Bridging the Divide ConferenceEid Mubarak to all of you. I was happy to see the entire seminar at the conference. I am glad that you could all make it. I think the conference was a great success for the community. It is not often that the community gets an opportunity to discuss policy and give input at this level. It is also not often that you will see so many Muslim leaders under one roof. You must have guessed that these are all Muslim Democrats.
What were your impressions of the conference? Feel free to express your views, we live in a relatively free and democratic country [thank God for that].
17 Comments:
Salam and Eid Mubarak to all!
I was glad to have attended the conference at Brookings Institution. It was a good opportunity to meet leaders of the Muslim community and hear their voices on a number of important issues. It was also a chance to assess the tones and perspectives of other publics that the American Muslim community is in dialog with. In short, the conference provide an update on aspects of contemporary Islamic discourse pertinent to my studies and work.
That said, I am less enthusiastic than Dr. Khan that the conference was a "great success for the community". Perhaps it was successful from the point of view that it was hosted and that most of the scheduled speakers showed. But I am not sure it was successful from the point of view of what participants took away from the table and the resolve to implement some or all of the meaningful suggestions and advice offered.
My other area of concern is the legitimacy gap in the Islamic discourse. Do these Islamic organizations at the table really speak for ALL American Muslims? I think this self-appointed Muslim intellectual elite is preoccupied with the romance of influencing US foreign and domestic policy (not that it is without merit), while almost half of the American Muslim community is obssessed with bread and butter issues. The national immigrant Muslim leadership have food in their cupboards, a sturdy roof over their heads, new cars, and economic security (ok, so they get hassle at the airport now and then), whereas the other half of the American Muslim community are busily engaged in a different existential reality of making ends meet. Unless the twain communities meet on a common agenda seen to represent the broad political and socio-economic needs of everyone, the Ark of our faith community is going to flounder or, worse, run aground before reaching mainstream America.
Lastly, I am concerned about the decibel of dissonance from Muslim leaders as regards priorities of the American Muslim community and major obstacles standing in the way of a more harmonious working relationship with the US government. Is influencing US foreign policy our top political goal? If so, is Palestine central to that cause or democracy in the Arab and Muslim countries? Is the lobbying of domestic special interests inimical to Islam and Muslims exaggerated? And so forth. The one area without disagreement seems to be the jeopardy of Muslim civil liberties post 9/11.
I try to put myself in the government's boots and wonder how the dissonance of voices and question marks of legitmacy affects the quality of Muslim reprentativeness at these high level forums. I hope this is not the reason Mr Ambassador David Welch had to leave the conference early!
The idea of success is that this is perhaps the only forum where Muslims get to engage in "policy dialogue" to such an extent. The followup initiatives allows the community organizations to further participate in a more sustained efforts. There have been concrete steps taken, especially by the State Dept. based on the input in previous sessions.
Because African Americans Muslims do not have civil rights problems does not mean that other Muslims do not have Civil Rights problems. Sami Al-Arian and Jose Padilla [a Hispanic not an immigrant] will not be amused at your trivialization of their years [3 and 2] spent in solitary confinement, and there are dozens more.
I was not aware that African American Muslims were starving. With affirmative action [not available to immigrants], preferences in jobs etc.. I have been involved in hiring and there is a clear preference for minorities [Black and Hispanic] in many cases, I thought they might be able to atleast eke out a decentliving.
These organization may not represent African American Muslims but they certainly represent immigrant Muslims who constitute over 67% of the community. Also many African American Muslims are very anti-establishment and are not intersted in such events. I invited them to participate as well as to speak at this event -- they were not poor -- but did not showup nor agree to speak. THEIR ABSENCE WAS THEIR CHOICE.
I find your assertion that unless there is a common goal, we will not be able to reach the mainstream community a bit misfounded.. we were at the heart of the mainstream community, discussing the most mainstream issues of this country, an issue on which even the jobless in Ohio voted for Bush --- national security at Brookings with policymakers.
Also the African American Muslim community for all its claims to access to mainstream community and call for Muslim unity has done nothing, absolutely nothing, to work for the civil rights of their foreign brothes and sisters who are struggling to protect themselves at home and their homelands overseas.
In 2002 over 2000 Muslims were arrested withouth charge and held with no promise of release, what did the African American Muslims, with their now legendary prowees at access to mainstream --- do?
