USA: 'Our religion has also been kidnapped, "says Islamic leader about 9/11

48% of Americans feel uncomfortable with Muslim women wearing a burqa, 46% would not be comfortable with the construction of a mosque near their homes.Another 41% are not comfortable with the idea of ​​Muslim teachers teaching in elementary school, and 30% believe that Muslims living in the United States wants to establish sharia (law code of Islam).

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: BBC Brazil in Washington
By Alessandra Correa | September 9, 2011
Translated with GoogleTranslate | Read here

A decade after the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States on September 11, 2001, Muslims living in the country still face the challenge of erasing the negative image about their religion.

"Our religion was also kidnapped that day," he told BBC Brazil Pakistani Naseem Mahdi, vice-president of the Islamic Ahmadyya Muslim Community in America.

The attacks were carried out by Islamic extremists linked to al-Qaeda, who hijacked the two planes that hit the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York and a third plane that crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, and the aircraft that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.


"Most Americans were introduced to Islam ten years ago, on September 11. It was the worst kind of presentation by the worst kind of people and in the worst conditions," he says.

According to Mahdi, the community began to suffer from the suspicion of neighbors, colleagues and society in general, and in some cases even be the target of violent episodes.

"The attacks changed the lives of Muslims living in the United States, and this can be felt daily. Many Americans think all Muslims are a bunch of terrorists, "says Mahdi.

"When you talk to people, has the feeling that they do not trust you. And they carry always the suspicion that you may be a terrorist or having links with terrorists."

Discomfort

Recent research indicates that the feeling of distrust and discomfort on the part of Americans that Mahdi says he is visible throughout the country.

According to a survey released this week by Public Religion Research Institute, in conjunction with the Brookings Institution in Washington, 47% of Americans believe that Muslim values ​​are incompatible with the American way of life.

The survey reveals that 48% of Americans feel uncomfortable with Muslim women wearing a burqa, 46% would not be comfortable with the construction of a mosque near their homes.

Another 41% are not comfortable with the idea of ​​Muslim teachers teaching in elementary school, and 30% believe that Muslims living in the United States wants to establish sharia (law code of Islam).

"Over the past ten years, when you meet someone, you have to start from a negative assumption, saying 'I'm not a terrorist, I do not believe that Islam should be propagated by force," says Mahdi.

Extremism

The Muslim leader said that the impact of the attacks of September 11 on public opinion was enhanced by an intense propaganda campaign by some Christian groups.

Mahdi cites the case of evangelical pastor Terry Jones, responsible for a small congregation of about 50 worshipers in Gainesville Florida, who caused controversy by promoting a campaign to burn the Koran, the sacred book of Muslims.

"This case shows how, in some churches, people really hate Islam and Muslims," ​​he says.

"After the attacks, many groups began to say that Muslims were here to destroy American civilization, that all Muslims have an agenda to harm the United States," says Mahdi.

"Of course we know that most Christians in America do not think so. This is just a minority. But, likewise, it is to say, only a minority of Muslims who exploit religion for extremist ideas."

According to the Islamic leader, the image of religion also remains hampered by a number of Muslims themselves who have extremist views.

"There are people in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and other countries who say the attacks were correct, which killed nearly 3,000 people was justified, and that they will do even more," he says.

Confusion

Another factor to damage the image of religion and cause confusion, according to Mahdi, are the cases of Muslims in the United States that end up being co-opted by terrorism.

He cites the episode involving the American of Pakistani origin Shahzad Faizal, arrested after plotting to blow up a car bomb in the area of ​​Times Square in New York last year.

"He is Pakistani, comes from a good family, apparently lived a quiet life. And suddenly turned into a terrorist and wanted to destroy Times Square. It confuses people," he says.

"On the one hand, you hear that Islam does not condone terrorism. And yet, your neighbor, who apparently was a good person, a sudden turns into a terrorist. "

According to Mahdi, the confusion also affects the new generation of Muslims living in the United States, which may end up being influenced by radical clerics.

"Our peaceful struggle is also against the minority of clerics and fanatics, who say that by presenting a peaceful view of Islam are acting as agents of the West," he says.

Mahdi said that the death of Osama bin Laden - who died in May in a raid by U.S. forces in Pakistan - was a major blow against terrorism and against Al-Qaeda, of which he was leader.

"But there are several other groups that will continue to carry the banner of Osama bin Laden to kill or harm U.S. interests."

Blood donation

To mark the tenth anniversary of the attacks, the organization led by Mahdi holds a campaign for blood donation throughout the month of September.

The goal is to collect 10,000 units of blood - enough to save 30 000 lives, says Mahdi.

He said the campaign has spread to mosques around the country, and also have won the membership of Christian churches, synagogues, Hindu temples and other religions.

"I think it is our responsibility to give something, offer some sort of sacrifice. Ten years ago, innocent blood was shed by these fanatics. So we decided to give our blood to save lives," he says.

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