Reflecting on My Mentors, with Gratitude

I wanted to write a blog on gratitude and thought what better time to write about this  than during one of my favorite American holidays, Thanksgiving. 

When I look back at my life, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude to God, my parents, my teachers and so many people who helped me along the way. Anybody who tells you he/she is self-made is not telling you the truth, and they sure aren’t being grateful.

My parents provided everything a child could ask for, despite not having much to give, and prepared me to face the rest of my life with gratitude and resolve.  I remember riding with my dad on his bicycle after finishing the day’s work at his crockery shop. He would tell me about his life and lessons he learned over time, and he would always say that the  key to being grateful is to never be envious of what others have and you don’t.  He would say if you want to be happy in life and live a life of gratitude, look at the people who don’t have as much as you have. This lesson has served me well

My mother’s care and prayers were and are a constant source of comfort in my life.  Her motherly advice to have a firm belief in God, and her constant reminders that everything happens for a reason and to never  lose hope in God’s Mercy, has made me who I am.  Whenever I face something big in life, I seek her advice and ask her to pray for my success. 

I was lucky to have some dedicated mentors throughout my life.   I  was introduced to Mr. Abdul Rasheed (lovingly called Matsahab), who tutored me along with other kids after school.  His efforts helped me reach  the top 25 scorers in the 8th grade board exam in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India.  It was beyond his expertise to teach after 8th grade, but he continued to teach me about life. When he would come to tutor my younger brothers, I would spend time  with him, talking and learning about his life and his views.   

After my parents, Matsahab was my biggest influence.  He introduced me to religion, philosophy, politics, poetry, nature and more importantly, he prepared me to face many challenges in this life, always forcing me to look at them as opportunities for growth.  I still remember discussing this couplet (originally in Urdu) with him, which he taught me and asked me to memorize:

“Don’t be frightened by these furious and violent winds, oh eagle! These blow only to make you fly higher.”  

It was through his influence that I decided to apply for a student visa to do my Master’s in the US.

Another person who influenced  my life while I was in India was the late Mr. Nauman Ali Masoom.  He was a lover of the Urdu language.  When I met him, he was working on a book about the themes in the holy book Quran, emphasizing the universality of its message.  In my freshman year of  college, I would regularly visit him and we would discuss various topics in the Quran and also  philosophical questions like our purpose on earth.  He also inspired me to read about other religions.

My interaction with Dr. Hanif D. Sherali, a distinguished professor at Virginia Tech, started before I even arrived in the US for my master's. I stumbled on his profile during my search to apply for a master's at a US university at USEFI (US Education Foundation in India) library in Delhi when I went to take my GRE.  I wrote him telling him about myself and to my surprise, he wrote me back.  Long story short, I applied to Virginia Tech for a master’s in Operations Research. He became my advisor and I did my master’s thesis under him.

Dr. Sherali was one of the top three academics in  his field.  To this day, I believe he is the only genius I have ever met.  He is a man of faith, and one of the most modest people you will ever meet. He could always see fifteen steps ahead of me, and I’d normally get my work back covered in red ink. But while he was a tough instructor, he was also very kind and generous to me.  He successfully lobbied to get me a tuition waiver from the ISE (Industrial & Systems Engineering) department after my first semester and then gave me an RA (Research Assistantship) to work for one his clients, a coal mining company to help them come up with an optimal mix of coal from different mines to meet the 1990 Clean Air Act, which also became  the topic of my thesis.

In 1992, when there were almost no jobs available, particularly for somebody like me, fresh out of college and with a student visa, it was really difficult  to find a job. Having Dr. Sherali’s name in my resume was a big plus for me. I had two offers after graduating: one from American Airlines and another from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).  He advised me to join a smaller organization like AAR, where I could  make a bigger impact.  His advice was to never  join for a paycheck or a  big name, but to join for impact and contribution and become indispensable to that organization.

I have been taught and have tried to practice being thankful to God for all He has bestowed upon me.  Being thankful to God is one of the most essential qualities of a believer. In the Quran, God asks rhetorically again and again about the arrogance of humanity. We are reminded that He has brought us into being and expects us to be grateful. 

Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) once said, “Whoever does not thank people has not thanked God.” This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for the mentors that have shaped me into who I am today. It is hard to imagine my journey so far without the influence of these mentors in my life.  

I hope this Thanksgiving you make sure to not miss the most important ingredient in your Thanksgiving dinner, gratitude!

