Dr. Hassaballa in the July 31 Chicago Tribune

In the Name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

Thanks be to the Lord God, my article was published in the Sunday July 31 Chicago Tribune's Perspective section. As always, I have reproduced it for you below:

Aftershock
Muslims in the West are struggling to understand the aftermath of terrorist attacks on London's transit system

The war on terror belongs to the police, not the military

By Hesham A. Hassaballa
a Chicago doctor and freelance writer
Published July 31, 2005

"Did you hear about London?"

"Yeah," I replied, "they won the 2012 Olympic bid!"

My sister's confused response told me that something else had happened. When she told me about the bombings, I could not believe it. My heart sank as I pondered the despicable reality that 7/7 has joined 9/11 in the dark pantheon of digits that represent the dates of brutal terrorist attacks.

Investigators have identified the four bombers, and they are all British citizens. This is particularly disturbing. That anyone would place a bomb on a bus or subway train to maim and murder is disturbing enough, but for someone to attack his fellow citizens in the name of the faith I hold so dear strikes a particular nerve with me. It curdles my blood in anger.

But along with that anger comes a nervous fear. How can such an attack ever be prevented? How can you stop someone who is determined to kill others, even if it means killing himself in the process? It is a daunting challenge for those charged with protecting our homeland. Some may advocate closing the borders and preventing any more immigrants from coming to this country. Others may suggest profiling all Muslims to try to pick out the tiny fringe of extremists in their midst. Still others--and this worries me the most--may even advocate mass internment. I suggest a different approach.

First, it has become clear that regime change through military means is not a particularly effective means to combat terrorism. Most experts agree that the war in Iraq has not made America safer, and intelligence reports suggest that Iraq has become a breeding and training ground for an even deadlier generation of terrorists.

Still, this does not mean we should stop taking the fight to the terrorist enemy. That fight, however, must be based on accurate and precise intelligence and really should be primarily a law-enforcement, rather than military, operation. If authorities learn of a "sleeper" cell anywhere in the world, they have to disrupt it, all the while taking special care not to harass and intimidate the very community whose help and cooperation is needed the most.

Second, we see that the biggest threats come from Muslim extremists wishing to kill Americans. Thus, we have to analyze the root causes of terrorism at the hands of these extremists. It is not because "they hate us for our freedom."

Though it may be cloaked in the robes of Islam, Islamic devotion is not what motivates these terrorists. Much of the motivation is political, stemming from the political repression, corruption, economic stagnation, lack of freedom of expression and religious intolerance that infest the Muslim world today. This injustice breeds tremendous anger on the part of Muslims across the world--driving some to contemplate violence--and is a potent recruiting tool for Al Qaeda. This injustice must end.

Now, does this mean that terrorism against America is America's own fault? Absolutely not. The Muslim world must take the lead in the effort to clean its own house.

Nevertheless, America has the resources and influence to help. Once we end injustice, the swamps in which terrorism incubates and grows will be dried up for good, and when America is at the forefront of the fight against injustice, the likelihood of another attack against America diminishes significantly.

Third, within Muslim communities, there must be absolutely no room for hateful and violent rhetoric. Not even one mosque should allow an imam, such as British radical Abu Hamza al-Masri, to stand on the pulpit and tell his followers to get an infidel and "crush his head in your arms, so you can wring his throat. Forget wasting a bullet, cut them in half!" Anything that comes from the pulpit has the connotation of religious authority; hate speech defiles that space and must never be allowed.

Does this mean I advocate government monitoring and surveillance of mosques and Islamic centers? No. Muslims must do this sort of policing themselves, and it should be easy because the overwhelming majority of Muslims categorically reject the sort of hate speech and twisted perversion of Islam espoused by Al Qaeda and similar extremist groups.

Fourth, many of the Muslim youths vulnerable to the logic of Al Qaeda feel alienated from the societies in which they live. This stems from Muslim extremists preaching isolation from the "infidel society" and from the discrimination and racial hatred many Muslims face in the West, particularly after Sept. 11. Both must end. Racial discrimination and hatred have no place in our society.

The Koran says, "Never let the hatred of a people toward you move you to commit injustice."

In addition, Muslim leaders must continuously teach their communities that being fully Muslim and being fully American are not mutually exclusive. They must teach fellow Muslims to embrace their "American-ness" and always see themselves as American Muslims as opposed to Muslims in America.

The war on terrorism is a vital and noble endeavor. Changing the paradigm of the fight against the terrorists themselves, ending injustice around the world, snuffing out hateful rhetoric among Muslims in the West and preventing the alienation of those Muslims may not be the easiest tasks. They also may not guarantee that America will never be attacked. Yet they are important strategies that will strengthen and enhance our long-term security.

It is a responsibility we cannot shirk, and it is the least we can do to try to ensure that our children will be given a world no longer tainted with the dark digits of death and destruction.

Copyright © 2005, Chicago Tribune

And The Difference Is...?

In the Name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

The July 7 suicide bombings and the botched (thank God) suicide bombings of July 21 have rocked not only London, but metropolitan centers across the world and across our country. They have also rocked Muslim communities the world over, most especially in Britain. Already Muslim leaders in the U.K. have met with Prime Minister Tony Blair, and they have had two meetings among themselves to discuss the terrorist attacks.

