Echoes of Allahu-Akbar in the Washington Cathedral

It wasn’t the first time the call for prayer, “Athan,” was called in the Washington National Cathedral, yet this November 14 marked the first time a Jumu’ah (Friday) prayer was held at the most revered Christian church in the nation’s capital. It was a symbolic event exemplifying tolerance, coexistence, and shared humanity. The cathedral is a marvelous architectural beauty befitting of a grand religion. The magnanimity of its façade is complemented by the warmth of its hosting clergies’ hearts. Friday morning, serene and inspired faces walked through the cathedral's arches many of them Muslim women wearing their hijabs passing the inviting pews to the front of the grand hall where prayer rugs were unfurled facing Mecca. As people gathered for the "Jumu'ah" sermon and prayer they exude peace, love and understanding.

That spiritual beauty was quickly brought back to earthly reality as a lady walked up to the Muslim congregation yelling out her disapproval of such display of compassion demanding Muslim guests to "leave us alone, leave our churches alone! This is America, founded on Christian principles!" before she was escorted out of the Cathedral. In a Facebook post she proclaims that her blood was boiling with "righteous anger" ending her post with "We are in God's army, Soldiers in the Cross! We should act like it. There is a battle out there! WORRIOR UP PEOPLE! ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS!" Religion has always been a double edged sword as it "has the capacity for cooperation bringing people together around shared values, or it can be used to 'soldier up’ be it by Christian, Muslim or Jewish extremists" said Dr. Richard Rubenstein of the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution.  

She was not the only person objecting to the event. The Facebook group "2 Million Bikers to DC" attempted to organize a motorcycle ride to the Cathedral to protest the prayer. Although none of the 600 invitees and the 170 confirmed participants showed up, "anti-Muslim sentiments run deep as the war on terror becomes increasingly military based. The general tendency is increased animosity against those associated with the enemy,” said Rubenstein. On the other hand, those who believe in tolerance and understanding are not seeding the field to load intolerant hate filled groups.  

Christian-Islamic Relations

For years, the Cathedral has been active in forging an open and sustained lines of communication with Muslim communities within the Washington, DC area. In 2008 the Cathedral hosted a Ramadan “Iftar” ushering in an era of deeper engagement with members of the Islamic faith. For its part, the Muslim community in the Washington, DC area has been forward leaning. As devastating as 9-11 was for the U.S. as a whole it was harder on the American Muslim community as they grieved for their country while having to defend their religion. The Muslim community adopted a two pronged approach; condemning terrorism and educating fellow Americans.

For years before 9-11 and more intensely after it, many of the steps taken by Islamic centers and Mosques were localized in the form of open houses for community members to learn firsthand of Islam and its teachings as well as the role Muslims play in the community. The grassroots effort spillover effect lead to the rise of ISNA (the Islamic Society of North America), CAIR (the Council on American Islamic Relations), MPAC (Muslim Public affairs council) as nationally recognized prominent Islamic organizations. These three national groups in addition to two local Islamic centers; ADAMS (the All Dulles Area Muslim Society) and Masjid Muhammad, sponsored the Jumu’ah prayer at the cathedral. These Islamic organizations have been increasingly effective in their grassroots efforts and in reaching their fellow Americans including Masjid Muhammad giving the opening prayer at the U.S. Congress. It is not surprising that these organizations were invited to sponsor the Jumu’ah prayer at the Washington Cathedral, but what is interesting is that the event was suggested and lead by the South African Ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool.

Mandela’s Jumu’ah

A peacefully protesting Nelson Mandela has done for South Africa what violence could not. He inspired the sense of justice and fairness within his people and with that he captured the imagination of our humanity. In his death too he continued to inspire. As the Cathedral worked with the South African Embassy in Washington DC to coordinate a service to celebrate the life of Mandela a discussion between Ambassador Rasool of South Africa and the Reverend Canon Gina Gilland Campbell has lead a year later to this Jumu’ah prayer.

