ROAD AHEAD FOR MUSLIMS IN AMERICATAKE THE HIGH MORAL GROUND

"You will certainly hear much abuse from the followers of previous books and from the idol-worshipping people. And if you are patient and keep your duty -- this is surely a matter of great resolution." (3:186)

There is general lack of understanding about Islam

Violent attacks against people just because they are Muslims or “look” like Muslims;

Inflammatory rhetoric in our national dialogue

State legislatures’ unnecessary and discriminatory proposals to ban the consideration of Shari'ah, Islamic religious law, in courts

Local debates over whether the construction of mosques should be permitted.

In 2010 alone, nearly 800 anti-Muslim discrimination charges were filed with the equal employment opportunity Commission.

Many cases resulted from employers and schools failing to reasonably accommodate the needs of employees and students,

This included the freedom to wear head coverings and to take time off for religious observances

In 2010, Florida pastor Terry Jones made worldwide news when he announced his plan to publicly burn the Qu’ran.

While voices of reason succeeded in convincing Jones to forgo that hateful initiative,

He went ahead in March 2011, overseeing a “trial” of the Quran at which the Muslim holy book was found “guilty” of crimes and then burned.

Although a legal exercise of free expression, such a heinous act is offensive to people of all faiths around the world and against the American values of religious freedom and pluralism.

In March of 2010, Rep. Peter King (R-NY.) Committee on homeland Security held hearing focusing on the so-called “radicalization of the American Muslim community,” misguidedly tarring an entire community with the charges of radicalization.

Continued stereotyping of Muslims added to the prejudice towards Muslims

The second hearing, held by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) focused on protecting the civil rights of American Muslims.

Though the tone of this hearing was more positive, it is unfortunate that such a hearing was necessary in the first place.

Some politicians have claimed that Islam is a political system, not a religion, and thus not protected by the First Amendment.

They have threatened to "arrest every Muslim that comes across the state line" and pledged to bar Muslim refugees from the country.

They have sanctioned spying on mosques without warrants and the racial profiling of Muslim communities.

They have accused Muslims of launching a "civilizational jihad" and called Islam a "cancer in our nation that needs to be cut out."

They have shut down schools over lessons on Islam and called innocuous school materials dangerous propaganda.

More than 30 states have considered bills to "protect" their civil courts from Islamic law, and nine states (Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Dakota and Tennessee) enacted the bans.

They have said Muslims cannot be president of the United States.

They have said Muslims should not be here at all.

Ignorance

Unfounded fears

Unfounded threat

Hatred

Anger

Animosity

Those who have exposure to information and knowledge are silenced by bullies

Self interest and timidity leads to silence of the knowledgeable

REPEL EVIL WITH GOODNESS

"Many of the followers of previous books wish that they could turn you back into disbelievers after you have believed, but you should pardon and forgive." (2:109)

”

Bear patiently what they say." (20:130 and 50:39)

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Obey not the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and disregard their hurtful talk." (33:48)

Those who spend freely whether in prosperity or adversity and who restrain anger and pardon (all) men for Allah loves those who do good."

(Aal-e-Imran,3:134)

"Let them forgive and overlook, do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? For Allah is oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful". (Noor, 24:22)

"The Muslim who mixes with the people and bears patiently their hurtful words, is better than one who does not mix with people and does not show patience under their abuse." (Mishkat, Book: Ethics, ch. 'Gentleness, modesty and good behavior')

The Prophet said that: “Whoever suffers an injury and forgives (the person responsible), God will raise his status to a higher degree and remove one of his sins”. (At-Tirmidhi)

“God had ordered me to maintain ties with those who sever ties with me, and to give to those who deprive me, and to forgive those who oppress me.” (Al-Bukhari)

The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said to Ashja Abdul-Qais ‘You possess two qualities that Allah loves. These are leniency and tolerance.’ [Muslim]

The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said, ‘He who is deprived of forbearance and leniency is, in fact, deprived of all good.’ [Muslim]