Both meetings condemned the terrorist attacks in London, as they should, but Muslim leaders could not agree on whether suicide attacks forbidden by religious law. One group, according to the Associated Press, said "yes," and the other group said "not always." Lord Nazir Ahmed, a Muslim in the House of Lords, said: "There is a very clear split between what the Islamic leaders said about whether suicide bombing is right or wrong in places such as Palestine, Kashmir, or Chechnya." In an interview with AP, Lord Ahmed said such a split makes it easier for extremists to take root.

Britain's largest Sunni Muslim group met in Birmingham and issued a fatwa, or edict, condemning the suicide attacks in London. They said, according to the AP, "the Quran forbade suicide attacks and called such terrorism a sin that could send the perpetrators to hell." Another meeting of 22 imams and scholars, however, also condemned the bombings but stopped short of condemning all suicide bombings.

"There should be a clear distinction between the suicide bombing of those who are trying to defend themselves from occupiers," said Sayed Mohammed Musawi, head of the World Islamic League in London, "which is something different from those who kill civilians, which is a big crime." Hmmm...very interesting.

So, let me paint a scenario for you: a young, misguided, ugly man places a bomb in his backpack, boards a bus or subway train in London and blows himself up: killing dozens of people on their way to work with him. This is wrong, correct? Correct. Say this occurs in Madrid; wrong again? Yes. Say this occurs in Jakarta; prohibited by Islam? Most definitely. Say this occurs in an American city (I shudder to think of it); is it barbaric, not to mention un-Islamic? Absolutely. Say this occurs in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv; is this allowed?

NO!

Many - too many, in my opinion - answer this last question, however, in the affirmative. Why? How can your moral stance change with the change in venue? How can your humanity be checked at the door once you enter Israeli airspace? What is the difference?

Because there is "a clear distinction between the suicide bombing of those who are trying to defend themselves from occupiers," I am told. Really? It does not seem that way with me. To me, the crime is the same, no matter where it occurs. I mean, the Qur'an prohibits suicide, right? Yeah. It is a crime in Islam to take innocent human life, right? Yeah. The Qur'an does not - despite what anyone may claim to the contrary - sanction the murder of "infidels," right? Yeah. So, why is it any different when the civilians are in Jerusalem on a bus returning from the Western Wall? Or at a pizza parlor in Tel Aviv? Or a cafe in Netanya? There is no difference. It is wrong; and if it's wrong, it's wrong. Period.

"But, but," I am told, "Imam so-and-so said it is ok. And Shaykh such-and-such said Islam allows it. And Mullah whatchamacallhim said it is permissible." That is irrelevant. God says it is not. And last time I checked, the words of Imam so-and-so, Shaykh such-and-such, and Mullah whatchamacallhim are NOT the word of God.

Now, SO MANY people equate my refusal to accept the legitimacy of suicide bombing as denoting indifference and contempt for the suffering of Muslims across the world. Their logic is this: because I say suicide bombing a bus in Jerusalem is wrong, then the occupation of Palestinians is somehow ok. That is not true. Palestinians are suffering under Israeli occupation: that much is clear. I pray that the occupation ends, and that Israel and Palestine can finally live side-by-side in peace. The same goes for Kashmir and Chechnya.

But that does not mean that you can, then, kill civilians. No. Now, I fully realize that I write this from the safety of living in America. I am not going through what the Palestinians, Kashmiris, or Chechnians are going through. I pray their suffering ends. But, Muslims have to be consistent with their moral values. If it is wrong in London, then it is wrong everywhere.

Having said that, the world needs to work hard to end injustice. No one should live under military occupation. No one should have their rights taken away. No one should be deprived of their freedom. No one should have their human dignity degraded. And no one should be given the license to kill innocent human beings. No one.

"They Can't Be Muslims!"

In the Name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

I often wonder from where the wild conspiracy theories that are sometimes rampant among Muslims come. To this day, I listen with incredulity to Muslims who refuse to believe that Muslims were behind the attacks of 9/11. The same is true with other attacks committed by Muslims: in Casablanca, Taba, London, and now (sadly) Sharm El Sheikh. Yet, still, it never ceases to amaze me how someone could look me straight in the eye and deny the fact that there are Muslims who commit horrific acts of terror in our name. I do not think I will ever understand it.

Having said that, however, the London attacks offered a glimpse into a possible reason. When I first learned of the attacks, my heart sank into deep despair. "Not again," I said to myself. When the alleged perpetrators were identified as home-grown British terrorists, that despair turned into shock and disbelief. And I must admit that the thought - "These people can't be Muslims!" - did cross my mind, if only briefly.

Yet, why did this happen? Why did that thought - which is the seed of conspiratorial thinking - even make it into my mind? Because I simply can't put my head around the fact that a Muslim - born and raised in Britain - would put a bomb in a rucksack and ride the Tube and a Bus and kill himself and his fellow Britons. It does not register with my neurons. Yes, I was upset at the invasion of Iraq. Yes, I am not a fan of many aspects of the foreign policy of my government. Yes, I believe America can do better across the world. Nevertheless, I would never, ever, ever even contemplate strapping a bomb on myself and killing my fellow Americans. That thought would never, ever, ever even cross my mind.

