Thank you, Colin Powell
This week, former Secretary of State Colin Powell came out in support of Senator Obama's bid for the presidency. In his comments with "Meet the Press" (reported by CNN), Powell corrected the rumors that Obama is a Muslim, and criticized the ignorant comments and responses from within his own political party and the media.
Powell offered his own direct response to these charges. Acknowledging that Obama is in fact a Christian, Powell asked further, "What if he is [a Muslim]? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? No, that's not America."
Powell went on to relate the story of a mother whom he had seen mourning her son at Arlington Cemetery. Powell saw a photo of her in a magazine, and was moved by the scene: the mother resting her head on her son's headstone, the display of the fallen soldier's awards, including a Purple Heart award for service in Iraq. The fallen soldier's name: Kareem Khan, a 20-year-old New Jersey-born Muslim.
Powell's comments are a welcome public reminder that Muslims are part of the United States cultural mosaic, a faith community that faces the same challenges and joys, and the same care for their homeland, as any other. Flippant comments and ignorant stereotypes have no place in the public discourse.
Comments
In the Name of Allah(God)!
As salaam alaikum Huda!
Praise be to God for your work, MashaAllah , and praise be to God for presenting Gen. Colin Powell as the instrument to tell the masses to awaken from their prejudicial behavior towards Muslims. My heart was filled with joy and my eyes with tears, that Allah (swt) sent an honorable man to say what needed to be said. I watched with great humility as Gen. Powell unhesitatingly presented his views and with great clarity said,”so what if he was a Muslim?”
The comments that Senator Obama was a Muslim were said with such vehemence as though something was sinfully wrong with being a Muslim. The negativity through which those terrible comments flared, sent hatred throughout the airways.The implications that if Senator Obama was a Muslilm, then something was definitely wrong for him to be President of the United States.
Senator McClain, said that Senator Obama was not a Muslim, that Senator Obama is a decent upstanding man. Senator McClain presented his comments as though being a Muslim was synonymous with being evil, a terrible thing to be.
I pray that the world comes to know that the Arabic word Muslim means “one who submits to the will of God”. And the pronounciation of the word Muslim is not with a long u or double oo, but with a soft u. In English it would be something close to the sound of “us” somewhat like the “u” in crust. It really is not difficult to say or to be.
Allah says in the Quran that He created us all differently and not for us to hate each other, but to know each other. As Muslims, we are to seek peace. We seek to regard our neighbor and to care for our neighbor regardless of our neighbor’s religious belief. According to the teachings of Allah’s(God)last Prophet, ( peace be upon him) We, Muslims are to look after our neighbor. Our neighbors are those who live near us, 40 houses in any direction. Now do people who live by these teachings sound like someone a candidate for president should not be? Muslims help make America a better place. We would not plot to destroy the country where we can freely practice our religon, be educated, and live freely. We are God-fearing and peaceful. We are never aggressors.
I appreciate that Gen. Powell made clarified his views on Senator Mccains negative comments about Senator Obama not being a Muslim. America was founded by people who fought wars to practice religion as they saw best for themselves. Being a Muslim is in keeping with the peacemakers that realize their purpose is to worship Allah(God)and none other. Therefore,referencing Muslims as some terrible thing to be is not in keeping with the founding principles of America.
A neighbor that is a Muslim will maintain peace in the neighborhood, feed the hungry, visit the sick, protect the children and the animals. In addition to the Ten Commndments, Muslims adhere to all directives from Allah(God). Because Allah has commanded us to seek knowledge,we strive to become the best that we can be for the pleasure of Allah. We provide services to our communities. As Americans, and emmigrants in America.
We are Ph.Ds, medical doctors, spiritual leaders,architects, nurses, plumbers, therapists, kindergarten teachers, cooks, lawyers, police officers, counselors,judges,landscapers, students, in the U.S. Armed Forces,psychiatrists, cleaners, Mothers, Fathers and fulfill thousands of positive roles. We live to worship Allah.
The society will not find a better behaving person than the Muslim believer. We are not perfect,but the our reglion of Islam is. We pray and strive everyday to become, more dutiful servants of Allah. We all struggle to improve our weaker selves.
