Anti-Muslim Hate
Dateline: 04/07/00
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most
Merciful.
Last weekend, a dear friend of mine was harassed and threatened by a couple of skinheads. She was minding her own business, in a popular store parking lot with her children and a young Somali sister. First the men started in with verbal insults, sarcastically yelling "Allahu Akbar" ("God is Great" in Arabic), and telling her to go back to her country (this sister happens to be an American, but never mind). Then they started in with the camel jockey and towel-head jokes. Finally, one made a non-verbal death threat - looking at her straight in the eye while he motioned with his finger across his throat.
This all happened outside a local store one block from my home. It used to be a place I enjoyed walking to with my children on a nice sunny day.
As Muslims become more numerous and more spread out around the world, we more often become the target of hate-mongers who fear anything and anyone different from them. They have added us to the list of those they hate - Africans, Jews, Asians... They vow to make their local area (North America, Europe, wherever) a white-only refuge from the rest of the world.
Who are these racists and where do they come from? How can you protect yourself against verbal and physical assault? What does the law say? What should you do if someone harasses or assaults you? These questions have been in the forefront of my mind all week. The links below will help you learn about your rights, the law, and personal safety.
Hate Crimes
- About.com's Guide
to Race Relations has compiled links on this subject
Self-Defense - About.com's Guide to
Women's Issues has collected these resources (although aimed at women, brothers would find
it helpful also)
Council on American-Islamic Relations - works with government and private companies on discrimination issues and hate crimes
Hate Groups - know the enemy
Ten Ways to Fight Hate - from the Southern Poverty Law Center
Racism and Islam - Muslims believe that the variation in people's colors and languages are a sign of Allah's glorious creation, so that we can learn about and know one another
Islam's Answer to Racism - How do Muslims achieve and demonstrate equality? (Adobe Acrobat Reader needed to view)
Audio Lectures from the Voice of Islam (requires Real Player):
Muslims in Multicultural America - Muslims need to remain polite, vocal, and articulate in light of the multicultural and occasionally hostile circumstances of America. Excellent Qur'anic advice on various practical situations (by Dr. Maher Hathout, 1997, 24 minutes).
Hate Crimes - Our society has become complacent in fostering hate instead of love for our fellow man (Dr. Hassan Hathout, 1999, 28 minutes).
Attacking Muslims - There have been a number of verbal attacks against Muslims in the US recently. This lecture draws attention to this
trend, and explains what you can do about it (by Dr. Maher Hathout, 1997, 27 minutes).
What should you do if someone harasses you? Call the police? Turn around and
go home? How can communities prevent such incidents from occurring? What can
the Muslim community do to raise safety awareness?
Let's talk about it in the Forum.
[Graphic courtesy of Al-Muntada
Al Islami Graphics Gallery.]
