WASHINGTON, 12 December — ADAMS, the “All Dulles Area Muslim Society,” is located thirty minutes west of Washington, near Dulles Airport, in what is known as the “IT Corridor.”
Four thousand Muslims reside here within a 10-mile radius of Herdon, where they have begun the construction of their mosque — and rent out temporary space in a church for Friday prayers.
These are a mosaic of Muslims: Christians who converted to Islam, immigrant Muslims, and second-generation Muslims born into Muslim families.
And they have found a solution for their internationalism and Islam. “We do not pray according to the Sudanese Islam I was taught,” says Imam Mohamed Majid, a Sudanese immigrant who has lived here 15 years. “Nor the Pakistani Islam my brother was taught,” said Majid, “but according to true Islam.”
Members of ADAMS, speaking to Arab News on Monday, recounted stories of support from their communities following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. “There are many stories of incredible compassion and outreach from non-Muslim people,” said Rizwan Jaka, a second generation Pakistani-American, and vice president of ADAMS. “We know of a mosque that was being vandalized, and when the members of a nearby church discovered this, they came out and surrounded the mosque — they held their hands and encircled the mosque — to protect it from vandalism.”
Abdullah Reda was raised a Catholic, “but for 16 years I held no religious views.” A photojournalist, he said he was assigned to cover an Eid celebration, and “was very moved by what I saw. When I looked in the audience, I saw a lot of diversity, which I really liked. At our church, we had only white members in our congregation. I always thought religion should not be segregated.” He began to study Islam, and converted in 1995.
Abdullah says the Sept. 11 attacks made him very angry.
“Islam is a religion of peace. There is no place in Islam for the killing of innocent people. These attacks set Islam back many years, especially in America where it has been portrayed as a ‘terrorist religion.’ My initial reaction was disbelief and then anger.”
Ironically, Reda says the attacks had a positive effect on him personally. “People knew I was a Muslim, but nothing more. Now my co-workers and neighbors are asking me a lot of questions, which is good.”
“We’ve been invited to churches and schools to speak about Islam, and there have been a lot of interfaith activities,” he said. “Islam has become visible in America as part of the Abrahamic faith.”
“The heart of the current crisis that Muslim-Americans are dealing with, is that they are living with Islam as they were taught, and must deal with the images of extremists — that have no religious basis,” said Imam Mohamed.
As iftar neared, the group excused themselves for prayers and then served food on ‘Ramadan’ paper plates.
“While speaking at a church, a man asked me — ‘Are we so evil, is that why Muslims don’t accept us?’ I told him, ‘I’m a Muslim and an American.’ I told him that as you get to know Islam, you will see a different picture than what you read in the media,” said Imam Mohamed.
Priscilla Martinez, raised in a devote Roman Catholic family, converted to Islam nine years ago. “I was born this way, and could never become anything else. I was told I did not need to Arabize my name to be a Muslim, and it doesn’t change my devotion to my religion. I am Mexican American, I eat tacos, and I am a Muslim.”
Patty Anton, a fifth-generation American of German descent, said people have treated her with new appreciation since the Sept. 11 attacks. “People that I don’t know now wave at me and stop and say hello. They want to show me their support.”
Patty said following the terrorist attacks she received phone calls from neighbors she hardly knew, who just wanted to be sure that she was not being harassed.
“My journey to Islam changed two years ago,” said Sonia Karim, a Muslim-American born in Karachi, Pakistan, but who settled here before her first birthday. “I was a non-practicing Muslim,” she said, “but when I finally read the Qur’an in English, and really understood it, it changed my life.”
Sonia said she always felt a little different at her workplace. “People tiptoed around me, not because of my religion, but because of my skin color. Now, since the attacks, many have come to me, curious to know about Islam.”
“Americans say they have freedom on speech and freedom of press. But I don’t think the American people have any idea of how much of what they hear or read is censored and edited.” said Karim.
“After Sept. 11, I felt some congressmen were inciting hate against Muslims by what they were saying,” said Anton. “I was afraid to go out on the street.”
“But then, President Bush, and members of his administration, told Americans that the terrorist attack was not about Islam, and that made a real difference in our lives.”