Not because I am a doctor, someone who is trained to try and save lives. No. But, because I am a Muslim. I worship and serve Allah, Yahweh, Eli, Eloh, Elohim, Alaha. I worship and serve the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, the Most Merciful. I worship and serve I AM, the One God of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. Because of that fact, there is absolutely no way I could murder another human being. My Master told me that life is sacred, that I must never take the life of someone else. My Master told me that murdering an innocent person is the same as killing all of humanity. My Master told me to never let the hatred of a people toward me move me to commit injustice or transgression. My Master told me never to fall into the moral cess-pool of "yeah, but."

My Master never told me that all "infidels" are to be killed. My Master never told me that I am supposed to murder "apostates." My Master never told me that the "end justifies the means." My Master never told me that to kill people in a London subway is wrong, but to kill people at a Tel Aviv pizza parlor is okay. No. I am a Muslim, a servant of the One God of all, and He never told me any of those things.

Thus, I simply can not fathom how someone can claim to serve Allah and kill children in Beslan. I simply can not fathom how someone can claim to serve Elohim and kill children in Tel Aviv. I simply can not understand how someone can claim to act in the name of God and bomb London subway trains. I just cannot understand it, because my Master - Allah, Elohim, God - never told me that I can do such a thing.

And I am certain that the overwhelming majority of Muslims believe the exact same thing. Thus, they conclude - in the pain of despair at seeing their faith smeared by the sins of the violent mutant fringe - that the perpetrators of these horrific attacks just cannot be Muslims. This stems from only one thing: denial. Denial can be deadly. I have seen patients present with advanced breast cancer, after any effective treatment can be rendered, who - when asked - first noticed the lump several years previously. It is a very powerful defense mechanism, and there are so many Muslims who suffer from such denial. And being of Egyptian ancestry, I know denial: and believe you me, it is not a river in Egypt.

Yet, we can not afford to be afflicted with denial. Not in this day and age. We must all wake up to the fact that there are Muslims who claim to worship the God of Abraham and kill innocent human beings. In fact, they cry out "Allahu Akbar" while doing it! There are Muslims who brutally behead innocent people under a banner that reads: "There is nothing worthy of worship besides God, and Muhammad is His messenger." There are Muslims who have absolutely no qualms about blowing themselves up at a resort hotel in Sharm El Sheikh, killing dozens of fellow human beings. It is a painful reality, for sure. But, it is reality nonetheless.

To be honest, this isn't the first time this sort of cancer has grown within the Muslim body. At the time of the four Rightly Guided Caliphs, the Kharijites maimed and murdered innocent Muslims all the time. They even killed Ali (r) himself. Muslim "insurgents" - from Iraq, of all places - killed Uthman (r), the Prophet's son-in-law. The soldiers of Al Hajjaj ibn Yusuf killed Al Hussein, the the Prophet's own grandson. Muslims, despite all the exhortations of their Master, can be particularly brutal. But so can Christians. I mean, it was the "Soldiers of the Cross" who killed the Muslims and Jews of Jerusalem in 1099 until blood was knee-high to the horses. But, brutality is not a Christian trait, or a Jewish trait, or an Islamic trait. It is a human trait, and so long as the followers of religion are human beings, there is going to be violence in the name of religion. It is a painful reality, for sure. But, it is reality nonetheless.

Yes, they absolutely can be Muslims. Even though we don't understand their logic and reasoning, even though we don't agree with their religious justification, even though we ardently oppose their tactics, terrorists can most definitely be Muslims. The sooner we wake up to that reality, the sooner we can get working on how to defeat these monsters once and for all.

London And The Last Day

In the Name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

When I first learned of the London bombings, my heart sank into deep despair. I kept asking myself how could Muslims (sad, isn't it, that I assumed Muslims were behind the attacks?) kill innocent people in such a vicious way like that? The fact that four British-born Muslims have been identified as the bombers only increased my sense of anguish and despair.

I tried to find any sort of comfort for my despair but was utterly unsuccessful. How can it be that a Muslim could do such a heinous thing as blow himself up and kill his fellow citizens? Or blow himself up and kill dozens of children in Iraq? Or fly a plane into the World Trade Center, killing more than 2,000 people? What has become of our world today? Is there any explanation for this madness? As these and other desperate thoughts raged in my mind, a saying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) came straight to my mind.

It was reported that the Prophet (pbuh) once told his companions that among the signs of the Last Day are these: "Religious knowledge is taken away, earthquakes will increase in number, time will pass quickly, afflictions will appear, and Al-Harj will increase..." When asked what "Al Harj" means, the Prophet replied, "It is killing." Have we reached this period in time? To me, the Prophetic saying seems to eerily fit our world today.

Scholars have explained that religious knowledge will be taken away by the death of the learned. Now, there are quite a few Muslim scholars left today, and it may still be a while before all religious knowledge will be totally swept away from this earth. Yet, I see the beginnings of this process. When I read about a preacher in Britain standing on the pulpit and telling his followers to "crush [the infidels'] head in your arms, so you can wring his throat. Forget wasting a bullet, cut them in half," then religious knowledge is slipping away. When you have a blood-thirsty terrorist issue an edict proclaiming all Americans as legitimate targets in an illegitimate "jihad," then religious knowledge is slipping away. When a scholar uses the Qur'an and hadith to justify the murder of innocent people, then religious knowledge is slipping away.

