Into the light A look into Philadelphia’s muslim community
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Copyright © 2017 by Temple University Photo Seminar All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below. Temple University Klein College of Media and Communcation Annenberg Hall 2020 N. 13th St. Philadelphia, PA 19122 4
To the Muslim communities in Philadelphia that let us into their lives, the individuals who told us their stories and those striving to create a more peaceful world for us all. & To Dr. Edward Trayes, the lessons you teach us far surpass technical skills in photography. You teach us compassion, devotion and teamwork. Thank you for sharing your love of storytelling with us and supporting our ambitions as emerging photojournalists.
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Table of Contents 1.6 billion strong
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P h i l a d e l p h i a ’ s b r o t h e r s a n d s i s t e r s
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D i v e r s i t y , A c c e p t a n c e o n C a m p u s e s
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“ W e a l l w a n t p e a c e ” 6 9
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“From the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into light�
Quran 2:257
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1.6 Billion Strong O
n a Friday afternoon, the holy day in Islam, five hundred to six hundred Muslim Philadelphian’s gather to pray at the mosque inside AlAqsa Islamic Society. Men and women go to separate rooms. They remove their shoes at the door, then make their way to the rug. Silence washes over the room. There is always an overflow, and the mosque must open its basement to accommodate the numbers. Imam leads the Jum’ah Prayer in Arabic, which is reserved for this day. Islam is an Abrahamic religion, like
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Christianity and Judaism, believed to have started in the year 610 C.E. It is the belief that Allah is the only God and Muhammad is his messenger. Today there are 1.6 billion Muslims in the world. Central to Islam are The Five Pillars, which are disciplines that make up the framework of Muslim life. The Five Pillars stand for sole faith in Allah, daily prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage at Mecca, if able.
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ecca, (Saudi Arabia) is the birthplace of Muhammad, believed to be the original site that the Quran was found, and is considered the holiest city in Islam. Going to Mecca, if financially and physically able, is considered a religious duty in Islam. Muslims have the opportunity to do their pilgrimage once a year, referred to as the Hajj, and can complete the Hajj in five days. The reason it is important to go to Mecca is because it is one of the five pillars, and believed to strengthen Muslims’ spirituality and bring them closer to Allah. Another essential part of Islam and Muslim culture is Sharia Law. “Sharia Law or Islamic Law: The religious law forming part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the religious precepts of Islam, particularly the Quran and the Hadith.” Sharia Law addresses prayer, diet, and pilgrimage. These three examples are considered mandatory under the five branches of Sharia. Specifically, Sharia says Muslims must perform
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daily prayer as outlined in the five pillars of Islam. Islamic Law forbids eating meat that comes from swine, or pig, and meat from an animal that was already dead. The term halal refers to the food that Muslims can eat, including beef, chicken, and vegetarian food. Falafel is a popular example of halal food, which has become popularized in Western culture. Sharia also forbids the intoxicants, specifically the consumption of alcohol. However, some branches of Islam don’t forbid alcohol, but instead discourage the use of it. Pilgrimage is an important part of Islam, also outlined in the five pillars of Islam. An essential aspect of the religion is giving back to not only the community but also other outside groups. Depending on the location, Sharia Law can also act as a national and local governance. However, this aspect of Sharia Law only applies if there is not already an established law of the land. For example, to practice Sharia Law in the United States, Muslims would obey the U.S. government and its laws first, and use Sharia to address just their community within the requirements of U.S. law.
Shahada “There is no true God except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”
Salat Daily prayer, five times a day. The first prayer is to purify the body and the last is to purify the soul.
Sawm Fasting for Ramadan, a month-long act of worship, where one “ignores their needs,” to get closer to Allah, by not
Zakat Charity as a form of worship to Allah. Charity brings one closer to Allah, while also helping others.
Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca during ones lifetime, if financially and physically able.
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Philadelphia’s brothers and sisters I
n the 20th century, the Islamic population in the United States grew dramatically. Philadelphia currently hosts the largest proportion of Muslims living in a metropolitan city and has the fourth largest number of Mosques in the U.S.