(grateful to my daughter, Samina for editing this blog)

Racism among Immigrants from Indian sub-continent

In my previous blog about the racial incident in Rochester Hills, I had forgotten to mention a quick conversation I had with an attendee at the meeting that was held to discuss the incident. The lady sitting at my table asked me how old my kids are and when she came to know that I have a 14 year old son, the same age as Brannan who was shot at for asking directions, she said, “wow, this could have happened to your son.” I respectfully disagreed. I said that I don’t think he would have been shot at. In my son’s case, he would be considered a good kid—good in studies, good for the school environment, and anything but a “trouble maker.” My son is not black, he is brown and that makes a huge difference.

And that’s exactly the reason that many brown folks I know, have no concern about racism in this country. Most of us brown folks fail to realize that most of our rights as citizens are because of the struggle of others, mainly that of African-Americans, who fought for social and racial justice.

When I landed in United States in 1990, for me, America was a country of whites. I knew there were blacks (it was only later that I learned the term African-American) in the United States but from what I understood while watching TV in India, that they were pretty insignificant.

When I landed to accomplish my master’s at Virginia Tech, I did not know the history of this country. For me it was my future, not the American past that mattered. This was/is the land of opportunity. A friend at Virginia Tech introduced me to race relations and American history when he lent me a cassette of the movie “Mississippi Burning.” I remember watching the movie on a Friday night, normally reserved for partying and a night of relaxation, before getting back to research work for graduate studies over the weekend. That started me on an on-going journey to learn more about the history of slavery in this country and its present effects.

Once I came to realize that this was not just Hollywood fiction, but a major part of American history. I was horrified. Since then, I have been very curious about the history of slavery in this country. And I have a lot to learn still.

The general focus for Indian sub-continent immigrants (by that I mean immigrants from India, Pakistan, and surrounding countries) landing in United States is education and securing their future in this country, economically. We work hard and don’t want to be distracted by involving ourselves in any social issues regarding this country. Most of our interactions are with other immigrants of our kind and whites, particularly in college campuses. After education, the usual move to a house in a suburb and voilá, the American dream is achieved.

Race relations and discrimination is a rarely discussed topic in social gatherings. I don’t remember ever being in a social gathering where the topic of discussion was the unjust shooting of African-Americans by police or Black Lives Matter etc. And if the topic is ever visited tangentially, it is always dealt with the attitude, “It is not my problem,” or “If we can make it, why can’t they?” Or “If you work hard in this country, whatever your background, you can make it.”

My brown friends fail to realize that just being brown and not black is a privilege in this country. They don’t have the historical context where blacks were treated as 3/5th human being. Also they don’t realize that American slavery was based on race and race alone. Racism is engrained in the history of the United States. This history is hard to learn and does not come easily but its effects are evident on a daily basis.

The color of one’s skin is very important in Indian sub-continent cultures. Growing up in India, I remember watching ads on TV about creams that will make you “fair and lovely.” From what I understand, Bollywood actors are still used in ads to sell those creams. Unfortunately, the culture there associates fair color with goodness and beauty.

I wish more of my fellow immigrants could understand that the reason they can live and thrive and are afforded the rights they have in the United States is because of the Civil Rights Movement. Bottom line, if African-Americans had not struggled and sacrificed to get their civil rights, we would not be in this country.

The good news is that our brown American kids are much more in tune with the history of this country and the current environment. They realize that their parents are hypocritical, while taking advantage of minority certifications for their businesses and all the advantages of American citizenship but never ever contributing anything for social, racial and economic justice in this country. These kids are our hope. And I hope they will participate fully for the equality of all human beings in all aspects in this country, and for that matter, the world.

My recommended list:

Reading

Watching

Frederick Douglas’s – “What to Slave is the 4th of July” The Biography of Malcom X: As told to Alex Haley The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. The Greatest: My Own Story : Mohammed Ali   Ta-Nehisi Coates:  Between the World and Me Ta- Nehesi Coates: The First White President Sylviane A. Diouf:  Servants of Allah: African Muslims Enslaved in the Americas Harriet Beecher Stowe: Uncle Tom’s Cabin Howard Zinn: A People's History Of The United States

13th – Netflix Documentary Detroit – Movie The Help - Movie 12 years a Slave - Movie Roots – History Channel Documentary Selma – Movie Mississippi burning – Movie 10 Must Watch Black History Documentaries

A Racial Incident, addressing it and making it a teachable moment for the community

The first time I heard that an African-American teenager, Brennan Walker, was shot at in my town of Rochester Hills was when I received a CAIR Michigan email. Then I received emails from fellow steering committee members at GRAIN calling for a community gathering at 5:00 PM on Saturday April 14th 2018 at Abiding Presence Church in Rochester Hills.