We have all witnessed the phenomenon of time passing by so quickly in our lives today. How many of us have noted that one year can feel like one week in this day and age? Earthquakes are indeed occurring with ever increasing frequency, just as the hadith stated, and we are plagued with horrible afflictions today: famine, pestilence, global poverty, and needless loss of life. This last thing alarms me the most about our world today, and it is what made me think of the Prophet's saying in the first place. There is so much killing in our world today.

Leaving aside the war zones of many of America's inner cities, the amount of killing around the word is absolutely astounding. From the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Dakau, to the killing fields of Bosnia and Kosovo, to the genocide of Rwanda and Darfur, hardly a day goes by without an innocent human being being killed, and many times the loss of life is utterly senseless. Take the murder of 24 children by a suicide bomber in Iraq. Why? The children were all over the U.S. Army Humvee, and Army officials as well as witnesses are certain the bomber had to have seen the children before ramming his car into the crowd and blowing himself up. By no stretch of the imagination could this heinous act of barbarity be justified by any religious tradition, let alone the Islamic one.

Which brings me to another saying of the Prophet which gives me serious pause. The Prophet (pbuh) was reported to have said, "The Hour (i.e., the Last Day) will only come upon the worst of the people." Are we the "worst of the people"? Has our humanity degraded to such an extent that the Hour will come upon us at any moment? In our world today, wars have been started based upon faulty and sloppily collected information, if not outright lies. In our world today, suicide bombers have no qualms about killing innocent men, women, and children. In our world today, you are liable to be killed for the shoes you wear on your feet. Are we witnessing the end of human civilization as we know it?

So, what are we to do? Are we to simply sit back and do nothing about the horrible injustice that infests our world today? Are we to remain complacent in the face of the evil that surrounds us? Absolutely not. I remember a saying of the Prophet (pbuh) that said if the Hour is upon us and we have a seed in our hand, we should plant it anyway. No one knows when the Hour is going to come. When both Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them both) were asked this question, the answer was the same for each: "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only" (Matthew 24:36); "The one being questioned [about the Last Day] knows no more than the questioner" (Hadith in Bukhari).

Until the very last moment of time on earth, we are charged with standing on the side of justice, working to help those less fortunate than us, and striving against all that is evil and ugly in our world. When the world will end should not be our concern, and we must expend every living and breathing moment in trying to make the best of an inherently imperfect world. Thus, when we stand before the Lord on that Last Day, we can at least tell Him that we did our best - in the midst of the horrible evil of the world - to try to make our world a better place for everyone. And I am hopeful that God will reward us handsomely for our efforts.

A "New" Qur'an?

In the Name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

I was intrigued by the question of one of my regular (and very dear) readers in response to my last post about the London bombings:

You know as well as me that the Quran is full of verses such as:

(008.012) "When your Lord revealed to the angels: I am with you, therefore make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them."

Do you feel ready to keep your faith in God, but to reject all such verses? Which means to accept a new, rewritten Quran, half of the original (all the Medina Surah) being for ever cancelled from the book and forgotten from the memories?

I am not criticizing his question in the least. In fact, I welcome the question, and I am happy he asked it. The short answer is: No.

But, let me explain why, because I don't want to give the impression that I support the mutant interpretations of the Qur'an used by the Muslim fanatics who maim and murder in the name of my faith.

There is no doubt that the Qur'an has a number of belligerent verses, like 8:12, for example. Yet, as I have explained in the past, these verses have a context. Once the context is understood, the verses are clearly understood. Yet, before I go into verse 8:12, I must explain a bit about the process of revelation of the Qur'an. The Qur'an was not revealed all at once in toto. Rather, it was gradually sent down over a period of 23 years. During that period, the community of believers evolved and specific situations came up, to which the Qur'anic text frequently responded. That is why the Qur'an seems to be fragmented if one reads the book from cover to cover. The Qur'an, in fact, mentions this gradual process:

"God - there is no deity save Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsistent Fount of All Being! Step by step has He bestowed upon thee [O Muhammad] from on high this divine writ, setting forth the truth which confirms whatever there still remains (of earlier revelations): for it is He who has bestowed from on high the Torah and the Gospel" (3:2-3).

This is important to understand when reading verse 8:12. This verse - along with several ahead of it - was revealed in reference to the Battle of Badr, the first major battle between the Muslims and the Meccan pagans around 625 C.E. A little background is in order.

After the Prophet (pbuh) and his followers were expelled from Mecca and migrated to Yathrib (now known as Medina), a city 300 miles to the north, the Meccans seized all the property of the Muslims that was left in Mecca. This was an act of open war. When the Prophet learned that a large caravan of the Meccans was coming from Syria near Medina, he intended to attack it. Abu Sufyan, who was leading the caravan, learned of this planned attack and sent word to Mecca for protection. His fellow Meccans sent an army, and they met in battle at Badr. The Muslims handily defeated the Meccans, killing almost all of the most important leaders of Mecca.

Now, verse 8:12 comes into clearer focus. The verse speaks about what God told the angels to say to the believers, in order to inspire them before the battle. The Muslims were very fearful, especially since the Meccans were thrice their number, battle hardened, and much better equipped. This becomes even clearer when the verse is read in context:

[9]: Lo! You were praying unto your Sustainer for aid, whereupon He thus responded to you: "I shall, verily, aid you with a thousand angels following one upon another!"