The Prophet [SAW] said, ‘Allah is Forbearer and He loves forbearance, and rewards for forbearance while He does not reward severity, and does not give for any thing besides it [forbearance].’ [Muslim]

‘Aisha(RA) narrated that the Prophet [SAW] said, ‘Whenever forbearance is added to something, it adorns it; and whenever it is withdrawn from something, it leaves it defective.’ [Muslim]

`Aisha(RA) narrated, ‘Whenever the Prophet [SAW] was given a choice between two matters, he would [always] choose the easier as long as it was not sinful to do so; but if it was sinful he was most strict in avoiding it. He never took revenge upon anybody for his own sake; but when Allah's Legal Bindings were outraged, he would take revenge for Allah's sake.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Abu Hurairah A man asked the Prophet [SAW] to give him advice, and he [SAW] said, ‘Do not get angry.’ The man repeated that several times and he [SAW] replied [every time], ‘Do not get angry.’ [Al-Bukhari]

In his advice to Abu Musa and Mu’adh before dispatching them to Yemen, the Prophet(SAW) said: ‘Show leniency (to the people]; don't be hard upon them; give them glad tidings ; and do not create aversion. Work in collaboration and don’t be divided.’ (Bukhari)

`Anas (RA) narrates that the Prophet(SAW) said: ‘Give glad tidings [to the people]; do not create [in their minds] aversion [towards religion]; show them leniency and do not be hard upon them

High moral values we need to exhibit in these difficult times.

Prophet (SAW) showed mercy Towards his Enemies.

Among POW’s after battle of Badar, was Suhayl bin 'Amr who was a fiery speaker and was denouncing the Prophet (SAW ).

'Umar may Allah be pleased with him one the Prophet’s closest companions, suggested that two of his lower teeth be pulled out so that he might not be so vile in his speeches.

The Prophet ( SAW ) replied: “Were I to do this, Allah would disfigure me on the Day of Judgement, despite the fact that I am His messenger.”

And the Prophet himself said, "Indeed, I am sent as a mercy." (Muslim)

Prophet (SAW) forgave the hostile people of Ta’if

When the Prophet (SAW) went to Ta'if to invite its people to Islam they met him with denial and ridicule

They encouraged street boys to throw stones at him until his feet bled.

Even under such circumstances, angels sought his permission to destroy the town,

The Prophet refused saying. "i am sent as a mercy and not as a punishment”

He further said "These people just don't know me" and "I hope that Allah will raise some one among these people who will serve Islam"

Muhammad bin Qasim who spread Islam in sub continent was descendent of these Taif people)

Prophet (SAW) prayed mercifully for opponent tribe of Daus

When Tufayl bin `Amr ad-Dausiy gave up hope on the guidance of his tribe he went to the Prophet (SAW).

He said, "O Messenger of God, the tribe of Daus has disobeyed and refused, so supplicate to God against them."

The Prophet faced Makkah and raised his hands, and the people were certain that Daus would be destroyed.

But the Prophet of Mercy only said, "O God, guide Daus and bring them [to Islam]." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Forgiveness and mercy to enemies upon victory of Makkah

When Prophet (SAW) conquered Makkah, he entered it with ten thousand soldiers

God gave him the decision concerning those who had abused and persecuted him, plotted his assassination, expelled him from his homeland, killed his companions and tortured them because of their religion.

One of his companions said, "Today is a day of massacre." But the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) said, "No, but today is a day of mercy."

Then he went before the defeated people whose eyes were wide with fear and whose hearts were trembling, waiting to see what the victorious conqueror would do with them.

Their own practice was that of revenge and murder.

But the Prophet said to them, "O Quraysh, what do you suppose I should do with you?”

They replied, "What is good. You are a generous brother and the son of a generous brother."

The Messenger of God replied, "Go, for you are free."

Hate-Crime Muslim Victim forgave and tried To Save His Attacker’s life

Just 10 days after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Rais Bhuiyan (Bangladeshi-American Muslim) was working at a gas station in Dallas when he was shot in the face by a man named Mark Stroman.

