VOICE
OF GLOBAL UMMAH
Volume
230, June 2, 2013
Editors:
Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin
In
the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful
(www.xeniagreekmuslimah.wordpress.com)
EDITORIAL:
In
this E-Zine, we have highlighted an example of historical
tolerance of a small rural American community towards a Muslim as indicated in below
article titled “Iowa Town Named for Muslim Hero Extols Tolerance”
by Samuel G. Freedman. In particular what impressed us was that Abd el-Kader was renowned in the 19th
century not only for leading Algeria's fight for independence but
also PROTECTING NON-MUSLIMS FROM PERSECUTION. We need more Muslim
leaders today who in their words and actions transcend beyond just
protecting and advocating for Muslims but reach out to protect all
human beings both Muslims and Non-Muslims. Did not Almighty Allah
state in the Holy Quran: “MANKIND IS BUT ONE COMMUNITY” ?
In a world where the extremists from all sides are literally working overtime trying to divide our great American multi-faith community by their divisive rhetoric of US versus THEM, the second article (book review) in this E-Zine titled "Wholly American, Wholly Muslim" by Hesham A. Hassaballa breaks such stereotype of above rhetoric and demonstrates how an individual could completely be both an American and a Muslim. To quote Hesham's own words: "As you read story after
story, one thing comes out at you: These men, as their female
counterparts, are fully Muslim and fully American, and they see no
contradiction in being both".
Last but not the least, we also wanted to highlight interfaith news in terms of Muslim, Christian and Jewish Chefs who represent "Chefs for Peace" had cooked vegetarian dishes for a group of 60 guests.
PART I:
Iowa Town Named for Muslim Hero Extols Tolerance
By
SAMUEL G. FREEDMAN
(www.loonwatch.com)
May
5, 2013
(condensed version)
(h/t:Critical
Dragon)
ELKADER,
Iowa — Amid an expanse of undulating farmland, deep in the steep
valley carved by the Turkey River, the town of Elkader sits most of
the year in remote obscurity. Population 1,200 and gradually
shrinking, it is the seat of a county without a single traffic light.
Improbably
enough, this community settled by Germans and Scandinavians, its
religious life built around Catholic and Lutheran churches, bears the
name of a Muslim hero.
Abd el-Kader was
renowned in the 19th century for leading Algeria’s fight for
independence and protecting non-Muslims from persecution. Even
Abraham Lincoln extolled him.
This weekend, for the
fifth year in a row, Elkader will welcome a delegation of Arab
dignitaries to celebrate this rare lifeline of tolerance, spanning
continents and centuries. Coming less than three weeks after the
Boston Marathon bombings, which the authorities say were committed by
two Muslim brothers, the Abdelkader Education Project’s forum
stands more than ever for an affirming encounter between the United
States and Islam.
Abdallah Baali,
Algeria’s ambassador to the United States and an annual participant
in the forum, put its impact in global terms. “In our increasingly
tormented world,” the ambassador wrote in an e-mail, “Abd
el-Kader — a true world hero — is ‘talking’ today to a much
broader audience about our shared values and on how humanity could
and can prevail over all differences and prejudices.”
The saga began in 1845,
when a land developer, Timothy Davis, scouted a site along the Turkey
River for a flour mill and settlement. Davis had read of Abd
el-Kader’s fight against the French for Algerian independence,
which was covered by American newspapers sympathetic to the revolt
against colonial rule. So Davis named his new town for the emir.
…..Serendipity made
its next appearance in November 2008 in the form of John W. Kiser, a
Virginia author. He had just published a biography of Kader,
“Commander of the Faithful,” and wanted to hold a book-launch
event in the namesake town. Between them, Ms. Garms and Mr. Kiser
brainstormed the idea of starting an essay contest for local high
school students and holding a forum to renew interest in Kader.
“Our point,” Mr.
Kiser said in a recent interview, “is to inject into the
educational bloodstream another view of Islam. We need to balance the
narratives that are constantly coming through the media. Fear and
ignorance are a deadly combination.”
Matched sets of poles
with the word for peace written in English, French, and Arabic, stand
in Elkader and Mascara. This weekend’s visitors will include a
prominent Egyptian Islamic artist, Ahmed Moustafa, and a film crew
from Al Jazeera. Everyone will dine on Iowa beef at Fennellys’
Irish Pub.
Not that everything has
been easy. One of Kader’s descendants, who was supposed to come
from Dubai for the forum, canceled his trip after the Boston bombing.
Bob Spielbauer, an Elkader native who won the essay contest in 2011,
recently heard his college classmates trotting out the
Muslim-terrorist stereotype.
“It felt personal,”
he said. “I felt like they were attacking me. Because the project
helped open my eyes. It helped give me a positive opinion of Muslims.
It was like filling in a blank.”
E-mail:
sgf1@columbia.edu
PART II:
Wholly American, Wholly
Muslim
By Hesham A. Hassaballa
06-29-2012
What does it mean to
be an American Muslim man? Bloggers, dads, social activists,
musicians, multi-hypenates, converts, and born-Muslims share their
stories in "All American: 45 American Men on Being Muslim."
All across this
country—and the world, in fact—there are numerous people who seek
to define Islam and Muslims in a specific and (frequently) negative
manner. Islamophobes have, in fact, staked their careers on this
task. There are also criminals, so-called Muslims, acting in the name
of Islam in such a wrong way that provides a "definition"
of the religion wholly inconsistent with its principles. The actions
of these criminals are just that: criminal and twisted and do not
reflect the truth. Islamophobes claim that these deviants are, in
fact, only representing the truth, and any claim to the contrary is a
"lie."