There was no way I was going to miss this meeting. To my pleasant surprise, there were about 50+ people at the church. People of all color, ethnicity and religion were present to show their support for Brennan and his family and to figure out the next steps to get people talking about racism in great Rochester area and find solutions. I was there to learn and to listen and, hopefully, contribute in some positive way.

Pastor Sharon asked everybody to introduce themselves. I was amazed to see the diversity of the area in one room, but also to realize that how this diversity is not reflected in the media, at the city hall or at the school board.

I hate to acknowledge it, but this is the first time that I realized the struggle of African-American families in my own neighborhood. Though what happened to Brennan was tragic and could have been fatal, this could have happened to anyone of their sons.

An African-American man, Fitz (54 yrs old) told about his childhood and how he feels like nothing has really changed. The struggle for dignity and respect continues. He was hopeful that things will be better.

Khary Mason, whose son recently went through a traumatic experience of being called the n-word and the family did not receive support from his school, spoke powerfully about the need for our community to come together and raise our voices.

Michelle, who was sitting at my table, talked about her son being harassed in his own neighborhood while he was trying to collect donations for Adams High Schools’ Robotics. A neighbor called police as her son was going to door to door, suspecting “trouble”.

Regina told about how she does not allow her sons bike beyond certain perimeter in her neighborhood to keep them safe.

On the topic of Brennan’s father serving in US military, one woman attorney strongly reminded everyone that a family does not have to be perfect to receive justice. Why it is expected of African-Americans to have perfect background to receive equality under the law? This reminded me of a powerful quote for Ta-Nehisi Coates book, “Between the World and me”: All my life I’d heard people tell their black boys and black girls to “be twice as good,” which is to say “accept half as much.”

Many families talk about how they are afraid to send their young African-American kids walking to and from school. Why are these kids who go to the same school as other kids are treated differently and are seen as threat?

Deyar talked about being discriminated for being a Muslim and how Swedish exchange students they had sponsored were taken away from them.

Sarah, an educator in urban schools, choked up as she said she did not want to lose any more students.

I told the audience I was there to listen and learn. I wish, my son was there with me to listen to some of these heart-wrenching stories and to understand the struggle some go through in one of the best places to live in the 21st century America.

Many white families spoke about their support for their African-American neighbors and how terrible they feel and their plans to raise their voices at the city council and their places of worship. A white lady said white people need to come forward and confront this ugly reality present in Rochester Hills, supposedly one of the top 10 places to live in the United States. She also asked everybody to take the orange ribbons (a symbol of anti-gun violence movement) she had brought, to put it on their mailbox, suggesting “Come to My House” and don’t be afraid of being shot.

Jenny McCardell, member of city council in Rochester Hills spoke about need to get involved in politics and run for offices. She is pushing and will continue to push to hold the mayor to his commitment to the "Mayors' Compact to Combat Hate, Extremism and Bigotry" that he signed and to make inclusion and diversity into reality. She advised that everybody write (or email) to their councilperson about this incident and demand that the city administration address these issues.

Stephanie from The Northern Oakland County Branch of the NAACP informed everyone that while some may think we live in a suburban utopia, this branch of the NAACP receives calls on weekly about crosses burning on yards and discrimination against people of color. She plans to stay engaged in this case and raise awareness.

Rev. Greg Larson from United Church of Christ church spoke about the need to create a welcoming community and his church is welcoming of everybody. He and pastor Sharon will be part of an inter-faith meeting to be held on April 19th to address this issue and issue a joint statement with other faith leaders.

Last, but not least, Tiffany, owner of small business in downtown Rochester, who was a driving force behind this urgent meeting, spoke powerfully about her own experiences. She spoke about how she was arrested on her own porch by the police for ‘suspicion’ and was stopped while opening the door to  her own business by someone who told her she wasn’t allowed in. She also spoke of her struggles to balance when to complain and when to ignore issues, so as not to be called a troublemaker.

Tiffany did a great job in continuing the conversation and writing suggestions for next steps. Because of my prior commitment, I had to leave before the meeting ended.

GRAIN encourages everybody to attend the April 23rd City Council meeting. Also, don’t forget to call/email to your city council and mayor. I also suggest that next time if you come across any act of discrimination you contact NAACP or/and MRDI (Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion).

