Isa Abdul-Tawwab
2004-03-29 02:04:20 UTC
As-salaamu aleykum wa Rahamatullahi wa Barakatuh,
I have been hearing for a long time in my local Ummah, as well as in national Muslim publications, that Muslims in the USA should become more involved in public issues in their local communities.
Helping the homeless, collecting money for charities that help Muslims and non-Muslims alike, voter registration, fighting poverty, etc. I've heard about Muslims who organised in their local communities for such things and they were appauded for it by the Ummah and Islamic organisations.
Here in Hawai'i, I came-up with the idea of a Muslim radio show on a local station. At first, I had very few supporters on this. Since the show's purpose was to work dawah and to correct the misconceptions non-Muslims had about Islam and Muslims, they felt that the "Jewish-controlled media" would never allow such a show to exist.
Actually, while there are very powerful people in media who are Jewish, most of the media power in the USA is firmly in non-Jewish hands, I suppose the Muslims who opposed the show felt that the local and national Jewish community would find-out about a Muslim radio show and lobby, or sue, the station to take us off the air.
We got some money together and got the show started. It was instantly well-received by the station's listening audience who would call-in and ask all sorts of questions and a few people did embrace Islam as a result of the show. No Jew, at any time, tried to have the station take our show off the air. A group of evangelical Christians did oppose us and they put their own show on the air to counter ours. Their show didnt last as long as our and we were better-liked by the average station listener. The Christian show went off the air and we continued.
The radio show "Islam In Focus" was on the air for almost two years, issues of concern to the Muslims community were expressed, anti-Islam critics were addressed and responded to and numerous guests were interviewed, including many Muslim scholars and authors from around the USA. Overall, the show was a success.
When I started, I thought to myself "Now, the Muslim-bashers will see what Muslims can do. We'll have some one at this event and Muslims will show their support financially. No one will be able to say that Muslims dont care about anyone but themselves."
How wrong I was.
Exactly two Muslims have made donations so far, out a community of 3,000 in Hawaii. Muslim friends have brushed me off when I asked them for help. Only a few days ago, I appealed to a friend for help. I've known him for years and he is a well-respected Muslim teacher who does a lot of dawah in the military community. The response I got was not what I expected.
Essentially, I was told that as most AIDS victims contracted the disease due to engaging in homosexual behavior, IV drug use or fornicating with prostitutes, that the Muslim community would not support any effort to help AIDS victims. I was advised to withdraw from the event and work to help "more deserving Muslims". Bringing-up the fact that many people who have AIDS aquired it from blood transfusions, women got it from unfaithful and/or drug using husbands, children were infected from the womb because their mothers had the disease, etc. fell on deaf ears. He told me that he will not help me raise donations in Hawaii for such a cause.
Needless to say, I felt very depressed and discouraged after that conversation. But I am not going to withdraw from the event. I will have to struggle with this one on my own, with little help from Muslims in Hawaii. As I said, I have gotten two Muslim donations and another Muslim has promised one, after he finishes moving his office to a new location, but that is all. I wont hold my breathe waiting for more help from Muslims in Hawaii.
I've emailed every Islamic organisation I can think about, asking for help. None has responded to me, not even to decline to help. I am being ignored as if I didnt exist.
So, now I have to turn to the kafiruun to help me, which is pretty funny, in a way. If I were to be successful in raising a large amount of donations - say $10,000 - I know that the local Muslims would hail my achievement and hold me up as a good example of a Muslim. This is exactly what they did when we were putting the radio show together years ago: No help, at first, but take credit for it if it is a success.
We often hear about Jewish or Christian charities and the work they do. We seldom hear about Muslim charities helping the needy in their community. I'm beginning to understand why.
As-salaamu aleykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,
`Isa Abdul-Tawwab
I have been hearing for a long time in my local Ummah, as well as in national Muslim publications, that Muslims in the USA should become more involved in public issues in their local communities.
Helping the homeless, collecting money for charities that help Muslims and non-Muslims alike, voter registration, fighting poverty, etc. I've heard about Muslims who organised in their local communities for such things and they were appauded for it by the Ummah and Islamic organisations.
