As Salaamu Alaikum,
Dear brothers in Islam ,your condemnation of Shiek Hisham Kabbani's timely speech to the US State Departments' Open Forum served only to illustrate the very issues raised in his speech.Your misrepresentation of his talk casts an ominous shadow of doubt over your espoused goal of defending the lofty islamic principals of truth,justice and tolerance for all of Allah's creation.Anyone with even a minimal command of the English language, upon reading the entire "unedited" text of Shiek Hisham's presentation ,could not reasonably draw the defamatory conclusions you reach in your releases to the press and the Muslim community at large.
I attest to and affirm the plausibility of Shiek Hisham's contention that some 80% of the muslim community in America has been badgered and bullied into silence by a very vocal extremist element .In my capacity as a jet transport captain for a major US airline I have traveled extensively throughout this country.In every major city a great many of the masjids that I have visited over the past 18 years have been ,as Shiek Hisham aptly put it, "hijacked" by people with an" agenda" other than one of serving the local or national Muslim community's interest.As you know ,it is inherently against the Muslim character to constantly be engaged in useless argument as it diminishes personal and collective faith.For that reason many Muslims now reserve observing their well grounded traditional islamic practices to home and grudgingly attend the masjid only to fulfill their obligatory worship. I know scores of indigenous Muslims in cities across America who avoid attending their local masjid due to the constant argument and confrontation fostered by an atmosphere of intolerance and the imposition of beliefs and practices foreign to traditional islamic teaching. The electoral coup de etats employed by these extremist elements make mockery the freedom afforded them in this country .It is indeed ironic that the democratic principals used to gain administrative control of masjids are the very same principals they seek to stifle amongst the Muslim community at large .
The American muslim community cannot afford to be silent or unequivocal in its rejection of terrorism perpetrated by others and or tacitly supported,in the name of Islam,by their religious leadership.If Muslim leaders in America continue to sit on the fence with regard to this extremely volatile issue we will definitely see what Al Hajj Malik Shabazz described some 30 years ago as a "case of the chickens coming home to roost". That quote means now exactly what it meant then - a climate of violence and oppression will only beget more violence and oppression .
Any American convert who has been Muslim any length of time is painfully aware that the lofty ideals of Islam and the conduct of people who profess the faith are two separate and distinct realities. The fact that a great many Muslim brothers can justify owning ,selling and distributing drugs ,alcohol and pornography to the American public does not seem to bother these extremist leaders as long as they fork over an appropriate amount of "Zakat" or "Sadaqa".Often times these brothers are" elected" to the masjid board as if this will somehow legitimize their actions.
The shameful behavior of these Muslim merchants ,espescially those operating within the African American communities across America constitutes a major degree of negative dawa from primarily immigrant Muslims to the American public.In the city where I live one Muslim merchant opened a liquor store next to a masjid which had been established at that location for almost five years.Next to the masjid was a halal meat market.Within this drug ridden and impoverished community this masjid ,established at the direction of Shiek Hisham to serve the area Muslims ,was respected and protected primarily by the non-Muslim community.In some instances when we did not call the Azhan outside for an extended period of time ,as is our custom, some local non- Muslims complained that they had not heard that "beautiful singing"and that we should do it more often. When I asked this merchant if he would have opened his store next to a masjid in his own community ,he answered me with a resounding "NO". Our dawa efforts to the impoverished people of this community were thwarted because of the unsavory element this store attracted.In every city of America this type of attitude and behavior by immigrant Muslim merchants is typical of many Americans first exposure to what they think is Islam.Immigrant Muslims cannot blame non-Muslim Americans for painting their communities with the same brush if they fail to distinguish themselves from the despicable behavior of these de-facto ambassadors of Islam.
As a devoted student of Shiek Hisham and Shiek Nazim for over fifteen happy and productive years I do not see myself as a groupie as implied in your statement characterizing Shiek Hisham as some "self styled guru" to many American converts.A great many of his students like myself are professionals ,educators,scientists , current and former government officials,blue collar workers and housewives . All studied this religion and others before making a conscious decision to convert to Islam.Therfore our allegiance is to Islam and not to any country other than the one of our birth.Your statement is an insult to our intelligence and an affront to our right to choose those from whom we seek spiritual guidance.In fact it displays the same patronizing attitude if not contempt for those who do not belong to your particular ethnic,class or national group.This is not Islam!