My Friend, Bill Potere (May 22, 1943 - August 23, 2017)

Bill and I met after an interesting lecture by Rev. Larry Dannemiller at the Van Hoosen Museum on May 15, 2003.  The lecture was about Muhammad, the prophet of Islam.   After 9/11, there was a lot of interest in those kinds of topics.  I was curious that why the museum would choose a Christian clergyman to talk about the Prophet Muhammad.

I was the only non-white person in the crowd during that jam-packed lecture.  The reverend was a very well read and wise man. He talked reverently about the prophet Muhammad and actually cleared up lots of misconception about Islam and debunked lots of conspiracy theories people received through email chains.

During the Q&A, Bill commented on how all the religions are being abused by their followers. According to him, the religious zealots are a problem in all the religions.  I also raised my hand, commended the reverend and told him about the common bond between Christians and Muslims, which is their belief in God and in the hereafter.  And how my Muslim family growing up in India always supported the USA against the USSR in all the Olympics finals in basketball, ice hockey etc., for a simple reason: these people (USA) believed in God and the other people (USSR) did not believe in God.  The audience really liked my comments and I got a standing ovation.  Moreover, I got an invitation to meet the reverend later that night at his friend’s house, where Bill was also invited.  That was the beginning of our friendship. 

Bill loved the Rochester area.  He introduced me to the Greater Leadership Rochester and recommended that I join the program, which I did and finished in May of 2004.  A few years later, when the Paint Creek Center for the Arts asked me to join their board, he encouraged me to say “yes.”   He introduced me to the Clinton River Watershed Council by inviting me to their pancake breakfast at the Rochester Municipal Park.  I also sought his advice in my personal and professional life, and he was always generous with his time and advice. 

Bill wanted all Rochester organizations to have diverse voices and encouraged me to add my voice and make Rochester a better place for everyone.  He wanted the board of local organizations to reflect the community they are serving.  He would say, “Ignorance leads to prejudice, let us remove ignorance.” 

Bill was an avid biker and he introduced me to all the bike trails in the area, be it Paint Creek Trail, Clinton River Trail, Polly Ann trail or Stoney Creek Trail.  I would normally drive to his house with my bike and we would start biking from there.  We did a couple of Tour de Troit events.  It was interesting to ride with him in the city of Detroit. He showed me the place/bar where the 1967 riots/uprising started, different neat neighborhoods, and of course, a French breakfast place (I have still yet to try that place).  After our first Tour de Troit, we visited Martha in her apartment in Detroit.  Bill was very proud of his daughter Martha, she was the star of his eyes. Unfortunately, he was not able to join me for Tour de Troit last year.  

Bill knew a lot about lots of things.  I enjoyed his company and our conversations ranged from politics to religion to philosophy to food to business to yoga vs. swimming (he liked yoga and I enjoy swimming).  Like yoga vs. swimming, we agreed to disagree on lots of subjects.  Talking about food, well most of our bike rides on Saturdays ended with a serving of almond croissants at the Give Thanks Bakery.  Bill knew Gerald Matthes, the owner of the bakery, and we had interesting conversations with him.  Fall rides at the Clinton River Trail included a stop at Verellen Orchards for a serving of their famous peach ice cream.  It was cool to eat ice cream at 10:00 AM.  He also introduced me to Folger’s Orchard and Farm, suggesting that I need to go there to try their sweet corn, which arrives in August.  Well, I have been their regular customer ever since.

During one winter, Bill told me that to make my winter interesting, I should get into winter sports of some sort.  He told me that if you want to see a completely different look of Stoney Creek Park, we must go there for cross-country skiing.  As I did not have the skis, etc., he offered me Martha’s and we were able to go.  Martha’s boots were little tight, but I did not mind.  Wow, Stoney Creek does look amazing when completely covered with snow.

Bill knew almost everybody in Rochester.  When my younger brother, Mohammad Ali, a heart surgeon, visited me, he wanted to meet a local heart surgeon.  Guess, who knew a heart surgeon at Crittenton hospital? 

Bill was connected, I mean politically.  A few year back, a woman (born and raised in Rochester, white, wears hijab) at the mosque called me and told me about a meeting she attended, where for the first in her life, she thought her life was in danger.  The meeting was organized by Islamophobes, where they talked about how Muslims (yes 1% or less of the population is taking over our country) are taking over and we need to get rid of them.  She was the only visible Muslim there and she got scared.  She told me that beside Sheriff Bouchard, Mike Bishop (who was at that time Michigan House Majority Leader) was there as well.  