Stroman was on a shooting spree, targeting people who appeared to be Muslim or of Middle Eastern descent. Stroman was to be executed July 20, 2011; Bhuiyan, the only survivor of the attacks forgave him and fought to save his life.

Bhuiyan required medical attention for years after the attack. The bullet hit him on the right side of the face, leaving severe injuries, particularly to his right eye.

"I had to go through several surgeries and finally the doctor could save the eye, but the vision is gone, and I'm still carrying more than 35 pellets on the right side of my face," he says.

"My dad suffered a stroke when he heard the news that his son was shot in the face

Despite the difficulties, Bhuiyan looked to his faith, ISLAM, in order to find forgiveness.

"According to my faith in Islam, there is no hate, no killing. It doesn't allow anything like that," says Bhuiyan.

A Muslim forgave and tried To Save His Attacker’s life

Bhuiyan created a website called World Without Hate to educate others about hate crimes as a means of preventing them.

He's worked with Stroman's defense attorney, who has filed several appeals on Stroman's death sentence.

"I strongly believe executing him is not a solution. We will just simply lose a human life without dealing with the root cause, which is hate crime," Bhuiyan says.

"In Islam it says that saving one human life is the same as saving the entire mankind. Since I forgave him, all those principles encouraged me to go even further, and stop his execution and save another human life."

Three Young Muslims Killed ‘Execution Style’ In N Carolina On February 10, 2015, local police in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, responded to a report of gunshots heard at

5:15 p.m. All three victims had been killed with gunshot wounds to the head.

1. Deah Shaddy Barakat, age 23, a Syrian American.[ A 2013 graduate of North Carolina State University who had majored in business administration, he was a second-year student in the UNC School of Dentistry

2. Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, age 21, a Jordanian American of Palestinian descent and the wife of DeahShaddy Barakat. Born in Jordan, she emigrated to the United States at the age of six months. A 2014 graduate of North Carolina State University, she had graduated with a bachelor's degree in biological sciences, and was planning to enter UNC in the fall to study dentistry.

3. Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, age 19, a Jordanian American of Palestinian descent and a sister of YusorMohammad Abu-Salha. Born in the United States, she was a sophomore in the North Carolina State University College of Design, majoring in architecture and environmental design

The killer, victims' neighbor, Craig Stephen Hicks, a 46-year-old former car parts salesman, turned himself in to sheriff's deputies

Aftermath

On February 11, 2015 a few thousand people attended a vigil in "The Pit" at the center of the UNC campus.

Deah's mother Layla Barakat told the students: "He died of hate crime and his legacy is never hate. You don't respond back by hating the other. You respond back by love. By peace, by mercy. That's Deah's way.”

Deah's brother, Farris added: "If, and it was quite possible, that this was an act based off of evil and a scared ignorant man, do not let ignorance propagate in your life. Do not reply to ignorance with ignorance. Become an amazing, bright intellectual leader that I know this university can create.

His sister Suzanne Barakat spoke of her younger brother's commitment to serving others, and his wife's and sister-in-law's volunteer and charitable contributions to the greater community. She said, "The message that we want to share is spread love, spread awareness because these three people were nothing but love and kindness. I'm sure they would want you to continue that for them."

Her face was smashed with a beer mug for speaking another language. (2015)

Her attacker smashed a beer mug into her face for speaking another language.

The blow cut deep into her skin, tearing away bits of flesh that left physical wounds requiring 17 stitches — and a psychological wound that left her fearful of living in Minnesota, she said.

Yet on Tuesday, Asma Jama forgave the woman who attacked her.

“In front of everybody here, I do forgive you, and I hope that you choose love over hate,” Jama said to Jodie Marie Burchard-Risch, who was sentenced in Anoka County District Court

Now, she has forgiven her attacker

“I don’t have any ill feelings toward you. I just want you — at the end of all this — to understand we are all the same. It doesn’t matter what’s on my head. It doesn’t matter the color of my skin, we are all the same human beings. We are fighting for the same rights,” Jama said

Burchard-Risch, 44, of Ramsey, pleaded guilty in October to third-degree assault in the attack, which took place in 2015 inside an Applebee’s restaurant in Coon Rapids.

