October 25, 2001 Meeting Farheen P. Umar " How a Muslim and Pakistani resident in the USA feels about the September 11th tragedy and what her concerns are at this time."

Ms. Umar completed her MBA in Marketing at the University of Karachi - Pakistan in December, 1994. After graduating, she worked as a brand manager at Colgate Palmolive (Pakistan) for two years. She moved to San Diego - USA in 1997 and joined the MBA program at USD. She completed her MBA in Finance in 1999 and worked for local companies as a Financial Analyst. She has a strong interest in journalism and is a member of the Muslim American Coalition of San Diego - Media Group. It is their mission to address incorrect statements expressed in the Media about Muslims. She is also working on a documentary project on Hijaab - Veiling among Muslim Women. Ms. Umar will explain a few basic tenets of Islam in light of the recent events.

"... jihad in Islam is striving in the way of God- Allah by pen, tongue, hand, media and if inevitable with arms. However, jihad in Islam does not include striving for individual or national power, dominance, glory, wealth or prestige. The people who committed these acts, if they profess to be Muslims, are using Islam, which is dear to the hearts of Muslims to brainwash young people who are desperate in their poverty and feel injustice and want to become heroes. There are no religious but purely selfish political motives of the people who mastermind these acts."

This is a transcript of Ms. Umar's talk:

On September 11, I was in Washington D.C. I had gone there to work on a film project called Islam - Africa to America. This is a film to show how Islam first came to America through the slave trade. I was getting ready to go to my shoot at the D.C. monuments when my friend who had already gone to work called and told me that a plane had hit the twin towers and that I should watch the news to learn more about the situation. The gravity of the fact did not hit me then. I thought that it was an accident. Little did I know that the next thirty minutes would change the world forever.

What I saw on TV seemed unbelievable. One attack followed the other, in what looked like the doomsday scenario. The commentary focused on the suspected Usama Bin Laden and the Islamic Fundamentalists. This point was asserted from the point go. There were a few comments here and there about the Oklahoma bombing which was followed by similar accusations and a caution not to jump to conclusions but within minutes of the crash, the general verdict had been passed and the enemy had been identified. As the towers crumbled, I realized the horror of these attacks. I prayed that people in those buildings got the time to get out. I called my relatives in New York and affirmed of their safety. I tried to call San Diego to assure my own family of my safety but the lines were blocked.

Once the panic had settled and it became clear that the attacks were finally over, the reality of what had happened sank in and a strong depression overtook all of us. We forced ourselves to shut the TV and walk to the nearest café for lunch. For the first time in my four years in America I felt afraid to go out. My sense of grief at the loss of so many innocent lives and the loss of the precious sense of safety was doubled by the thought that my faith, Islam could have possibly played a part in this tragedy. It was ironic that while I was working toward giving people a sense of the beauty of Islam, there were people maybe Muslims who were working even harder to defame Islam. Although my flight home was cancelled, I did manage to book on another airline. Needless to say that was the most tense and fearful plane journey I have ever undertaken. This was not only because I kept thinking of the horrifying experience that the travelers of the hijacked flights must have experienced but also because I was aware that I may be the cause of fear as someone who looks middle eastern or Asian. I try to perform all my daily prayers and during my travels I still perform my prayers although sitting down instead of standing. Our prayer is performed not only in words or supplication but requires some bodily movements such as raising of arms, kneeling and bowing of the head. On that journey it became nearly impossible for me to perform my prayers. I knew of the suspicion and discomfort it would arouse among the people sitting around me if they saw me performing the movements that are seen on TV as the rituals of terrorists. Once I reached San Diego, I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that life here would not be as affected as it had been on the East coast. But I was wrong. I soon heard of the cherry bomb explosion at the San Diego Balboa Mosque and the threats received by other mosques. News started coming in of the suspected terrorists who had lived and received pilot training in San Diego. Attacks on Muslims, Christians and Sikhs who kept beards, was shocking. Hatred may not be blind but it is definitely ignorant. The media was of course, adding fuel to fire. There were endless debates about Muslim Fundamentalists by experts who know little about Islam. There were re-telecasts of documentaries showing the Taliban's brutalities and oppression of women. News articles were flooded with accounts of Islamic barbarism and cartoons of bearded men in turban holding guns. Among all this, president Bush was advising the people of America not to harm their fellow Muslim Americans. Sure, they were going to listen to him.

