The Ummah's Double-Edged Sword

In the Name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

Once again, a disastrous earthquake has struck Indonesia, killing thousands of people. There was widespread fear of another devastating tsunami, and panic spread quickly among the people there who were awakened by the rumbling earth and warnings of local officials. Thank God Almighty, no tsunami came. Nevertheless, it is truly heartbreaking to see the same communities, still reeling from the December, 26 2004 Tsunami, go through the same tragedy all over again.

Once again, it has not been lost on my mind's eye that many of the victims are Muslim. I can't help but feel for them, because they are my brothers and sisters, as the Qur'an told me: "The Believers are but a single brotherhood..." (Quran 49:10). Some believe this feeling of empathy and compassion for my fellow Muslims is a disease. I take strong issue with that. The notion of the ummah, or nation of believers, was a truly radical one when it was first introduced by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

In the Constitution of Medina, the Prophet (pbuh) declared:

"This is a document from Muhammad the prophet (governing the relations) between the believers and Muslims of Quraysh and Yathrib, and those who followed them and joined them and labored with them. They are one community (umma) to the exclusion of all men."

This has never been heard of in Arabia before the Prophet (pbuh). The Arabs were fiercely sectarian and tribal. They were prepared to defend anyone of their own - even if he be a vicious criminal - to the very last man. In fact, the Arabs had a saying, "Support your brother, whether he be the oppressor or the one oppressed." (Psst...the Prophet took this idea and radically transformed it. But that is for a future post.) For the Prophet (pbuh) to declare that the bonds of faith trump that of tribe and family was nothing short of revolutionary.

And it is a wonderful feeling. When I went on my Hajj in 2003, I felt part of one huge human family. Every single pilgrim was my brother and sister, and there were pilgrims from all across the world. Coming from a society from which I frequently felt estranged (until recently), it was a very comforting and refreshing experience. Yet, the ummah is a double-edged sword. It has a "dark side," if you will.

Many Muslims, unfortunately, tend to conclude - succumbing to the weakness characteristic of the human condition - that the suffering of non-Muslims is immaterial. Who cares, they say, about what happens to non-Muslims...there are too many Muslims - who are our brothers and sisters, remember - that are suffering throughout the world.

Yes, there are many, many, many Muslims who suffer across the world. Yes, the majority of the world's refugees are Muslim. Yes, Muslims live under military occupation in Chechnya, Kashmir, Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq. Nevertheless, that does not mean that the deaths of innocent Americans on September 11 are immaterial. Just because 250,000 people - most of them Muslim - were killed by the December 2004 Tsunami, that does not mean that the deaths of Americans in Florida from hurricanes are any less tragic.

Yes, Muslims are being raped, pillaged, robbed, and killed every single day (Psst...sometimes at the hands of other Muslims). Nevertheless, that does not mean it is ok to strap a bomb on your chest and kill yourself and innocent non-Muslims on a passenger plane, or in a pizza parlor, or at an embassy. "Never let the hatred of a people toward you," the Qur'an proclaims, "move you to commit injustice..." (5:8). The death of any human being - black, white, yellow, red, or brown; Muslim or otherwise - is and always will be a terrible tragedy.

We Americans need to understand this better. We Americans form an "ummah" of sorts, and sadly, I feel many - if not most - Americans are either oblivious to the suffering of other people around the world, or do not care about the suffering of other people around the world. That is the "dark side" of the American "ummah." Yes, we lost 3,000 innocent Americans at the hands of Muslim monsters on September 11, 2001 - a fact many American soldiers are quick to cite as their reason for why they serve in the Armed Forces. Still, that does not mean that the death of thousands of innocent Afghans and Iraqis as a result of our military action means absolutely nothing. That does not mean it is ever alright to torture detainees in American custody, wherever they may be around the world. We Americans must also heed the Qur'anic rule: "Never let the hatred of a people toward you move you to commit injustice..."

Now, to be completely fair, Americans proved me wrong on this point many times. Earlier this year, thousands of ordinary American citizens pledged millions of dollars of their own money to help the victims of the December 2004 Tsunami. Scores of Americans have protested the torture of detainees at the hands of American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. The soldiers who abused Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib have been punished. The Supreme Court has ruled against the indefinite detention of U.S. citizens as "enemy combatants."

The bottom line is this: just because a person does not belong to our own group - whether cultural, ethnic, racial, religious, or national - it does not mean that he or she is no longer a human being; it does not mean he or she does not have worth and dignity. As the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, "All of you are from Adam, and Adam was from dust." Let us all remember that. Let us all remember that.

"Questions From A Student": Does Islam Sanction the Execution of Apostates?

In the Name of God, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful

One of the things about which Islam's detractors frequently speak is the punishment in Islam for apostasy, or ridda. They claim that leaving Islam is punishable by death. I have heard this many times growing up, but every time I thought about or discussed the issue, it ended in an inherent contradiction. So, I looked up a fatwa, or religious edict, on the website IslamOnline regarding the issue of apostasy. I reproducing the fatwa, or religious edict, here:

Coming to your question on the basis of the punishment of apostasy, we would like to start with the following words of the prominent Moroccan scholar Sheikh Abdul Bari Az-Zamzamy:

"It should be noted that Islam never compels any person to accept it or embrace its teachings. It gives the freedom of thinking to people, with full respect to their mentalities and way of thinking. However, Islam is not a man-made religion that is subject to scrutiny or biased criticism that is based on mere suspicion, since it was originated by Allah, the Supreme Creator of all minds and mentalities. In addition, apostasy causes a total disruption and confusion in the Muslim community, and thus, a severe punishment was set for it to deter anyone from thinking of it. It was originally put into force following the Jewish conspiracy against Islam. The details of that conspiracy were simply mass conversion to Islam and then mass apostasy. The main ill aim was to cause confusion and to lead people astray. Thus, the punishment was set as a precautionary measure to stop all these offenses."

Speaking of the authority of the punishment and its being genuine and based on the authentic sources of Islam, Sheikh `Attiyah Saqr, former Head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, states:

"It is not right to deny the punishment of apostasy claiming that it has not been reported in the Qur'an, because it has been recorded in the mutawatir (Hadith which has been reported by at least four of the Companions in different times and places in a way that make a person sure that such Hadith is not fabricated) and the non-mutawatir Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him). Hudud (Islamic punishment specified for certain crimes) may, of course, be based on the non-mutawatir Sunnah."

Detailing the issue and showing some of the evidence for the punishment of apostasy, the prominent Muslim scholar Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, states:

"All Muslim jurists agree that the apostate is to be punished. However, they differ regarding the punishment itself. The majority of them go for killing; meaning that an apostate is to be sentenced to death.

Many authentic Hadiths have been reported in this regard. Ibn `Abbas reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Whoever changes his religion, you kill him." (Reported by all the group except Muslim, and at-Tabarani also reported it with a sound chain of narrators. Also recorded in Majma` Az-Zawa'id by Al-Haythamiy.)

There is also the Hadith of Ibn Mas`ud that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "The blood of a Muslim individual who bears witness that there is no god but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah, is not to be shed except in three cases: in retaliation (in murder crimes), married adulterers (and adulteresses), and the one who abandons his religion and forsakes the Muslim community." (Reported by the Group)

The actual example of one of the greatest Companions, `Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) gives credit to this also. He himself carried out the punishment on some people who had deified him. He gave them three days respite to repent and go back to their senses. When they proved adamant, he put them to fire.”

Here come the questions from a student, because - as you know - I am not a scholar. How can this be in light of the quite clear evidence to the contrary from the Qur'an?

The Qur'an is quite clear:

"There is no compulsion in matters of religion" (2:256).

"Say, 'The truth is from your Lord': Let him who wills believe it, and let him who wills, reject (it)." (18:29)

"If it had been your Lord's will, they all would have believed - all who are on earth. Will you, then, compel the people, against their will, to believe?" (10:99)

"It is not required of thee (O Messenger), to set them on the right path, but God sets on the right path whom He pleases." (2:272)

"It is true thou wilt not be able to guide every one, whom thou lovest; but God guides those whom He will and He knows best those who receive guidance." (28:56)

"Thou wouldst only, perchance, fret thyself to death, following after them, in grief, if they believe not in this Message." (18:6)

It is quite clear that there is complete freedom in matters of faith and religion. The choice of religion is a deeply personal one, completely up to the individual. It could not be more plain in the Qur'an.

Furthermore, the Qur'an states that the reason war is sometimes necessary - as a last resort and in self-defense - is to preserve religious freedom:

"Had God not checked one set of people by means of another, there would surely monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques - in which the name of God is commemorated in abundant measure - would surely have been destroyed." (22:40)

So, how could it be that if someone chooses to leave Islam, he or she is liable to be killed? Where does the Qur'an say so? It doesn't.

Yet, the Qur'an does talk about what happens to someone who becomes an apostate:

"Those who turn back as apostates after Guidance was clearly shown to them,- the Evil One has instigated them and busied them up with false hopes" (47:25).

"Any one who, after accepting faith in God, utters Unbelief,- except under compulsion, his heart remaining firm in Faith - but such as open their breast to Unbelief, on them is Wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a dreadful Penalty. This because they love the life of this world better than the Hereafter: and God will not guide those who reject Faith." (16:106-107)

These verses are akin to this passage in the Bible:

"Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth." (Deuteronomy 6:14-15).

