The U.S., Islam, and Terrorism

1. The U.S., Islam, and Terrorism M. Zuhdi Jasser, MD Chairman, Board of Directors American Islamic Forum for Democracy WCSS March 21, 2005

3. Homecoming • “Home”– definition is in the eyes of the beholder

4. Leave you with… • We will touch on • Faith of Islam • History • Education • Living history • Context • Frame of reference • New paradigm

5. Stakes • Approach conflict informed • CONTEXT- historical, cultural, religious, political • Is this WWIV? • “War on Terror” • Act vs. ideology • Security vs. our own liberties

6. U.S., Islam, and TerrorismConflicts • Identity • Political • Cultural • Security • Reform • Formulating a new identity paradigm

7. Arab, Muslim-American Prototype- Homo sapien Americanus Muslimanis • Immigrants • Seeking freedom • Practice faith • More purely than in so-called Islamic nations • Identity • Home • Nationalism • Who am I?

9. American first….Muslim second • Is this a fair paradigm? • A personal evolution • Pre-9/11 • Post-9/11

13. Al Qaeda and militant IslamismPsychopathy or ideology? • Terror networks feed on misrepresenting America • Seek “us vs. them” • Disenfranchise Muslims • What is America to Muslims? • Domestic and foreign

14. What is Islamism? • Literalism of Qur’an to all of society • Islamic world decline due to loss of religious observance and caliphate • Moral and religious law enforcement • “Islamic state” • Western culture breeds materialism, atheism, selfishness, and decadence • Separate from the west • State of Israel is illegitimate and should be removed • All Muslims should enroll in jihad to achieve these goals. • Glorify martyrdom

15. Muslims who embrace American ideals over Islamism • Aberrations or a dominant Muslim ideology? • American legal system • Pre-eminence over sharia (Islamic law) • Personal or societal? • Can these Muslims still be devout? • Reform….Muslims embrace a society not based on religion

16. Secularism and piety • Pro-religious secular democracies • America • Anti-religious secular democracies • France • Turkey

17. Tolerance vs. Pluralism • Literalism vs. Liberalism • Fundamentalism vs. modernism • Extremism vs. moderation • Context in Islamic history • Ijtihad (critical interpretation of scripture)

18. Let us not forget our own history… …Away from the Church of England • Crusades • Dark Ages • Church and state were one • 100 years war • 30 years war • Martin Luther • American revolution away from the Church of England

19. George Mason and James Madison Lessons and similarities for Muslims • The Commonwealth of Virginia House of Delegates was to include a Declaration of Rights which would include a clause on religious liberty. George Mason proposed, "All men should enjoy the fullest toleration in exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience," but James Madison objected. Such an appeal for religious toleration is defective, he reasoned, for behind the idea of toleration is the assumption that one's religious beliefs are held at the pleasure of the state, not according to a natural right. In an effort to secure real religious freedom, Madison proposed an alternative: "That religion or the duty we owe our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, being under the direction of reason and conviction only, not of violence and compulsion. All men are equally entitled to the full and free exercise of it according to the dictates of conscience." • Religious freedom prevailed over toleration, eventually becoming a crucial component of American politics due, in part, to Madison's efforts.

20. Muslims entitled to same evolution • Islamic history provides hope • Dynamic law • Metaphysical (Sufism) • Minimizing the role of government • Struggle for the soul of Islam • Personal vs. governmental • Militancy • Corruption • Free Market of ideas most effective

21. Struggle for the soul of Islam • Islamic authority • Scholars • No clergy • Faith not a religion

22. Hijacking started long before 9-11 • Arab nations were hijacked • Monarchs and dictators • The religion was hijacked • Political causes exploit religion • Beasts of radicalism fed by despots

23. Politico-religious partiesPolitical realities • Muslim Brotherhood (Egypt, Syria) • Al Qaeda (Saudi Arabia) • Islamic Jihad (West Bank and Gaza) • Hezbullah (Lebanon, Iran) • Media glorification • Al Jazeera, Al-Manar, Egyptian media

25. Cultural realities • Conspiracy theories • Identity problem • Lack of personal responsibility or accountability • Corruption rampant • Fed by dictatorships • Distrust of all forms government • Equate with American government • Systematic lying • Endemic fear

26. Educational limitations • UN Development Report of 2002 • Critical thinking needs rebirth • FEAR • Long entrenched • Religion protected individuals • But lost dynamic law and pluralism

27. Historical Limitations • Islamic world slowed way down in 15th century • America and the west dispensed with religious construct • Muslims did not • Faith and force– eclipsed Islamic philosophy • External shocks–crusades, Mongols • Internal shocks-Ottomans • Colonialism left a vacuum after WWII • Tools in WWIII (Cold war) • America’s gas tank

28. Separation of religion and state • Separation is possible among Muslims • Same analyses as western evolution • Terrorism is directed against this core belief • Instill fear in moderates and the west • Countering this ideology is central • “Stay out of our theocracy” • Anti-global trade and communication • Isolationism is no longer an option

29. Frontline of conflict • Return of Islamic caliphate ultimate desire • Al Qaeda • Saudia Arabia, Sudan, Afghanistan, global • Hizb-ut-Tahrir • London, Europe, U.S. • Muslim Brotherhood • Offshoots • Anti-Israeli hatred • Wahhabism (Saudi Arabia) • Infiltration into American Muslim community

30. In the social studies classroom… • American principles • Pluralism • Separation of religion and state • Educational model • Let each faith speak for itself • Speak against polemics • Let history speak for itself • Compare and contrast historical evolution of societies, governments, and societies

31. Security… • Profiling • Best served by winning the war of ideas • Terrorism and Islam • 1.3 billion Muslims • Bosnian example • Taking back Islam from the hijackers • If we give up our freedoms– we lose

32. Universal principles…common elements, keys to reform • Golden Rule • Suicide forbidden • Sanctity of life • Integrity • Honesty • Fighting corruption • Rule of law

34. Reform… • Nationalism • Law, religion, and government • Sharia vs. separation • Political parties and religious influence • Power • Liberal Education • Religious scholars as advisers not leaders • Equality and liberation of all • Women’s rights

35. Islam is what Muslims make of it • Not so-called Islamic experts • Franklin Graham, Robert Spencer, Craig Wynn, Jerry Falwell • Not so-called Muslims • Bin Laden, Zarkawi, Sheikh Nasrallah, Sheikh Qardawi, Sheikh Tantawi • Relegate to private not public

36. Bin Laden’s Islamism “The situation of all Arab countries suffers from great deterioration in all walks of life, in religious and worldly matters. We have reached this miserable situation because many of us lack the correct and comprehensive understanding of the religion of Islam. Many of us understand Islam to mean performing some acts of worship, such as prayer and fasting. Despite the great importance of these rituals, the religion of Islam encompasses all the affairs of life, including the religious and the worldly such as economic, military, and political affairs”…[Al Jazeera, Jan. 2004]

37. Reform… • Less isolation • Domestic and foreign • Resolve conflict of soul, heart, mind • Resolve conflict of nationalism • Resolve conflict of laws • Resolve separation of religion and state

38. Teach your students.. • Living history • Context of history • Second enlightenment is possible • Reform is necessary and possible • Pluralism vs. tolerance

39. This appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer in 2002

40. Abdolkarim Soroush …one example of leading reformist • Muslims are in a new phase of history • Adapt to a great civilization not based on religion • Rationality can come from reason and not from religion