Hence the importance of
Muslim voices owning their faith. These voices define Islam; they
represent the truth. This is why the "I Speak For Myself"
series is so important. Starting with the first book, I Speak for
Myself: American Women on Being Muslim (White Cloud Press, 2011),
American Muslim women got the chance to tell the world their story,
in their own words. Now, it is the brothers' turn with All American:
45 American Men on Being Muslim, edited by Wajahat Ali (a Patheos
contributor and former blogger) and Zahra T. Suratwala.
As I read the book, I
was happy to see some contributors that I know and like—Mazen
Asbahi, Svend White, and Shahed Amanullah. Then there were other
contributors who, if I had passed them in the street, I would never
have figured that they were Muslim, which proves that you can't make
any conclusions about outward appearances. One such contributor is
Justin Mashouf, who tells the story of his transformation from an
observer to a participant in the Shiite rituals commemorating Imam
Husayn, the Prophet Muhammad's (saw) grandson. Another such
contributor is Davi Barker, whose political views are eye opening to
say the least.
Throughout this book,
the reader is treated to a wide expanse of experiences and stories
that show the American Muslim community for what it is: varied and
diverse, rich and colorful.
As you read story after
story, one thing comes out at you: These men, as their female
counterparts, are fully Muslim and fully American, and they see no
contradiction in being both. Indeed, in some of the men's stories,
they recount how they did not fully feel that way at first due to a
variety of circumstances. Yet, they all come to this conclusion in
the end.
In his essay,
"Integration, not Assimilation," Aziz H. Poonawalla (a
blogger at Patheos) admits that beyond "speaking for himself,"
he does speak for fellow Muslim Americans, "regardless of my
intentions." And, he states the simple truth that "America
is the greatest Islamic country on the face of the earth simply
because it is a pure example that freedom of speech and faith is
possible to achieve." This, Poonawalla says, is a double
blessing that comes with "a welcome weight on my shoulders . . .
[to] keep me upon the straight path, in faith and in citizenship."
This is but one example
of how so many of the contributors feel no contradiction between
being Muslim and American. Other contributors, however, refuse to
wear any labels. Some embrace them all.
What I found
particularly great about this book is the conversion (or reversion)
narratives of many of the contributors. It is always a treat for me,
a Muslim raised in the faith, to learn how Islam comes into the lives
of those converted into the faith. It makes me appreciate my faith
that much more.
Adisa Banjoko, an author
and journalist who explores the relationship between Islam and hip
hop, discusses in his essay why he converted to Islam, then one day
declared he no longer believed, and then how he came back to the
faith: In a fateful meeting with another musician, he related how he
felt many people treated Black issues like they were of little
concern, and that he felt the Black Muslims he knew were trying too
hard to emulate Arab Islam instead of finding their way as
African-American Muslims.
The musician told him
not to let people define his relationship with Allah, and that "Your relationship
with God belongs to you." Writes Banjoko, "He saved my deen
(religion).
Imagine: a chance
meeting on a rainy day at a rap convention saved my deen."
The men in this book are
writers, politicians, activists, filmmakers, journalists, doctors,
and poets. They are our neighbors and co-workers; teammates and
public servants; golf buddies and friends. They are my brothers in
faith and our brothers in country. And they all want to make this
world a better place.
As Congressman Keith
Ellison (one of two Muslims in the U.S. House of Representatives)
writes in the Foreword: "It is my hope that each of you will
emulate these writers. If you can make a movie, make one. If you can
sing a song, sing it. If you can write a play, write it. If you want
to run for office, run. But do something to make this world a better
place." As these American Muslim men speak for themselves in
this book, they take the reader on an amazing journey. Reading their
stories has enriched me, and it will enrich you as well.
Hesham A. Hassaballa is
a Chicago-based physician and writer. He is author of, most recently,
Noble Brother: The Story of the Prophet Muhammad in Poetry (Faithful
Word Press). You can follow Hesham Hassaballa on Facebook. Hassaballa's column, "An
American Islam," is published monthly on the Muslim portal.
Subscribe via email or RSS.
PART III:
INTERFAITH NEWS:
Muslim, Christian,
Jewish Chefs Cook for Peace in Jerusalem
May 4, 2013
Handout of American chef
Smith posing in his home kitchen in Hyde Park
A group of Muslim,
Jewish and Christian chefs from Chefs for Peace, along with American
celebrity chef Art Smith, gathered on April 28 in Jerusalem to cook
vegetarian dishes for a group of 60 guests, including US diplomats and
alumni and students from various universities in the United States.
The ceremony took place
in one of the best-known restaurants in Jerusalem, Eucalyptus, owned
by award-winning chef Moshe Bassam, who is known for including
ingredients mentioned in the Bible in his dishes and for his love of
the history behind foods. “Moshe is a living treasure of Israel,”
said Smith. “We went to the countryside to pick up wild thyme,
asparagus and wild mushrooms [before the event].”
Bassam is not the only
person who takes pride in using homegrown herbs and vegetables. “I
brought grapes from the [US] South to use in my dish during the
weekend,” said Smith.
Each of the five chefs —
four from Chefs for Peace plus Smith — prepared their dishes in
front their guests. Smith’s dish, not surprisingly, was made of
wild mushrooms, grapes and local herbs. Johnny Goric, another chef
and the organizer of the event, made a Mediterranean lentil salad.
(www.xeniagreekmuslimah.wordpress.com)
THE END
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