If your worry is that immigrant Muslims will continue to seek power and influence and indegenous -- actually non-whites since many whites work for most of these organizations and have similar goals -- Muslims will struggle to find bread, then perhaps yes, but as the next generation grows the children of immigrant community will also be indegenous, as there were many American born Muslims at the conference.
You might also argue that poor nonMuslim whites and poor non-Muslim blacks were also not at the table. Governance issues, particualrly foreign policy, whether in democracy or even in Islamic states is always an elite issue.
The community does not have to struggle to end up in the ranks of poverty and the marginalized, but it does have to struggle very hard to find a seat at the table and that is why the conference yesterday was a success for a community widely accused of being unpatriotic and even a fifth column.
As an immigrant Muslim who so deeply cares for the plight of African American Muslims' marginalization in the country and even within the Muslim community, you yourself are a best example of how immigrants care about indegenous people, we do not have many examples of the opposite kind.
But that is not the issue. The things I want you to think about is the themes, topics that came up, the exchanges of mutual obligatiosn and rights, the responsibilities of the state and citizens, the balancing of identities; the things that are common to the American identity and things that are particular to American Muslim identity.
The key question remains -- can we get beyond dialogue and in the role to make policy? Can we get you appointed Assistant secretary for poverty elimination within African American Muslims and Saeed Khan appointed as Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs?
I have been thinking a bit more about Shuayb's comments about elitism. This is what I like about the blogs, they give me food for thought. I realize that so much about Islam is elitist.
First of all only the rich can fulfill all the five obligations since Zakath and Haj cannot be obligatory on those who are more concerned primarily with making ends meet. of course they will benefit from zakath.
Secondly the whole business of "implementing Shariah" -- matter of policy and governance are more often the provice of the elite -- intellectual, political and economic.
Finally all the things that we take pride in, Islamic philosophy, jurisprudence, science, art and architecture and conquests, were all driven by elite motivations.
Eid Mubarak!!!
I think the forum was a success.....It's so interesting to see the differences and spectrum of opinions from the Muslim community...Unfortunately there seems to be some type of internal conflict within the Muslim community between indigenous African American Muslims and the Immigrant Muslims.....to give an Immigrant Muslim insight into some of the perspectives of African Americans....the key barrier in establishing progressive dialogue between the two groups appears to be ..resentment....Black Americans typically view the immigrant population as elitist and striving for assimilation and they view the immigrant muslim population as striving to assimilate into white american culture.....pre 9/11....many immigrants did feel fully integrated and accepted into society and felt no need to associate with African American Muslims or recognize them as equals in social environments....Average Muslims typically are racially segregated and see African Americans at the bottom of the poll in the social hierarchy....so quite naturally when many immigrant muslims arrive to this country they strive to compete and integrate with the social elite....which they associate with white american culture.....as result .....the general sickness of racism and nationalism that exist in many communities has resulted in poor relations between the African American Muslim Community and Immigrant Muslim Community....Now that many immigrant muslims are being treated as second class citizens....Some African Americans are actually puzzled as to why the immigrant population is so shocked in terms of the low level of support that they have received from the Muslim African American commuity....the anger and resentment between the two communities is very complex....I feel as if this is the classic case of two ethnic groups ...both of which are at the bottom of the todem poll....competing with each other....and regardless of how well one group does better than the other ..both will go nowhere if they do not work to establish some level of mutual respect, and common ground.....
Sakeena, I would like to hear more about the discussions at the conference itself. Your post is more of a response to the discussion with Shuayb.