In his “Khutba” sermon, Amb. Rasool laid out the essence of the issues ailing the Muslim world when he said that Muslims “have been challenged to find consistencies between condemning the excesses done in the name of Islam and protesting the mistakes of our countries and our governments.” he went on to voice his concern for the inequality of approach when Muslims “had to manage our dismay that while we seek in this country [the U.S.] the freedom to worship we couldn't promise the same right to Christians where our fellow religionists are in the majority.” The two points of condemning extremists and calling for Muslim nations to extend freedoms to its own religious minorities were the two major points emphasized by the lineup of speakers representing the different Islamic centers.

When the “Khateeb” concluded his sermon the “Muathin” called for prayer. The echoes of “God Is Great” continued throughout the grand hall of the cathedral ushering the Muslim congregation to stand up before god; men in the first four rows and women in the following three. On their modest attire reflections of colorful sunrays filtered by the stained glass lining the cathedral. That surreal unity of imprints; Islamic rites on Christian marble and reflections of Christian stained glass on Muslims praying was a sight to behold. Among those in attendance were tens of dignitaries and guests belonging to different faiths and denominations listening and observing. When Muslim worshipers stood up to perform their Friday prayer, they too stood up and remained standing as Muslims bowed to god. During that afternoon, those who were able to take action sponsored and attended, those who were able to talk stood at the “Minber” and spoke, while the rest offered a gesture of respect and solidarity; an Islamic principle that is truly universal exemplified by hosts, sponsors and guests on a sacred ground on a hopeful day.

Finally a Good Arabic Movie Worth Watching

I covered the Washington, DC Arab Film Festival first in 1997 for ANA TV an MBC sister company. I was assigned to report on the festival at the last minute as my colleague was suffering from flu like symptoms. I was the junior reporter at the time fresh out of training. The producer gave me a flyer and told me "this is your assignment" and turned walking away. This would be the first time I cover an event in DC without training wheels; any senior reporter or producer to hold my hand. I thanked my lucky stars it wasn't a political event as I wasn't all that familiar with the DC political scene yet. No, this event was a cultural one, the 2rd annual Arab Film Fest of Washington, DC called Arabian Sights.

Driving to the movie theater I imagined a small turnout of mostly new American Arabs congregating in a small community type theater. But as I got there I was impressed by the large venue and fanfare; the excitement was palpable. I interviewed many people there for the report. Surprisingly, a good portion of the attendees were non-Arab. The tapestry of American attendees was made up of people with diverse religions and racial background. Each of the people whom I interviewed expressed, in different ways, their excitement and gratitude to the organizers for allowing them the opportunity to see a different side of the Arab world. Americans typical learned about the Arab world through news reports of destruction and conflict painting an unflattering picture of a people. Enthusiastically, the attendees wanted to complement the narrow reality covered by the media with elements that are difficult to see without traveling to that part of the world.

Diplomats, politicians, academics, movie buffs, first and second generation Arab-American and students from other nations and ethnicities were in attendance. “They want to see the films and appreciate the opportunity to do so in the city they live in and they come back year after year” said Shirin Ghareeb the coordinator of the festival and one of two people who work year long to screen and select the best Arab movies to feature in the festival. As someone who just moved from Saudi Arabia back to the U.S. at that point in 1997 one particular attendee surprised me. Upon asking him on camera why he made the effort to attend the festival, he said that as a Jewish American he was trying to get acquainted with Arab culture as much as he can because Arabs and Jews will have to live together whether they like it or not. He explained further that both people need to take proactive steps to move the nature of the relationship to a more positive one based on better understanding.

