Editorial

Killing to Stamp Arrogance

As the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims were preparing to seek spiritual rewards during the last ten days of Ramadan, the occupied land was riled up with yet another bloodbath. Hundreds of Muslims, including dozens of children, were killed by those who believe that they have the birthright not only to steal Muslim property, but also the sole right to live and to rule.

Ignited by the military-backed armed colonists’ invasion and desecration of Masjid al-Aqsa, Islam’s third holiest mosque, the ensuing criminal raids were designed to drive as many Muslims families out of their generational — or relatively newer — homes as possible. Alongside this criminality, Gaza — the world’s largest open-air prison, measuring 140 sq. miles and containing 2 million Palestinians — was bombed indiscriminately. What better way to show Americans, many of whom were paying their taxes, how Washington uses their taxes to destroy Palestinian lives instead of saving American lives!

The Carnegie Foundation for International Peace reports that through 2020, the U.S. has provided Israel with $146 billion in military, economic and missile defense funding (i.e., $236 billion in 2018 dollars), making Israel the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. assistance since World War II (https://carnegieendowment.org).

Given domestic political realities, it’s hardly surprising that all American politicians, except for a tiny handful, have focused their eyes and hearts on securing as many endorsements — and as much cash — as possible for the 2022 midterm and 2024 general elections. As Quran 2:11 proclaims: “When they are told, ‘Do not create mischief on Earth,’ they reply, But we only want to make peace!’”

It’s no secret that Muslims, rattled by Trumpian Islamophobia, chose the lesser evil and heavily voted Democratic. Thus, more than a few public office holders owe their positions to our community.

The ongoing and oft-recurring coldblooded inhumanity reinforces the fact that Islamophobia is real and prevalent at all echelons of the U.S. power structure, as well as its opinionmakers and citizenry. The media, so self-aggrandizing when speaking the “truth” and presenting “facts,” indulged in blaming the victim, supported the oppressor’s right to oppress and told the oppressed to endure it graciously. As always, advertising revenue and investors’ dividends trump morality. MIT undergraduate Holly Jackson’s research paper on the New York Times’ anti-Palestinian bias just proves it (http://web.mit.edu/hjackson/ www/The_NYT_Distorts_the_Palestinian_ Struggle.pdf).

The less said about the Muslim rulers the better. Despite what has been going on since 1947 in the region, no Muslim ruler – except a rare few — has had the integrity to rebuke the colonizer-oppressors. Too busy in their hedonism to care even about their own people: “Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path)” (2:18).

Even a toothless tiger, upon sighting an emergency facing its streak, would have done better than these spineless despots. For all his faults, Trump will be remembered for telling King Salman the truth “… we’re protecting you — you might not be there for two weeks without us…” (Oct. 2, 2018).

Muslims who aspire to public office should reflect upon the fact that evil is an indelible part of the “choose the lesser evil” mantra. “Exercising your right to vote” is reduced to a meaningless act when you are expected to choose one evil over another.

Decidedly, they should pursue an independent path instead of seeking endorsements from either party, which are two sides of the same coin. Yes, they have financing behemoths, but God has sent a cure for every disease (“Sunan Abu Dawud,” Tibb 11, No. 3874). Muslims need to pool their resources to help Muslims attain public office.

As we were preparing this issue, Muslim Americans lost two gems: Sohaib Sultan, 40, who had blazed an admirable path of service and offering Islamic learning, and Abidullah Ghazi, 85, founder of the IQRA Educational Foundation, which continues to provide Muslim children with a truly indigenous learning approach to their faith.

Once again, Covid-19 restrictions oblige ISNA to hold a virtual convention. ISNA and its youth wing, the Muslim Youth of North America, are working with leaders and volunteers nationwide to offer an inspiring event. ih

PUBLISHER The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)

PRESIDENT Safaa Zarzour

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Basharat Saleem

EDITOR Omer Bin Abdullah

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Iqbal Unus, Chair: M. Ahmadullah Siddiqi, Milia Islam-Majeed, Saba Ali

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