Actually my comments are a complete reflection of the discussions at brookings..There was no representation of the African American Muslim community or indegenous American Muslim community in general..and I'm not sure what indigenous Muslims you invited but there are plenty that I know of that would have loved to attend an event like this...Your comments about African American Muslims is insensitive..and Im sorry the immigrant population is having many issues with the FBI,etc but I think African American Muslims are just concerned about their everyday day life and maintaining healthy Islamic family life and staying involved and rebuilding their own communities black or Muslim....not the palestinian issue and making racial slurs against jews, etc similar to what sami al arian was doing.....African Americans have their own set of issues to deal with in terms of American society and a vast majority would prefer to not take on other issues or the burden of the immigrant experience as well..........but to add more of a response to the discussion ....the discussion at brookings was not very unique in the sense growing up in the Muslim community I have been witness to similar discussions, interfaith dialogue, etc...There were so many great ideas but unfortunately half of what was discussed will probably not be put in to action...There were some younger people there that had alot to say but I didn't really hear anything that I havent heard before ...in terms of the ideas of Muslims being proactive in preventing terrorism, Muslims should be doing that on a more individual basis...There are alot of people with extremist and isolationist views throughout the community.....we hear violent and ignorant comments all the time but no one does anything to confront these people on a one on one basis....More Muslims should be speaking out against extremism and violence....Its great that we talk about these issues and everyone puts up a blog in a attempt to portray a more balanced message of Islam..but unfortunately in many situations that I have seen, where other muslims have the opportunity to confront extremists and their views...most people just look the other way, sweep it under the rug and down play the issue.....Most people on the panel were defensive civil rights groups speaking on behalf of the immigrant populations or other organization with a political agenda such as addressing the palestinian conflict...once again.....Frankly, the palestinian issue is not the worse crime against humanity that has ever happened in the world like imadaddin would like to portray....there's slavery, holocaust, rwanda, bosnia, inquisition, massacres in Inda.... the list goes on .....so I think its sad that whenever we come to forums similar to this that you find people bring this subject up and other subjects, pushing to problem solve issues in their countries of origin...again when there are so many other bigger issues that are affecting Muslims in this country......we need to start problem solving and acting on those issues....Also you had other speakers questioning the validity of other organizations speaking for American Muslims because they don't have an accent....I think that is hilarious that he would make a statement like that ...under the assumption that being Muslim means that you are an immigrant to this country which he apparently thought was the key factor in raising the legitimacy of the organization...and I think it also left many non-muslim americans in the room a bit confused....That is my perception of the discussion feel free to disagree.............
The discussion on this blog seems to keep reverting to the issue of African American Muslims. The conference has nothing to do with them. They were invited, both to attend and speak, and chose not to come. What is one to do, force them?
Secondly, the object of this dialogue is foreign policy -- Bridging the Divide between US and the Muslim World. If this issue is not relevant to African American Muslims then fine. For us that issue is important hence the conference, you cannot insist that I and all other immigrants should be more interested in the issues that affect African American Muslims, than those that effect us?
In your statement you suggest that African American Muslims are just interested in their own lives and issues [I will repost your comment below...] great! Why then the resenment if Immigant Muslims too follow the Sunnah of African American Muslims and worry abot their own lives, families [here and there] and civil rights and communities...Why demand that immigrants who have come to a foreign land work for the indegenous while the indegenous will work for themselves? These comments are all based on your statements here is one...
"I think African American Muslims are just concerned about their everyday day life ... staying involved and rebuilding their own communities black or Muslim ..African Americans have their own set of issues to deal with in terms of American society and a vast majority would prefer to not take on other issues or the burden of the immigrant experience as well"
I am sorry if I sound insensitive, but while AAM are not interested in sharing the "burden of the immigrant experience" -- your words -- then why do you expect that immigrant Muslims in a foreign land should carry the burden of both?
I am pushing the envelope on this issue because it is becoming a major issue in the community. The class is a good environment to explore it. so think of the issues raised and do not let emotions undermine the dialogue.
Well I actually stated that African American Muslims are too busy being concerned with what goes on with their own and other muslims.....and not the palestinian conflict which is rather a political issue than a religious one
You were initially critical of African American Muslims and why they were not concerned with all the extra culture baggage that comes with immigrant Muslims.......
instead of looking at things from an islamic perspective people tend to view reality from their own cultural biases...in this case you have African Americans who have their own experience and immigrants that have another.....African Americans are a part of the "Muslim World" just as any other ethnic group...that becomes a part of the society....so this issue is definitly relevant to African American Muslim because regardless one group will be forever associated with the other...but what i find disturbing about this discussion as that...in Islam there is this concept of RACIAL UNITY....which does not seem to exist in the muslim world...and that was the point of my last couple of comments ...racial unity among muslims is the enabling key to building bridges with other nations that are not based on islamic culture...You can not build any bridges with any other religions until you have addressed the devisive and lack of racial and cultural unity that exist within the Mulsim community ...which African Americans are very much a part of .....Simply due to the fact that Muslim society is not united and there is bickering over who should lead and speak on behalf of American Muslims...and I guarantee it will definitely not be someone who has not been raised in this country because they lack the insight to American culture that you can not gain from simply reading a book or two.....
