Where is the Love?

I recently had the pleasure of attending a lecture by John Esposito at my university in which he mentioned the necessity of re-humanization of Muslims in the eyes of the average, non-Muslim American. Dehumanization is defined as making an individual "less human by taking away his or her individuality, the creative and interesting aspects of his or her personality, or his or her compassion and sensitivity towards others." Since September 11th, some of the western media has been spewing negative images and information about Muslims. Whether its the secret Muslim sleeper cell next door in the show "24,"  the fallacy of using small minorities to represent the whole, or blatantly Islamophobic news coverage, these negative depictions have served to dehumanize Muslims in the eyes of many. Re-humanization is the process of undoing this harmful propaganda and showing the world that we are simply humans with similar hopes, dreams and love for our lives and families.

Hateful and inaccurate images and stories have served to depict Muslims in the eyes of some as an almost inhuman "other." Those who haven't had the opportunity to get to know a Muslim on an individual basis may find it easy to believe that Muslims are a blood thirsty population who hate freedom, deny women basic liberties, commonly practice polygamy and want to kill all infidels. The reality is, however, that this could not be further from the truth.

What most Muslims are really like...

Song by Muslim Country Singer, Kareem Salama of Oklahoma

It's time to represent ourselves!

We need to bring back the right to represent ourselves and stop letting others falsely represent us. Only the average Muslim woman can say what it feels like to be a Muslim woman, and so she needs to speak up. Only converts, or reverts, can tell you why they chose Islam, so it's time for them to let their stories be heard instead of believing stories about "radicalized" converts representing the majority of those who have turned to Islam. Muslims in America must stop letting others speak for them, and be their own voice.

"No Man (or Woman) is an Island"

It is natural for many Muslims in America to feel misrepresented and misunderstood, and thus, isolate themselves from mainstream society. Many shy away from interactions outside of their community in order to resist scrutiny. Some Muslims still only feel comfortable socializing amongst themselves, as if by avoiding the public eye, negative perceptions will somehow cease to exist. Basic psychology will tell us, however, that avoidance behavior only perpetuates problems that will ultimately evolve into full-fledged phobias.  This complacency is a disservice to the Muslim community and the rest of the humanity.

The wonderful thing about most Americans is their open-mindedness and desire to learn. Many misconceptions are perpetuated by lack of exposure to Muslims and continuous misinformation. I'm not suggesting that Muslim Americans apologize for the acts of the violent, extremist minority -- for that is as irrational as demanding apologies from all white Christians for the actions of the Ku Klux Klan -- but I'm saying that we should not be content with only socializing with other Muslims. It's time for us to get out there, talk to our neighbors, get involved in everything from parent-teacher organizations to local government,  and play active roles in community organization. We should not give up our values or our communities at all, but promote understanding by showing our way of life, and connecting with others on a simply human level.

By showing who we truly are, we can build bridges, establish understanding and create long-lasting friendships. In the Qur'an, Allah (SWT) has commanded us to actively do good unto our neighbors. In this country, our neighbors are Americans.

"....And do good unto your parents, and near of kin, and unto orphans, and the needy, and the neighbor from among your own people, and the neighbor who is a stranger, and the friend by your side, and the wayfarer...." (Qur'an 4:36).

Here is a link to a website that I think does a splendid job of this:

My Best Friend is Muslim

In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., "Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that"