Do the verses in the Qur'an issue a stern warning against disbelief? Yes. But, this is God talking. He can say whatever He wants to say, like what He said in the above Biblical verse. Yet, this does not mean that He necessarily will punish those who become "apostates," because, again, this is God. He can do whatever He wants. I mean, didn't Jesus (pbuh) say to God - after God asked him whether he told people to worship him as God:

"If you punish them, they are Your servants: But, if You forgive them, You are the Exalted in power, the Wise." (5:118).

The verse seems to hold out the possibility that God will forgive even those who worshipped Jesus (pbuh) on Judgment Day. But, the operative words are: "Judgment Day," i.e., the Hereafter. In the here and now, the Qur'an does not say that the apostate is to be killed. So, once again, I ask the question: from where does this notion come?

Moreoever, there is no instance - as far as I know - in which the Prophet (pbuh) killed someone for leaving Islam. The most convincing proof of this is the case of Abdullah ibn Ubay. He was the chief of the Hypocrites, a group of Madinites who feigned Islam, but were pagans in secret, constantly working against the Prophet (pbuh). Even though it was clear that Abdullah ibn Ubay was an "apostate," the Prophet (pbuh) never once tried to have Abdullah ibn Ubay killed. Another one of the Companions of the Prophet, 'Uyayna ibn Hisn, had met with a warring tribe and encouraged them to fight against the Muslims. This from someone who openly accepted Islam. Still, the Prophet (pbuh) did not have him killed.

So, once again, the student asks the question: from where does it come that Islam directs the "apostate" to be killed?

I mean, think about it! What sort of faith keeps its adherents in its fold upon pain of death? What sort of God claims to be Just while holding that those who choose not to follow His path be killed on earth? If Islam claims that the human being has complete freedom of will, how can the apostate be killed? What kind of faith - which claims to be the truth - is so threatened by the rebellion of some of its adherents that it mandates they be murdered?

Whenever I raise these questions, I am told: "You are not a scholar, so shut up!" But, that does not answer my question, does it? Given all the evidence from the Qur'an - allowing me to become a Canadian, if only for a few seconds - saying Islam allows the murder of apostates makes little sense, eh?

To be continued...

Dr. Hassaballa in the March 27 Chicago Tribune

Thanks be to God, my article - reproduced below - was published in the Perspective section of the March 27, 2005 edition of the Chicago Tribune.

Make decision for yourself--now

There are countless Terri Schiavos across the nation, and the same difficult issues are being grappled with every single day.

I have witnessed many of these heart-wrenching situations as a pulmonary/critical care physician, and it has profoundly affected my thinking about end-of-life issues.

As a physician in the 21st Century, I have witnessed medical technology advance to such a degree that diseases that once killed can now be cured with little effort or at least treated successfully.

HIV is one. When I was a young lad in medical school, I would rarely see a patient with HIV over 30, and frequently they came into the hospital deathly ill. Now, however, I am routinely consulted on patients with HIV well into their 50s who have more "routine" medical illnesses.

Yet for all the advancement in medical technology, I have also seen a person be stricken with a disease that simply does not respond to treatment. Sometimes, in fact, the treatments administered can do much more harm than good. Mind you, this is not malpractice--it's just reality.

The most difficult cases for me, however, are the patients who, while surviving the disease's initial onslaught, are left with permanent organ damage, the most serious of which is the brain and nervous system.

Frequently, they are left neither fully alive nor fully dead.

This is where the difficult questions arise: Do we continue to "do everything," or do we "let nature take its course"?

The answers are not easy.

Continuing to "do everything" may come at a high price and with pain when subjecting the patient to complications of medical procedures and side effects of medications. Allowing "nature to take its course," on the other hand, can be an equally heart-wrenching decision, with feelings of guilt and remorse for relatives who perceive that they have "given up" on their loved one.

Yet these very difficult questions must be answered by every single one of us--here and now--when we are of sound mind, if not body. I cannot tell you how horrible a situation it is when a doctor approaches frightened and terrified family members--watching their loved one be in extremis--and ask them, "Should we do everything?"

Quite often, the family says, "do everything, doctor."

Yet that either may not be the most medically appropriate choice, such as in a patient with a terminal condition, or may not be what the patient truly wanted for himself or herself.

I have made my decision already: If there is no hope for my meaningful recovery, then I do not want my life sustained; please, let me die in peace and dignity and return to my Creator.

But that is not a decision I should be making for my patients. Rather, it is a decision for every free-willed human being and--most important--one that should be clearly delineated to our doctors and loved ones.

When I bring up end-of-life issues with my patients, they frequently fidget uncomfortably. It is such an important issue to discuss, however, that a brief moment of uncomfortable silence in a doctor's office is well worth it.

Whatever the decision, it has to be made, and it should be made between oneself, one's god, and one's family.

Governors mansions, state legislatures, houses of Congress and Oval Offices should never have to get involved.

Hesham A. Hassaballa is a Chicago doctor and freelance writer.

Copyright © 2005, Chicago Tribune

'It's a Christian Thing!'

In the Name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

You know, I never really was raised with a feeling that God loves me. My mother - may God bless her abundantly - raised in me the fear of God. "If you do something wrong," she would always tell me, "God will punish you...and let me find out about it." You know what, she was right almost every single time!

Whenever I would do something wrong, something bad would happen to me: I'll sprain my ankle, lose something, get a bad grade. AND, my mom would eventually find out what I did! Now, I never did anything that bad as a kid, mind you. Still, if I disobeyed the rules of Islam, something would happen to me. Thus, I did my best to not disobey the rules of Islam.

Although this worked for me, I can see how this sort of paradigm about God can backfire. The constant emphasis on God's judgment and punishment - of which I am afraid to this day - can conjure up an image of a spiteful, vindictive, vengeful God; a God who continually "waits in the wings" for the believer to fall so He can strike him down with His Rod of Might and Justice. Add to this, the pressures of being a devout Muslim in American society. Frequently, the rules of Islam would clash with the life of a typical teenager: no drinking, no drugs, no dating. I did not do any of those things, and consequently I stuck out like a sore thumb, and I hated feeling left out. Even though I had a lot of friends, even though I was surrounded by a lot of kids, I frequently felt lonely and alone.

So, when a Muslim teenager, who already feels "different" and hates this feeling, looks for comfort to a God that can't wait to punish him for screwing up, it can crush his faith in Islam. Thank God it did not happen to me, but I am almost positive this situation is happening across our country, each and every day. It is a terrible situation.

I remember, growing up, that whenever God and love was mentioned, I would be told, "That's a Christian thing." In Egypt, the Christians would have signs in their shops that read, "God is love." I remember quite a few Muslims who would chuckle when they read that: "Christians! All they talk about is God and love." Well, I've got news for you. God and love is not solely a "Christian" thing. It is also a Muslim thing.

I remember reading parts of books on Islam by Christian missionaries (or Christians who were formally Muslim), and they mention how God's love in Islam is conditional. In the book, Unveiling Islam: An Insider's Look at Muslim Life and Beliefs, the Caner brothers (ex-Muslims) write: "God loves you! This is the brash claim of Christianity...Yet in the Qur'an, no such statement is to be found." They later write, "In Islam, it is hoped that salvation is earned through one's good works (surah 3:31). One must love Allah in order for Allah to love that person in return. In Christianity, God loved people first in order to secure their salvation. There is no security for the believer of Islam. One is left wanting and waiting for the will of Allah to be accomplished."

That is not exactly the case. The Qur'an is full of references of God's love. He says, "Say (O Muhammad): "If you do love God, Follow me: God will love you and forgive you your sins: For God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" (3:31). About this verse the Caner brothers wrote: "One must love Allah in order for Allah to love that person in return." But, that is not what the verse says. Rather, it says God will love us if we follow the Prophet (pbuh). So many verses talk about the type of people that God loves: the righteous, the patient, etc. The Qur'an also talks about the types of people that God does not love: those who wrong themselves, etc. Thus, if want God's love, I should be righteous, patient, etc.

Yet, the Qur'an goes even further than this, and it really signals to me that God does truly love His servants. The Qur'an says, "O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Do not despair of the Mercy of God. For God forgives all sins: for He is oft-forgiving, most merciful" (39:53). God, through the speech of Jacob (pbuh) to his sons, says: "...never give up hope of God's Soothing Mercy: truly no one despairs of God's Soothing Mercy except those who have no faith" (12:87). God also says, "Say (O Muhammad): 'To whom belongeth all that is in the heavens and on earth?' Say: to God. He has decreed upon Himself (the rule of) Mercy..." (6:12).

God, according to the Qur'an - and contrary to the contention of many - is a close, personal God: "When My servants ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on Me: Let them also, with a will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right way" (2:186). In another verse, God says: "It was We Who created man, and We know what dark suggestions his soul makes to him: for We are nearer to him than (his) jugular vein" (50:16). God is so close, nearer to us than our own jugular vein. He is just waiting for us to come back to Him.

The Hadith literature is filled with references of God's immense mercy. In one of these, the Prophet (pbuh) said: "A prostitute was forgiven by God, because, passing by a panting dog near a well and seeing that the dog was about to die of thirst, she took off her shoe, and tying it with her head-cover she drew out some water for it. So, God forgave her because of that" (Bukhari) The Prophet (pbuh) had also said that, if someone takes one step towards God, He will take two steps toward us. If we walk to God, He will run to us.