It would be narrow for me to consolidate the great contributions Arabian Sights makes every year to the singular point of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The Arab ethos has a much bigger problem to contend with. Political Islamists and the barbaric terrorism of ISIS and Al-Qaeda are challenging the essence of what defines Arab nations. Stories and the arts are the elements that confirm a culture, but apparently the well of Arab creativity has ran dry since Sinbad’s Magic carpet, Aladdin, Ali Baba and other fables and stories that live on beyond time and space. These stories of Arabia are in fact the parts that Arabs should put forward as a source of pride knowing that they permeate political and linguistic barriers gaining global recognition. Disney’s take on these stories is a clear example.

The transcendent narrative a culture puts forth allows its people to shape how others define them. Currently Arabs are allowing the chaotic events of killings, bombing, sectarian genocide, etc. to provide a backdrop for others to paint distorted pictures of who Arabs are. The limited efforts by Arab artist to tell the stories and humanize a culture are falling by the wayside. Arabs are unaware of the benefits they will reap by advancing such artistic forms of expression. For that, I am grateful that a team of two is bringing some of those stories to the big screen in Washington DC at the annual Arabian Sights. Shirin suggests that “These films allow viewers a window into the different Arab regions for them to learn about and figure what is going on there.”  
This year like every year, I will attend a couple of movies and seek out my American and Arab friends hoping that this 19^th year of Arabian Sights would not be the last one for us to get together around good Arabic movies.

Arabs constantly complain that America doesn’t understand the Arab world. That might be true, but what are they doing to help Americans learn about their proud history and culture. Arab governments are interested in spending untold amounts of money to sway the thinking of a few American politicians forgetting that such politicians are fundamentally limited in their powers to what the majority of their constituency would not object to. Arabs, governments and people, should be concerned with creating open lines of communications with the American people. Cultural events like the Washington DC Arab Film Fest slowly, but surely, help with forging a better understanding of the Arab world. The one-dimensional stereotypical view of Arabs as violent and barbaric in the American mind is the singular most devastating factor for Arabs; they have no one to blame for it but themselves. As a matter of fact the policies and actions of the U.S. toward the region affect the lives of Arab publics throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Having a highly respected and well attended film festival is one of the many options that Arabs need to encourage, support and advance if should be bold enough to help Americans see them for what they are. Despite this obvious connection, it was doubtful for Arabian Sights to blow out its 19th candle this year due financial challenges. My calculation leads me to believe that the entire cost of the festival doesn’t reach the six digits range. Thankfully, a handful of loyal sponsors stepped up to the plate and donated the necessary funds to make this year’s festival a reality, but what about next year?

Losing our Arabism at Washington’s Arab Festival - COMPLETE* ARTICLE

Welcome to the Arab Festival of the Washington DC Area brought to you by the heirs of the former Turkish Empire. It is ironic that as soon as I walked through the gates into the festival grounds I see the main sponsor's logo all over: Turkish Airlines. It seems that the irony is lost on the organizers and the sponsors. Arabs and Arab Americans short term memory loss is problematic as they have lost the lesson of how brutal was the Ottoman Caliphate occupation of Arab lands.

With great anticipation I visited the one day festival, Saturday the 27th of September 2014, checking out vendor tents void of any allure for only the handcrafted pottery vendor. I quickly became suspicious of the origin of the art work. “This style doesn’t look Arabic” I thought to myself when the gentleman manning the table started with his pitch. I quickly asked “where was this one made?” he paused for a second and said “Persia.” A smart attempt to avoid saying “Iran” identifying himself and the artwork in a less politically charged affiliation. the score so far: festival 0 for 2. I followed my nose up the hill. I’ve planned my day so to eat my major meal at the festival imagining the numerous variety of traditional tasty Arabic cuisine in an afternoon of culinary bliss. My hopes were dashed realizing that none of the vendors were giving out samples of any long missed tasty Arabic foods.