African Americans do not want the unislamic cultural baggage that immigrant Muslims bring with them from overseas which is a major burden and is major contributor to the division in our communities..racism, nationalism, sexism, and all the other practices that infringe upon civil liberties and human rights.....Immigrant Muslims need to be aware of the extra cultural baggage that they label as Islamic and not impose those views on the rest of the Muslim community or American society .....because this closed mentality will lead to further alienation of the immigrant population.......
FYI: African Americans and hispanics culturally have higher intonations when they speak about serious matters and are more direct and confrontational in their style of communication.
A true leader among American Muslims will be someone who will have the social skills, intelectual ability and the religiosity to unite all ethnic groups within the sphere of the Muslim world and abroad....and to be self actualized enough to take on that type of responsibity. These skills such as relating with others on different levels and seeing things in the eyes of another culture are key in building a bond in the Muslim community.
Sakeena, this statement you made is often taken for granted and never contested so let us examine it here:
"I guarantee it will definitely not be someone who has not been raised in this country because they lack the insight to American culture that you can not gain from simply reading a book or two....."
but you cannot make these same assertions about the children of immigrants who have the insights and the additional influence/insights that come from privilege, wealth and power that the African Americans do not have.
For example Farid Senzai on my right -- MA Columbia, Ph.D. Oxford, and worked with both Brookings and Council of Foreign relations.. ther very many like him there, you think that they too cannot have access to the mainstream.
I have been in the country for only 12 years and I have an asst. sec of State quoting my books and the Chief of Staff, Genenral Myers quoting me in the Congress...
I think this discussion does not give credit to the talent, the dedication and the hardwork that immigrant Muslims bring and apply. It is me who is introducing Farid and Saeed and Farhana Khera at Brookings to the US powrs that be and not the other way round.
But do you see the irony, you claim that immigrant Muslims cannot lead, but they are leading aren't they? Their organizations are accepted by all except some African Amerian Muslims as representative , by Govt. media and policy circles.
Who does the Presidental candidates go for endorsement, who does the FBI, the State, the DOJ, the media, the academia talk to?
Look where you are stydying, an institution of higher learning setup by immigrants with no insight and terrible accents, the reverse does not happen.
The pink elephant in the room that we are not talking about is the relative difference in isntitutional devlopment and economic and political influence. Immigrant Muslims have some institutions African Americans do not and that will prevent them from taking the leadership position.
Also I think AAM are as self-centerred as the immigrants. there will not be an immediate end to immigration and the class difference maynot disappear as easily, does that mean we are doomed to have a divided community for some time?
Does this division indegenous-immigrant imply that these separate groups are united within themselves?
We must recognize that communities have different interests and hence different political trajectoris.
Immigrant Muslims want a share of the power in this country, they want a seat at the table. I suspect AAM actually reject the table itself.
When I wrote in the opening comment about the other half of the Muslim community preoccupied with bread and butter issues, I intended this cross section of the population as a socio-economic class inclusive of the entire ethnic spectrum of American Muslims--indigenous or immigrant, black or white, and so forth.
Dr. Khan, however, misconstrued the stroke of my pen as a batting for and on behalf of the African American Muslim team exclusively, which inadvertently let the proverbial ethnic/racial cat out of the bag. The previous posts are testimonial and, I must point out, unnessarily acrimonious to the fact.
The Qur'anic guidance on ethnic issues is very clear: "O men! Behold, We have created you all out of a male and a female, and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you might come to know one another. Verily, the noblest of you in the sight of God is the one who is most deeply conscious of Him. Behold, God is all-knowing, all-aware" (Q.49:13). I trust that these noble interpersonal concepts are not beyond the grasp and behavior of the Islamic leadership in this country and are self-evident truths to the rest of American Muslims.
The agenda for the Brookings conference dealt mainly with civil liberties issues that affect American Muslims and US foreign policy concerns. These are serious areas of concern but are not totally representative of all the issues of national concern to American Muslims, including racism in all its reprehensible forms, the erosion of affirmative action and its corollary negative effects on access to higher education, social mobility, and economics for non-Whites (especially Blacks and Hispanics given the large percentages of their minority status (12 and 13 % respectively), and a myriad other social issues.