If God is so Merciful that He will forgive a prostitute for giving drink to a dog, doesn't that indicate that He is a Loving God? In addition, the Prophet (pbuh) told us that God has 99 Names and Attributes. Among these are: the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful, the Gentle, the Forbearing, the Forgiving, the Loving One, and the Pardoner. All this, put together, tells me that God indeed loves me. Of course, those who are skeptical will bring out the verses in the Qur'an that talk about God's punishment, and wrath, and anger. Yes, there are such verses in the Qur'an, but God Himself said: "He has decreed upon Himself (the rule of) Mercy..." (50:16).

Yet, with all this, a great deal of Muslims like to focus on God's wrath, anger, justice, and vengeance. They talk about these names of God: the Mighty, the Subduer, the Abaser, the Humiliator, etc. They like to direct these aspects of God towards the enemies of Islam. They talk so much about fearing God, which is important, while neglecting to equally stress God's love and kindness. Continually stressing the fear of God, without reminding about the love of God, will conjure up the image of God I talked about earlier. There should be a balance. Yes, we must fear God's wrath and punishment. Yet, we must always remember: God is loving; He loves us, and we must love Him in return.

The manifestation of that love is doing the things He wants us to do. When we love God, we hate to disobey Him willfully. We are bound to sin against Him; that is part of our nature as human beings. Yet, when we love God, we will never willfully go against His commands. When we do, we rush back to Him in repentance, and He has promised us His forgiveness. Nowadays, I stress the love of God to my own children. I try to always tell them that God loves them, and that they should love God. Living in the love of God is so much more fulfilling, and because I love God so much, I do not dare do what He told me not to do. It is a wonderful existence.

So, "God is love" is not just a "Christian thing." It is a Muslim thing, too.

Muslims Don't Got Jesus?

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

I recently came across the blog of Dean Esmay, who had a blog post that said this:

"I have Christian friends who often wish to assure me that the primary problem with the Islamic world is that because Muslims don't have Christ, well, theirs is a false faith and thus, when you get right down to it, if it's not satanic it's at least fundamentally flawed. This, somehow, explains why they're terrorists."

This is very interesting, and it is not the first time I have heard people say something similar. I remember watching the Rev. Pat Robertson speak at the National Press Club, and he said - if my memory serves me correctly - that there is a great spiritual hunger in the Muslim World to know about Jesus Christ. This perplexes me, because, we Muslims know a lot about Jesus Christ.

Take this story:

The young woman was standing, as she was wont to do, in an eastern section of the temple in solemn and sincere prayer to God. Suddenly, the angels spoke to her and said, "O Mary, God has chosen you and purified you, and he has chosen you over all women of all peoples. Mary, obey your Lord devoutly, worship, and bow in prayer with those bowing in prayer." Then, the angel of Revelation appeared to her in her prayer niche in the form of a man.

She was startled and said to the spirit: "I take refuge from you with the Benevolent One, if you are conscientious."

He then said, seeking to allay her fears, "I am only a messenger from your Lord, to give you a sinless son."

"How shall I have a son," she said taken aback by this news, "when no man has touched me, and I have not been unchaste?"

He replied, "It will be so. Your Lord says, `It is easy for me; and We intend to make him a sign for humankind, and a mercy from us. So the matter is decided.'"

This story was not taken from my copy of the Holy Bible. I pieced this story from the Holy Qur'an, from verses 3:42-47 and 19:16-21. In addition, the story of the birth of the Virgin Mary (3:35-37) and John the Baptist (3:38-41, 19:1-15) are also recounted in the Qur'an. Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) is all over the Qur'an.

The story of his birth is told twice in the Qur'an (3:42-47 and 19:16-33). In addition to the story of the birth, the Koran recounts how Jesus spoke in his infancy (3:46 and 19:29-33), healed the blind, those stricken with leprosy, and raised the dead back to life (5:110). The Qur'an even mentions that Jesus used to fashion birds out of clay and breathe life into them, all by the permission of God Almighty (3:49). In addition, the Qur'an recounts the story of what seems to be the Last Supper (5:112-116). All in all, the Qur'an mentions Jesus by name more than 25 times. In contrast, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is mentioned by name only four times in the entire Qur'an.

The Qur'an describes Jesus as being "honored in the world and the hereafter, and one of the intimates of God" (3:45) and "in the ranks of the righteous" (6:85). He is also described as "a word, from God, which God sent down to Mary, [and] a spirit from him" (4:171) and that Jesus was "strengthened with the Holy Spirit" (2:253, 5:110). Classical commentators have interpreted the "Holy Spirit" to mean either divine inspiration or the Angel Gabriel. Yet, with all this, Muslims still do not believe Jesus to be divine: "People of Scripture [i.e., Christians], do not go into excess in your religion, and do not say anything about God but the truth. The Messiah Jesus, the Son of Mary, was only a messenger ..." (4:171)

Islam also rejects the notion of a triune deity: "... So believe in God and God's messengers. And do not speak of a trinity; it is best for you to refrain. God is one sole divinity, too transcendent to have a son, in possession of all in the heavens and on earth. And God is a good enough patron" (4:171). Muslims also do not believe it was Jesus who was on the cross. Rather, Jesus was saved by God before the Romans could arrest him: "... They did not kill him, they did not crucify him, although it was made to seem thus to them ...They surely did not kill him: rather God raised him up to the Divine Presence; and God is almighty, most wise" (4:157-158).

Yet, Muslims do not revere Jesus Christ (pbuh) alone, but they also highly revere and respect the Virgin Mary. She is the best woman, according to the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad, ever to walk the face of the Earth. She is the only woman mentioned by name in the Qur'an, and the 19th chapter is named after her. The Virgin is described as "a woman of truth" (5:75), and God set the Virgin Mary as an example for the ideal believer: "And God sets forth, as an example to those who believe ... Mary the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity" (66:11-12). The Blessed Virgin, just like her son, is accorded no divinity according to Islam.

So, we Muslims have plenty of Jesus Christ (pbuh); we know a great deal about Jesus Christ (pbuh). Although we don't worship him, this does not mean that we love him any less. Belief in and love for Jesus Christ (pbuh), along with all of God's prophets, is absolutely necessary for one to be considered a Muslim. In addition, the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) are full of references to Jesus, and Islamic literature is also full of sayings attributed to Jesus Christ. In fact, salvation for Muslims necessarily includes belief in Jesus Christ. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) once said, "If anyone testifies that none has the right to be worshiped but God alone, who has no partners, and that Muhammad is his slave and his apostle, and that Jesus is God's slave and his apostle and his word which he bestowed on Mary and a spirit created by him...God will admit him into Paradise."

No, we Muslims may not celebrate Christmas with our Christian friends and neighbors. No, we Muslims may not decorate our homes with Christmas lights like our Christian friends and neighbors. Yet, that does not mean we do not love, honor, respect, and revere Jesus Christ (pbuh). No devout Muslim would ever fathom attacking or maligning the character of Jesus Christ (pbuh), as some self-described devout Christians have brutally attacked the character of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

So, perhaps you can see why I always scratch my head when some people say "you Muslims don't got Jesus." Quite clearly, we got plenty of Jesus in our religion, and Christ holds a very prominent place in the Islamic belief system. One would think that the common love for Jesus Christ between Muslims and Christians would be a bridge of friendship and mutual understanding between the two faith communities. After all, the Qur'an does say: "...nearest among [the people] in love to the believers will you find those who say, 'We are Christians'..." (5:82).

Sadly, however, this ideal has failed to become reality, and Muslims and Christians have fought each other bitterly at various times throughout human history. Yet, it does not have to be so. There can be a pax Muslimo-Christiana. All it takes is for Muslims and Christians to remember Jesus Christ (pbuh).

No Thanks, Count Me Out!

In the Name of God, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful

Quite a few Muslims claim that establishing an "Islamic State" must be the goal of every Muslim on earth, wherever they live. In this "Islamic State," God's Law will be established, and true justice will finally be achieved on this earth. Or so the speeches and emails about the "Islamic State" go. Yet, if this "Islamic State" is anything like that described by a Muslim protester at the Friday prayer led by Dr. Amina Wadud, then you can definitely count me out.

According to a report by Knight-Ridder, "a young American man" said this: "These people do not represent Islam. If this was an Islamic state, this woman would be hanged, she would be killed, she would be diced into pieces." Gulp. And what was this woman doing? Leading a Friday Prayer: she was worshipping and glorifying the Lord God. Now, it very well may be that she did not have the religious authority to do so, but that is not the point. Hanged? Killed? Diced to pieces?! In an "Islamic State"?

Well, if this "Islamic State" ever gets established, don't expect this Muslim to be coming anytime soon. Don't expect this Muslim to apply for citizenship in this "Islamic State." Don't expect this Muslim to move his family into that piece of dar al Islam. What kind of state would a place like that be? I don't know, and I would never live there to find out. Yet, I would venture to guess that if the "Islamic State" that this brother describes would ever come into existence, it would be a horrible place; a place that I would hardly characterize as "Islamic."

The Lord God said to the angels that He would establish a representative on earth - the human being - so that corruption will end and justice reigns supreme. The problem has been, however, that the human being has frequently, frequently, frequently, missed the mark. Time and again, the human being has created horror and clothed it in Islamic clothing. Take the former Taliban regime in Afghanistan: was that an "Islamic State"? Yes, it was called the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan." But was it truly "Islamic"? Barring women from education: is that Islamic? Beating people for laughing: is that Islamic? Harboring Al Qaeda: is that Islamic?