The longest line was the one forming under the shade of some trees. I wanted to stand in line just to escape the glaring midday sun, but I was curious to check out the half dozen food stands, looking for the most intriguing menu items. Kabob on the grills of a couple of vendors with smoke dancing to a delicious beat of hunger and growling stomach. The first one was a Pakistani restaurant, the second was an Afghani and the last was Indian. Only the first vendor was making Arabic cuisine. Was there anything Arabic about this “Arab Fest”? Sure there was, there was the music echoing from the bottom of the hill, it was unequivocally Arabic. I approached the stage to get a glimpse of the band. It was a Palestinian one made up of five family members of which a little 8 years old girl played the guitar and sang; very endearing. Although, singing Marcel Khalifa’s “Tifl we Teyara” was the antithesis of the festive vibe the gathering was anticipating.

I must respect the Palestinians’ persistence to remind us and the world of their plight. Unfortunately it is not resonating. There is a major disconnect between the Palestinian people and the land of Palestine. The Palestinians over the last few decades have been coming across in an unflattering way. The divide between Hamas and Fath, the rift between the people of Gaza and the West Bank is a major conundrum. Less the Palestinian find a way to unify and become again one people it will remain a challenge for them to gain any real international public support including that of the Arab world. Arabs are unified in their animosity toward Israel, but are by no means pro Palestinians.

Back at the festival my patience was running thin, I was ready to leave. The entry fee was exaggerated, historic enemies were sponsoring the festival, the festival was lacking in festivity, Arab kids were undisciplined and hijab was overcasting an aura of Islamic tint over the afternoon. There is nothing wrong with Hijab or Islam per se, but equating Arab culture with the Islamic faith is troubling. Setting the bar, no pun intended, to adhere to a conservative religious interpretation for the purpose of appeasing the minority is tantamount to catering to the outlier minority among the group. The lowest common denominator approach is the same one that gave us Al-Qaeda and ISIS/ISIL/IS. The outward appearance of the festival wasn’t visually religious, but the festival lacked essential festive and celebrated Arabic signature items such as the Lute and Qanoon, Arab dresses and jewelry, Arab architectural achievement and arts, Arabic inventions and history, and Arabic language, poetry and literature.

The Arab Festival did not materialize in the way it did in a vacuum. It is a reflection of the Arab world; especially that more immigrants are flooding the U.S. bringing with them ingrained fears and desperation as well as memories of destruction and atrocities. But they also bring with them a more recent Arab experience, dreams and hopes. I believe this is a good time to reflect on Arabhood and on our Arab-Americanism to examine what makes us Arabs. Muslim Americans are mostly non Arabs while being classified as White is a false classification leading successive generations to lose their Arabism, which leaves us in a peculiar place. The only factor that brings Arab-Americans together as it were is our shared grievances. And even that external negative unifier is now being lost seeing how dominant the Turkish and Iranian presence was at this festival. This would have been a different kind of article; one that praises coexistence, forgiveness and tolerance if the festival was in fact a celebration of Arab culture and not just a facade.

Nevertheless, in typical Arab fashion we avoid abundant sunshine by seeking the reprieve of any shade. Although the historic Turkish clouds are dissipating, the Iranian skies are ominously darkening. Nevertheless, Arab Americans have found darker clouds for us to gather under; the NSA, FBI and CIA along with many local law enforcement agencies are resorting to failed profiling tactics. Without their biases and prejudice we would have lost our Arab-American identity.

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* A shorter version of this article was first published on Al-Arabiya http://goo.gl/UlSczG (Oct 5, 2014), but it was edited to be shorter depriving the reader for some essential elements. I hope you find this complete version to be satisfactory 

 

Saudi King Throws Money at Terrorism

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia donated earlier this month another $100 million to the UN’s International Centre to Combat Terrorism. On its surface, it is a sensible approach to find a global solution for a global problem, but in reality global terrorism is a local issue. Three things Abdullah will need to consider to secure a reasonable return on his investment; first, looking inward to address causes leading to grievances amongst his population. Second, reorienting the current security based reactionary approach to terrorism to one that is proactively steeped in social justice. Third, moving away from casting terrorists as religious hijackers by offering a parallel narrative to a swayable population.  