Amnah’s Story
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ucked away in the corner of the Islamic Society building is a conference room that looks just like any other. To the side is an entrance to the Mosque and a single office, where Amnah Ahmad does her work. Ahmad was born in Philadelphia, to Palestinian parents. Her educational background includes attending Al Aqsa Islamic Academy. After graduating from
there, she went to Community College of Philadelphia to get her Associate’s degree and then went to Temple University to get her Bachelor’s Degree. Traveling back and forth between Palestine and Philadelphia throughout her life, she believes that both places are home to her. “When I was younger, my parents sent us to Palestine to learn our religion, culture, and language,” Ahmad said. “We also studied here... to know the English language and to know both cultures.” Being both Palestinian and American, she believes that she brings both cultures with her wherever she is. She meets with her family every other day, a Palestinian tradition, but also strives to “give people a chance to talk.” 23
It was America’s protection of the First Amendment, freedom of speech, that sparked her passion to listen, but also be heard. “Whatever I feel like saying, I will definitely say it with no fear,” Ahmad said. “And I learned it here.”
families have waited many years to come over to the United States. When President Trump declared his executive order many of those families were sent back to the very places they were trying to escape from. “I’m sure those countries that were banned,” Ahmad said, “felt offended and hurt them in many ways.”
Ahmad works with refugees and refugee outreach programs. During Ahmad was disappointed by President Trump’s “Muslim “Our religion also tells the executive order, which ban,” she helped frantic community members and us also to love others as she felt was unfair. She explained that the United families get in contact yourself” States is seen as a better with their family members place for many Muslims abroad. She said almost fleeing war-torn countries. everyone in the Mosque was affected in one way or another. “One day, [The United States] just shut the doors,” she said. With the ongoing Syrian Civil War, many
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The countries that were affected by President Trump’s executive order were accused of being threats to United States’ democracy due to increased terrorist activity. However, these claims weren’t substantiated.
Through her inter-faith work, specifically with the youth group that she runs, Ahmad tries to dispel these stereotypes. “Our religion also tells us also to love others as yourself,” she said. “To love your brothers and sisters.”
Since the She continued, “If September 11th terrorist attacks, “Our religion also tells us also to you want to tell me that there is a there has been love others as yourself.” Muslim out there widespread fear who’s hurting and mistrust another person of Muslimbecause he’s not Americans. In Muslim, [they’re] not following the true 2015, FBI statistics showed 49 percent of Islam.” Americans thinking “some” Muslims were anti-American, and 11 percent believing all Muslims were.
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Abdur’s Story
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floor above the Mosque is the Al-Aqsa Islamic Academy. The school is adorned with paper-mache volcanoes and art pieces based on Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I had a dream” speech. On the wall adjacent to classrooms grade one through five, dozens of backpacks hang below a colorful tapestry that represents the five pillars of Islam. The area in which this tapestry hangs doubles as a prayer space. As class nears an end, the familiar buzz of students anticipating the weekend is heard in the hallway. Islamic schools exist to incorporate the teachings of the Quran into their curriculum. The Islamic Academy, a private school established in 1996, follows the same curriculum as the Philadelphia school district, teaching World History, Science, English reading and writing, and Mathematics in addition to Arabic and the teachings of the Quran. There is a program provided to students who attend public school, where they can learn about the Quran and the language, Arabic, which is held on Saturdays. 28
While the academy services the Muslim community, anyone can attend. Principal Abdur Rahman is a prime example of that. After serving as a Baptist pastor, he converted to Islam and devoted his life to teaching the Quran to both Muslims and those outside of the community. His approach to running the academy is to take care of the students as if they were his own. And to work with the parents in the best way possible. He says, “,it’s not appropriate as a doctor or a nurse, in a hospital setting, to get angry at the patient. Likewise, it’s not appropriate to get angry at any parent or child.” Rahman says his favorite memories of working at Al Aqsa Islamic Academy is: “It was a late Sunday, about 6 o’clock in the evening. And I discovered there wasn’t any heat in the building and there wouldn’t be any heat for Monday’s classes. I called a friend of mine, who is a plumber...He got out of his bed over at Overbrook, drove all the way down here and fixed that furnace for us. I’ve never forgotten that.”