[10]: And God ordained this only as a glad tiding, and that your hearts should thereby be set at rest - since no succour can come from any save God: verily, God is almighty, wise!

[11]: [Remember how it was] when He caused inner calm to enfold you, as an assurance from Him, and sent down upon you water from the skies, so that He might purify you thereby and free you from Satan's unclean whisperings and strengthen your hearts and thus make firm your steps.

[12]: Lo! Thy Sustainer inspired the angels [to convey this His message to the believers]: "I am with you! [And He commanded the angels:] "And give firmness unto those who have attained to faith (with these words from Me:) 'I shall cast terror into the hearts of those who are bent on denying the truth; strike, then, their necks, and strike off every one of their finger-tips.'" [emphasis added]

See? The verse is clearly speaking about the events surrounding the Battle of Badr. It is not a general command to "strike at the necks of the infidels." Anyone with an understanding of the history of Islam knows this. When I read these verses, I know that they refer to the Battle of Badr. No where in my mind is there even an inkling of a thought to "strike at the necks of the infidels."

This reminds me of another verse which is frequently cited by critics of Islam as proof of the Qur'an' s exhortation to kill those who are not Muslim. In fact, some of these critics even claim that this verse is the scriptural basis for the brutal and inhuman practice of beheading now common in Iraq and Afghanistan:

"smite their (the infidels) necks until you overcome them fully, and then tighten their bonds" (47:4)

This could not be farther from the truth. Now, I purposely quoted only part of the verse out of context to show how misleading this tactic is. The full verse reads:

"Now when you meet [in war] those who are bent on denying the truth (commonly translated as "the infidels") smite their necks until you overcome them fully, and then tighten their bonds; but thereafter [set them free] either by an act of grace or against ransom, so that the burden of war may be lifted: thus [shall it be]. And [know that] had God so willed, He could indeed punish them [Himself]; but [He wills you to struggle] so as to test you [all] by means of one another. And as for those who are slain in God's cause, never will He let their deeds go to waste." (47:4)

This verse, like 8:12, is speaking about the believers' conduct in an open battle against the enemy. God is "psyching up" the believers before a battle, just like American soldiers psych themselves up before they go into combat. It is not an open call to behead all infidels. Once again, when the verse is understood in its context, this becomes obviously clear.

In fact, the verse actually is one of mercy toward the enemy. After the battle is over, during which the believers are to "smite their necks," the verse directs the believers to set free those who are captured by the Muslims, either "by an act of grace or against ransom." These captives are avowed enemies, who would have killed the believers if they had the chance. Despite this, however, the verse directs the Muslims to set them free. How, in God's Most Holy Name, can this verse be one of terror?

So, to recap my answer to the reader's question: No, I would not advocate a "new" Qur'an, with the Medinan surahs taken out. The resultant "revised" Qur'an would immediately cease to be the Qur'an. The seemingly violent verses that would be taken out have a context. Study and understand this context, and it becomes quite clear that they are actually not violent at all.

But, you know, anyone can misquote, mistranslate, or quote out of context a verse of scripture to seemingly prove a point. This has been done with the Biblical text for centuries to justify such things as slavery and racism. Muslim terrorists do the exact same thing with the Qur'an to justify their heinous acts of murder. But just because they do so, it does not mean the Qur'an is therefore violent. Capice?

Say Something Good Or...

In the Name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

The more I think about the horrific bombings in London, the more upset I become. First and foremost, it upsets me that anyone - let alone someone claiming to be Muslim - would take it upon themselves to kill another human being in such a vicious manner. Yet, I can't help but worry about the subsequent backlash against the Muslim community. It is a bit selfish, I fully admit, but like I said, I just can't help it, because the backlash is real.

Already, several mosques in Britain have been subjected to arson attacks. Even a mosque in Bloomington, Indiana - thousands of miles away from the scene of the July 7 attacks - was set on fire, and the incident is being investigated as a hate crime. Unfortunately, whenever terror occurs in the name of Islam anywhere, someone is liable to avenge said attack against some Muslim somewhere. It is the sad reality of being a Muslim in the 21st Century.

My upset at the London attacks leaves me at a loss for words. How can such an attack really be prevented? How can you stop someone who is determined to leave a bomb in a subway train, or bus, or mall? I mean, if two people secretly meet in the mosque to plan an attack, how can you police that? How can you know of such a plot? It is most unnerving.

I can't even fathom the possibility that Muslims in a community - be it in Britain or here in America - would turn a blind eye to a terror plot that they uncovered. Even though Muslims have a lot of problems, I refuse to believe that their humanity has deteriorated to such an extent that they would look the other way as misguided members of the community actively plan and plot to kill other human beings. If this were to ever happen, may God help us.

Yet, there were some things that were occurring in Britain that the July 7 attacks brought to the forefront that were very disturbing. For many years now - as both the Washington Post and New York Times have reported - London has been a haven for radical Muslims and their vitriolic rhetoric. The New York Times article said, "extremists...have played to ever-larger crowds, calling for holy war against Britain and exhorting young Muslim men to join the insurgency in Iraq." One such cleric, Abu Hamza Masri, was quoted by the Washington Post as urging his followers to get an infidel and "crush his head in your arms, so you can wring his throat. Forget wasting a bullet, cut them in half!" Lord God, help me!

