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Muslim-Americans in Mainstream America
The horrible period following the Oklahoma City bombing, when false accusations against American Muslims and Arabs dominated the news for two days, is branded on the American Muslim psyche. Over 200 incidents of hate crimes and harassment were documented by CAIR in that time period. It is a lesson we will not soon forget. (CAIR’s Report, “Rush to Judgment,” documents some of the hate crimes committed against Muslim community centers and individuals in the hysteria following the Oklahoma City bombing.) From the very first hours following the EgyptAir 990 crash, CAIR moved to prevent further pain to the families of the victims and to protect Muslims in the U.S. and abroad from unwarranted defamation. I was watching the developing story of the crash hours after it occurred when I saw New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani announce that he was at the JFK Ramada Hotel, comforting some of the families of the victims along with a priest and a rabbi. Noting the lack of Islamic clergy, I immediately called Ghazi Khankan, a friend and well-known community leader, and imam at the Islamic Center of Long Island. Ghazi was on his way to the hotel to help counsel the families. We asked others to join us. We knew a large number of the plane's passengers were Muslims. Within hours I was in Long Island along with Imam Mohamed Al-Hanooti, a respected Islamic scholar, meeting with the families of the passengers. Many were sobbing uncontrollably. Others were in shock, not knowing what to say or do. A good number of local imams and Muslim volunteers were on hand. At sunset, the fourth daily Muslim prayer was due: "God is the Most Great...God is the Most Great. I testify that there is nothing worthy of worship except God..." In barely audible voices, people began to repeat the words of the call to prayer after the muezzin. We announced that the hotel had provided a special room for the prayer. As we gathered, Mayor Giuliani came in and offered his condolences to the families. In front of the gathering, I thanked the Mayor for his careful public statement about the crash, in which he set a tone cautioning people not to speculate on its causes. I urged him to continue warning people against jumping to conclusions. Minutes later, we announced the salat al-ghaib, or prayer service for the dead. Mayor Giuliani sent a representative to the hall asking for permission to join us. We welcomed him. The prayer lasted about five minutes. Family members of the victims stood behind the imam, praying to God to grant His forgiveness and mercy on their loved ones, and patience and forebearance on themselves. Afterwards, Mayor Giuliani invited us to join him outside the hotel for his second news conference. As we walked out with him, surrounded by security men, we were met by a sea of cameras. The reporters were anxious, waiting for more information and reaction to the crash. We assumed that we would watch the Mayor speak. He took the microphone and said, "We just finished a prayer service which was led by Imam Al-Hanooti. I introduce to you the imam." On the spur of the moment, Imam Al-Hanooti said as he faced the cameras: "We believe what happened was the will of God. We offer our sincere condolences to all the families, and we pray God to forgive the deceased and to accept them in Paradise." Throughout this tragedy, Imam Hanooti was instrumental in explaining Muslim etiquette and worship to reporters and family members. Reporters were not allowed to enter the hotel where families were housed, so they crowded around to interview us, curious to know what the mood and condition was of those inside. Television coverage conveyed some of the grief and faith of the families. CAIR worked with local leaders to coordinate Muslim efforts. We became liaisons for the media, explaining what we did in the hotel to counsel and comfort the families. Many reporters began to discover more not only about the Muslim traditions, but the faith itself. Journalists wanted to know whether families inside were coping. Many of the volunteers told reporters that the five daily prayers conducted in the room near the NTSB briefing hall were having a great impact on the families' reactions, because it made the bereaved feel linked to God. We explained to the media that one of the meanings of being Muslim is to submit to the will of God and that what happened was a test of our faith in the Almighty. Reporters from national networks like CNN, CBS, ABC and FOX, and many others like the BBC, appreciated that we were willing to talk to them. As we approached Friday noon, millions of people in America and around the world saw a Muslim Friday Prayer service for the first time, broadcast live from the Doubletree Hotel. About 150 family members and volunteers participated. Muslims were able to offer invaluable advice on how to conduct the interfaith memorial service held that weekend. We realized that the service needed to accommodate the religious sensibilities of all the families involved in the crash. Without Muslim advice, well-meaning officials and volunteers could easily offend the Egyptian government and people. For instance, the participating chaplains planned religious music, assuming that the use of music was universal in worship services. We were able to explain that music is never used in Muslim worship and could indicate a lack of seriousness, or could be perceived as an affront by the Egyptian public. The chaplains concurred that our session together was educational. Although there were many mosques in the area, little was previously understood about Muslim customs.
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