What needs to happen is the scripting of a national Islamic agenda that identifies the core issues and challenges faced by all American Muslims--indigenous and immigrant--and brought to the table at high-level forums. In this way, all major Muslim groups will feel assured that they are stakeholders in the Islamic discourse that is shaping American Muslim identity.
Shuayb you are right. But this conference is part of a particular initiative with a specific mandate. We were also not concerned with corruption the in the country or for that matter violence between Muslims as in Oakland.. different agendas must be addressed by different agencies, groups.
Well! Interesting discussion so far and I thank you Dr. Khan for this idea of the blog. Emotions certainly run high when one is talking about Islam (perhaps true of any religion).
For me the conference was an eye opener and a great opportunity, and once again I thank you, Dr. Khan for giving us an opportunity to listen in to these kinds of discussions.
With the focus on "Bridging the Divide", it is good to see Muslim leaders or intellectuals or concerned citizens meet with policy makers and be frank and open about whatever is on their mind--be it Palestine, Sami al Arian or whatever else.
I tend to agree with Fiaz or was it Sakeena when the comment was made that they were not sure how much of a follow up would occur. Such events are typically long on talk and short on action; but even that, I am of the view, has benefits. If we keep on talking at some point it will translate into action (however short) and we will be better off than had we never talked at all. A suggestion to the organizers, which actually was made by the Under Secretary, and which I fully endorse would be to get other relevant actors in the room the next time around. People from Justice, Homeland Security and any other relevant depts.
Also, while this was good, any serious effort at bridging the divide (presumably between Muslims in the US and the mainstream community), must include efforts at several junctures. You all have addressed one such juncture i.e. the US Gov't. But you also need to address areas like churches, local law enforcement, business community, etc. Perhaps efforts are already made in these areas and I am not aware of them. Anyway, wish you all luck in keeping up this good work, and perhaps as Sakeena has suggested you make more efforts to include the AAM leadership in these activities. In the end, if they do not want to come, I agree there's not much you can do.
AThank you for the conference, professor. I totally enjoyed it. It reminded me of the environments that I am used to. The scientists, I feel, came for business. They brought something of substance to the table. Again, thank you, Kalem.
Bridging the divide conference was a great idea. I hope that there will be more of them and more often. This was the iceing on the cake for the whole course covered in class. I learned alot. I enjoyed it. However, since the future of the North American muslim appears to be liberalism, i fear how far this liberalism will go. I noticed that there was no adhan called for the Zuhr salat, nor Asr salat and there was no prayer in jamah. Some of us prayed in a way which suited our fancies. I saw this particular part of the event as a 'red light'.
Salaam Everyone. I guess my comments are a little out of date. I was not fully aware
I needed to make them.
First of all thank you Dr. Khan for giving me this opportunity to attend the conference.
A very interesting one indeed. Some good points, some bad points, and some suggestions.
As for the good points, I was very pleased to see so many Muslim leaders attend the conference. I also felt the collaborative discussion presented to American leaders signified our position on where the American Muslim community stands in respect to the American foreign policy.
What I had hoped to see more of were American lawmakers, specific to foreign policy. I felt not enough government officials were there. The significant ‘one’ left before the discussion became excited. Personally, I felt disrespected. Here was, if we all agree, leaders of American Muslims (that presents 7+millions) trying to create a dialogue between ‘us’ and the foreign policy lawmakers. And he leaves soon after his speech. What happened to discussion, sharing perspectives, dialogue, taking notes, and finally coming to an understanding????
I definitely agree to have more of these conferences on the condition that a greater number of American government officials and other advocacy group leaders attend. If not, American Muslim leaders will have great ideas and discussions, but won’t get far with implementing them.
Another point I wanted to make, not that I am a liberal feminist, but it would have been nice to see an American Muslima give a presentation too. Not sure if one was planned.
And a last disappointment was about a comment/question that was made on the legitimacy of these Muslim organizations and their accent. What was that about!!! I mean what was he thinking??? American Muslim leaders were their in the conference as a ‘team’ to establish a dialogue with the U.S. government officials. Why was their legitimacy question, and it wasn’t even by the Americans (which would of made some sense), but by our OWN Muslim leader against other Muslim leaders? I honestly was embarrassed for him. One think we can learn from that, is that we need to resolve our own conflicts first, before we try to represent the Muslim community.
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