This sort of rhetoric has no place in the Muslim community. This hate speech - and it can't be characterized as anything else but that - should never be allowed to emanate from the Friday prayer pulpit. That pulpit is the legacy of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and whenever someone stands on that pulpit to give a sermon, they stand in the place of the Prophet (pbuh). Spewing incitement to murder and violence defiles that space, and it flies in the face of the message the Prophet (pbuh) struggled so hard to convey to us.

Is this infringing on freedom of speech? I do not believe so. The principle of freedom of speech is very important to me. Why, this very blog thrives under that sacred principle. Yet, freedom of speech does not give one the license to yell "Fire!" into a crowded theatre. Such an act is liable to cause harm to the theatre-goers who may rush out fearing for their lives. Yelling "Fire!" into a crowded theatre is not freedom of speech; rather, it is malicious mischief. It does not deserve to be protected.

The same thing should hold for hateful sermons at the mosque. Standing on the pulpit and telling the congregation to "crush the infidel's head and wring his throat" is a repugnant thing to do. There is no basis in Islam for such violent incitement, no matter how many people - Muslim or not - may claim the contrary. To teach such hate is an enormous sin, and mosque leaders and authorities have a responsibility to ensure this does not occur in their mosques.

But why? What does the mosque have to do with a Muslim committing a terrorist attack? The Friday sermon is a unique opportunity: the imam has the undivided attention of hundreds, and perhaps even thousands, of Muslim faithful. The imam can teach the congregation something it did not previously know, or uplift its spirits, or recharge its spirituality for the coming week. In addition, the imam speaks with authority by virtue of standing on that pulpit. Thus, it is an opportunity to do an enormous amount of good. By the same token, however, it can also lead to an enormous amount of evil.

If the imam continuously uses the pulpit to preach that infidels are "worse than trash and deserve to be killed," some of the congregation may believe that those words are the truth, which is a complete disaster, because it is totally not true and heinously distorts the message of Islam. Furthermore, it only takes one misguided soul in the congregation to act on the imam's false teachings to commit a terrorist attack. That attack not only may cause the deaths of countless innocent human beings, but it also places the entire Muslim community - which has nothing to do with the act of terror - in grave danger.

That terrorist attack - goaded on by the hate speech of the imam - may lead misguided souls anywhere in the world to attack an innocent Muslim walking to the grocery store, or throw a brick through a mosque window, or set fire to a mosque, or try to blow up a mosque, even. Now, it is enough of a barbarity that someone would listen to a hateful sermon and then kill innocent people, and I don't want to give the impression that this is not as bad as a brick being thrown in a mosque window. Nevertheless, long after the smoke from the bombs has cleared, more innocent people are liable to be hurt, and this is wrong as well.

Thus, mosques have to be vigilant against hate speech being preached from their pulpits. Now, I am fully aware that hateful sermons are neither the sole cause - nor even the major root cause - of the tumor of terror committed by the fanatic fringe of Muslims. There are many root causes: political repression, alienation from the greater society, horrible injustice prevalent in the Muslim world, an ugly interpretation of Islam, and many others. I am also fully aware that the overwhelming majority of mosques in the world do not spew hate speech from their pulpits.
Still, it only takes one mosque's pulpit and one willing worshipper to start a disastrous chain reaction leading to terror, and thus if every mosque makes an effort to root out hate speech, it is an important start.

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) once said, "Whoever believes in God and the Last Day should only say something good or remain silent." There is nothing good about inciting violence against those who choose not to follow the path of Islam. There is nothing good about exhorting the faithful to attack their fellow citizens. There is nothing good about saying that Muslims will give Western governments "a 9/11, day after day after day." If that is all you have to say when you get up on the pulpit, then go and sit down in the congregation and remain silent. You don't belong on the pulpit of our beloved Prophet.

The Moral Failure of "Yeah, But"

In the Name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

As the death toll rises in London and the eyes of suspicion fall ever more sharply on Al Qaeda, I can't help but despair at the ever spiraling violence in our world today. And it pains me even more deeply that a significant portion of that violence occurs at the hands of Muslims in the name of Islam. Of course, we have all condemned this latest attack in London; we have all stated that Islam is a religion of peace; we have all stated "Islamic terror" is neither sacred nor Islamic.

Yet, inevitably, I get a question from one - or more than one - reader which goes something like this: "Yeah, but what about the suffering of Muslims in Iraq? Isn't that also wrong? Why don't you condemn that?" You can replace Iraq with a number of other hot spots in the Muslim World: Palestine, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Kashmir, and so on. Right then and there - with those two words of "yeah, but" - the questioner begins down a path of moral failure. The "yeah, but" indicates that the loss of innocent life in London can somehow be justified, that if innocent Muslims are dying at the hands of the British, then the death of innocent Britons (perhaps at the hands of Muslims) is somehow acceptable. Utter moral failure.