In Nigeria, Amina Lawal was sentenced to death by stoning for adultery - according to "Islamic law" - while the father of the child was let go for "lack of evidence." Is this Islamic? In Pakistan, six men gang-raped Mukhtaran Bibi, and an "Islamic shari'a court" overturned the convictions of five, and commuted the sentence of one, who pleaded guilty. Is this Islamic?
In March 2002, a fire erupted in a all-girls school in Mecca, which killed 15. The March 14, 2002 edition of the Saudi newspaper Arab News cited a report on the rescue effort by Mecca's Civil Defense Department which noted that religious police "intentionally obstructed the efforts to evacuate the girls. This resulted in the increased number of casualties."

Why did they do this? Apparently because the girls were not properly dressed.
Arab News quoted Civil Defense officers as saying, "Whenever the girls got out through the main gate, [religious police] forced them to return via another." Officers also said that they saw three people beating girls who had evacuated the school without proper dress. Is this Islamic?

The answer to every single question is a resounding "NO!!!" Far too frequently, Muslims misinterpret, misunderstand, and misapply the rules of Islam and call it "Islamic." And you know what happens? Innocent people get hurt, and this is definitely not Islamic.

Perhaps the "young American man" was misquoted by Knight-Ridder. Lord knows the media has been known to do that from time to time. Yet, if he truly said that; if he truly meant that, in this "Islamic State" of his, Dr. Wadud would be "hanged, she would be killed, she would be diced into pieces," then I would say, "No thanks. Count me out."

Living and Breathing Islam

What is Islam? The attempt to answer that question has been the subject of an almost countless number of symposia, doctoral dissertations, college classes, and books. Yet, for all the hours of lectures that have been given; for all the ink and paper that has been consumed, the answer is still not easy to come by. What is Islam? Is it the five "pillars" of worship? Is it the Ka'ba in Mecca? The Prophet's (peace be upon him) mosque in Medina? Is it suicide bombers in Israel or Iraq? Is it Osama bin Laden? Ask most Muslims, and they will tell you Islam is none of these things.

Yet, ask that same question to most Americans, and you will likely get a different answer. I recently received an email from someone who told me that she basically disliked Muslims after being married to one for five years. She suspects that he married her to get his Green Card, because, after getting married, he subjected her to horrible abuse. She has since separated from this man. Her story reminded me of another man, a Muslim, whose non-Muslim wife had a very good opinion of Islam...until they were cheated out of their money by a "devout" Muslim.

When I mention these situations to other Muslims, many of them understandably get upset. It is not fair, they tell me, that their opinion of Islam is shaped by the conduct of a few bad apples in the Muslim community. They are absolutely correct. The whole of Islam should never be judged by the sins of a few Muslims, and I have repeatedly made this plea in my writings. Yet, the problem is many, if not most, Americans have never personally interacted with a Muslim before, and sadly, the first interaction these Americans had with Islam and Muslims was on the fateful morning of September 11, 2001. Sad, but probably true nonetheless.

Since that time, Muslims - including this one - have toiled hard to show that Islam is not what happened on September 11. Muslims are not like the 19 hijackers who killed close to 3,000 innocent Americans in New York and Washington, D.C. Yet, American Muslims have to wake up to reality, and the reality is this: many, if not most, Americans shape their opinions about Islam based upon the Muslims with whom they interact. Islam is what the Muslims are. It may not be entirely fair, but that is the way it is.

Herein lies one of the most important challenges for American Muslims today: since we are what Islam is, we have to physically embody the ideals of Islam. We have to become the eloquently written books and pristine pamphlets that we so proudly display to non-Muslims seeking to learn more about the faith.

And those books and pamphlets set a very high standard. They say that I slam calls for the worship of the One God of Abraham, and submitting one's will to His sets you free. So why, then, are so many cultural traditions - ones that contradict the principles of Islam - taken to be Islamic doctrine? The books and pamphlets say that men and women are equal in Islam. So why, then, are so many Muslim women subjected to so much mistreatment across the Muslim world?

The books and pamphlets say that Islam prohibits suicide and abhors violence against the innocent. So why, then, are there Muslims who strap bombs on themselves and kill innocent people in the name of Allah? The books and pamphlets say that all Muslims are brothers and sisters; they say the bonds of Islam transcend racial and ethnic background. So why, then, is there still so much racism in the Muslim community today?

The existence of these inconsistencies is a fact, and it has very significant consequences. American Muslim youth see these inconsistencies, and they frequently become disenchanted and lose faith in the faith. New converts to Islam - who probably embraced the faith because of what they read in the books and pamphlets - also see these consistencies and frequently become disenchanted. And when fellow Americans see these inconsistencies, it has the potential to erect barriers of misunderstanding and suspicion, precluding a harmonious co-existence as neighbors and countrymen.

It should not be so, and none other than God Himself said so: "Believers! Why do you say one thing and do another? Most loathsome is it in the sight of God that you say what you do not do" (61:2-3). As Muslims, we cannot hide behind the unfairness of being judged by the sins of our few; we must always live and breathe the ideals of Islam. We must strive to be how the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was described by his wife A'isha (God be pleased with her): a Qur'an walking upon the earth.

It is indeed a daunting challenge, but it is one we must take up. Not so that fellow Americans will have a good opinion of Islam, even though that would be of great benefit. No so that Muslim youth and those new to the faith do not become disenchanted with Islam, even though these are laudable goals. No. Muslims must do as their books and pamphlets say because it is what God wants. And if we claim to be His servants, then we cannot settle for anything less.

Blessed To Be A Muslim

In the Name of God, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful

On many occasions, I have written that I am blessed to be a Muslim. I have thanked God in my writings for being a Muslim. And I do feel blessed for being a Muslim, just like devout Christians feel blessed for being Christian, and devout Jews feel blessed for being Jewish. Yet, I received an email from someone - whom I deeply thank for doing so - asking me about non-Muslims. If I feel so blessed for being a Muslim, does that mean that I condemn non-Muslims?

Absolutely not. I believe Islam to be the self-same message sent to all the Prophets (peace be upon them) from Adam, to Noah, to Abraham, to Moses, to Jesus, and culminating in the ministry of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Thus, I am happy and blessed to be walking (as best I can) the spiritual path of the Prophets and Messengers of God. Yet, that does not mean that I demean those who choose a different spiritual path than me. The Qur'an formulates for me this worldview.

Indeed, the Qur'an is firm in its rejection of the concept of the Trinity: "O People of the Book (Jews and Christians)! Commit no excesses in your religion: nor say of God aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of God, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in God and His messengers. Say not 'Trinity' : desist: it will be better for you: for God is one God: Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is God as a Disposer of affairs" (4:171). The Qur'an calls it blasphemy: "They do blaspheme who say: God is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One God. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy), verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them" (5:73).

Yet, that does not mean that I have the right to condemn to Hell all those who follow the Christian faith. Yes, there are quite a few Muslims who condemn all non-Muslims as "infidels" destined for the Fire. I am not one of them. In the end, God will judge each of us, and it is the Lord - Exalted Be He - who will be the final Arbiter of salvation. In fact, it is part of God's plan that there are many faiths. How do I know this? From the Qur'an: "To each is a goal to which God turns him; then strive together (as in a race) Towards all that is good. Wheresoever ye are, God will bring you Together. For God has power over all things" (2:148). (emphasis added)

Also read: "To thee (O Muhammad) We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what God hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have we prescribed a law and an open way. If God had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah; it is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute" (5:48). (emphasis added)

These verses show that - had God wanted - the whole world would have been following one religion. Yet, that is not the case, and this is God's Will. For me, I have chosen the path of Islam, and I am very happy because of that. If others choose a different path, that is their choice. If God is not threatened by that choice, why should I be? Whatever a person's faith, he or she is a human being - created by the very Hands of God and Whose Spirit was breathed into him or her. He or she has a dignity that must be maintained and respected. It is not becoming of a Muslim that he or she condemns others. Therefore, I refrain from doing so, and I call on everyone - Muslim or otherwise - to do the same.

So, when I say I am blessed to be a Muslim, please do not take that to mean you are a "debased animal" for not choosing Islam as your path. I believe Islam to be the true path to God - the path of the Prophets (peace be upon them) - and therefore I have chosen it. Whatever path you choose is between you and God. God's plan includes the existence of many faiths.

Yet, verses 2:148 and 5:48 go even further than that. Both verses issue a command to all human beings: fastabiqul khairat, literally meaning, "race each other in all things that are good." What God is saying - and this never ceases to amaze me - is that all human beings, of whatever faith tradition, should work together for the common good. In fact, they should compete (i.e., strive as in a race), not for converts, but for doing the common good. If more people of faith - both here in America and across the world - started listening to what God says, the world would be a much better place.

What a Damn Shame

In the Name of God, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful

This article has been published on Muslim WakeUp! today. I am reproducing it for you, in case you don't read Muslim WakeUp! regularly--Ed.


On Friday March 18, Dr. Amina Wadud will lead a Friday Prayer service in New York City. Whether one agrees or not, it is likely to be a major event in the history of American Islam. Yet, looking at the larger picture, this first-of-its-kind Friday Prayer really speaks to the horrific position in which Muslim women have been placed in Muslim society today. If one asks the average Westerner about Islam, he or she will likely associate our faith with two things: terrorism and the oppression of women.