Here in Hawai'i, I came-up with the idea of a Muslim radio show on a local station. At first, I had very few supporters on this. Since the show's purpose was to work dawah and to correct the misconceptions non-Muslims had about Islam and Muslims, they felt that the "Jewish-controlled media" would never allow such a show to exist.
Actually, while there are very powerful people in media who are Jewish, most of the media power in the USA is firmly in non-Jewish hands, I suppose the Muslims who opposed the show felt that the local and national Jewish community would find-out about a Muslim radio show and lobby, or sue, the station to take us off the air.
We got some money together and got the show started. It was instantly well-received by the station's listening audience who would call-in and ask all sorts of questions and a few people did embrace Islam as a result of the show. No Jew, at any time, tried to have the station take our show off the air. A group of evangelical Christians did oppose us and they put their own show on the air to counter ours. Their show didnt last as long as our and we were better-liked by the average station listener. The Christian show went off the air and we continued.
The radio show "Islam In Focus" was on the air for almost two years, issues of concern to the Muslims community were expressed, anti-Islam critics were addressed and responded to and numerous guests were interviewed, including many Muslim scholars and authors from around the USA. Overall, the show was a success.
From opposing such a show, in the beginning, local Muslims began to support us in our work and expressed pride in our accomplishments. Due to funding issues, the radio show as eventually cancelled and replaced with a television show on a Public Access channel and that show is still on the air to this day.
Recently, I signed-up to participate in a local fundraiser for charitable organisations that help people infected with the AIDS virus, called the "Paradise Ride". The groups putting it together provide treatment, education and prevention services. While many of their clients are homosexuals, they are not "gay groups", they help anyone with AIDS, regardless as to how they were infected. I thought that it would be a good idea for a Muslim to be involved in such an event. It would help people in the community and they could see that Muslims care about such issues, too. While AIDS has not left a trail of devastation in the Muslim world, as in Subharan Africa or India, there are Muslims suffering with AIDS today. Indonesia is seen as the next place where AIDS would spread on a devastating level, due to IV drug use and prostitutes.When I started, I thought to myself "Now, the Muslim-bashers will see what Muslims can do. We'll have some one at this event and Muslims will show their support financially. No one will be able to say that Muslims dont care about anyone but themselves."
How wrong I was.
Exactly two Muslims have made donations so far, out a community of 3,000 in Hawaii. Muslim friends have brushed me off when I asked them for help. Only a few days ago, I appealed to a friend for help. I've known him for years and he is a well-respected Muslim teacher who does a lot of dawah in the military community. The response I got was not what I expected.
Essentially, I was told that as most AIDS victims contracted the disease due to engaging in homosexual behavior, IV drug use or fornicating with prostitutes, that the Muslim community would not support any effort to help AIDS victims. I was advised to withdraw from the event and work to help "more deserving Muslims". Bringing-up the fact that many people who have AIDS aquired it from blood transfusions, women got it from unfaithful and/or drug using husbands, children were infected from the womb because their mothers had the disease, etc. fell on deaf ears. He told me that he will not help me raise donations in Hawaii for such a cause.
Needless to say, I felt very depressed and discouraged after that conversation. But I am not going to withdraw from the event. I will have to struggle with this one on my own, with little help from Muslims in Hawaii. As I said, I have gotten two Muslim donations and another Muslim has promised one, after he finishes moving his office to a new location, but that is all. I wont hold my breathe waiting for more help from Muslims in Hawaii.
I've emailed every Islamic organisation I can think about, asking for help. None has responded to me, not even to decline to help. I am being ignored as if I didnt exist.
So, now I have to turn to the kafiruun to help me, which is pretty funny, in a way. If I were to be successful in raising a large amount of donations - say $10,000 - I know that the local Muslims would hail my achievement and hold me up as a good example of a Muslim. This is exactly what they did when we were putting the radio show together years ago: No help, at first, but take credit for it if it is a success.
We often hear about Jewish or Christian charities and the work they do. We seldom hear about Muslim charities helping the needy in their community. I'm beginning to understand why.
As-salaamu aleykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,
`Isa Abdul-Tawwab