Source/Credit: My Record Journal | Opinion
By Sohail Husain | March 21, 2011
Hi, I'm the Muslim around the corner. As I reflect over the current debate in Congress over radicalization of Muslim-Americans, I have a few things to say.
Firstly, I condemn terrorism - no "if's," "and's" or "but's." Unequivocally. The perpetrators of 9/11 were evil. I give my kids the same message. I believe my Muslim faith actually teaches peace. I belong to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and serve as a youth leader at the first-ever mosque in Meriden. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community's motto is, "Love for all, hatred for none."
I do admit, though, that extremist Muslims are constantly hurting the image of Islam. I completely condemn their actions. Sadly, all right-minded Muslim groups in America have felt the repercussions of the actions of these extremists. (Try getting a mosque built in the Bible belt today.)
But I do want to say that the leadership of my town of Meriden saw beyond the negative image when, in 2007, it came time for granting approval on the purchase of our mosque. I know this first-hand because I represented the local Ahmadiyya Muslim Community at the town hearing. A glimpse into that moment is worth understanding. I explained that we are loyal citizens of America who also serve with distinction in the military. I saw nods of approval as I mentioned the front page Record-Journal article printed a few months prior to the hearing (3-12-2006) about one of our young members who served two tours of duty in Iraq, the second one on his request just so he could support his platoon.
Then I mentioned that Islam actually tells us to work together to help others, not to hurt them. For instance, I went with fellow physicians of my Community, alongside members of others faiths, to New Orleans in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina in order to provide medical relief. There was no question while serving the needy as to which creed they belonged to. After hearing our position, the noble town council approved our mosque purchase. I believe that time will be the greatest witness over the truth of the claims we make about the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community's loyalty to country and service to humanity. Since moving in to the mosque, we have hosted several dozen interfaith symposia and open houses, coordinated several blood drives, and even sent a medical relief trip to Haiti after its own terrible earthquake last year. The true work of faith continues.
But now that the home town has given us the right to have a mosque in Meriden, we Muslim-Americans have a special responsibility towards the town. We need to call out the extremists wherever we see them and to work with law enforcement to thwart terror plots from any section of society. Furthermore, we must train our youth to become Muslims for peace and loyalty. This is an actual nationwide door-to-door and open public square campaign that the Ahmadiyya Community launched a few months back. Just as I learned when I was a kid, our children also need to know the wisdom of our Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which guarantees religious freedom for all citizens. The only homegrown idea that they we try to get across in youth meetings at the Meriden Mosque is love for God, His creation, and one's homeland.
The hearings in Congress have helped reaffirm the views of my Community. We reject extremism from any religious group, Muslim or otherwise. Our purpose should be to make our wider communities better places. We are proud to know that we have a spiritual home in Meriden and in America. I'm the Muslim around the corner, and thanks for listening.
Dr. Sohail Husain is Vice-President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Youth Organization of Connecticut, an executive board member of the Meriden Mosque, and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Yale.
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