Bill knew Mike Bishop; I called him and told him what happened.  He was saddened to hear that this kind of gathering can take place in the Rochester area.  He immediately called Mike and arranged a meeting.  I met Mike Bishop and told him about the lady’s concern, and he wanted to apologize in person, but she decided not to meet him.  I think she was right in asking for a public apology rather than a personal one.  Anyways, point being, Bill could call a politician and he/she would respond quickly.  They knew he was a community leader with influence.  He was a member of the Rotary Club and took me to their Tuesday lunch meeting once.  Everybody knew him there and I found them to be very welcoming hosts.  

After Bill fell ill with Leukemia and became a snowbird, our interaction diminished.  Our bike rides became infrequent and shorter.  He was on a strict diet, so no more almond croissants and ice cream.  Last year, when I went with him for lunch in Troy, he located a salad place near my office and we met there.  I joked with him that he is going to turn me into a Vegan. 

As Bill had told me so much about his life in Florida, I suggested that I should visit him and check it out.  He readily agreed to host me.  Just before Thanksgiving break last year (2016), I visited him at his place in Fort Myers, FL.  I was there for only a couple of days (Thursday night to Sunday Morning). He picked me up in his Audi from the airport.  Over the next couple of days, we commiserated about the presidential election result, biked, kayaked, walked on the beach and drove to Naples.  It almost felt like he was as much at home in Fort Myers as he was in Rochester, MI.

Bill showed me all the hole-in-the-wall places to eat.  We went to a fish market and bought black grouper and crabmeat (only for me, as he was not eating any meat or seafood).  He knew different varieties of grouper, according to Bill, black grouper is the best.  I wanted to take Uber but he insisted in dropping me off at the airport.  That was the last time I saw Bill.  On August 23, 2017, I lost a great friend and valued mentor.  I was lucky to be his friend; he enriched my life beyond what I can express.  I will miss you Bill.

Fasting Leads to Empathy

A few days ago, I decided to begin a voluntary one-day fast.  (Perhaps I was inspired by all the stories I have been hearing and reading about Lent.) I plan to repeat this every month moving forward.

During the day, I made lunch for my son, and I had an intense feeling of desire to eat because of the smell of the food. What my son was having for lunch was nothing extraordinary, nor was it a favorite dish of mine.  As I was fasting, I obviously had to control my desire and just serve him, and then wait for sunset to break my fast.

This experience gave me the feeling that I am somehow, just for few hours, vicariously living a life of one of millions of people who serve the food to others but cannot afford to eat the same food.  This not only applies to the people of poor countries but also to rich countries like USA.  

While growing up in India, I know firsthand how millions of young boys, girls and adults serve in the food industry and make all the delicious food and serve it to rich.  Most likely, they cannot afford to eat the same meal or even something close to it.  I wonder how does this make them  feel day in and day out?  

Or what about the millions of minimum wage job holders in the restaurant industry in the US?  How do they feel when they serve these expensive dishes to patrons but can never afford those for themselves and for their families?

I had that kind of feeling while fasting and serving lunch to my son.  In Islamic tradition, fasting is mainly a form of worship to make one God-conscious, but there are many secondary benefits.  One of them is that it puts you in a situation like what I mentioned, which will make you reflect about the people who have to fast involuntarily.

Ultimately, fasting should create empathy for those “have nots.”  And that should ultimately lead one to work for change, work to reduce the gap between rich and poor, work to make life better for everybody, and hopefully should lead to less complaints about what we don’t have and more appreciation of what we do have.

I hope one of the great presidents, Abraham Lincoln would forgive me, when I end with malice toward none, with empathy for poor and downtrodden, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive to make this world a better place.

Sorry Charlie, I agree with Pope Francis

It has been a week since the horrific massacre at the political satire magazine Charlie Hebdo and the Kosher supermarket in Paris.  The world came together and condemned the killings.  Sadly, the killers justified their attack in that they avenged the honor of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). I doubt that they ever studied the life of the Prophet.

The last Prophet (like other prophets before him) was not only insulted all his life but also abused and threatened physically.  His response every time was to forgive.  My favorite saying of him is "Even a smile is charity".

He had said,"charity is prescribed for each descendant of Adam every day the sun rises."  He was then asked: “From what do we give charity every day?” The Prophet answered: “The doors of goodness are many…enjoining good, forbidding evil, removing harm from the road, listening to the deaf, leading the blind, guiding one to the object of his need, hurrying with the strength of one’s legs to one in sorrow who is asking for help, and supporting the feeble with the strength of one’s arms–all of these are charity prescribed for you."