Admittedly, that may not be the intention of the questioner, but - to me, at least - that is the impression that comes through; that is the connotation of the "yeah, but." Our faith has absolutely no room for any "yeah, buts." The sanctity of human life in the Qur'an is absolute, without condition or qualification:

Say: "Come, I will rehearse what God hath (really) prohibited you from: Join not anything as equal with Him; be good to your parents; kill not yourchildren on a plea of want--We provide sustenance for you and for them; come not nigh to shameful deeds, whether open or secret; take not life, which God hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law. Thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom" (6:151)

Nor take life - which God has made sacred - except for just cause.... (17:33)

And the servants of the Most Gracious are those who...Those who invoke not, with God, any other god, nor slay such life as God has made sacred except for just cause... (25:63-68)

By no stretch of the imagination could killing someone in London, or Baghdad, or Kirkuk, or Beslan, or Tel Aviv fall under the denotation of "just cause." Yet, there is an even more profound statement in the Qur'an, one that solidifies the moral failure of "yeah, but." In fact, I believe this statement to be one of the most - if not the most - profound statements in the entire Qur'an:

Believers, stand out firmly for god, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety, and fear God. For God is well-acquainted with all that you do. (5:8) [emphasis added]

Earlier in the same chapter, God says:

...let not the hatred of some people in (once) shutting you out of the Sacred Mosque lead you to transgression (and hostility on your part). Help ye one another in righteousness and piety, but help ye not one another in sin and rancour: fear God, for God is strict in punishment. (5:2)

These two verses leave absolutely no wiggle room; they choke the air out of any argument that would begin with "yeah, but." No matter what evil has been committed against us, that does not give us license to commit injustice. And what worse injustice could there be besides taking the life of an innocent human being? The second of the two verses (5:2) especially brings home this message loud and clear.

This verse was initially revealed to the Prophet and his companions just after the conquest of Mecca, the inhabitants of which violently opposed the Prophet from the very beginnings of his ministry. They attacked, tortured, maimed, and murdered the early Muslims. They starved the Muslims for three years, directly leading to the deaths of Abu Talib and Khadijah. They killed Sumaya and Yasser in front of their son Ammar. They drove the Prophet (pbuh) and his followers from their homes and then seized their property to enrich themselves and their caravans. They led attack after attack against the Muslims in Medina, and they nearly killed the Prophet (pbuh) at Uhud. They treacherously violated the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, killing the Prophet's (pbuh) allies within the Sacred Precincts.

Yet despite all of that, God told the Muslims that they had no license to transgress against the Meccans. They could not say, "yeah, but." When the Muslims were marching into Mecca, one of the Prophet's companions yelled out, "Today is a day of slaughter! Today, God will debase Quraysh." When the Prophet (pbuh) learned of this, he became very angry and retorted, "He has spoken incorrectly! Today is a day of mercy. Today, God will elevate Quraysh in strength and status (by their acceptance of Islam)." The Prophet (pbuh) responded to all of the ugliness of Quraysh with mercy, forgiveness, and kindness. He did not take the opportunity of war to wantonly slaughter his most bitter of enemies. So should it be with Muslims today.

In no way, shape, or form does this mean that I am indifferent to the sufferings of Muslims. Why is this always brought up? I am frequently criticized for my harsh criticisms of the sins of Muslims, especially when it comes to violence and terror, and the implication is that I don't care about the countless loss of Muslim life. That is not true. The suffering of Muslims around the world pains me very deeply, and the way to end that suffering is to work to end injustice across the globe.

But, I have to take us back to the word of God: "Never let the hatred of a people toward you move you to commit injustice." Our faith does not allow us to ever say, "yeah, but." It is the path to the Dark Side; once we start down that path, forever will it dominate our destiny. Once we let "yeah, but" guide our morality, then we risk becoming completely amoral. We cannot take that risk, ever.

'Did You Hear About London?'

In the Name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

"Did you hear about London?"

"Yeah! They won the 2012 Olympics bid!"

There was a small pause on the other end of the phone. I was a bit confused, so I asked:

"What? Did something else happen?"

"Yeah! Three subway cars and a bus were bombed."

"Oh my God!"

I was utterly shocked. I was out of town and out of touch for the past week, and I had absolutely no idea what was going on in the world. The news was so grim. I was so upset.

"How could they do such a thing," I kept asking myself. Every suspicion has fallen upon Al Qaida, even though this has not been confirmed. Still, most people around the world have already concluded that Muslim monsters were behind the July 7 bombings.

As I despaired over the horrible death and destruction left in the wake of the bombings; as I worried about the fate of the scores of innocent Muslims who will become victims of backlash and discrimination; as I contemplated over the continuing spiral of violence in our world today, I could not help but become angry (this is an instance when we should become angry).

This wanton murder of innocents in London is a most vicious desecration of the Qur'an, far worse than what occurred at Guantanamo Bay. It disgusts me that there are people who claim to worship none but the God of Abraham and follow His last messenger Muhammad (pbuh) that would kill other human beings on their way to work.

"What about the thousands of innocent Iraqis who were killed by British soldiers? Why aren't you disgusted by that?"

Stop right there. That question - one which I am sure many of you are asking me right now - should have no connection with the London bombings. Yes, I am disgusted by the loss of innocent life, be it in London or Baghdad. But, the fact that innocent Iraqis were killed by the illegal and immoral invasion of Iraq has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the inhumanity of killing innocent Britons in the Tube and on that bus. The two should never be connected. Never.

"Never let the hatred of a people toward you move you to commit injustice..." (5:8). Period.