I remember my first trip to the grocery store on my own. In the past I have often walked out of the house wearing my ethnic clothes which I find more comfortable to be in at home. This time I made sure I changed into a jeans and T-shirt. I think I only did half my shopping as I was concentrating more on the looks I was receiving than on my grocery list. Often someone would be looking at me and would swiftly turn away their glances as I confronted their gaze. Even the counter girl seemed less friendly than usual. All this may just have been my over stressed imagination but that is not the point. In my mind, I was now no longer a part of the whole, I was different and now I felt targeted. Two of my cousins born and bred in the USA were held for extensive questioning before they were allowed to board their flights. My brother decided to cancel his flight to visit me to avoid the possibility of being asked to step out of the plane for safety reasons. Debates on racial profiling are tilting on the side favoring it. I can understand the need to do that at this time, but my biggest fear is that once laws are passed that allow people of a certain background or religion to be treated differently than others, what kind of injustices can they lead to? I know of some Muslim students who, though later proved innocent were detained on suspicion and were beaten up very badly as they were imprisoned with criminals. I work on contract basis in the Finance industry. In the past two months I haven't had a single interview call. Maybe my name and the mention of Pakistan on my resume are enough to scare people off.

Suddenly my home country Pakistan came on spotlight. America in its quest to find partners against terrorism approached Pakistan to become an ally, mainly because of its strategic location as the neighbor of Afghanistan. What pressures Pakistan was being put through was another big concern on my mind. Statements by Maliha Lodhi, Pakistan's ambassador to the USA affirmed that Pakistan would support the USA. President Pervaiz Musharraf who a month ago had been branded as a self-imposed dictator suddenly became a brave and courageous leader in the media. On the other hand footage of protesting crowds in the streets of Pakistan were appearing on television. Destruction of property and economic losses due to strikes and disturbed civic life were already taking place. People ask me why the Pakistanis are pro-Taliban. I try to explain that what they see on TV is only a half-truth. There is a small minority in Pakistan that has extremist Islamic views and has always wanted power but they have never succeeded. The majority 140 million people of Pakistan are moderates and are against Taliban ideology and practices, but these people are not being shown. An article in the Union Tribune refers to the Madarssas as Terrorist Kindergartens. The idea of closing down all the madrassas in Pakistan is a ridiculous idea to me. This is a school system that caters to millions of children who cannot afford an education. These schools provide not only education but room and board free of charge for these children. The answer is not to close them down and create further desperation among the youth but to improve them by introducing other subjects apart from the religious studies only being focused on right now. Besides the profile of the suspected terrorist is not a Madrassa student but men who have had the opportunity to study in European and American institutions.

For American politicians it is a war of good vs evil - a very naïve simplification of the situation. Pakistan had been a strong ally of the USA since 1947, the year of the birth of Pakistan. Pakistan helped USA in its fight with the soviets and its relationship with China. Pakistan suffered terrorism, guns and drug abuse, deteriorating law and order and over 3 million refugees during the Afghan - Russian war, a war backed by the USA. However, soon after the defeat and withdrawal of the Soviet troops, the USA lost interest in the region. Pakistan was termed dangerous and on October 1, 1990, the US cut off its economic and military assistance to Pakistan. According to the US government, this was in line with the policy of inflicting heavy penalties on any country developing a nuclear weapons program. It is to be noted that Pakistan's nuclear program had not fundamentally changed since the cold war. It had been developed much earlier as a defense against India's nuclear capabilities. Pakistan and India are engaged in a cold of their own since 54 years. The nuclear capability for Pakistan has the same significance as that of US during the US-Russia cold war of the 80's.

The US only chose to overlook the details during the time it needed Pakistan's assistance in Afghanistan. Now that the purpose had been served, the nuclear problem suddenly surfaced. The nuclear tests in 1998 led to further sanctions. This move was later reinforced in light of the strong criticism of Pakistan's military regime. After forty years of friendship the USA had turned its back on Pakistan.