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“We have a lot of “terrorism” inside our country, like police brutality, homeless, drugs and Detroit bankruptcy. Trump is wasting money. We should focus more on domestic issue.” -Sajid, Temple University
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Yafa’s Story
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afa Dias used to have her doubts about Islam, even though she grew up in an Islamic household. She went to Arabic school and to the neighborhood Mosque, but it wasn’t until she visited the Middle East that she fell in love with Islam. She says she learned about Islam on her own while in Jordan and Palestine, where her father is from. “Over the years I’ve grown to really love, love, love Islam and I don’t think I would ever leave it for anything,” she said. “It makes me who I am today.” According to Dias, the self-discovery process she underwent while visiting the Middle East was essential to the religious decisions she has made. “When I’ve gone to the Middle East I was able to understand and form more on a spiritual level and more of an understanding and appreciation of modesty within Islam,” she said. can’t even name one of the five pillars in Islam.” 40
This is one of the reasons Dias chooses to wear the Hijab, which covers her head and hair. Despite common misconceptions that the Hijab, and Islam in general, is oppressive towards women, Dias argues the opposite. “For me, it meant that I was respecting myself, my own body as a woman,” she said, “I was controlling it myself and no one had a say in what I should wear or what I “Over the years should do.”
Dias decided to wear the Hijab in sixth grade because she wanted to show she was proud of being Muslim. This was around the same time as the September 11th terrorist attacks, which created mass fear and a rise in Islamophobia. “I would get called ‘terrorist’ sometimes by other students,” she recalled, “but I never blamed them. They didn’t know any better. Kids can be cruel.”
She remembers no one challenging the I’ve grown to misconceptions spread really love, love, love Islam and I about Islam and its While Dias chose to don’t think I would ever leave it for alleged ties to terrorism. Today, through her role wear the Hijab, it is anything,” as president of Temple’s not a requirement of Students for Justice in Muslim women. Palestine chapter, and “There are a lot of religious people who don’t cover, her platform as a young journalist, she challenges stereotypes about Muslims. like women, and men who might not wear that long Abha,” she said.
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Specifically, she denounces ISIS as being a part of Islam and certain countries interpretation of Sharia Law.
up do not align with Sharia Law whatsoever. “Islam is not oppressive and it’s unacceptable to have ‘man laws’ like that,” she said. “That’s what I call them, ‘man laws.’”
“They probably couldn’t tell you the names of one of the prophets in Islam, and we have many prophets,” she said. “They probably can’t “I was respecting Dias has found empowerment in her even name one of the myself, my own body religion. She says Islam five pillars in Islam.” has taught her to support as a woman.” persecuted groups and She also denounces speak against injustice, that Saudi Arabia despite the background of follows Sharia Law, the oppressed group. Islam taught her to because Islamic Law is not oppressive. stand up for her morals. Sharia Law follows the teachings of the prophet Muhammad and the Quran. “In the end, you will triumph, you will succeed” she said. “And nothing can take Saudi Arabia’s laws forbidding women that away from you.” from driving or forcing them to cover
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“[Islam] is my family religion. I hate the fact that many people think that all Muslims are terrorists, especially Trump. In general, Muslims are just like anybody else, even though some of us wear traditional clothing. Hopefully, we will be more accepted in the future.� -Keen, Temple University
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Sharay’s Story
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aving doubts about her Christian faith, Sharay Branham, 23, from Germantown, Philadelphia, started to question Christianity in her teen years.
At age sixteen, Branham was ready to take her shahada, or her declaration of belief in the oneness of God and the acceptance of Muhammad as God’s prophet.