Do not let the ugliness of the terrible attacks on our America cause you to think that Allah(God)would let millions of people the world over that worship him,become swayed by the evil workings of the devil. Being a Muslim is no more being a terrorists than every Christian or Jew is another Timothy McVeigh or Son of Sam. Those evil people foreign and American will have to answer to Allah(God)for their horrendous terrorists actions. All of terrorist,including those yet to be identified will have to answer to Allah(God).
We all should conduct ourselves honorably; not just the Muslims. We all should examine our words and deeds. The Prophet Muhammed(peace be upon him) of 1400 years ago was sent to the world as a messenger for all mankind. He taught this simple lesson(paraphrased); He said that a Muslim is not a Muslim until he/she desires for her sister or brother,that which he/she desires for herself. We are commanded to be righteous all the time and with everyone. We follow the words of Allah in the Quran and the example and guidance of the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) The character of the Muslim is to be honorable,truthful and kind. Just as the character of those who follow the teachings of Jesus Christ(peace be upon him)
Thank you for your gracious comments about Gen. Powell.He is a wise and fair leader. America is moves forward because of people like General Powell and you.
I applaud Colin Powell for his opinion on Obama ’s religion. He should have gone further though. What if Obama does not believe in any deity ? Why is believing in a deity so important to running for president ? General Powell had taken a step in the right direction. A lot more should be done to dispel the nonsensical myth that one need to be a christian ( esp the evangelical type) to be a good person and good leader. You need only to look at the current one in the White House to see the fallacy of this thought.
THANKS TO ALLAH [GOD] THAT SENATOR IN AMERICA SUPPORTED ISLAM TO DAY.
I am an American citizen but I have converted to Islam. It saddens me to see that too many catorgorize Muslims. If those who do not understand the real meaning of Islam, would read up a little more then they would see that those who are suicide bombers are extremeists. When you are Muslim it is all about Allah, charity, family, and love. Allah does not condone killings in His Name. Please those that do not understand Muslims,especially women that cover their heads, out of respect for Allah and themselves, ask questions instead of judging. Allah bless you.
Gen. Colin Powell took a brave step when he endorsed Barack for US presedent, and when he made it as clear as cristal that there is nothing wrong about being an Arab or a Muslim to be involved in the political process or to run for the highest office in the nation. McCain ,on the other hand, either intentionally or not, regarded being an Arab and decency as mutually exclusive when he attempted to correct an elderly lady who said that she could not trust Obama for the simple reason that “….he is an Arab…” MacCain answer was “No, ma’am, he is a decent family man…” So for Mr. MacCain Arabs are not decent men. Mr Colin Powell was right when he said “No,that’s not America”
I must reply to response # 2 ‘Tony’ - It is important that a person running for President have a belief in God because we are, as the Founding Fathers declared, “One Nation Under God”.
That is it in a nut-shell!!
Grace,
I don’t mean to be rude, but you need to study your history more. The “under God” part of the pledge wasn’t added until far later (20th Century, in fact), many of our founding fathers were atheists, and others were deists (believe in god but not specifically in any religion.) Our country is not founded on any belief, nor is faith required to be American.
Dear Huda stuff:
I really thank you from the depth of my heart for your keeping our brotherhood realationship
which stayed since about 6 years,
About the subject we hope that Collen powel is mean what he is syaing.
