A Muslim in America

Allahuu Akbar Allahuu Akbar. My ears turn subliminally towards the melodious voice of our beloved Muezzin reciting the esteemed call to prayer. All around me the commotion has unreservedly stopped as if a mute were placed on top of the holy city of Mecca. The city having gone quiet, all listen attentively, unified under a single point, Islam. Under my breath I duly repeat these divine words until the last line is fully recited, Laa ilaaha Illal-Laah . As the recitation concludes, I along with millions of faithful Muslims ready themselves for the mid-afternoon prayer of Maghrib . This was two years ago during a time in which my family and I embarked on a religious pilgrimage to Mecca, the epicenter of the Islamic religion.
Although the pilgrimage lasted only a short two weeks, I was able to discern a palpable feeling of unification and identity among my fellow brothers and sisters in faith. However, unlike Saudi Arabia where Islam was seen as the norm and readily accepted, being a Muslim in America carries its own difficulties and hurdles.
To be a Muslim in America is a combination of vexation, disgruntlement and even nervousness. A group of 3.3 million people scrutinized, generalized and struggling to “make a mark on the world worthy of our numbers, our histories, our ideas” (Rashid). To be an American in today’s society is a multitude of things. Although it may mean a concern with the intended focus of our secular republic or a part of a socioeconomic divide, it does not include religious targeting.
Although I was not politically/socially conscious at the time being only a baby, I was truly seen as Muslim in the eyes of the American people following the events of September 11th, 2001. Before this tragic and cynical incident, I was merely looked upon as an innocent young child who loved to play sports and who respected their parents. Unfortunately, in a post 9/11 era, this is no longer the case as the religion of Islam is frequently equated with notions of killing, violence and religious/political extremism. Similar to many guiltless Muslims who may have previously been identified as lawyers, doctors, or engineers, I was no longer a sinless child, but now part of a group of millions of “outsiders”. As the first true Muslims in America were African slaves forcefully brought against their will, it puzzles me as to how a group of individuals integral to shaping the beginnings of this great nation can be seen as social/political aliens and potential criminals.
Nowadays, I stare at the television, confused and bemused. “How can I be associated with these horrific wrongdoings?”, I state as the headlines of San Bernardino, the Boston Marathon, and the Paris attacks flash across the screen. All my life I was taught that Islam is a religion of peace, a way of life for individuals seeking tranquility, inner peace and faith. The media tells me otherwise, defining me by only a single component of my identity. “It feels as if I am being told exactly who I am by someone who knows little to nothing about me and having no power to change it”, I mutter.
Moreover, our representation within the media is highly selective. Countless times the face of Islam is accredited to that of Osama Bin Laden, Ahmed Godane or Ayman Zawahiri. Very few times does the American media catch a glimpse of a true Muslim not associated with any terrorist cell or killing scheme. Similar to Majida Rashid, “such blatant discrimination frustrates me deeply” (Rashid).
Across the dinner table I hear the same conversation over and over again. “Why does the world hate Muslims?”, my sister and I repeatedly ask. My mother and father consequently follow up these questions with a description of how Islam is a religion of peace and does not support the actions of extremists who wrongly take the name of Islam in their crimes. I can only imagine the conversations of other young aspiring muslim boys and girls questioning their very faith at such a young age. The negative perception of Muslims continues to worsen as time goes on with the advent of more hate crimes and the strong political aura of the new presidential administration. However it is up to parents and guardians alike to accept this modern dilemma and prepare themselves in order to allow children to continue walking on the straight path.
In conjunction, Muslim Americans constitute numerous groups, sects, ethnicities and are involved in politics, economics, and everything else. However, to be a Muslim in America is to understand that the aforementioned identifiers do not matter and instead Muslims “are perceived as a big uniform group of millions, a vague but ominous threat to the American way of life” (Naqvi). I along with millions of other innocent Muslims are persistently compelled to condemn the actions of terrorism and violent acts even though many of us have never heard of some events before. “Why must I convince others of things I should never have had to prove about myself in the first place?”
To see the thousands of lives lost at the hands of so called “Islamic extremism” sickens me. We may grieve, yet to be a Muslim in America means that “our grief is read as insincere” (Naqvi). We are constantly held accountable to actions of which we have no affiliation while public officials look upon us as a confused group, stranded from the motherland of extremism.
However, amidst all the political and social turmoil associated with Islam in America, I wonder why only at a point in time where the religion of Islam is under attack I decide to get involved and embrace my Islamic faith. “Why recognize my moon and star [1] only when the world moves to tear it down?”, I think to myself. “I am not only Muslim when society forces me to be so.” Islam has been and will always be a core component of my life. I urge other American Muslims of all walks of life to embrace this fact and more tenaciously grasp their own rope of faith. Only then can we be true American Muslims.
[1] Common symbol of Islam
Works Cited:
- Naqvi, Zehra. “What’s It Like Being Muslim in America?” The Huffington Post . TheHuffingtonPost.com, 16 Nov. 2015. Web. 04 Mar. 2017.
- Rashid, Majida. “This Is How It Feels to Be a Muslim in America When Donald Trump Is Running for President.” The Washington Post . WP Company, 09 Dec. 2015. Web. 04 Mar. 2017.
Nabeel Quryshi is 17 years old and a rising senior at the University School of Milwaukee. His award-winning research focuses on developing novel therapeutics to combat coronary artery disease and the detrimental effects of chemotherapy upon the cardiovascular system. In addition, his current research goals include creating and utilizing a novel mathematical model of the human cell to understand the complexity of cellular systems.
He has presented his research and findings at state, national and international conferences and competitions. Having won the Best of Fair — 1st Place Grand Award at the Badger State Science & Engineering Fair, Nabeel most recently was awarded the prestigious First Place Grand Award in the Biomedical & Health Sciences category at the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair. This places his research in the top 40 projects in the world and bestows the privilege of having an asteroid/minor planet named in his honor.
Aside from his passion for all things science, he is captain of the varsity tennis team, concertmaster of the orchestra and founder and president of Harmonies for Health, a community orchestral performance ensemble. He is an ardent advocate of STEM education for all and was recently invited as a keynote speaker at the inaugural March for Science Milwaukee. Nabeel will also share his love for science as an invited TEDx speaker later this August.
Nabeel is also passionate about his religion. As a director of AMAN (American Muslims Assisting Neighbors), he has a desire to fix the way Islam is portrayed in the modern media.
Companies:
Annulata LLC — annulata.com
— lifescitechnologies.com
— tetradgraphics.com
— geneowl.com
