Not all Representation is Good Representation

OPINION Not all Representation is Good Representation

Before thoughtlessly embracing a “Muslim” person’s success or an “Islamic” cause or organization, do your homework

BY ABU MUJAHID SAIYYID

Judge Zahid Quraishi

In her June 2 article “Peacock’s All-Girl Muslim Punk Band Comedy We Are Lady Parts Is a Rockin’ Good Time,” Time Magazine’s Judy Berman excitedly highlighted the success of an all-girl British Muslim band — duly hijabed and all (time. com/6053335/we-are-lady-parts-review/).

In June, Muslim Americans had another taste of a similar event when [now Honorable Judge] Zahid Quraishi was confirmed as a U.S. District Judge for the District of New Jersey, making him the nation’s first Muslim American Article III federal judge.

The U.S. Senate voted 83:16 to hire him — Biden’s third judicial nominee to receive a floor vote. The 16 dissenters, from their 50-bench strength, were all Republicans. Sen. Smith (D-Minn.) refrained from voting.

Some Muslims raced to celebrate the Rutgers Law School alum’s elevation to the bench, with accolades such as that the nomination strengthens the judiciary and the Federal Bench reflects the nation’s diverse fabric. Another one noted Quraishi’s two tours of duty in Iraq (2004 and 2006), that this proud Muslim American is dedicated to the values of his faith and country — an outstanding addition to the federal judiciary who hopes that his tenure is positive, lasting and rooted in courage, wisdom and justice. Really!

In March, when Biden announced his intention to nominate Quraishi, the White House said he “served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey from 2008 to 2013. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s office, Judge Quraishi served as an assistant chief counsel at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security [DHS]. He also served as a military prosecutor and achieved the rank of Captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, deploying to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom [italics added] in 2004 and 2006,” [serving as a “detention advisor” while deployed – anyone remember Abu Ghraib] (www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/30/ president-biden-announces-intent-to-nominate-11-judicial-candidates/).

Do those Muslims who celebrate this “landmark” understand what the DHS has been — and is still — doing to our community? Do they realize what “judging” the U.S. army’s judiciary has been doing in devastated Iraq? Yes, some Muslims have raised more than an eyebrow over his record. A Muslim, who preferred not to be named, stated, “Ask any African American how happy they are about Clarence Thomas. It’s a very similar perspective at a bunch of different levels” (https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/04/zahid-quraishi-muslim-federal-judge-criticism.html).

How does one appreciate Muslim Advocates, a legal advocacy nonprofit and one that claims zakat eligibility, seeking to represent “Muslim interests,” when, while expressing its regret over certain aspects of the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 17 verdict in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, bundles the rights of Muslim Americans and other religious minorities with those of gays (muslimadvocates.org/2021/06/muslim-advocates-breathes-sigh-of-relief-after-supreme-courts-disappointing-but-narrow-fulton-decision/) … whom the Quran says “are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds” (7:80-81)?

And then there are instances when some of us start celebrating the success of Muslims in dubious, indeed Islamically prohibited

We Are Lady Parts

MUSLIMS MUST UNDERSTAND THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN MUSLIM AND MUSLIM-ISH. THE FORMER DO THEIR BEST TO UPHOLD ALL THAT GOD EXPECTS OF THEM, EVEN AT A PERSONAL AND/OR PROFESSIONAL COST, WHILE THE LATTER IS MERELY A DECEPTIVE MARKETING PLOY THAT EXPLOITS THAT WORD FOR PERSONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL GAINS, AND OF BELIEFS BUILT ON PERSONAL WHIMS RATHER THAN THE DIVINE LAW.

ventures, say, a Muslim name heading a conventional hedge fund or securities. Or when some of our community leaders applaud and even give their mosques’ podiums to soldiers and/or their families to celebrate their “valor” and “heroism,” oblivious of the reality that this display of “national service” and “sacrifice” involved killing and maiming many innocent Muslims, and of course aided the theft of their resources and freedoms — especially in wars built on lies.

Of course, we can choose to love a sport of our choice and thus appreciate those who excel in it, like those basketball fans who follow games featuring LeBron James or Stephen Curry. But such idolization should start and end on the court, and Muslims should remind themselves that they can’t “Be Like Mike” (the slogan popularized by Nike depicting their brand ambassador Michael Jordan), except while playing on the court.

Yes, Muslim role models can be athletes like French midfielder Paul Pogba, who took issue with Euro 2020’s official beverages — he removed a bottle of Heineken beer placed in front of him during a news conference after being named “Man of the Match” in France’s 1-0 win over Germany, June 15. In fact, there are several other such examples like Hashim Amla, who was ready to forgo his opportunity to become first Muslim to play for South Africa’s cricket team than wear their beer sponsor’s logo kit. And England has cricketers Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid who have crafted a smart maneuver to unobtrusively slide away whenever their team uncorks celebratory champagne bottles.

Neither doing out-of-this-world touchdowns nor breath-stopping three-pointers should matter if the Ali, or Hasan or Ahmad is not striving to attain the standards ordained by God and practically demonstrated by his Messenger (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). The name should not matter; only the practice should count when selecting role models.

In this regard, we need to recall Muhammad Ali’s 1967 declaration to Americans, many of whom already hated and despised him for converting and refusing to fight in Vietnam. Even though he was found guilty of rejecting the draft, he refused to compromise on his principles.

In arguably his most memorable words, he pointed back at the establishment: ... “I ain’t draft dodging. I ain’t burning no flag. I ain’t running to Canada. I’m staying right here. You want to send me to jail? Fine, you go right ahead. I’ve been in jail for 400 years. I could be there for 4 or 5 more, but I ain’t going no 10,000 miles to help murder and kill other poor people. If I want to die, I’ll die right here, right now, fightin’ you, if I want to die. You my enemy, not no Chinese, no Vietcong, no Japanese. You my opposer when I want freedom. You my opposer when I want justice. You my opposer when I want equality. Want me to go somewhere and fight for you? You won’t even stand up for me right here in America, for my rights and my religious beliefs. You won’t even stand up for my right here at home” (www.quotes. net/mquote/1544).

Shouldn’t Muslim Americans ask the questions that Muhammad Ali asked? Human beings have the ability to acquire an education and knowledge, with which comes responsibility, for, as the Quran proclaims: “And He taught Adam the names of all things; then He placed them before the angels, and said: Tell me the nature of these if you are right” (2:31).

Adding “Muslim” to a punk band or an advocacy organization that violates Islam’s core principles doesn’t make them Muslim. Muslims must understand the distinction between Muslim and Muslim-ish. The former do their best to uphold all that God expects of them, even at a personal and/or professional cost, while the latter is merely a deceptive marketing ploy that exploits that word for personal and organizational gains, and of beliefs built on personal whims rather than the divine law. ih