thanks
TO ALL MUSLIM AND NON-MUSLIM AMERICANS
TO SAY THANK YOU TO MR. POWELL IS NOT ENOUGH BUT IT IS NOT TOO MUCH TO APPLAUS WHAT HE DID. I AM NOT AMERICAN BUT I AM A MUSLIM. IT SAD AND IT IS UNFAIR FOR THE ARABS AND MUSLIMS ABOUT THE FALSE ACCUSATION TO MR. OBAMA. FURTHERMORE, AMERICA IS NOW IN CRISES SO EVERY AMERICANS HAS NOW FACING THE GREAT CHALLENGE TO SELECT THE BEST LEADERS FOR WHO CAN SOLVE THEIR NATIONAL PROBLEMS. PLS. THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT TIME FOR YOU TO ENTERTAIN SUCH FUTILE AND VERY FALSE ACCUSATION TO YOUR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.IF MR. OBAMA MOVES TO WITHDRAW THE AMERICAN FORCES FROM IRAQ CAN BE THE BEST OPTION TO STOP CONFLICT BETWEEN EAST AND WEST THEN SO MUCH THE BETTER. WHO CARES? IF HIS OWN DECISION TO WITHDRAW AMERICAN FORCES, IF HE(OBAMA) WON THIS ELECTION AS A PRESIDENT. FOR IT IS THE RIGHT TIME TO WITHDRAW AMERICAN FORCES FROM IRAQ AND LET US THE IRAQI TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS AND LET US ALSO THE MUSLIM COUNTRIES HELP THE IRAQI PEOPLES TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS AND I BELIEVE ONLY MUSLIMS CAN DO THAT. PLS. STOP DRAGGING MUSLIMS INTO YOUR POLITICAL PROPAGANDA AND LEAVE MUSLIMS ON THEIR LAND AND LET THEM ENJOY THEIR IDEOLOGY AND THEIR RELIGION. AMERICAN IDEOLOGY AND AMERICAN POLITICS IS ONLY GOOD FOR AMERICAN AND IT IS NOT GOOD FOR MUSLIMS AND THE ARABS. I AM MUSLIM BUT NOT AN ARAB AND I AM A TAUSOG FILIPINO. THANK YOU TO ALL HUDA STAFFS AND KEEP ON DOING WHAT IS RIGHT. MORE POWER AND MAY ALLAH BLESS AMERICA AND MAY ALLAH BLESS US ALL. WASSALLAM…!
Fellow citezenss of the world, we should be courageious enough to fight misguided and innocent comments that serves to alienate others just because they are of different faith.
The comming of Obama in the Ameraican and world seen following almost immediately after the misguided war in middle east is a blessing of Allah on us all. It is expected to cleanse the heart of all of us of misguided priciples that is proving a vemom on us.
The significance of the episode involving the lady who complained agaist Obama and the response that came from Mccai invites no anyother person to respond and clear the air than Powell, who did more than others to plunge America into the war against Sadam Hossain.
Have you seen the light?
Powell has. All Amerocans should also see the light.
Allah says in the Holly Quran that Islam is His relgioun, and He can protect it Himself.
Peace to all of us, Citizens of the world!
Praise be to Allah, the Master of the Day of Recompence!
AM
Salaam,
what is it that is so negative about being a Muslim in America? I am keeping up with the American elections campaign, and when the general public was asked why they don’t want to see Obama as president; “because he’s a Muslim” was the reply.
is it hatred?
Sometimes I think its the way muslims have been portrayed in America, maybe in a negative light, but a wise person should bare in mind that media often exaggarates and an image with a certain slogan can send one message, and the same image with a different slogan can portray a another message.
May Allah guide and protect us all.
the.real.dedication.
Assalam Aliakum,
Allahu Akbar. If you reflect on the concerns of the old woman and what Colin Powell said, you can see the divide in the American population. Thanks to Powell to have courageously said what he said. My request to Powell is that please take this talk further and let the Americans understand that if there is atoll anything wrong in being a muslim, then there is certainly something wrong in being a christian, an orthodox, a Budist etc.
Iam not surprised about what McCain had to say. No one should expect anything good to come from McCain about Obama.
The Americans should spend their energy to understand what the candidates are offering them as plans, but not the faith a candidate belongs to. Listening to what many analysists have said about the plans (economic, health, market etc) of the two candidates, Obama seems to have developed plans that will bring prosperity to the people of America. So what is wrong in having a muslim who has plans that will salvage you from your economic problems, build a better foriegn relationship for the American people? To me the most important thing is the fact that Obama is an American.
It is my hope that the old woman and many others who think like her belief in God and that is why they are christians. If this is true, then they should also belief that by Gods will and power, anything can happen. What will they say if they wake up one morning to hear that 50% of the American people have embraced Islam, including their children?
Wake up America!!!! This is not the time to be liberal our country is at great risk American people is blind to see that this is not just about Obama being president or the U.S being in Iraq. Like it or not we are already involved in a war (Jihad)yeah that’s right believe it or not. I fought in Iraq and i fought on the front lines.I know for a fact that we are at war with jihad so if you want to be a typical blind American go ahead think this is a joke or nonsense ,but you will see and you when the Anti-Christ rises don’t say this moron from TN didn’t warn you so go ahead vote Obama and for everyone who does i am ashamed i risked my life for you and further more im ashamed my friends died for you.