verse are in fact a warning to Jews. ‘Behave, or else’ is the message. Far from condemning violence, this verse points out that anyone opposing the Prophet will be killed, crucified, mutilated, and banished.

Perhaps Dr. Khan is sincere in his admonition to Muslims, but as long as he bases his arguments on the barbaric example of Muhammad and verses of the Quran taken out of context, his arguments are hollow.

Glad to see you're not buying this load. This same character wrote an op/ed in the NYT about two months ago wherein he asked if his folks were muslims in America or muslim-Americans.

The thrust of the article was that muslims in America needed to rethink their strategies in post 911 America. Prior to that event, he writes, muslim intelectuals and leaders in America were actively discussing the best ways for turning the USA into a muslim society. It was as astonishing a verification of what many of us suspected as the DEM Memo was about their real agenda.

This article is but another bit of strategy.

How many muslim clerics/leaders in America have been indicted for channeling millions of dollars collected from their brothers here to the terror organizations? One guy in Brooklyn deposited $28 million of "community" money to hamas.

Anyone here give at the mosque?

Time & Peace & Contrition on the Part of the Perpetrators--LOTS of "Contrition,"--& a MASSIVE & UNMERCIFUL Military Retribution.

We SMASHED those who attacked us--& they STILL "know it."

Hiroshima--Nagasaki., & for the Germans--Dresden.

The "Bill" is Yet to be paid for 9/11--but it WILL be.

We are a Great & Honorable & Just Society--with PLENTY of Self-acknowleged Faults--surrounded by BARBARIANS.

We are NOT "meek."

We are--& we Know It--the Current Best Hope of Mankind.

We WILL NOT be destroyed by a cult of religious fanatics representing less than 1% of Humanity.

"Radical Islam" will be rendered irrelevant, or it will be annihilated (Nuclear Included); the "Islamic aberration" will NOT be allowed to divert Human Progress to the Stars.

Sorry Luis; I am NOT "Anti-Muslim;" I simply believe that ANY "anti-progress" group that interferes with our Destiny is inherently Evil.

"Willy-Nilly," we're "Going to the Stars--;" if we lose that "vision," we Involute, & Die.

Doc

"This article is but another bit of strategy."

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It may be, but I don't think it's the kind you imply.

I think there are sincere "moderate" Muslims, for lack of a better word, who want to modernize Islam, and slowly turn them away from the verbatim teachings in the Qu'ran and the fundamentalist uncompromising attitude. BUT they can't quite come out and say THAT to the Muslims, so they have to use a bit of "strategy", in convincing the Muslims that their religion IS the religion of peace.

This is President Bush's strategy as well.

Keep telling them that, while unmercifully getting rid of the terrorist types, and hope that the rest will slowly come to their senses, but you have to give them a way of saving face, so to speak. That's what this author is doing.

"The problem is that this muslim educator/writer/lecturer did in fact write that he and his peers hold conversion of America as their stated goal. They are just going about it differently. I will get you the exact quotes tomorrow."

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Yes, I would like to see them.

There is no doubt in my mind that SOME Muslims, maybe quite a few do want Islam world domination.

I just think that we should give a chance and support the few, who are trying to talks some sense into their fellow Muslims.

Global Caliphate. Putin warned against it. The PM of Singapore revealed captured documents in january that mapped out plans for a SE Asian regional Caliphate.

There are 1.2 billion muslims. If one tenth of one percent (0.01%) believe in the violent means of obtaining this then that means 1,200,000 suicide bombers. If only one percent buy it that 12,000,000.

The koran is very specific about the means to be used to subjegate. They differ in degree only in relation to the power muslims hold in any target nation. The level to be used in a country of kafirs (the US) is propaganda. Wanna take the risk?

OK, thats 1. Do I hear 2? Where's Mr. 2?

Good article, but a voice in a massive 1.5 billion wilderness. Islam is like any other religion. I can be interpreted many ways. They quote peace and kindness, and murder women and children. Who condems it? 1 man? No Christian took up for Jim Jones. It wasn't Christian. Was Tim Mcveigh reconciling the Waco massacre? I didn't agree with anything Koresh did, but as long as it was peacefull, I can't say anything about it until he calls himself a Christian. Then I can take exception. I wouldn't shoot and burn them out however, anymore than I can bomb a Mosque because I disagree. Jim Jones and Koresh were condemed by every credible Christian leader immeadiatly so their actions wouldn't soil the name of Chrisianity. This is the 1st Muslim I've heard of say anything( and it was cogent and sharp)that questioned the psychopathic murderers among them. If they don't or won't disavow Bin Laden or Hezbolah, et al, then our relationship can only get worse. Another PR war they are loosing is the fact that everywhere they go, they de-evolve to about the 12th century. Most people that taste civilization, don't aim to go back to the stone age. Afgahn women should be radical enough themselves to take over their own country if they ever see it doesn't have to be as it was. Most of their men are dead or cripple now. A militia with big sticks should keep the Taliban in line. Get those burkah's off so you can get a wider swing.

This confession was a good first step, but their MUST BE MANY MORE! If the majority is like Bin Laden and not this man, conflict will escalate, and we have nothing to talk about. You can't burn our flag and spit on America and convince people you are their friend. Their must be dialog, and I hear silence.

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