Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani of the Islamic Supreme Council of America speaks with Katie Couric about how Muslim Americans are reacting to Tuesday’s attacks. Below is the transcript of the interview:
Katie Couric:
Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani is Chairman of The Islamic Supreme Council of America. Shaykh Kabbani, good morning to you Sir.
Shaykh Hisham:
Good morning, Katie.
Katie Couric:
What went through your mind as you heard about this attack on World Trade Center and The Pentagon and this, the other jetliner, that crashed outside Pittsburg.
Shaykh Hisham:
I was being waken up by my wife and I was looking at the scene on television and it was a very very sad situation which struck us all as Muslims and I began immediately contacting our scholars and Muslim scholars in the United States and abroad and all of them, they denounced this and they said that, it was a horrible thing that happened and really, my eyes are...are in tears all over, at that situation.
Katie Couric:
Shaykh Kabbani, we can't say enough that, this is completely in contradiction to the teaching of the Quran.
Shaykh Hisham:
That's for sure. This, what we said, it was not an attack over America, or the West, but its an attack on Islam, its an attack on Quran, its an attack on every Muslim, within the United States and outside United States.
Katie Couric:
You gave a speech before the Senate back in 1999 and you warned such action against the United States, you know, were unquestionably going to take place. Why did you say that? Shaykh Hisham:
You know that I have lots of contacts and I am very well known around the world and I travel a lot. And through many sources and information, we have come across that there will be an attack against the United States and the extremists are going to hit hard and that's why I saw, it is my obligation as an American citizen and saving the Muslim community around the United States, to stand in front of the State Department in an open forum and to address different agencies about this kind of strike, in order not to blame the Muslims if it happens in the future. This is why we...Yes?
Katie Couric:
[Interrupting]...How...I was just going to ask you, Shaykh Kabbani, how can we now protect the rights of law abiding Muslims, living in this country and the need to find the perpetrators of these attacks?
Shaykh Hisham:
I think a real diplomatic situation with the Muslim countries around the world and the Arab countries specially, to come together with the United States to put a plan in order to attack these extremists. Or else, it will be very difficult without the help of the Arab countries and the Muslim countries of the world.
Katie Couric:
And in fact, Shaykh Kabbani, you would like to see Muslim Americans come forward with informations, that they...you believe will be helpful in the investigation.
Shaykh Hisham:
Of course, I urge all our members of the Islamic Supreme Council of America and many Muslims, that I know in the United States and abroad, to come with every tip they have, with every information that they have, in order to tell the different agencies about it and inform them as soon as possible, in order to avoid any harassment for the Muslim community, as it happened to me personally... when I was coming back from Washington, for the National Cathedral Day, or the National Day of Prayers. I was being invited by the President to attend that ceremony. And I was coming back, on the way back, on Saturday, there was a...two cars going back and forth...behind us, in Pennsylvania Turnpike, and then, suddenly the Police came and they stopped us and they said that, we have to check your papers and everything, and we were not speeding or anything. So they left us in the car for 15 minutes and they came and they said, we have received... confirmed with our headquarters that there is something fishy here with our approach as bad, gave us our papers back.
So, I am worried about the Muslim community and I am asking the Muslim community: Please build bridges with the...with every friend, every neighbour, the Jewish community, the Christian community, all communities in the United States and specially with the Administration, to help them finding these people.
Katie Couric:
Well, Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, Sir, Thank you very much for talking with us this morning. We appreciate your time.
Watch the 4 minute interview here. |