Obviously, this is a gross oversimplification and distortion of the true nature of Islam, goaded on by the ugly actions of Muslims and the selective reporting of Islam and Muslims by the Western media. Nevertheless, there is much truth to the seemingly intractable association of Islam with violence and misogyny. There are Muslims who commit horrific acts of violence in the name of Islam, and there are scores of Muslim women who are subjected to the worst kind of violence eand oppression, also in the name of Islam. To deny such is doing an enormous disservice to Islam today, and as a physician, I have seen countless instances when denial can be deadly to the individual.

Yet, it still a damn shame that we in the West are lecturing to the Muslim world about women's rights. The opposite should have been the case: the Muslim world should have lectured to the West about their horrific treatment of women. Take, for instance, English Common Law and its treatment of women. Caroline S. Norton was a popular poet, novelist, and English socialite in 19th Century England who attempted to separate from her husband in 1836. She became utterly destitute because of English Common Law, and in 1855, Norton published a pamphlet entitled, "A Letter to the Queen on Lord Chancellor Cranworth's Marriage and Divorce Bill," which outlined how married women were treated under English Law:

1. a married woman has no legal existence whether or not she is living with her husband;
2. her property is his property;
3. she cannot make a will, the law gives what she has to her husband despite her wishes or his behavior;
4. she may not keep her earnings;
5. he may sue for restitution of conjugal rights and thus force her, as if a slave to return to his home;
6. she is not allowed to defend herself in divorce;
7. she cannot divorce him since the House of Lords in effect will not grant a divorce to her;
8. she cannot sue for libel;
9. she cannot sign a lease or transact business;
10. she cannot claim support from her husband, his only obligation is to make sure she doesn't land in the parish poorhouse if he has means;
11. she cannot bind her husband to any agreement.

This was the law in England during the 19th Century. In America - the bastion of freedom and democracy - women only got the right to vote in 1920 and only after amending the Constitution. What a damn shame. Islam gave women the right to inherit property, the right to own and run their own businesses, the right to initiate a divorce, and the right to vote over fourteen centuries ago.

As far as I know, Islam is the only faith that mandates the man pay the woman a dowry before marriage. In every other society, if I am not mistaken, the woman's family pays the man a dowry. Why, when it comes to marriage, the man gets the short end of the stick. All the woman has to do is show up. Even if the woman is a billionaire like Theresa Heinz Kerry, the man still has to pay her the dowry of her choosing. If that is a $1 million, then so be it. That is within her right. On top of that, the husband has to financially support the wife, even if she owns a multi-million dollar corporation, and she has no Islamic obligation to spend one penny of her own money on her husband and family. Paradise lies under the feet of the...mother, not the father. When the Prophet (pbuh) was asked about which parent should have the greates allegiance, it was only after three times did the Prophet (pbuh) then say, "your father."

Now, take the place of your wife and mother of your children for one day - and do what she does for one day - you will understand why paradise lies under her feet. Nevertheless, look at how Islam has given so much to women, and when? At a time when young girls were buried alive for no reason: "When the female (infant), buried alive, is questioned for what crime she was killed" (81:8-9). So, what has happened? How did it come to pass that the West has already abandoned such harsh laws and is now pontificating to the Muslim World - which should have known better- and saying, "Y'all have a problem with women's rights."

And quite frequently, the West has just cause to tell the Muslim world: "Y'all have a problem with women's rights." In too many Muslim countries, Muslim women are treated worse than animals, in clear violation of the letter and spirit of Islamic law. The rights given to them by Islam are completely ignored by family, community, and country. All those "perks" for a married woman are denied the Muslim woman. Many times, marriage is a living hell for a Muslim woman intoday's Muslim world. Muslim women have been killed on mere suspicion of committing indecency - while their brothers are free to "sow their wild oats" - because the woman has stained the "family honor." "Shari'ah courts" have condemned Muslim women to death by stoning for adultery, while their "partner in crime" has been set free for "lack of evidence." Muslim women have had their faces disfigured by acid or fire for refusing a marriage proposal - a right given to them by the Lord God Himself. Reading the Norton pamphlet, I would be forgiven for thinking it was taken from the law books of any number of Muslim countries. I was was speaking to a Muslim brother about my kids and I remarked, "It seems that I was destined to have only daughters." He said to me, "No, no, no, brother, don't say that!" As if being Abul-Banat (Father of Daughters) is a mark of shame! The Prophet (pbuh) was an Abul-Banat.

While the situation for Muslim women is better here in America, many of these misogynistic traditions have been transported to many American mosques and organizations. For many years, our sisters have been relegated to the filthy basements and dusty attics of our mosques, organizations, and institutions. And you should not take my word for it. Ask our sisters, and they will tell you more than you probably wanted to hear. And do you know what is the worst part of this? Many of these actions against Muslim women are clothed in the holy garbs of Islam.

So, I ask again, what has happened? How did it come to pass that Muslims have regressed to such an extent in the arena of women's rights? Was it from the Crusades? The Mongol scourge? Was it from the destruction of the Ottoman Caliphate by the Western Powers? Did it occur as a result of the Colonial occupation of Muslim lands? Is it a Christiano-Hindo-Zionist conspiracy against the Muslims? No, no, no, no, no. Quite simply, jahiliyah (pre-Islamic ignorance) has crept back into our people.

Humanity has always lived in the darkness of ignorance and sin;humanity has always lived in the darkness of the estrangement from God. Religion comes to give humanity the light by which they can see in this world. Religion serves to eradicate the human tendency to live in ignorance. The ignorance of pre-Islamic Arabia should have been forever eradicated by Islam. Yet, as the Muslims drift farther and arther from the ideals of their faith, the more likely ignorance and darkness will creep back among their ranks. That is what has happened to the Muslims. That is how the West can stand on firm ground and tell the Muslim World, "Y'all have a problem with women's rights."

Now, it is not like the West in general, and America in particular, is the Utopia for the woman. For all the progress we in the West have made since the days of English Common Law, we still have a long way to go. Women are still paid only about 70% as much as men for the same job. The Equal Rights Amendment has yet to be ratified by the requisite number of states in our Union. Women are frequently used as sex objects to sell merchandise. Go to an auto show - where scantily clad women stand silently next to a shiny, brand new car - and you will know exactly what I am talking about. In fact, I once heard of an ad for an ambulance that had a picture of the ambulance shot through the legs of a woman in a bikini! An ad for an ambulance!

Only about 15% of the Congress is made up of women. Contrast this with Iran - card-carrying member of the "Axis of Evil" and considered by some to be the place where "Islamo-facism" runs rampant - where about 45% of the Parliament is made up of women. The new Iraqi National Assembly, in fact, has a higher proportion of women (20%) than our Congress. Throughout our 200+ year history, we have yet to elect a woman to be President. Contrast this with Indonesia and Pakistan, Muslim countries who have been in existence for less than 100 years, which both have elected women as heads of state.

That is where American Muslims should come in. Armed with the model for true equality between men and women, we Muslims should be at the forefront of the struggle for women's rights, both here in America and around the world. Yet, before we can do this, we have to be honest to ourselves and credible in the eyes of the larger American society. That credibility will forever elude us if we continue to marginalize our sisters. This has to change. We cannot survive as an ummah if our sisters continue to be relegated to the filthy basements and dusty attics of our mosques, institutions, and organizations. God never called for such treatment; the Prophet never condoned such debasement; Islam never sanctioned such humiliation. When I think of where we came from and where we are today, all I can say is: what a damn shame, what a damn shame

'I Am Beautiful, No Matter What They Say'

In the Name of God, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful

Here is another article I first published on iViews.com. It is one my "oldies, but goodies."


Christina Aguilera has a song entitled, "Beautiful," and very few other songs have shot straight through to my heart. The song brings to the forefront the struggles of being a Muslim in America, especially one who has been born and raised American. Like I said before, ever since I first stepped foot on the school bus at the age of five, I faced dislike for my skin color. The first time I boarded the bus and sat next to another child, he frowned. I had never met him before. Another time, two girls said in unison, "I don't want to sit next to Hesham!" Yet another time in the first grade--and this I will never forget--one of my schoolmates pushed me, with red-blooded hatred in his voice and eyes, and screamed "Go back to your country!" This is my country.

As I grew older, this hatred persisted, although it did die down as I entered high school. Yet, the sneers about my skin color were replaced with ridicule for my religious beliefs. I tried to stay true to the teachings of Islam: I did not date; I did not drink or do drugs; I did not go to parties or clubs. As a result, I stuck out like a sore thumb. The fact that I did not date was the source of much of that ridicule. I remember being surrounded by my classmates--with astonishment in their eyes--and being questioned about why I had not had sex yet. I was waiting for marriage, like my Lord and my Prophet told me. These childhood experiences, I speculate, are very similar to those of a good number, perhaps a majority, of Muslims born and raised in America. They contributed to a process of alienation from the greater American society, which was truly unfortunate, because Muslims need to be actively and inextricably engaged in their country's affairs.

