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MSA urges Muslims to be..um anarchists, I guess.
I've heard a lot of rumors lately about the Muslim Student Association â the national organization of Muslim college students that boasts chapters in over a thousand colleges across America and Canada, and is one of the most influential religious organizations around. They've been accused of promoting Islamic fundamentalism and inviting speakers who spew violent anti-American rhetoric. I thought I'd check things out for myself. I'm Jewish, but thanks to my Middle Eastern features, I can easily pass for an Arab. So, last week, I attended a closed (as in Muslim students only) meeting sponsored by the MSA at Queensborough Community College, just across the bridge from me in Manhattan. The event featured a speech about Iraq by two American-based leaders of Al-Muhajiroun, a well-known Islamic fundamentalist organization that supports the ideology of Osama bin Laden, and whose worldwide leader, Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad, has long been suspected of ties with al-Qaida. About 20 students were in attendance. The president introduced the two speakers â Abu Yousuf and Muhammad Faheed. Yousuf, 20, clad in black jeans and a gray sweater... was born in America, and became involved with Al-Muhajiroun at age 15. He says he attended a "camp" in Sudan last year, and now leads the New York chapter of the organization. Faheed, 23, stood out a bit more. A freshly grown beard complimented his brown turban, long white robe and a green military sweater with Arabic writing on it. He was born in Pakistan, and says he immigrated to America at age 3 and now assists Yousuf with Al-Muhajiroun in New York. Yousuf explained that the war against Iraq is about oil and Western dominance over Muslim nations under the pretext of disarmament. He argued that President Bush is starting a "Christian crusade to rid the world of Islam," and that after Iraq, America will likely attack the rest of the Arab countries. He said American soldiers [will] "starve, rape and murder our brothers and sisters," and that something must be done if that happens. Well, since it won't then I guess there's not much on their to do list. "America is hypocritical," he asserts. "Now it says it must 'disarm' Saddam, but they armed him in the first place! And most of the crimes against Saddam's people were committed while America supported him and turned a blind eye to his atrocities." OK..so he tells the kiddies that Sadaam did the crimes thanks to us and they should be upset we are finally stopping him now because.... Yousuf, "America doesn't want Saddam attacking his own people, so what are they going to do to liberate the Iraqis? Attack Saddam's people!" ah... it's ok if Sadaam does it, but America must stop him so we can attack them ourselves. "Because there is no way to justify this war," Yousuf said, "we must find a solution." He then introduced Brother Faheed to explain just what that solution is. Faheed immediately declared that there is an outright conspiracy against Islam by Christians and Jews, and that as Muslims, "we must not recognize any government authority, or any authority at all besides Allah." "We are not Americans," he shouted. "We are Muslims. [The U.S.] is going to deport and attack us! Heck, why wouldn't we just save the plane fare and attack you here? "It is us vs. them! Truth against falsehood! The colonizers and masters against the oppressed, and we will burn down the master's house!" Faheed argued that it is against the Koran for Muslims to protest the American government because that would constitute unfaithfully recognizing the authority of a non-Muslim country. "We reject the U.N., reject America, reject all law and order. Don't lobby Congress or protest because we don't recognize Congress! The only relationship you should have with America is to topple it!" Faheed explained that those in attendance should also reject the authority of secular Muslim states such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, "which have been bought out by America ... Mushariff gets $60 Million a month to betray and arrest us." The main thrust of his presentation — that the proper Muslim response to an American war with Iraq should not be intellectual or to protest against the government, but to join "appropriate" Muslim organizations and prepare for some sort of physical confrontation with America. "Eventually there will be a Muslim in the White House dictating the laws of Shariah." Faheed then opened the floor to questions, and I immediately asked what it is that people in the room should do, what specific organizations they should join. Al-Qaida? Hamas? Hezbollah? Faheed said that he "already answered that question — you must join true Muslim organizations." But he was nonspecific. I asked for names, details. Yousuf took over and told the students to "use the Koran to divine whether a Muslim organization is true — does it recognize the authority of the West? Does it use true Muslim principles for guidance? You see, there is only one good Muslim organization out of every 73." Well now, that's actually fairly reassuring isn't it... reaffirms my belief that most muslims think these guys are little snot nosed wackos. He still wouldn't mention specific groups, or even directly promote his own organization. Probably a technicality that helps to prevent him from getting officially labeled a terrorist organization and ruin his lucrative speaking gig. The students in the room asked basic but complimentary questions like, "How can we support the people in Iraq financially?" and "What kind of rhetoric should we use when we talk with non-Muslims about the situation?" Again reassuring, since they weren't exactly asking how to strap on the suicide belts! People started to trickle out, and the MSA leader thanked everyone for coming. I had a chance to chat for a few minutes in private with the leaders of Al-Muhajiroun. Yousuf explained that he speaks at many colleges throughout the New York area, and that most of his speeches are arranged by the MSA. In fact, Yousuf invited me to a speech he was giving the very next day being sponsored by the MSA of Marymount College in Manhattan. As I helped Yousuf and Faheed clean up the pizza boxes and empty plates, I wondered how students likely receiving federal aid to attend a public college can agree with speakers who promote the destruction of the very government that is educating them? Whether some of these students would consider joining the kinds of organizations that were being promoted? How such rhetoric can be accepted at an American university? And when I walked out, I realized that those rumors about the MSA had just been confirmed. I edited out parts of this...but I found it overall to be reassuring. Except for the extent of the MSA, it didn't sound like the students were all that fired up and they probably "trickled" out to go do their homework so they could get a good job and get a 4bdrm house and a SUV with 3.5 kids. The recruiting is probably tougher for the Jihadi anarchists since these types of events don't really help you get hot dates with the chicks. But... I suppose they only need to find a few really depressed and suicidal ones to make an lasting impact. Posted by: becky 2003-03-18 |
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