I am disgusted that the killers took the name of my prophet before committing their heinous crime.  This act was even more insulting to the Prophet and his followers than the Charlie Hebdo cartoons.  Besides condemning this act and repeating the fact that Islam prohibits killing of innocent in strongest of the terms (Quran 5:32), I am not sure what else, a run of the mill or if you want to use media defined "moderate Muslim" like me can do.  Should Lassan Bathily, the hero of Kosher supermarket, be referred as a "Moderate Muslim"?

I have been reading, listening and watching all the pundits talk about freedom of expression and virtues of the Western values (supposedly they are in contrast to Eastern/Islamic values) with the banner "I am Charlie" in their hands.   Rupert Murdoch, the owner of the Fox Network tweeted informing the Muslims that you are all responsible for this.  I am not sure who should we assign responsibility to all the lives lost in recent unjust wars, maybe to the pencils being thrown from the drones? 

Contrary to what some might claim, never there has been a complete and utter freedom of expression anywhere in the world.  Just look at the reaction in France, a comedian has been arrested for an offensive post on the facebook.  In 2009, Charlie Hebdo fired Maurice Sinet for a cartoon that he drew which was insulting to Jewish people while facing charges of “inciting racial hatred” under French laws.

God has honored every human being, so let's live and let others live a dignified life.  Let's not insult or vilify others and their faith.  Even Stephen Colbert sets a limit (listen from 2:25) on what he thinks is sacred and should not be mocked or insulted. West and East share same common human values and preserving them is our best hope for the future.  

Freedom of expression comes with responsibility. Freedom of expression does not grant free pass to indecency and insults. Pope Francis balanced it perfectly when he said that killing "in the name of God" is wrong, but it is also wrong to "provoke" people by belittling their religion.  He further said if you use a swear word against my mother, then be ready for a punch back.  So sorry Charlie, I am with the Pope on this one.

Let’s get real or let’s not play!

Turn on the radio or TV, or better yet, don’t.  I will tell you what’s on. If it is a news station particularly covering International news, then someone is talking about some kind of bombing or killing or violent act of some kind and it is very likely that it is done in the name of Islam or that’s what the media have you believe.  Is it then a surprise that the common person thinks that Muslims are violent and that society is way better off without them in their midst?  Is it then a surprise that any accomplished Muslim rather not associate himself/herself with Islam or Muslims?  Is it then a surprise that there is a whole industry of well-funded Islamophobia who are blaming Muslims for everything and making up stuff as they go along and get millions of viewers who watch without questioning anything at all?

Is it then a surprise that the common Muslim is overwhelmed, dejected and has no clue what can be done to show the world what true Islam is?  How can the believers in God the Most Merciful and the Prophet (PBUH), who was sent as a mercy to mankind be this violent and merciless?  Is it then a surprise that we see intellectuals debating whether or not Islam is a peaceful religion?
                         
Media and pundits have blamed Muslims again and again of remaining silent and not condemning the violence enough.  I think Muslims are getting good at that now, as soon as some violent act takes place, Muslim organizations jump up and down and issue PRs condemning it, in some cases before the culprits are even known to be “Muslim terrorists” (in the recent case of the Boston bombing).

We are not fooling anybody except ourselves.   Do we really think that condemning these acts can stop the media from blaming the religion of Islam for every misdeed of its supposed follower?  Then what do Muslims need to do?  Put simply, they need to heed the call of the Quran (3:104, 16:90).

The Holy Quran exhorts believers to do good and prevent what is wrong.  Muslims need to stand up and be counted, not by issuing PRs to condemn terrorism in the name of Islam, but by doing good and standing up for justice and peace.  Our society is suffering from all kinds of ills, whether it is a big topic like the gap between rich and poor and the imbalance it has created in our society to things like break up of families and prevalence and embellishment of immorality all around us.  Quran places a premium on human life and prods us to honor every human being irrespective of their belief, race, color, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

It is about time Muslims stop issuing PRs and start working to make this society a better place to live.  Muslims don’t need to only be doctors and engineers but they need to reach out and be volunteers and teachers, who are involved in all aspects of the society, from serving in soup kitchens, to volunteering at art festivals, to PTAs, to rallying for worker’s rights.  Let us outcompete and outnumber others in doing good and preventing wrongs and we will not have to defend our religion, others will defend it for us, for they will see real Islam in action, Islam of their neighbors and peers, not the Islam they see on CNN or Fox.


Quaid Saifee