Since the attacks of September 11, I had to endure more pain: seeing Islam demonized by pundits and "experts"; having my loyalty and patriotism questioned solely because of my faith; witnessing an horrific act of mass murder in the name of the faith I love and cherish dearly. This is why the song strikes such a nerve for me. The chorus goes: "I am beautiful/No matter what they say/Words can't bring me down/I am beautiful/In every single way/Words can't bring me down." I wish I had this song growing up ... words can't bring me down. Words such as "camel jockey," "sand ni--er," "towel head," "brownie" can not and should not bring me down. Yet, the song has more meaning than just comforting an ego bruised by silly suburban children.

It is very hard being a Muslim, especially nowadays. Every day, there is more bad news associating Muslims and violence. More terrorist attacks, more be-headings with the shahadah tacked up on the wall, more videos and threats by Al Qaida in the name of Islam. On top of this, there are near constant attacks on Islam from members of the right wing in this country. Islam is "evil," "violent," the Qur'an espouses "violence against non-Muslims." Whenever we try to explain that this is not the case, we are accused of lying, trying to "whitewash" the true dark nature of our faith. I know what they say is not true, but it gets tiring to defend against the same charges over, and over, and over again.

Enter in Aguilera's lyrics, especially the first stanza, which embodies how I feel: "Every day is so wonderful/Then suddenly, it's hard to breathe/Now and then, I get insecure/From all the pain, I'm so ashamed." Every day, it's "so wonderful" to be Muslim: to follow the faith of Abraham and the Prophets; to worship the One God and serve Him; to pray, fast, and give charity for His sake. I am so blessed and grateful to have had the opportunity to visit His Holy House in pilgrimage. Then comes the bad news about Muslims, and, unfortunately, there is a lot of bad news to report. Every time a terror alert is issued, my stomach hurts. Not just because I do not want more innocent Americans killed in a senseless act of terror, but because American Muslims will have to contend with an unfair backlash from their American neighbors. I hear the lyrics "I am beautiful, no matter what they say" and I am strengthened.

I remember that God has blessed me by making me a Muslim. I remember that, in the end, God will be there for me. I am reminded not to worry about the charges of others, as the Qur'an also told me. The chorus reminds me to keep going on the path, God will be there at the end, welcoming me into His fold, as he told me: "(To the righteous soul will be said:) 'O (thou) soul, in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back thou to thy Lord,- well pleased (thyself), and well-pleasing unto Him! Enter thou, then, among My devotees! Yea, enter thou My Heaven!'" (89:27-30). All I have to do is strive to stay straight on His path.

When I think about these issues I am reminded of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The Prophet is dear to my heart. I never tire from reading about and listening to his life story. Every time I study his biography, a new aspect of his gentle and wonderful nature, his wisdom, his forward thinking, his sheer beauty, is revealed to me. He suffered so much to bring the message of Islam to me; He suffered so much because he cared about me, even though he would never see or get to know me in his lifetime. Thus, when I hear him called by the most demeaning words I get upset. I know that these are words of hate and human sickness that does the greatest injustice to one of the most beloved by God and sent as a mercy to the worlds.

The lyrics of the song are, "You are beautiful, no matter what they say. Words can't bring you down." I am reminded that he is beautiful, no matter what they say. The Prophet was called worse things by the Meccans during his lifetime, yet this did not take away from his power and beauty. Even his worst enemies could not speak ill of him when pressed to be honest about him. Even some of his worst enemies, Umar (R) and Abu Sufyan (R), eventually became his followers. "Words can't bring you down," O Messenger of God.

The song continues to uplift: "No matter what we do/No matter what we say/ We're the song inside the tune/Full of beautiful mistakes/And everywhere we go/The sun will always shine/But tomorrow we might awake/On the other side." God will always be with us, as long as we stay true to Him. He will help us and He will come to our aid, because He loves us. We just have to have hope and keep the faith. Just as God has reminded us in His Holy Book.

Some may object that I find such solace from the song of an American female singer. They may say that the only sources of solace should be God's Word and the Prophet's hadith. Of course this is true. God's word and His Prophet's wisdom is supreme. But the Prophet has also taught us "Wisdom is the 'lost animal' of the believer. Wherever it may be, the believer belongs to it." This means that we must find the wisdom to live our lives in accordance with God's will wherever it may reside. And I found such wisdom in a song by Christina Aguilera.

Embracing Our American-ness

In the Name of God, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful

From the very beginning of my school years, I was faced with extreme dislike - if not outright hostility and hatred - for my skin color. On the first day of kindergarten, I sat next to a kid on the bus, and when he saw me he frowned. I never met him before. Another time, two girls said in unison, "I don't want to sit next to Hesham!" The most hurtful incident is when a fellow schoolmate - with his eyes filled with hatred - pushed me on the school yard while screaming "Go back to your country!" This confused me, because, America is my country.

Yet, with the incessant hatred for my skin color, I never believed America was my country. I never felt like America was my country. These feelings intensified as I got older. The hatred for my skin color died down, but it was replaced with ridicule for my religious beliefs. I was an observant Muslim growing up, which meant no dating, no drinking, no smoking, etc. Thus, I stuck out like a sore thumb. I felt more and more isolated from my society, my peers, and my country. I felt less and less American. In fact, when someone asked me "Where are you from?", I would never answer "America." Rather, I would say, "Egypt," the land of my ancestors.

These experiences set me up for a faith crisis in college, and it lead to the dark days of my spirituality, when - after flirting with conversion to Christianity - I became a horribly intolerant, narrow-minded fundamentalist. I actually wrote a book about these experiences, but I have not found a publisher yet. So, if any of you know of a publisher or agent who could take me up, I'm all ears (sorry about that plug...I couldn't resist).

I was cured of my fundamentalism on 9/11 (that's also in the book...er...sorry about that again!). It was also on 9/11 that I fully became an American, and I have never turned back. And it was wonderfully liberating. Now, when someone asks me "Where are you from?" I happily say, "The United States." In fact, I was sitting among a number of fellow Muslims, many of whom are immigrants, and we went around introducing ourselves by giving our names and countries of origin. In the past, I would have said "I am your brother Hesham Hassaballa from Egypt." I did not say that. Rather, I said: "I am your brother Hesham Hassaballa from the United States." Some in the crowd growled, but I did not care. I am an American, and I am not ashamed of saying so.

Embracing my American-ness was one of the best things that happened to me, and it is something every American Muslim must do. American Muslims must live and breathe their American-ness and see this country as their country, their home. Frequently, the sons and daughters of immigrants have strong ties to the "mother country." And I don't advocate a total severing of ties to the "mother country." Our ethnic diversity is part of what makes America beautiful. Yet, American Muslims must be just that: American. That way, they can fully engage in their society and fully contribute.

Every Prophet addressed his followers as "my people." When we American Muslims talk to our non-Muslim neighbors about Islam, we must also address them as "my people." We will do that only when we fully embrace our American-ness. Yet, there is also a flip side to this equation: non-Muslim Americans must not make their Muslim neighbors feel like they are outsiders.

I am as American as anybody else. The only thing that is different is my name is Egyptian, my faith is Islam, and my skin is a little darker than most other Americans. What happened to me during my childhood and adolescence should not happen to other kids, regardless of their faith or ethnic heritage. It has a devastating effect on the child's self-esteem and self-worth. To this day, my experiences growing up have an effect on my psyche. We Americans must embrace our diversity, and we should not castigate Americans who look different, worship differently, or have different first and last names.

I am so grateful to God that He has blessed me with being an American Muslim. Here, I can worship God as a Muslim the way God wanted me to worship Him. I am also grateful that He has allowed me to fully embrace my American-ness. Growing up, I felt alienated from my country and my people. Even though I was surrounded by my people, I felt very alone. This will never happen to me again, and for that, I thank the Lord God from the bottom of my heart.

A Sacred Conversation

In the Name of God, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful

I recently got an email from a fellow American that was very important to me. I suspect that what this person was courageous enough to say to me is on the minds of many, if not most, Americans about Islam and Muslims. I sincerely appreciated her honesty, and with her permission, I have reproduced her questions and concerns that she expressed to me. I think it will be very informative for all.


"One point I would like to make is that women are obviously not considered to be equal in Islam or this wouldn't be such a big deal. Of course, the treatment of women in Islamic countries is absolutely appalling so it's not just belief, it is accepted practice that women do not hold much value in Islam."

She was talking about the whole situation with Dr. Amina Wadud leading a Friday Prayer on March 18 in New York City. She is absolutely right that, it seems the enormous controversy over a woman leading a Friday Prayer speaks to an inherent inequality of women and men in Islam. That is how it looks to the objective outside observer. So, that means one of two things, either Islam does allow women to lead the prayer, but Muslims today don't want to accept it, or men and women are not equal in Islam. I may be wrong about this, but that is what it looks like from the outside.

She also highlights another important issue: so much evil is done to women in the Muslim world, in the name of Islam, that the outside observer would not be faulted from thinking that Islam sanctions such evil. Yet, we Muslims know that this is not the case. So, what does that mean? It means we Muslims have to get our act together if we want to show Islam for what it truly is. We, the Muslims, are the "flesh and blood" of Islam. You can write the most eloquent books, pamphlets, blog posts about the virtues of Islam, but if the reality of Muslims is ugly, that is what people will point to and call "Islam." That is the way of the world, y'all.

"Anyway, what I really wanted to ask you about is apostasy. I understand that it is a very serious matter to turn away from Islam. What is the accepted practice within Islam for dealing with apostates?"

That is the subject of my next "Questions From A Student" article. Stay tuned.