That question should not be asked in response to my condemnation of the London terrorist attacks. Now, notice that this entire line of argument assumes that Muslims are behind the London carnage. I fully admit that. Yet, what if this turns out not to be true? What if the culprits were fanatical anti-globalization activists? Or animal rights activists? Or environmental activists? Or petty criminals? (However unlikely)

Would that change anything? Absolutely not. Yet, if non-Muslims do turn out to be behind the London attacks, I bet you that a collective sigh of relief will come from Muslims the world over. "Thank God, it was not a Muslim - for once," Muslims will probably say.

That statement is just as inappropriate as the question about innocent Iraqi dead. The shock, horror, and anger that Muslims feel about these bombings should not diminish one bit if non-Muslims were the murderers. The murder of any innocent human being anywhere should be an affront to every Muslim everywhere. Yet, even though it is not right, I definitely understand the sentiment.

Every time a Muslim commits an act of terrorism, every Muslim becomes a victim. Whether it be eyes of suspicion, or extra scrutiny at the airport, or screams of profanity, or being beaten up or even killed, Muslims who have nothing to do with terror almost always become victims of backlash after terrorist attacks. I feel for the law-abiding, innocent Muslims in Britain. I ask that God give them His strength and protection at this difficult moment.

Still, even though I understand the sentiment, the fact remains: Muslims should always be up in arms when innocents are killed, irrespective of whether the killer is a Muslim or not. In fact, the anger should be more intense whenever a Muslim is behind the act of terrorism. Not to show the suspicious non-Muslims that "we are like you." But because such an act is so unbecoming of a Muslim; such an act - done in the name of the Qur'an - is an abhorrent desecration of the Qur'an. And that kind of desecration should make every Muslim very angry indeed.

The Fourth and the Flag

In the Name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

With the Fourth of July comes the barbecues, cookouts, picnics, and family/friend get togethers. AND, don't forget the fireworks!!! In my old days, I would shun fireworks shows as "un-Islamic" celebrations. I have since changed my views, and I try not to miss a fireworks show, especially for the sake of my two young children. The Fourth of July is an American cultural tradition, commemorating independence from Britain, and Islam accepts the cultural traditions of a people so long as they conform with its principles. I do not know of any principles of Islam that are violated with watching fireworks.

"Ah, Ah, Ah," you may be telling the computer screen. "There is a principle that is violated: nationalism. Islam bans nationalism." Indeed, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did say about nationalism: "Leave it, it is rotten." Furthermore, in my mind, inevitably, the image of the flag is conjured up whenever I think about the Fourth. Surely, that is nationalistic, right?

Um, no, and I'm going to explain why later. But first, I have to say something about the flag. Before 9/11, I would have never even considered putting a flag pin on my jacket or medical coat. Since that horrible day, however, I happily place one on my lapel. And it is not out of fear or a desire to show non-Muslim Americans that I love this country.

On that day, I decided to fully engage in my society and embrace my American-ness. Hence, the flag pin. You might think this is blasphemy, but I don't think so. What is the flag, anyway? It is nothing more than the symbol of this country. It represents my homeland, and thus it represents me. Now, that symbol denotes and connotes many things to many people. For me, like I said, the flag is a symbol of my country. For many others, especially in the Muslim World, however, the American flag is a symbol of oppression, hypocrisy, arrogance, aggression, and belligerence.

That truly saddens me. The face of America that has been shown to Iraq, for example, is not the true face of this country. The face of America that was shown at Abu Ghraib is not the true face of this country. The face of America shown at Guantanamo Bay is not the true face of America. But, inevitably, those faces are associated with the flag, and thus the flag symbolizes those ugly and horrible things.

But that is not what the flag means to me. To me, the flag represents my ability to worship God as a Muslim more freely than in many, many majority Muslim countries across the world. It represents the warmth of my neighbor who welcomed me to my neighborhood with open arms, even though he is not a Muslim. It represents the freedom to think and say what you want, even if it that means mocking the President. To me, the flag represents everything good about this country, and thus I happily wear the flag pin my person.

So many people tell me - out of anger toward some of the things America does - to take down my flag pin. I always refuse, because the flag does not represent those things to me, like I said above. But wearing my flag pin does not mean I support everything America does. No. When I wear my flag, I am saying, "This is the symbol of my country, and I am blessed to be an American." Not that all who are not American are cursed. No. I am blessed to be American because God made an American, and whatever God chooses to make me is a blessing.

So, on this Fourth of July, as I take in the wonder of the dazzling fireworks display, I will think about my flag and all the good that it represents. And this will cause me to feel some pain, because I know that Old Glory also represents so many bad things to so many people across the world. What a damn shame. What a damn shame.

Six Months of God, Faith, and a Pen

In the Name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

On July 6, it will be six months since I first started my blog God, Faith, and a Pen. It has been an absolutely amazing experience. Starting this blog has been one of the best things I have ever done. It is so therapeutic for me to write down my thoughts and share them with all of you.

And your feedback has been ever so valuable to me, even when you totally slam me for my views! I learn so much from you, even though I may not respond to each of you individually. To those of you who have been with me since the beginning, I want to sincerely thank you for sticking with me. For the more recent additions to the blog list, welcome aboard! I am very happy to have you.

To everyone, I am so very honored that you either allow me into the sacred space of your email inbox or take some time out to read my blog. I also sincerely thank each and every person who takes the time to email me. I pray that God, Faith, and a Pen will remain strong for years to come, and that you all stay with me along that journey.

Thanks for letting me be a part of your life.

Godspeed and God Bless.