“The goal [of the International Center to Combat Terrorism] is to exchange and pass information in an expedited fashion … to prevent events before they hit” said Abdullah in a frustrated tone a couple of weeks back. Exchanging intelligence is a surmountable challenge as we have realized from the American experience on 9/11 when the intelligence community failed to “connect the dots.” Sharing critical information in a timely fashion continues to be problematic despite restructuring the U.S. intelligence system under the Department of Homeland Security. What are the chances of a successful ongoing exchange of relevant intelligence in real time on a global level? I dare say very limited, at least not more effective than the current established channels of communicating security/intelligence information.

This myopic obsession with countering a tactic, terrorism, with security responses keeps the intelligence community consumed with figuring out the next step on a chessboard of infinite pawns. This reactionary stance fails the test of guaranteed prevention knowing that terrorist are one step ahead. The manpower and budgetary attrition rates will only get worse for the intelligence community and security forces particularly that terrorist can be destructive on the cheap. Security can only be one spoke in the wheel that moves a society away from such destruction.

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has set up a number of security, media and social programs to combat terrorism. One of which is Intellectual Security concerned with what is commonly referred to in Saudi as “deviant thoughts” a euphemism for terrorist ideology. Another is the Commission for Advise to “correct mistaken religious thoughts” according to their mission statement and finally, the After Care Program which is a social and financial program providing services and money to previously incarcerated terrorists. These are smart programs, but none of them address any of the root causes leading to terrorism. Social justice and political inclusion are effective ways to prevent aggrieved citizens from resorting to terrorism to affect political change.

Abdullah was quoted numerous times saying that “terrorist are hijacking Islam.” Putting distance between terrorists and Islam is a matter of religious interpretation. Islam is not being “hijacked” by mostly disheveled Captain Hook lookalikes for religious reasons. Nor are terrorists attempting to spread sharia laws by reviving the Caliphate. Rather Islam provides these criminal leaders with an established narrative that took decades to develop thanks to the rhetoric of Said Qutb and Hassan Al-Banna of the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt. Aggrieved Arabs embraced this narrative and ensuing indoctrination across the region. Focusing on the narrative and offering parallel accounts capturing the audiences’ imagination should be added to the spectrum of tools utilized to complement the concrete action for social justice and political inclusion. Religious based narrative is not what causes citizens to become new foot solders for AlQaeda or Islamic State/ISIS; grievance is.

The latest report confirm that the Saudi security apparatus is put on high alert after a number of AlQaeda sympathizers sprayed threatening graffiti messages on the walls of a security barracks in Sharorah close to the Saudi-Yemeni boarder two months after a terrorist attack killing a number of Saudi security forces mere miles away. This is a troubling sign as emboldened terrorist flank both northern and southern borders of the country. Banning the Muslim Brotherhood and being vigilant are options exercised by the Saudi government, but until the regime resolves to addressing root causes of freedoms and rights for its people the old strategy of pacifying citizens with hollow gestures will only lead to more discontent, deeper resentment, more grievances and ultimately more terrorists.

شيك على بياض من أجل غزة

يتغنى التاريخ العربي بالإبداعات الأدبية والعلمية. لا أدري متى كان آخر إختراع عربي أو إبداع علمي فأنا لا أتذكر لأنه لم يكن هناك أي إبداع يستحق الإطراء طوال حياتي حتى أني بدأت أشك بأن ذلك التاريخ الحافل المتباهي ما هو إلا من قبيل الأساطير والخرافات. في الحقيقة لا يهم إن كانت الإختراعات عربية أم لا ففي النهاية تصب جميع الاختراعات والابتكارات في المخزون الإنساني لنا جميعا ولكن عندما تكون الهوية العربية هي المستفيد الأول والأخير فيكون البخل الإبداعي خلل في العرب أنفسهم. أتدارك لأقول أن ذلك التعميم غير منصف لأن هناك بعض المبتكرين خاصة عندما يتركون العالم العربي ويعيشون في إحدى الدول المنفتحة. 

