SPECIAL COMMENT: Only a 5-Pillar Man?

By Rushdi Siddiqui, head of Islamic Finance, Thomson Reuters

‘…Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity … darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that…’

With 9/11 upon us, a colleague asked a simple, honest and candid question, ‘what are you?’

I was born in the world largest democracy (India), raised, educated and work in a military and economic superpower (America), but now with only an AA+ debt rating, and happen to be a practicing Muslim (nearly 20% of the world’s population).

It’s a valid question, and it forces one to take a step back and detach from the situation and ask, ‘what am I in America? Does my ethnicity define me? Or my race defines me? Or my culture defines me? Or my country of origin defines me? Or my religion defines me, i.e., the 5 Pillar Muslim?

How are high profile Muslims defined: Muhammad Ali (boxing), Zinedine Zidane (football/soccer), Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Hakeem Olajuwon (basketball), and Walid Bin Talal (Warren Buffet of Saudi Arabia)? It would seem ‘accomplishments’ define these gentlemen, be it on the field or capital markets.

A recent Gallup report, Muslim Americans, Faith, Freedom, and the Future, covered many aspects of Muslim Americans on how they view themselves and how they are viewed on a number of topics by American Jews, Catholics, Mormons, etc. Its good background information on Muslim American dynamics and recommended to all for better understanding and insights.

However, to date, I have yet to understand why we, American Muslims, are not also viewed by our ethnic/cultural DNA. For example, we have become accustomed to hearing of Italian Americans, Irish Americans, Israeli Americans, Polish Americans, Japanese Americans, Korean Americans, etc., and we have Korea Town, China Town, little Italy and so on. These people neither carry nor are tagged by their religious label, yet we know them to be God fearing, respecting and loving people with strong family values.

It should also be noted all these ethnicities have endured bigotry, prejudices, marginalization, violence, internment ‘camps,’ and questioning of their allegiance to America by the ‘good witch hunting clique’ of the 19th and 20th centuries.

The same ‘clique’ went as far as to question the loyalty of America’s Irish President, John F. Kennedy, to the US over the Pope! Or in today’s lingua franca, the acceptance of Mitt Romney, a Mormon, by the right who might be deemed loyal to the Mormon hierarchy if elected President.

Thus, Muslim country [ethnicity is the] flag I proudly carry during the country’s independence day parade in America. Yes, democratic India. Yet, the focus seems to be only on Muslim day parades!

Emotionally Charged
Religion is emotionally charged subject matter, and, when a group of people are defined exclusively by the religion they practice in secular society, the law of unintended consequences may apply. For example, American Muslims seem to be the modern day ‘red scare’ to the American way of life by a ‘swift boat’ vocal minority that has applied a well financed ‘coordinated spin’ effectively.

When religion is the key identifier, akin to affinity marketing, then ‘opposition’ will use the religious text out of context to make their point, i.e., Islam is religion of violence and oppression and Muslims execute the message. —-

Even President Obama identified improving relations with Muslim communities during his election campaign and mentioned Muslim Americans during his inaugural speech. The President even has an American Muslim envoy, Rashid Hussain, to the 57 Muslim countries. Thus, American Muslims and, by extension, the Muslim countries are treated as one ‘monolithic calling’ that need to be somehow ‘defended or explained?’

However, Muslims come in many shapes, sizes, and tribal sect ‘beliefs,’ and have many differences of opinion between and among themselves, from the ‘Salafist’ (purest) to the secularists to the spiritualist. Some examples of differences include:

1. ‘Manual’ moon-sighting for Eid-ul-Fitr prayers resulting in different days of Eid celebration which often confuses the youth and non-Muslims, yet daily prayers are scientifically time referenced to the minute.

2. Muslims call themselves Sunni (85%), Shia (10%), Ahmadi/ Agha Khani, and so on. There is also an ancestry caste/clan system (similar to Hinduism) of Sayed (Brahmin), Siddiqi, Usmani, Alavi, Farooqi, and so on, specific to India/Pakistan.

3. Today, most of the world’s conflicts are intra-country, and there are more conflicts in the Muslim countries than non-Muslim countries, i.e., Arab Spring

4. Muslims have incarcerated, tortured and killed more Muslims than non-Muslims, simply look at Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, etc. But, honorable mention needs to go to Myanmar, North Korea, China and Zimbabwe.

So, the question becomes, which or what Muslim does President Obama want to improve relations with? Is it only the like minded Muslims as disagreement, in today’s charged times, results in the ‘them’ branding? It should be noted there are also Republican Muslims!