"And the last question, are non-Muslims considered to hold exactly as much value in Islam as Muslims? If they are equally valuable, why do Muslims speak about specific treatment of fellow Muslims (i.e., it is against Islam to kill a fellow Muslim)?"

This is an excellent question, and it highlights the double-edged sword of the concept of the ummah. At the time of the Prophet (pbuh), the claim that the bond of faith supersedes all other bonds, even that of tribe and family, was truly revolutionary. The Arabs were fiercely sectarian and tribal, and an Arab tribe was ready to go to war defending one of their own, even if he was a heinous criminal. To say that the believers are one ummah, or nation, was a radical paradigm shift. It is very comforting, in fact. It is great to have 1.2 billion brothers and sisters. The bond I have with fellow Muslims, regardless of from where they hail, is something that is truly special. You really get to feel the beauty of this bond when you go to Mecca and perform the pilgrimage. You instantly love every pilgrim you meet. It is truly extraordinary.

Yet, there can be a Dark Side to being part of the ummah, just like there is a Dark Side of the Force (I'm a Star Wars FREAK. I actually want to be Jedi...er...I digress). The danger of belonging to the ummah is that one may care less about the affairs of others who lie outside of the ummah. That is wrong. If I could snap my fingers and take away all the problems of the Muslim World, that does not mean that I have to stop caring about the injustice done to other people. Far from it. The Qur'an commands Muslims to be on the side of justice for all: "Believers, stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even if it is against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for God can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily God is well-acquainted with all that ye do" (4:135). An injustice committed against anyone anywhere has to be an affront to every Muslim everywhere. That is how God wanted it.

Furthermore, we as Muslims have to be careful when we talk about a Muslim killing a fellow Muslim. Indeed, the Qur'an condemns strongly the killing of a believer: " If a man kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, to abide therein (For ever): And the wrath and the curse of God are upon him, and a dreadful penalty is prepared for him" (4:93). But that does not mean that it is alright to kill non-Muslims. Let me say again: that does not mean it is alright to kill non-Muslims. All human beings have worth in Islam. All life is sacred. Unfortunately, many Muslims don't understand this.

"I won't deny that I have hostility towards Islam. I think you should know, however, that before I knew anything about Islam I used to regard Muslims as nice, intelligent, good people and I thought Islam wasn't very different from Christianity. However, after the attacks of 9/11 which took America and myself by surprise, I began to research just what Islam is all about. So far, I don't like what I see. Both in theory and in practice it seems bloody and barbaric."

I sincerely appreciated her refreshing honesty. The attacks of 9/11 poisoned the view of Islam for many fellow Americans, and it should not be surprising. The level of the Muslim community's insulation from the greater American society, coupled with the widespread ignorance of the basics of Islam on the part of most Americans, should have set up an enormous backlash against American Muslims after September 11. Yes, there were attacks and some were even killed. Yet, September 11 did not spell the end of Islam in America. It speaks to the fundamental goodness of the people of our country.

Still, it is important for me to point out that Islam is neither bloody nor barbaric in theory. Here, however, is the problem: unfortunately, Islam has been used by a tiny minority as an instrument of bloodthirsty barbarism. I am so angry for that.

"I want to know that somewhere out there are Muslims that won't condone the acts perpetrated by Islamic terrorists all over the world and that Islam is not a threat to everything I hold dear. In other words, I'm looking for some sign that the"clash of cultures" between Islam and the West is not inevitable. I know I'm asking a lot, but all I'm looking for is some middle ground."

This is a very legitimate concern for many, many non-Muslim fellow Americans. So let me say again what I initially told this fellow American: I do not, never have, and never will condone acts of murder and mayhem in the name of Islam. I reject it, I hate it, I despise it, and I condemn it with every cell in my body. The terrorists who act in the name of Islam are as much my enemy as they are yours. What you hold dear, I hold dear. Islam is not a threat to that. My whole purpose in writing is to be a bridge between America and the Muslim world (read my blog post: A Muslim Pocahontas). I am trying with all my keystrokes to avert a "clash of civilizations." Islam and the West live in harmony in me, and it can do so around the world. Again, PLEASE don't confuse Islam for the ugliness you see done by Muslims. PLEASE. It is the same as judging Christianity by the Spanish Inquisition or the Crusades, or judging America by "Baywatch." Both are fallacious.

I am so very grateful to God that I had this conversation, and hence I called it a "sacred" one. I am confident that these very same thoughts and feelings dwell within the minds and hearts of a good number of non-Muslim fellow Americans. I am so grateful to God that this fellow American had the courage to tell me about them.

Letter To My Beloved

This is the first of a series of letters to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). I first published this on iViews.com. Enjoy...

Most Noble and Beloved Emissary of God,

I am writing this to you because I did not have time to say everything I wanted to say when we met in Medina in Winter of 2003. Meeting you at your mosque was one of the happiest days of my life. I read so much about your life and biography. I have been there with you as you battled the Pagans of Mecca and the Hypocrites of Medina. I shared your anguish when the people of Taif first expelled you with stones. My heart ached for you when you were nearly killed at Uhud. I never tire from learning about the events of your life, and they never cease to teach me new lessons. When I stood before you, I could not hold back the tears. "Long have I waited to be with you," is what I told you. I pray it is not long before I come back and visit you again.

I do not know where to begin, O Messenger of God. Our ummah is in dire straits. I know you said that there will come a time when holding on to one's faith will be as holding on to hot coals, but never did I think it would get this bad. Every day, the faith we love so dearly--the faith that you gave your whole life to bring to me--is maligned and attacked. We Muslims have had to constantly defend against reckless accusations of Islam's detractors. We have had to constantly remind the people that Islam does not sanction violence. We have had to constantly defend you--and I will not repeat what has been said--against vicious and malicious attacks on your impeccable morality and integrity. We have to keep saying the same things over and over, as if the people are hearing it for the first time. And in many instances, the people, unfortunately, are hearing it for the first time.

I know you told us that the various nations will pick at the Muslims as people gathered around a dinner platter pick at the food. Yet that still does not make it hurt any less. It pains me to the deepest part of my soul to see my brothers and sisters suffering all across the world and be powerless to help them. The majority of the world's refugees, O Noble Emissary, are Muslims. Here in the United States, we Muslims are looked at with suspicion and sometimes outright hostility for no reason other than we are Muslim. The bad news about Islam--and unfortunately there is a lot of bad news to report--is stressed at the expense of the great deal of good news about Islam and Muslims.

With each terrorist attack against American interests, we Muslims worry about what will happen to our lives and livelihood in the country we call home. I can't begin to explain to you how scared I was on the morning of September 11. I froze in panic and horror as I watched smoke billow from the North Tower. I watched both towers collapse and could not move. I was hoping that everything my eyes beheld was a bad dream. Unfortunately, it was no dream. That morning was the darkest day I have ever lived. Even though I share this with you, O Noble Emissary of God, I am a bit embarrassed.

The fear we American Muslims felt on September 11 was nothing compared to the danger and fear you and the Companions faced in Mecca. Although there were attacks against Muslims after September 11, it was not, thanks be to God, widespread. There was no plan for systematic torture of American Muslims, as was the case in Mecca. They did not boycott us and force us into camps, like the Meccans did with you and Bani Hashim. No, it was not nearly as bad for us as it was for you. Nevertheless, it was a fearful time, and I wanted to share my feelings with you.

We miss you so much. We need your gentle hands, your heartwarming smile, your profound wisdom, your stalwart strength, your kind demeanor. We need you now as much as the Companions needed you then. We miss you so much. The legacy of our faith threatens to be one of violence and hatred, not one of peace and justice as you had intended. We once were beacons of light and hope for the world. Those days, unfortunately, are gone. Almost every day, there is news of another attack on innocent people by terrorists who claim to act in your name. Almost every day, there is an attack on our faith by the most ignorant of people. By the day, it becomes more difficult to stay true to the Path you fought so hard to preserve and bring to us. We miss you so much, O Beloved Prophet of God.

Most Beloved Messenger! Thank you. I thank God for you. Thank you for all the suffering and pain you endured for me. Thank you for all the insults you took; thank you for all the blows you sustained; thank you for all the battles you waged; thank you for all the tireless hours you spent bringing this beautiful faith to me. I am so blessed to be a Muslim, and I thank God for that immense gift. I ask God to forgive me whenever I fall short of the demands of the faith I love and adore. And I also ask you to forgive me, too. For, whenever I sin against God, I betray the pain and struggle you endured so that I can be a Muslim. So, forgive me. I never mean it purposely; I love you way too much to belittle your struggle for the faith. I love you so much, O Messenger of God. I love you so much.

Let's All Take a Big, Deep Breath

On March 18, a truly historic event is going to take place. Dr. Amina Wadud, Islamic Studies professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, will lead a mixed-gender Friday prayer service in New York. Now, before you scream Aouthubillah!!! at the screen, you must realize this: whether or not you agree with a woman leading a Friday prayer, it is going to be a most important event in American Muslim history nonetheless. Thus, I called the event a "historic" one.

Throughout my life, I had always thought that only men could lead other men and women in prayer, just like most of the Muslim world. Yet, when you look at it from the outside, something just does not add up. When Muslims talk to non-Muslims about gender equality in Islam, they seem to glow when talking about how women are "equal" to men in Islam. It is always one of the things about which many Muslims "brag" when talking to non-Muslims. Yet, when asked a very natural question: "Can Muslim women lead the prayer?" There is either nervous hand-wringing or outright shock while saying, "Uh, well, no." This exact scenario happened to me.

