16 July 2010By
El-Hajj Mauri’ Saalakhan
As-Salaam Alaikum
Thank you for your courage and stamina. Why am I not
surprised by their callous reaction. Allahuakbar.
I begin with a deeply felt
note of thanks for the prayers and best wishes that
have come from so many in the wake of this
controversy. In addition to the e-mails (and text)
that you’ve just read, I also received a number of
calls from friends and family who wanted to insure
that I was alright.
What
you’ve just read are ALL of the printed messages I’ve
received in response to this incident to date. They
are representative of a broad cross-section of opinion
– i.e. Muslims (predominantly) as well as non-Muslims;
men and women; leaders, activists, and everyday
concerned folk. At this time I would like to respond
to a number of the questions and issues raised.
- An imam
raised the issue of my alleged penchant for “gate
crashing” events; and while I don’t mind
criticism at all (and I mean this with all
sincerity), I found this observation rather
offensive, because it simply isn’t true. Rarely do I
just show up at events without making a genuine
effort in advance to have a request
accommodated. On those rare occasions
when I do just “show up” – because I either just
learned of an event, or didn’t expect to attend
until the last minute – I will make a request of
the organizers; and if they say no, I will
respect their wishes (even if I disagree that
decision).
- Are ISNA
officials aware of my advocacy for Dr. Aafia Sidiqui?
Absolutely! Did I seek their permission to do what I
did at the convention? No. Why not? Because I did
not want to put them in a position of having to say
no to me, again. I also felt, as a
matter of principle, that I should not have
needed permission to simply HOLD UP A SIGN - in a
convention comprising thousands of Muslims - urging
support for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, while
simultaneously handing out a one page summary of her
case!
- The
argument that - (a) if others were allowed to do
what I did things could become chaotic, and (b) ISNA
has a responsibility to screen and approve of items
and issues that receive exposure at one of their
conventions - are valid arguments. That said, if a
major issue of community-wide import
has come to the attention of ISNA (as the case of
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui has), ISNA – and every other
Muslim organization claiming to represent Muslims in
America - has an obligation to facilitate
support for that issue in whatever way it can! I
have personally brought the case of Aafia Siddiqui
(and other Muslim political prisoners in America) to
the attention of a number of ISNA officials
many times, along with requests for support!
- Why did I
not opt for a booth in the bazaar? Because the
booths at ISNA Conventions are very costly and very
restrictive (in terms of total exposure for an issue
like this). This is an issue that deserves to be on
the MAIN STAGE OF ANY MUSLIM ASSEMBLY! The fact that
it isn’t brings shame upon Muslims in America – and
especially upon our “leaders” and organizations.
- I spoke
to Imam Zaid Shakir about a half hour before I was
confronted by one of the brothers inside the door of
the MSA session (as I stood holding up the sign).
Imam Zaid, as expected, was very receptive to the
request I made of him. Ironically, I was in the
bazaar (with the sign) when I was confronted by the
police and forced to leave.
With that said, I should
point out, in closing, that the purpose of me sending
out this list of responses is not simply to cause ISNA
more embarrassment. It’s in the hope of shaking them
up a little. These are ALL of the e-mail responses
I’ve seen on this issue. A few are critical of me; the
vast majority are critical of ISNA.
But let me be clear about
something…this is not just about the ISNA
organization.
NOT ONE MAJOR MUSLIM
ORGANIZATION IN AMERICA HAS PUBLICLY RAISED ITS VOICE
IN DEFENSE OF AAFIA SIDDIQUI (OR IN PROTEST FOR THE
WAY SHE’S BEEN TREATED), NOR EVEN ATTEMPT TO ORGANIZE
SUPPORT FOR HER, IN THE TWO YEARS THAT THIS OPPRESSED
SISTER HAS BEEN IN AMERICA! NOT ONE! SHAME ON US!!!
(And for the record, this
is not the first time a fellow Muslim
threatened to have me arrested for advocating for
Aafia! It also happened at an Islamic center in
central New Jersey, not too long ago.)
I raised an admittedly
provocative question a few weeks back concerning the
case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui. The question was:
ARE AMERICAN MUSLIM
ORGANIZATIONS IN COLLUSION WITH THE GOVERNMENT IN THE
CASE OF DR. AAFIA SIDDIQUI?
The answer to that question
is an emphatic YES! Because silence in the face of
oppression (when you have the capacity to do
something more than merely detest the oppression in
your heart) is taken as consent! And depending on
the circumstance, it can also translate into aiding
and abetting the crime of oppression.
I close with wise nasiha of
the 4th Rightly Guided Caliph of Islam, Ali
ibn abu-Talib (may ALLAH be pleased with him), who
said:
“Four classes of men [and
women] are cut off from the blessings of Paradise:
oppressors; those who aid and abet oppression; and
those who tolerate oppression.”
May ALLAH guide, fortify,
and have mercy on us. Ameen.
The struggle continues,
©
EsinIslam.Com
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