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A critical reflection on post 9-11 Islam

The tragic events of September 11th threw many of us in an unexpected whirlwind of events and a high-speed race with time. I remember watching the television screen in my high school classroom and I was already writing an article for the school newsletter which included the line, “If a Muslim had anything to do with these attacks, it is not a reflection on the message of Islam.”

We became ambassadors of the religion. We became reactionary firefighters that spent our years following the attacks attempting to wash away the fires that had lit on our religion and the Muslim community’s reputation.

The fire definitely was extinguished. Not the fires that filled NYC and Washington DC with smoke. Nor am I talking about the flames that scorched our religions global reputation.

Six years later; as I look upon a Muslim community that I can barely recognize, I realize the real fire that was lost, was in the hearts of the believers.

We celebrated the increase in conversions to Islam and are proud of the elaborate interfaith conferences that were organized to build bridges with our non-Muslim friends. I applaud those efforts, but it is high-time someone questions what was lost in this mess. As the community became more media savvy and our religious leaders became more wise with their words and thoughts of America (both of which are good things), what else changed?

I’ll tell you what I think changed. TJ Winter was right to say that the new Islamic ideology has become: “There is no Islam but Islam and Muhammad is the Messenger of Islam.” The focus became the religion itself and not the goal of the religion. We had to defend the religion at all costs. Our convention lectures that used to be lit up by dynamic speeches by Imam Sirraj Wahhaj and Shaykh Hamza Yusuf were replaced by watered down speeches about “Islam being about peace,” carefully written and delivered for the CSPAN camera that sat in the corner of the room.

Let me be very clear. I am not against the increased wisdom and political correctness, nor am I like the foolish people who make websites online claiming that our scholars “sold out.”

On the other hand, I can’t help but notice that there is something very different about the feel of our community. I miss the 1990’s Islam (minus some of the crazy things that used to be normally said back and yes I don’t for a second miss the annoying presence of groups like the hizbat tahrir at our conventions)

I miss leaving an ISNA speech inspired and not just ‘informed’ about the latest attack on Islam in the media or a polished press release reacting to the latest attack on Islam in the media.

But it’s more than that. Many of us went through an elaborate ideological shift and now I wonder if we may have swung the pendulum a little too far.

From 1997-2001, I had attended every Islamic program imaginable as every major holiday was filled by a seminar, convention, camp, or retreat. Around the time of the 9-11 attacks I had begun to realize that my activist childhood had a spiritual dimension missing. To fill this spiritual void, I attended the Rihla program three summers in a row and studied in Jordan for 7 months (Arabic and Islamic studies). I then left for 6 months in Istanbul where I sit writing this article.

I became labeled a “traditional Muslim” and by some a “sufi.” I never self identified with either label but part of our post 9-11 identity became an obsession with labels. Suddenly, my friends were calling each other ikhwani, salafi, moderate, liberal, and traditionalist; labels that were not part of our lexicon a few years earlier.

As I began to explore traditional Islam and became more and more impressed with its deep approach to the Islamic sciences I could not help but find myself becoming slowly jaded. I would sit through 3 hours lectures on the nuances of Usul al-Fiqh and the 20 opinions that relate to a spot of impurity being placed into water and I realized that this could not be my new identity. I needed this learning but I was once again becoming imbalanced.

If the “MYNA Me” was a body with a soul, this “New Me” was becoming a soul without a body.

Although I appreciated and still appreciate much of what I received from institutions such as Rihla, Zaytuna, and Qasid (in Jordan), I began to realize that I was just not compatible to most of the students who frequented these programs. There was a MYNA (activist kid) still inside of me that wanted to come out. In Jordan I realized that I definitely wasn’t the type to join a Sufı Tariqa (although I think it may be great for certain types of people).

In the end, I began to feel that many people had escaped into traditional Islam after 9-11 with some degree of an escapist mentality. We wanted to join this group that showed us an elaborate and profound system through which Islam was understood and we began to believe that this was the only way to authentically understand and study Islam. Even if it was true, for many of us these organizations began to mold our whole identity and were not simple just seminaries.

It’s almost like we joined this exclusive club with an official website (sunnipath), clothing line (shukr), favorite scholars (Imam Ghazali and Imam Haddad) and even a unique jargon (as the word “sidi” was added to our daily vocabulary). Some went as far as beginning to look down at all the other organizations that they had been part of like ISNA or MYNA. (Side point- I have come to think that an organization like ISNA should remain the umbrella organization and should recognize an institute like Zaytuna as their “theological consultants”)

In no way am I attempting to put down the scholarship or vision of these organizations (the rihlas, Zaytunas, or even Shukr clothing. I think Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and Imam Zaid Shakir (as well as their work) is vital for Islam in America, but they are only part of the mix. Lots of icing does make a tasty cake. (sorry-couldn’t resist the corny analogy)

Long story short, we need to look back into our lives before 9-11 and see if we may have given up a little too much to become the wiser, more politically savvy Muslims that we have become after 9-11.

Furthermore, the label-calling MUST stop. I feel every nerve in my body tense when I hear so-called Sufis and so-called Traditionalists attacking their Salafi brothers and sisters and visa versa. Of course we have different perspectives and ways of studying this religion and there will have to be a healthy debate on these subjects but the key word there is “healthy.” It is healthy when we get somewhere. It’s healthy when people are talking or discussing with pure intentions to come to an understanding or at least let the other person live with their different views.

It is not healthy when we start silly websites using our “labels” and attacking other “labels.” We are all Muslims. And I think post 9-11 Americans have forgotten that. I am not a traditionalist and I am not a Sufi and I am not a Sunni. Just call me a Muslim and a member of the Ummah of the Prophet Muhammad (S). That is the most honorable title and everything else relates to my personal religious life and that is my business alone.

I have learned the Islamic sciences from the so-called traditionalist.

I have learned activism and “living as a comprehensive Muslim” from the so-called Jamaaties and Ikwaniis.

I have learned to be sensitive to innovation from the so-called Salafis.

I have learned to have a deep and profound love for the Prophet’s family from my Shiate brothers and sisters.

I have learned to be critical and ask the right questions from the so-called liberals.

I have learned invaluable lessons on manners and human kindness from non-Muslim neighbors.

(Jeopardy music starts here)… “What is a Muslim?” …. Correct for 500..

I want to feel Islam again. I have dedicated my last 6 years to an intense study of this religion but can’t help but realize that I have never felt stronger about my faith then 10 years ago as I sat at an ISNA convention in Chicago as Shaykh Hamza and Imam Sirraj occupied the stage back to back and we were not any label or group, we were Muslims obsessed with the cause.

I don’t know if I am the only one who remembers that feeling and feels out of place in this new Muslim American climate. Whether you agree or disagree is your God-given right, we must just learn to peacefully co-exist and realize that we all stand on a common foundation of the belief in One God, the Prophet Muhammad (S) being our last Guide, and a deep desire to all meet one day in the Garden.

Let this be our “functional minimal” as Dr. Jackson would say.

And God knows best.

-Saad Omar