Judge Nancy J. Logering sentenced her to 180 days in jail, five years of probation, and mandatory alcohol testing and treatment, according to court documents

4 Important ACTION ITEMS for Muslims

Outreach

Serving Humanity

Social justice

Empowering Muslims

CONFRONTING ISLAMOPHOBIA

1-OUTREACH & DISPEL MISCONCEPTIONS

i. Meet your Muslim neighbors – Dawah in the immediate neighborhood

ii. Open houses – masajid and Islamic community centers

iii. Mailbox – sending out postcards –

iv. Facebook – videos (animated or others) – composing and boosting – easy, cost effective

v. Ads: TV, Newspaper, Radio, Magazine, Billboards etc.

vi. Daily reminders Dawah/Tarbiyah short videos through social media for the Muslim community.

vii. Rapid response app – quick video/written response to breaking news related to Islamophobia and human rights issues.

viii. Social media – enhancing the social media visibility of Muslims.

ix. Coordinate with international and US leaders (Muslims and non-Muslims) working on Islamophobia – Invite them to hold workshops and speak at the conventions.

x. Outreach to the Latino, African American and Native American communities.

2. SERVING HUMANITY

I. Rebuild program: Assist in repair or remodeling of residences for needy ,specially victims of natural disasters

II. Food pantry in every masjid to feed the hungry and needy families specially with children and elderly at home

III. Counseling to youth- specially assisting them in education, or those suffering with drug problems, unemployment, mental health issues, family issues.

IV. Free medical clinics: to provide health care for the deprived and needy

V. Winter clothing drives for needy

VI. School supplies to needy students of underprivileged families.

3- SOCIAL JUSTICE a. Alliances

I. Neighbors

II. Minority groups – Hispanics, African Americans, Native Americans, Anti-Abortion, and Anti-Racism, etc.

III. Anti-Islamophobia groups, human rights groups

IV. Interfaith partners

b. Human Rights abuses: Protests – Muslims and ICNA to be visible – local and national levels.

c. SUMMIT – intra-faith summits, USCMO, ICNA National, Regional, etc.

d. Town hall meetings – Webinars, physical

e. Race relationship workshops

f. Community Education: How to prevent and document the hate incidents?

g. Bus Tour of America – with Interfaith partners

4- EMPOWERING THE MUSLIMS Leverage the media – obtain services of a media firm to assist all our departments and projects

i. Workshops to train the ICNA Units to engage with the media properly

b. Workshops to empower Muslims, youth, families and Masajid

i. Talking points related to outreach; Projects execution

ii. Train the trainers and they go to about 500 Masajid all over the country to train Muslims

iii. Islamophobia hotline assigns to CSJ and Young Muslims

iv. Safety tips for Muslims – workshops

v. Media Alert Network

1. Response to Islamophobia – Articles, videos, social media – work with the Dawah team

2. Rapid Response app – sending a quick response to the major news story (stories) of the day. These alerts will go to the Muslim community.

vi. Islamophobia app to document incidents– assign to YM alumni – leverage all the ICNA personnel and resources

EMPOWERING MUSLIMS Civic engagement

i. Local boards, PTAs, local and state elections

d. Youth Empowerment

i. African American youth – involving

ii. High school, middle school, and MSAs

iii. Youth conferences – choose relevant topics – Regional

iv. Youth Guide for the safety in an Islamophobia environment

v. Diversity of occupations for the youth

vi. MCNA and Native Deen – My America Tour

vii. Internship in Congress, Senate, and States – local and national

1. ICNA offer scholarships

2. One physician – one intern - model

e. Conventions

i. Enhance the conventions – new topics to the speakers

ii. Involve other organization and specialists from other Faith groups

iii. ICNA Co – education programs to enhance their caliber