I could see history repeating itself. In this new war against terrorism, Pakistan would again be used and then discarded; left to fend for itself. It would now have a new enemy on its western border. If the Talibans survived this war, they would be full of vengeance against Pakistan. If indeed they are backing terrorism in the USA, can you imagine what possible harm they can bring to the neighboring Pakistan? Moreover, India has already moved its troops near the Pakistan border and had started military exercise on the pretext of routine procedures.

The Sept 11 attacks brought apprehension into my life. The apprehension of further attacks on America, the apprehension of lost freedom, the apprehension of backlash for my being a Muslim, and the apprehension of how all this would impact Pakistan. However, there have been moments of hope and faith. I have experienced such moments when I have walked into the mosque and seen flowers everywhere, sent by people of different faiths, particularly the neighborhood churches. I have experienced such a moment when women of all faiths have worn the Hijaab-the Muslim head covering in their support for Muslim women. I have experienced such a moment at seeing how many people have taken this opportunity to learn about other people and other religions. I have experienced such a moment when an organization like yourself wants to hear of my perspective on all of this is.

ISLAM VS. TERRORISM
· Islam means submission. Muslims are people who believe in Islam.
· There are about 1 billion Muslims in the world.
· The basic philosophy of Islam is submission to the will of God in everything that you do, so there is to be no separation between religion and life.
· There is no established institution like the Church in Islam. An individual is to develop a direct relationship with God without intermediaries.
· To Muslims, their faith governs their daily life. Islam is a religion of peace.

It was introduced in 600a.d. by Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). Islam is an extension of Judaism and Christianity. Muslims believe that Moses and Christ are Prophets of God. Muslims believed that Prophet Mohammad received the Quran - the Holy book through direct revelation from God through a period of around 25 years.

There are references to war in the Quran as it was revealed through a time of war and turmoil in Arabia. Since Sept11 especially, but actually long before that we have been hearing the term Jihad - translated as holy war, a usage the media has popularized. This is not the correct translation of this term. The word Jihad can best be translated as "striving". Typically the context in which it used is when you strive in the way of God and is really about self-discipline and self-betterment.

"The (true) believers are only those who believe in Allah and his messenger and afterward doubt not, but strive (jihad) with their wealth and their selves for the cause of Allah. Such are the truthful."

According to Islamic teachings, it is unholy to instigate or start a war. Killing is prohibited in Islam except in war which is justified only in self-defense. Even in war, women, children and the vegetation and animals are not to be harmed. Suicide is prohibited under all circumstances. The Quran says: " Fight in the cause of Allah against those that fight against you But do not transgress limits. Lo! Allah loves not aggressors." So there can be no condoning of these acts in Islam.

Another common notion is that Islam was spread by the sword. That is wrong propaganda. The Quran declares: "Let there be no compulsion in religion. The right direction is distinctly clear from the error".

Muslim rulers conquered other areas of the world for the same reason as any other political power did, for economic reasons. Islam was never forced upon the conquered people. They had free choice to practice whatever faith they had. People who converted did it of their free will.

In conclusion, jihad in Islam is striving in the way of God- Allah by pen, tongue, hand, media and if inevitable with arms. However, jihad in Islam does not include striving for individual or national power, dominance, glory, wealth or prestige. The people who committed these acts, if they profess to be Muslims, are using Islam, which is dear to the hearts of Muslims to brainwash young people who are desperate in their poverty and feel injustice and want to become heroes. There are no religious but purely selfish political motives of the people who mastermind these acts. It is like hijacking a loved one and compelling you to do certain acts to gain freedom for that person. Similarly the terrorists have hijacked Islam and are using it to blackmail people to commit wrong acts in its name, professing that by doing so they are actually fighting for the freedom of Islam. This in not a new phenomenon. This exploitation has occurred in almost all religions. Cult leaders seem to have that sort of power over their members and can entice them to commit acts of terror and suicide. Islam has nothing to do with terrorism. People who say otherwise are just trying to defame a faith.