هذا ليس عتابا وإنما فقاعة حرُقة سبحت مع بقية فقاعات الحزن إلى أعلى غلايّة الألم لتصفّر بصرخات الخذلان والانكسار واليأس تحت لهيب الواقع انطلقت عندما فتحت إيمل من إحدى المنظمات الأمريكية (غير العربية الأصل) الناشطة في انتقاد الحكومة الأمريكية لمؤازرتها العمياء لإسرائيل لأقرأ التالي "وقّع على شيك ببياض يقول للإدارة الأمريكية كفى توقيع شيك ببياض للحكومة الإسرائيلية". يقول الإيميل أن المنظمة ستجمع تلك الشيكات الورقية (ليست ذوات قيمة نقدية فعلية) في أكياس كبيرة وسوف ترمي تلك الشيكات أمام المرشحين لمجلس الشيوخ ومجلس النواب في خطبهم الانتخابية؛ فكرة جميلة تحوّل السؤال والنقد الشفوي الموجه للمرشح إلى شيئ ملموس يُظهر مقدار النقد لقرارات الساسة الأمريكيين في مساندتهم لإسرائيل. نعم، نعم أدرك أنه ليست هناك فرصة مشابهة أمام الشعوب العربية لفعل شيئ مماثل - إلا لرمي الأحذية أثناء الصراخ في وجهة زعماء الدول الزائرة ربما. 

حسنٌ، ولكن ما قولكم عندما تقوم مجموعة مؤثرة من القساسوة بالصوم من أجل الفلسطينيين أو عندما يخصص طلاب الجامعات حول أمريكا ليلة محددة لإيقاد شمعة والصلاة من أجل الضحايا (هناك أكثر من ١٥٠٠ جامعة). ألا يستطيع الأئمة في العالم العربي أن يخصصوا صلاةً من أجل فلسطين أو أن يصوموا جميعا ليوم أو إثنين أو ثلاثة. أو ربما يعتكفوا لأسبوع في مساجدهم راكعين ساجدين من أجل السلام؟ هذه ليست أفكار جديدة ولكنها أفكار لم تجد من يحوّلها إلى حقيقة كغيرها من الأفكار الخلاّقة التي لم ترى النور. الإعلام آلة فاعلة ولكن التاريخ العربي الذي أذكره لم يستطع أن يستفيد من هذه الآلة النهمة التي تعمل من أجل تسليط الضوء على وضع كالوضع القائم في غزة الآن. بل أن ما أذكره هو خطف الطائرات في السبعينيات (في الحقيقة لا أذكر تلك الحوادث لأني كنت طفلا حينها ولكن ذلك لا يعني أن العالم نسيها بل أن العالم أسبغ صفة الهمجية على أصحاب قضية عادلة وكل من يؤازرهم). في ذلك الوقت كان المناصرون لإسرائيل يؤكدون على أن اليهود هم الضحية ويحولون قصص المحرقة إلى أفلام مؤثرة. أرجوا أن لا يقول أحدهم أن اليهود يسيطرون على هوليوود لأن هوليوود تستجيب للمادة ومن يريد أن يستثمر في أي فيلم كان فسيجد في هوليوود أصدقاء كثر. وبالمناسبة أعلن في الأونة الأخيرة الكثير من أهل هوليوود عن تأييدهم لفلسطيني غزة.

إذن المشكلة ليست في المادة ولكن في الشجاعة والإبداع؛ ألم يحن الأوان للعرب أن يحولوا تاريخا فاخرا من الاختراعات والابتكارات من أجل الإنسانية إلى حقيقة؟ 

سعودي – أميركي

خبير تحليل الصراع وحل النزاع

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