When Branham took her shahada she was nervous. A lot of people in her high school believed that when women took their shahada, it was often to impress a guy. Branham’s parents are Christian, however, Branham took her shahada be closer to Allah throughout her family, there is a mix of both and build her relationship Muslims and Christians. with Allah, and her Branham recalls when “I’m comfortable with protection and safety. beginning to have a lot of unanswered questions who I am.” Branham first started regarding Christianity, she wearing a khimar, or a garb often looked to her Muslim that covers just the head, family members who would go into the Quran when she took her shahada. Now, she wears and give her the answers to her questions. a niqab, a garb that covers the head and the As a high schooler, Branham was not the type of girl who went out a partied, and because she was getting older and closer to graduating high school, she felt as though it was important to get more into religion.
face. When Branham decided to wear a niqab instead, she noticed stares. “That doesn’t bother me,” she said. “I’m comfortable with who I am.”
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“I always just felt like church just wasn’t for me. I always had questions. In high school I took a comparative religion class and I just felt like Islam was for me. When I got pregnant with my daughter I felt like that time was more time than any. I didn’t want her to be born with my sins on her.”
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-Helena Heard
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Diversity, Acceptance on Campuses R
community, not just the Muslim community, but just the Temple Community in general that is so diverse and accepting, and I think that the staff at Temple has really been trained and taught to be accepting of people of all different backgrounds and Faiths.” “I remember that there was an incident with the “I love that room,” she says. “It allows me to withdraw from whatever is going in my busy life… MSA and the staff at Temple was very quick to defend and support us, and knowing that we have [to] immerse myself in prayer.” the Temple Staff and Temple Community on our “I didn’t have a Muslim community until I came to Side, is such an incredible thing. Especially with Temple. So, before that, I was just on my own, like what’s going on in the world, and in the country. Specifically, we kind of need that support.” a new Muslim Convert.” ebecca Leon often finds herself in a quiet room on Temple’s campus that is located in the Student Center. One of her favorite places in the basement of the Student Center is a prayer room designated to Muslim students.
Temple University is full of diversity. You get to interact with many people from different backgrounds. Temple University is made up of a community of dedicated students and educators that will help shape a bright future for anyone who attends. “When I came to Temple, I really found a
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Rebecca’s family was never that religious. Judaism was more of a culture for her family and she longed for something more. She was always more a soul searcher, so when she learned about Islam, she of heard about it, obviously from the news and media.
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She contemplated and wondered, “What is this religion that I keep hearing so much about?” “So, I did my own research and everything I read, was all about peace and love, and literally the word Salem means peace.”
“That was something that just felt attracted to was that both men and women are supposed to conduct themselves in a modest way and obviously women wear Hijabs as a way to be respected for our mind and to be seen through Leon was drawn “I didn’t have a Muslim our hearts and not for our to the religion, she outward appearances, so was drawn to the community until I came to that was just so attractive dedication of praying Temple” and appealing to me, so five times a day. I made that jump and I converted you know, and “I love the idea of all praise and thanks to God it is worked out so taking a few minutes of your day out, five times well. Had so many amazing people and things a day to thank the creator for giving me this life happened in my life and come into my life that and for everything that I have in this life, and that has brought me so much security and peace I’m just so grateful that I made that choice.” and just a feeling of a sense of purpose I would say, so I was really attracted to that, and I was attracted to the concept of modesty.”
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UPenn and PASS discuss Islam at Table Talk
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able Talk Penn along with Penn MSA, Penn Arab Student Society - PASS, Assembly of International Students, Penn Undergraduate Assembly, IMPACT Magazine, The United Minorities Council - UMC presented a talk about Beyond the Ban. Students came out to talk about the current immigration and refugee situation in the US at Perry World House on Wednesday, February 22nd, at 7:30 p.m. Whether they have an extensive background knowledge on this topic or not, they came and to learn from peers and to share their opinions
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“America was built on Immigrants. And a new wave of immigrants always comes in, so why are these immigrants being treated differently? Because weren’t we all immigrants at some point or another?” -Nayab Khan
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“My dad is a Muslim or was a Muslim, he is from Pakistan, so he interviewed people to see if they decide whether or not they have to be United States Citizens. What people go through to apply for a US Citizenship is a lot of money, and they must leave everything behind, and when they get a certain Visa they can return back but if you know that they’re not coming back you know they are pursuing a better life. Obviously, that’s what they wanted in this country and its kinda weird because the majority of those people are not like what Donald Trump is trying to say, that we need to protect ourselves. And those people are coming here for a better life for themselves.”