Your condemnation of Shiek Hisham is most disturbing because it ignores the reality of the world we live in.Even if you disagree with what Shiek Hisham asserts in his speech it borders on being criminal to deny even the possibility that what he says is true.You would have us believe that every Muslim leader who professes the high ideals of Islam is willing ,capable and ready to serve the common good.Every saint is not Muslim just as every Muslim is not a saint.I for one choose not to hide my head in the sand like an ostrich and pretend that everybody who says As Salamuu Aaikum is my friend.The prophet did not do that and neither should any true Muslim.Otherwise one day we will look up and find that we no longer have a body attached to that head tucked safely away in the sand.Bombs and bullets do not discriminate.They kill believer as well as unbliever of whatever particular group fanatics are mad at on a particular day.As a Muslim should I hold innocent another Muslim for committing an atrocity against non-Muslims and not expect retaliation?Hazrat Omar carried out capital punisment on his son,-his own flesh and blood- for violating the rights of non- Muslims subject to his authority as Governor of Egypt.It was that kind of unequivocal respect for the rights of the governed that propelled Islam across Africa,Asia and Europe.It will take that kind of respect again to capture the hearts of those seeking certainty in this world of illusion.
We who are students of Shiek Hisham are also ambassadors of this faith to our non-Muslim brothers and sisters in this country.I believe I speak for us all when I say we prefer to offer our kith and kin roses and not bullets or bombs.The fanatics within the Muslim community seeking to impose their narrow religious interpretation and world view are the ones who endanger the lives and property of Muslims in America,not the one who warns of the danger.Thus Shiek Hisham's statements to the State Department only publicly acknowledges what people within the Muslim community have experienced but felt powerless to confront. Assuredly the Muslim community by in large is and has been ignorant of where their donations go.However, given the danger continued ignorance poses, the greatest care must be taken to account for each dime coming into and out of our coffers. No sane government on earth will standby and tolerate it's people being killed without taking appropriate measures to safeguard the safety of its citzenery.Shiek Hisham has wisely cautioned the government to distinguish between the majority of peace loving traditional Muslims and those who would harm Muslim and non-Muslim alike.
Shiek Hisham has been engaged in trying to solve many of the problems confronting the Muslim community in addition to
society as a whole.He has challenged his supporters to be ,please excuse the cliche',"part of the solution and not part of the
problem".Primary to our belief as Muslims is that everyone has the potential to be a "Khalifa" or rather a representative of god
on earth. To harm or disrespect god's creatures is to disrespect Him.Shiek Hisham emphasizes that the greatest
accomplishment one can achieve and the title most beloved of our Holy Prophet Muhammed was that of "servant".I think in
most of the major faiths it is a basic tenet that to serve humanity is to serve our creator. Shiek Kabbani's life is testimony to his
belief in that very doctrine.His leadership and charisma has bridged the chasm of mistrust between peace loving moderate
Muslims ,Christians and Jews here in America and elsewhere.I can say without hesitation that were it not for his moderating
presence in America ,many of us would find it very difficult to openly acknowledge our belief in Islam .This is especially true for
me since I work in an industry that has suffered much bloodshed at the hands of fanatics and extremists.I believe that I am
respected , and well treated for being the Muslim Shiek Hisham has molded by his guidance.I am forever indebted to him for
illustrating that Islam allows for me to be proud of being Muslim,,and proud of being an American.
Shiek Hisham Kabbani and the many organizations with which he is affiliated have been branded insignificant and irrelevant upstarts. Nothing could be further from the truth.His significance is in the guidance given those seeking an essential understanding and expression of Islam grounded in love ,respect and tolerance for all creation.He has been an island of hope in the sea of extremism and fanaticism that has drowned many a new convert or repelled those curious about this last revealed major faith.To those Muslims desirous of maintaining their traditional islamic heritage he has been a beacon guiding them back to the shore of peace and tranquility . He is an outspoken critic of anyone,including Muslims,who violate the honor and respect due all human beings.
I and many of my contemporaries,Muslim and non-Muslim ,stand united in our support of Shiek Hisham.I as well as countless other American Muslims are amassing our considerable financial and political weight behind this courageous Muslim leader who has demonstrated by his self sacrifice his love for all human beings .We will pursue all legal means at our disposal to hold liable any organization or individual misrepresenting his statements in order to create an atmosphere in which he or his supporters suffer physical,psychological or economic harm.I urge you to retract your condemnation and submit for your membership the full "unedited text " of Shiek Hisham's speech to the State Department.
Wasalaam
Captain I.G.Carter
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