Exclusively as Muslims
It seems we all have multiple strands of DNAs; ethnicity DNA (physical traits), spiritual DNA (religion, mythology, ideology, or none of above), and professional DNA (our business cards). However, in America, land of the free secular democracy (and fading Tea Party), and for Americans, really a melting pot of ethnicities, religion takes a backseat to state as the founding fathers understood the predictable conflicts and confusion that may tear the fabric of democracy. Thus, the ethnic DNA overrides religion, which is relegated as a private matter.

However, in defining, be it by ourselves or 3rd parties, exclusively by our religious DNA in secular America (or Europe or Australia), today, based upon events since 9/11, there is the expected ‘blow back.’ It’s the equivalent to being set up (or allowing to be set up) for the inevitable public relations fall.

[However, lets flip the players and geographies, how would non-Muslims be treated in, say, Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, if they wanted to introduce ‘Christian’ laws or build Churches? Yes, we have Muslim versions of Newt, Michelle, Sara, Robert, Frank and Pamela in Muslim countries. The point is we, humanity, still have a long way to go for understanding and tolerance.]

The timely words of Reverend Martin Luther King, recently honored with a memorial in Washington, DC, come to mind, ‘…nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity … darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that…’

Beyond the indigenous Muslims (African American converts or, as some say, reverts), American Muslims, naturalized and by birth, come from all the 57 Muslim majority countries. But, we don’t often hear categorization like Malaysian Americans, Saudi Americans, Egyptian Americans, etc. But, interestingly, we hear of Indian (from India) Americans, but not Hindu Americans or American Hindus.

Yes, we have, say, Pakistani and Arab Americans and ensuing ‘lobbying’ organizations supporting causes in America, but the microscope seems exclusively under the Muslim brand. May be its easier to categorize and count people under a common denominator, Islam/Muslims, than ethnicities. Yet, the US census does not ask for religious affiliation.

Conversely, Americans living abroad as expatriates in, say, the Muslims countries are not called Catholic Americans, Mormon Americans, Christian Americans, Jewish Americans, etc., just Americans.

Newcomers & Business Cards
Why is it easy to say Italian Americans and take a subway ride or drive to Little Italy (in downtown Manhattan), but a challenge to say or accept Malaysian or Emirati (from United Arab Emirates) Americans? May be its a test of time issue, as Muslim immigrants are relative newcomers on American shores?

May be the ethnicity has not reached critical mass in numbers, after all America’s population is 300 million strong with only an estimated eight million (or 2%) Muslims widely dispersed in the American landscape.

Or may be its having Italian or Israeli Americans in mainstream politics, business, sports, academia, fashion designing, legal, media, entertainment, etc.? Where are the Muslims or is it Pakistanis, Malaysians, Somalians, Afghanis, Kuwaitis, Turkmenistanis, and so on in these professions?

Muslim country ethnicities in America have a professional concentration towards physicians/dentist, engineers, IT, academia, students, gas/convenience store owners, etc. Why? Possible because education, with cultural focus on doctors and engineers, is the ultimate safety net in taking care of one’s family and making the village proud. However, diversification is acknowledged and recognized by the second and third generations, and it now becomes a critical mass representation phenomenon.

Where comments?
May be Gallup should undertake a survey on where (or what profession) the anti-Muslim and anti-Islam comments emanate from? Is it areas where Muslims are under-represented?

The issue of ethnic acceptance may have to do with assimilation into American society at (1) the various professional levels that filters down to (2) personal level. Ignorance and prejudices are typically eliminated not by boasting, cheerleading and conclusion based statements (we are peaceful people), but continued interaction resulting in first hand observations and answering of questions.

Thus, I can still go for drinks with you for after office bonding, but I’ll order my juice or soda, and, to sound sophisticated, I may ask for a twist of lime! And, I’ll drive you home or make sure you get a taxi if the situation warrants.

In America, I am an Indian American and proud of my heritage and ancestry as much as Irish, Italian or Israeli Americans. I have a Muslim sounding name much like my colleagues and friends have Irish (O’Brien), Italian (Caruso) or Israeli (Cohen) sounding names. I go to a mosque much like my colleagues go to a church and synagogue.

Thus, am I an American Muslim for political purposes, and my colleagues and friends are now called Irish or Italian Americans, as they have already paid the ‘clique’ their bridge of acceptance tolls?

Who has labeled me as an American Muslim only and why? Or was I just another sheep and accepted other’s labeling me according to the direction I face while praying?

I am defined by my conduct and attitude, identified by my ethnicity and aptitude, and my personal beliefs are based on reaching a high altitude behind 1,400 years of peaceful submission.

The dialogue in America needs also to about defining the secular DNA of Muslims and the Pakistanis, Emiratis, Malaysians, Indians, etc., need to lead the discussions.

The views expressed in this article are the writer’s personal opinion.