Source/Credit: News Time |
By Qasim Rashid | May 11, 2011
Osama bin Laden's corpse had not been buried at sea for even 24 hours before the international backlash, conspiracy theories, and demands to release his postmortem photos stole the headlines.
Critics questioned whether America had the right to execute a kill mission in sovereign Pakistan without their notice, much less approval.
Rallies erupted in Abbottabad alleging an American conspiracy to blame Pakistan for bin Laden -- some claiming he is very much alive and his death is an "American lie."
And then there is the photo issue and President Obama's decision not to release it -- as if pictures would convince the skeptics anyway.
But a controversial executive decision and conspiracy theories aside, what does bin Laden's death mean for the future of American Muslims?
In three words: relief, reset, and revival.
Bin Laden's death comes as a relief for American Muslims, but not necessarily as a celebration.
This is because though bin Laden's views contradicted Islam's, a Muslim always strives to achieve a non-violent resolution.
Still, when push comes to shove comes to mass murder, stopping that mass murderer is always a relief.
And though the reality that people like bin Laden exist is painful, it comes as little surprise to moderate Muslims.
Indeed, Prophet Muhammad foretold that day when, "the worst creatures under the canopy of heaven will be the Muslim clerics." Bin Laden is one fewer "worst creature."
Bin Laden's death also serves as a reset button for all Muslims, moderate or otherwise.
Unfortunately, Muslims are most often catapulted to the headlines to condemn tragic events like the Fort Hood shooting or the attempted Times Square bombing.
This time, Muslims are being afforded the platform to express appreciation for the end of a mass murderer.
Bin Laden's death offers all Muslims the opportunity to loudly declare (once again) that they support peace and freedom of conscience -- values foreign to everything bin Laden embraced -- resetting the (mis)conception many had of Islam.
Finally, in appreciating -- again, while not celebrating -- bin Laden's death, Muslims can use the now reset playing field to revive the true and peaceful picture of Islam Prophet Muhammad established 1,400 years ago.
By distinctly separating themselves from a poster-child of extremism, violence, and intolerance, Muslims can instead revive what Islam actually stands for -- moderation, peace and tolerance.
Distinguishing Islam from the extremism bin Laden and his ilk perpetuate allows non-Muslims to see a revived and unadulterated Islam, while extremism is recognized for what it is -- something evil and incompatible with Islam.
Numerous Muslim organizations are recognizing and availing themselves of this opportunity. For example, consider the oldest Islamic-American organization, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA and its "Muslims for Peace" initiative.
Ahmadi Muslims -- or Muslims who believe in the Messiah, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian -- have advocated for a peaceful and pluralistic Islam since Ahmad founded the community more than 120 years ago.
As such, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has established itself in nearly 200 nations under the guidance of a Khalifa, through peace, service to humanity, and tolerance.
Let the pundits argue over backlash, conspiracy theories, and pictures.
With their welcomed sigh of relief, Muslims must hit hard the reset button and revive true Islam, thus doing two things Osama bin Laden never could -- unwaveringly serve all of humanity and bring true honor to Islam and Prophet Muhammad.
Qasim Rashid is spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, an American-Muslims organization founded in 1920. The first Ahmadiyya Mosque in Connecticut was established in 2007 in Meriden.
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