Ayesha Shakoor, with son Adam, husband Amir and daughter Imaan, says being viewed with suspicion is a fact of life for many Muslims following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. (Photos by Michael Reilly / DN-R)
Amir plays with his son and daughter last week at the family’s home. According to fellow American Muslim Muawia Dames, who was born in the United States to Palestinian parents, the attacks on 9/11 forced adherents to “come out as a community” as more Americans became curious about Islam.
The 31-year-old missed the immediate backlash against Muslims in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
But she still gets some sideways glances, she says.
Shakoor says she’s braced herself to be singled out regularly for the random security checks in airports.
“I am always randomly selected to be checked. My luggage is always randomly selected to be checked,” she said. “I know when I’m going through airport security that people are looking at me differently.”
Being viewed with suspicion by others is a fact of life for many Muslims and those of Middle Eastern descent, she says.
But the rogue acts of a few radicals shouldn’t color the perception of other Muslims, she argues.
“I’m a person, too. I’m human just like you. I have insecurities,” says Shakoor, a social worker. “9/11 is what brought about the negative attention to Muslims all over the world, which is a shame, because now we’re left trying to undo all that damage.”
Becoming More Vocal
Abdelrahman Rabie, a 61-year-old who has lived in the United States since 1982, says the terrorist attacks have prompted the area’s Muslim population to become more vocal and active in the community. Many of the city’s Islamic residents have spoken up in an effort to make it clear that terrorists represent a small faction of the religion’s adherents, he says.
But while he’s heard of a few incidents of discrimination against Muslims and Middle Easterners in the area, such reports haven’t been widespread, he said.
“There were one or two incidents where people complained about, in the bus, for example, if we have a student who is covering or wearing the scarf,” said Rabie.
While he flies several times a year overseas, he says he’s only been singled out for a random security check a handful of times in the last decade.
Like Shakoor, though, Rabie says that a whole religion shouldn’t be judged by the acts of a minority.
“You will find extremists in any society or any group,” he said, noting recent events such as the planned burning of Qurans by a Christian pastor late last year. “You never want to broad brush the whole religion with one incident.”
Rabie, as well as Shakoor and other Harrisonburg Muslims, universally condemned the terrorist attacks. Rabie noted that numerous Iraqis and Afghans who have died during U.S.-led wars in response to the suicide attacks are indirect victims of the terrorists’ plans.
But while the geographic region may differ, most people, he said, are similar in that they are looking to lead peaceful lives.
“Human beings everywhere are the same,” he said.
Increased Curiosity
Muawia Dames, who was born in the United States to Palestinian parents, found that many people became more curious about Islam after the terrorist attacks.
“There’s a lot of curiosity and it’s forced us to come out as a community and integrate ourselves a little bit better as a community,” said Dames, 39. “So post-9/11 raised the curiosity of many people to find out more about Islam.”
Some examples of how the Muslim community has sought to change the perception of Islam include holding open houses at the mosque to further educate people about the religion and by donating a variety of books to local schools, he said.
But the attacks of Sept. 11 have had other ramifications as it has prompted some people to bring the religion into the political sphere, he said.
“Those that don’t understand Islam can take aspects of Islam and demonize it for their own political gains,” Dames said. “In some communities, building a mosque has been a challenge. Some people have that ‘not-in-my-backyard’ phobia.”
Dames described the religion as a “one-to-one relationship with God” that includes precepts such as fasting and giving to charity.
He also noted that jihad — commonly defined as “holy war” — is best translated as “struggle,” and doesn’t necessarily hold a military meaning. The term, which also carries a nonphysical meaning, has been used by both Muslims and non-Muslims to advance personal agendas, he said.
“There always has been and always will be a minority of people who do that, unfortunately,” he said.
Ever-conscious of the perceptions Muslims face in a post-9/11 world, Shakoor said: “I would love to let people know we’re on your side.
“They may not see it like that, and I can totally understand why that might be, but my biggest thing is, educate yourself. Learn what Islam says. A lot of people who are in the Muslim community are probably more afraid than [those who aren’t Muslim].”
Contact Joshua Brown at 574-6218 or jbrown@dnronline.com
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