I was with a number of Muslim activists in the office of Illinois State Senator James "Pate" Phillip, and we were discussing women in Islam. As usual, the others were "gloating" about how Islam treats women, and when the Senator asked, "Can women lead the prayer?", everyone quickly said, "Oh no." And the Senator laughed at how they all said "no." It seemed to me an inconsistency that really does not make Islam look very good.

So now, Dr. Wadud and her supporters are calling Muslims' bluff: if women are equal in Islam, then why can't there be Muslim women leading prayers? The response is: "it never happened before...it is not in our tradition." Those who advocate Dr. Wadud's position beg to differ, and a lengthy essay detailing the evidence for women being allowed to lead mixed-gender prayer can be read here. I have read it twice, and I must be honest, it's going to take some time for me to digest what was written. Read it for yourself and see what you think.

Yet, I am not here to debate the merit of the argument. I am here to express my deep concern at the response by many in the Muslim community. Yes, there have been the requisite astaghfirullahs and aouthubillahs. If it was restricted to this, then it would be great. But it is not restricted to gasps and sighs.

One of the main sponsors of the Friday prayer, Muslim WakeUp!, was hacked on more than one occasion, and one time the hackers redirected the site to another site that read: "Murtad WakeUp!" Murtad is an Arabic word which literally means, "one who turns back." It is commonly used for the term "apostate." Apostasy? Why? Because a woman is leading the prayer? How could that be put on par with disbelief in God and the Messengership of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)?

People have claimed Dr. Wadud has fallen "out of Islam" because of her advocating female imams and some of her other views. One of these views, for instance, is that Dr. Wadud believes there are times to say "no" to the Qur'an. When I first read this, I was seriously taken aback. Yet, I did not scream "You Kaafirah!!!" at the computer screen. I emailed her and respectfully asked her what she meant. You can read what she meant here. If you disagree with what she has to say, just disagree with what she has to say. By what right do you call Dr. Wadud or anyone else an "apostate"? If God truly did not allow females to lead the prayer, then this Friday prayer will not count, and Dr. Wadud will have to answer for her actions before God on Judgment Day. She is taking on an enormous responsibility by this action. But, I don't think she is committing apostasy! After all, she is offering a Friday prayer, for God's sake. She is not doing a public strip tease!

This whole situation reminds me of a story from the time of the Prophet (pbuh). Usama bin Zayd (r), the Prophet's (pbuh) grandson, had confronted a pagan Arab who mocked the Prophet (pbuh) and Islam to his face. When Usama (r) turned to the pagan, he stopped. As Usama (r) turned away, the pagan resumed his mocking and maligning of the Prophet (pbuh). Usama (r) turned to him again, and the man stopped. When this happened a third time, Usama (r) lifted his sword in the man's face, and the pagan said, "I bear witness that there is no god but God, and Muhammad is His messenger." Usama (r) paid no heed to this testimony of faith and killed the pagan anyway. Usama's (r) companion was shocked, and he said, "Usama, how could you kill him when he said, 'There is no god but God?'" Usama (r) replied, "He only said this for fear of the sword."

His companion took Usama (r) to the leader of the military expedition, and he also asked Usama (r), "How could you kill him when he said, 'There is no god but God?'" Usama (r) repeated his claim, "He only said so for fear of the sword." They then told the Prophet (pbuh) about what Usama (r) did. The Prophet (pbuh) asked Usama (r), "Usama, how could you kill him when he said, 'There is no god but God?'" Usama (r) said yet again, "O Messenger of God, he only said so for fear of the sword." The Prophet (pbuh) replied, "Did you examine his heart?" Then the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Where will you go from 'There is no god but God' on Judgment Day?" Usama (r) said once again, "O Messenger of God, he only said so for fear of the sword!" The Prophet (pbuh) continued to repeat, "Where will you go from 'There is no god but God' on Judgment Day?" Usama (r) later said, "The Prophet's continual repetition of this phrase made me wish that I had first become Muslim on that day, for conversion to Islam erases all sins committed previously."

The Prophet (pbuh) strongly rebuked Usama (r) for killing someone who very well may have uttered the Islamic testimony of faith to escape being killed. That did not matter, however, to the Prophet (pbuh). To claim Dr. Amina Wadud is an "apostate" for leading a Friday Prayer in New York is a serious matter, and those who advocate thus have no right to do so. Far too easily, many Muslims today scream "apostate," or "traitor," or "sell out," or "CIA agent," when they hear something from a Muslim's mouth with which they do not agree. Why? Did not God say: "Believers, Let not some men among you mock others: It may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor let some women mock others: It may be that the latter are better than the (former): Nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other, nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness, (to be used of one) after he has believed: And those who do not desist are (indeed) doing wrong" (49:11).

If God did not want us to mock each other or call each other offensive nicknames, how could we even fathom calling someone an "apostate" for advocating female leadership in prayer. "We are defending the religion!!!" may be the response. Well, let me tell you, Islam is threatened by many more serious problems and issues than having a woman lead a Friday Prayer in New York City.

Just The Facts, Ma'am...

It does not make the crime any less gruesome. It does not make the incident any less tragic. It does not detract from my profound sadness at the murder of fellow Egyptians in my country. Yet, the murder of the Armanious family was not the result of a "jihad" operation; Islamic militants did not kill the family "in line with Qur'an 47:4." After it was discovered that the Armanious family had been murdered, rumors began to fly that it was a religiously-motivated killing. Apparently, Hossam Armanious, the father, had gotten into heated arguments with Muslims on an internet chat room and was warned to "stop this bullshit or we are going to track you down like a chicken and kill you."

What's more, bloggers on the website JihadWatch.org stated: "The Armanious family had inspired several Muslims to convert to Christianity--or thought they had. These converts were actually practicing taqiyya, or religious deception, pretending to be friends of these Christians in order to strengthen themselves against them." Tensions between Egyptian Muslims and Christians flared. Sheikh Tarek Youssof Saleh offered condolences at the funeral of the Armanious family and, according to him, he was called "killer and animal and terrorist."

I called for restraint and echoed the call of many to wait until the investigation into the murder was completed before making premature judgments and accusations. Then came the arrests of Edward McDonald and Hamilton Sanchez, convicted drug dealers, for the murders of Houssam Armanious, his wife and two children. In the days after the slayings, approximately $3,000 was withdrawn from Mr. Armanious' bank account using his ATM card, and surveillance video from cameras over the cash machines helped lead investigators to the accused. McDonald was a tenant in the Armanious' two-family house at the time of the murders. After the arrests were announced, leaders of both communities expressed relief: "We are very relieved that the perpetrators are brought to justice," said Michael Meunier, president of the U.S. Copts Association, "and we hope they will be severely punished."

So, it was a brutal and gruesome robbery, and not an act of "Islamic brutality." There was no act of taqiyya to get close to the family in order to kill them; no act of murder "in line with Qur'an 47:4." And all we had to do is wait for the facts, just as God told us to do: "If a wicked person comes to you with news, ascertain the truth, lest you harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of regret for what you did" (49:6). This tragic incident reminds me of the case of LAX shooter Hesham Mohamed Hedayet, who shot and killed two people at an El Al ticket counter in 2002. Almost as soon as the story broke, people were shouting "terrorism." Yet, after the facts came in, it was determined that terrorism had nothing to do with the shooting.

I must reiterate: the fact that two non-Egyptian, non-Muslim men were arrested and charged with the murders of the Armanious' does not detract from the tragedy and brutality of this incident. I wish it did not happen. Yet, it did happen, unfortunately. We cannot change that fact.

Yet, there can be some good that comes out of this tragedy. As Sarah Issa, director of media relations for the New Jersey office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said: "even though the Islamic community was blamed, it's still understood that the tragedy is kind of what prompted this, and that is really a lesson for all of us to try to reach some common sense and wait for the authorities to come to the bottom of it before we start accusing others." If something like this happens in the future--which I sincerely pray from the bottom of my heart does not--no one should jump to conclusions.

And it should begin with the case of Haroon Piryani. Mr. Piryani was a Muslim Chicago cab driver who was killed on February 4. Allegedly, City of Chicago employee Michael Jackson used Mr. Piryani's cab and repeatedly ran over him, crushing him to death. Mr. Jackson was his passenger at the time. As soon as the arrest of Mr. Jackson was announced, there were some in the Muslim community who shouted "hate crime." I say let's wait for the facts. Let us not jump to premature conclusions. Let us listen to God's command in the Qur'an (49:6).

In addition, the tragic Armanious family murders also served to unearth the underlying tensions and rifts between the Egyptian Muslim and Christian communities. These rifts and tensions need to be addressed and mended. I am heartened by the words of Mr. Meunier: "We continue to endorse good relations between Egyptian Muslim and Christian communities both in New Jersey and abroad," and I echo his call. In fact, on the anniversary of the Armanious family murder each year, American Egyptian Muslims and Christians should get together across the country and celebrate the Armanious family's memory. In the process, both communities will strenghten the common bonds of ethnic heritage. language, and culture. An event such as this would go a long way to build bridges of understanding between Egyptian Muslims and Christians. And it would ensure that Houssam Armanious and his family will never have died in vain.