And so it has happened! After a protracted 2 year 'battle', Barack HUSSEIN Obama was elected the next president of the United States of America! Even with a middle that sounds so much like a TERRORIST!
No questions about it: the Americans have once again proven to the world and specially to the muslim world what I had always believed in my heart.....beneath all the anxiety brought on by the fear propogated by the neo-cons, americans are, without doubt, the most open hearted and just people in the world. Beneath it all, they deeply believe in doing and fighting for the right thing (a characteristic unfortunately missing in many in the present muslim world).
Of-course the republican 'leaders' did not leave any stone unturned to drill it into the psyche of the voters that a person with 'that kind of a name' cannot be upto any good! And yes, aren't all the terrorist in the world muslims!...or...was it that all muslims in the world are terrorist?The implication being that he is somehow related to the 'dreaded terrorist' Saddam Hussein! The same 'dreaded terrorist' who for years was USA's closest friend in the middle-east, the only ruler in the area who had the wherewithal to stand up to the 'hated' Iranians who dared to throw out a 'west-leaning' despot and choose self determination! The man who magically turned into a dreaded terrorist once he refused to obey the dictat of the master.
It was of little consequence that the word itself has a beautiful meaning (derived from HASN...meaning good or handsome) and is common across a lot of african languages too (in addition to Arabic).
Barack Obama, beseiged from all sides as he was, was unable to come out in defence of the american muslims. Even the other 'Democratic Party leaders' consciously tried to avoid the topic, least it be misinterpretted as a defence of Obama being a secret muslim. Some tried, but were brushed aside by the bigwigs hogging all the media limelight.
But the best possible defence came, not from a Democrat, but a much respected Republican. A kind of republican who does not believe in launching wars and then hide behind the coat-tails of their rich fathers and avoid being called to duty...but joining up voluntarily and serving honourably for years on the frontlines, and yet advocating the use of war only as an absolutely last resort. In a poignant moment, during his Meet the Press interview, he brought up the case of Spc.Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, a muslim american who had given the supreme sacrifice for his country. After mentioning that Obama was not a muslim he added '.....But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America'.
General Powell, for this statement alone you have earned the gratitude of millions of muslims in the US and indeed many of the muslim from around the world.
FAREWELL …… BUT HOPEFULLY NOT FOREVER
3 years ago
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I have seen in my past 50 years,Muslims who migrated to USA, most of them, felt shy of showing their identity as muslims.I remember an incident when i was a Liuetenant in India Army, in the yeat 1964, I remember similar thing happened. When i wished a senior Muslim Captain through islamic greetings "Assalam-Alaikum' in the presence of other Mushrikeen, the Captain got annoyed saying "Don't be difficult" when I had to vow to change such Muslim officers who feel shy of being Muslims.
I saw similar things in USA. We never tried to show that we are Muslims. Our acts, our dealing, our way of living, our greetings, our values-we lost every thing and lived in vanity feeling that being a Muslim "Nawoosu-Billah" is a blot on our reputation and indicates our backwardness. Alhamdu Lillah, it for the past 15 years, I saw a great chnage in USA as well as in India.
We deprived Americans and the people of other faith the knowledge of Islam and failed to explain to them as to what is meaning of Islam and what Muslim is required to be. We must be proud to be Muslim, call back our Islamic traditions, follow true Islam and tell others as to what Islam is. Be proud to be US Citizen, create our Vote bank, work in the main stream. Each one of us take the responsibility to explain, at least 5 families in 3 months time about Islam and its values. I am sure, the locals surely start liking Muslims and develop more resect for Islam.
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