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-Sophia Simon, UPenn Table Talk President
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An outlet, resource for students and refugees
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money for organizations and promote volunteer work in the community. “I have worked with immigrants since freshman year in South Philly,” Heald said, “and have always been involved in like refugee related issues.”
fter working at a refugee center while studying abroad in Rome, Erin Heald and MacKenzie Bonner realized Temple’s student population was “missing a space” for student interested in “There sort of was a missing similar work. in student organizations for
place this
The decision to start the student organization was also fueled by rising anxieties for refugee and immigrant groups since the primaries and election of Donald Trump.
area of service work.” When they returned, they began the prep work to launch Temple Refugee Outreach, “It just seemed appropriate,” Heald said, the first student organization of its kind on campus. “especially with the current political climate, to New to campus this semester, TU Refugee Outreach strives to spread awareness, raise
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find an outlet for students.”
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“We all want peace” I
n 2015, FBI data showed 257 hate crimes reported against Muslims in the United States, twenty-six percent more than the year before. In the five days following President Trump’s win in the 2016 election, more than 30 antiMuslim hate crimes were reported by the Southern Poverty Law Center. In response to Trump’s immigration ban, otherwise known as the “Muslim ban,” almost 130 protests took place in the United States.
Marches in solidarity for all groups victimized by the Trump administration have erupted all over the world, starting the day after his win and continuing today. On February 8th, the Muslim and Jewish youth took to Philadelphia’s street to show their solidarity. The rally called “We will not be divided,” began at City Hall. Hundreds attended.
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After community leaders spoke, protesters took to Market Street and marched to Independence Hall chanting “No ban, no wall.”
and Sisterly Affection.” Specifically in response to two Muslim families who were detained and deported at Philadelphia International Airport in response to the executive order.
Standing in front of the historic building, with a large American flag flying across the street, “History has taught us that dark Muslim’s prayed moments like this occur when and participants united in song.
we allow fear to silence our compassion.”
The march wasn’t the only act of interfaith solidarity in Philadelphia. At AlAqsa Islamic Society Jewish and Muslim leaders met to discuss their similarities and way to strengthen the relationships between their communities.
Mayor Jim Kenney released a statement saying “History -Mayor Jim Kenney has taught us that dark moments like this occur when we allow As the discussion winded down, Al-Aqsa’s fear to silence our compassion and better President Amin Elarbi spoke. judgment We must speak out strongly against this executive order so that these new “Everyone wants peace,” he said. Philadelphians’ friends and families can also find safe harbor in the City of Brotherly Love
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Produced by Photo Seminar 2017 Written by Jennifer Kerrigan, Taylor Stevens, Michelle Naef and Michelle Severino Edited by Minh Mai Photographs by: Jennifer Kerrigan cover, 8, 13, 22, 30, 33, 40, 43, 46, 49, 68-73, 75, 77, back-cover Bilin Lin 39, 44 Michelle Naef 18, 25, 26, 29, 65, 66, 67 Michelle Severino 36-37, 51-53, 55, 56, 57-61, 63 Minh Mai 7, 10-11, 12, 19, 21 Taylor Stevens 16, 17, 31, 32, 34, 35, 74
Statistics and research gathered from Pew Research Center, Think Progress, CAIR Philadelphia Chapter and Al-Aqsa Islamic Society. Statement from Mayor Jim Kenney obtained from the City of Philadelphia Office of the Mayor.
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