Masjid As-Salam Mosque in Albany

Following the 9/11/2001 deadly attacks on New York and Washington, US Muslims found themselves forced to put on extra efforts to reverse the notion that “terrorism finds a sympathetic ear in US mosques”, a leading US newspaper said Thursday, August 12.

“While we are encouraging expressing our opinions freely, we want Muslims to be aware that their religion will not allow them to tolerate, to accept, or to cover up any criminal behavior,” The Christian Science Monitor quoted Maher Hathout, spokesman for the Los Angeles-based Islamic Center of Southern California as saying.

In a bid to show the cooperation of US Muslims on terror-combat, the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) has launched a five-step program aimed at teaching Muslims how to contact law enforcement if they suspect “terrorist activity” in a mosque; reemphasizing that terrorism is not a valid means of struggle in Islam; and develop skills to detect criminal activities.

“The broad concept is to create a different culture in the mosque, one of greater responsibility, of watching out for this activity,” says Nader Elmakawi, an MPAC spokesman.

“We want mosques to maintain accurate and audited financial records that are open to the public to ensure that all the money comes from legal sources.”

The moves come as a new effort to enhance the Muslim involvement in the American society.

“The 9/11 attack has really propelled the Muslim community to become more involved in American society. It has translated bitterness over American foreign policy into constructive engagement.” says Ihsan Bagby, professor of Islamic studies at the University of Kentucky and co-author of a recent study of attitudes among Detroit area mosques.

Blows

The new efforts come after US Muslims faced several blows; latest of which was the rejection of the Albany federal judge to release a mosque imam and his fellow on bail.

The pair were arrested under accusations of having conspired to launder money through their organizations as part of a fictitious plot to assassinate the Pakistani ambassador to the United Nations.

Pakistan has complained to the United States about implying it in such “ a ridiculous affair”.

The anti-Muslim campaigns have, however, prompted some Muslims to take strict stance within the American society.

Abdur-Rahim Shamsiddeen, a mosque imam, used to remind his visitors before every meeting in the Jewels of Islam mosque in Phoenix that they are welcome to perform rituals but, he says, the ultraconservative Islamic thought are not open for discussion in the mosque especially those favored by what he calls the “September terrorists”.

He had once refused to let a group of young men to spend the night at the mosque just because he was uncertain of their affiliations, according to the daily.

“All of them, over a period of time, would have probably known someone who had been to the terrorist camps,” he says.

“Then when you ask them, they’re very quiet about things, because they don’t want it known. I said to them, ‘I cannot be certain that one of you has not given $5 to someone who was at one of those camps.’ I had to say, ‘Sorry, you can’t stay.’

Days after the slaying of the US citizen Johnson in Saudi Arabia last month, vandals broke windows of an Islamic center in the Tampa suburb of Lutz and scrawled the words “Kill All Muslims” on the walls inside. The graffiti, written in marker and crayon, also included a derogatory message about Allah.