Muslim Day of Prayer Expected to Draw Some Unwanted Attention

A New Jersey mosque is planning a national day of prayer on Sept. 25 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., that expects to draw as many as 50,000 Muslims from across the United States. No signs, no politics. Just prayer.

This appears to be the first such event held by Muslims on such a large scale in the U.S. It represents a huge step forward for Muslims who for the most part had preferred to stay out of the spotlight following 9/11.

Hassen Abdellah, president of Dar-ul-Islam in Elizabeth, N.J., told the Star-Ledger newspaper that, "Most of the time, when Muslims go to Washington, D.C., they go there to protest some type of event ... This is not a protest. Never has the Islamic community prayed on Capitol Hill for the soul of America. We're Americans. We need to change the face of Islam so people don't feel every Muslim believes America is 'the great Satan,' because we love America."

The event will be held from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m., but the main prayer will occur at 1 p.m.

It's a wonderful thing to see Muslims wear their patriotism on their sleeve and demonstrate the deep love for their country. Abdellah hopes that people of other faiths will join Muslims as well.

But, alas, the event also is turning into a religious war spurred by fringe groups who see an opportunity to stage confrontational anti-Islamic protests. One pastor is urging his congregation to fast from midnight on Sept. 25 to 7 p.m., not for spiritual meditation or to bring people closer to God but to wrestle the "soul of the nation" away from Muslims. He's mistaken. Muslims don't claim ownership of America's soul and he shouldn't either.

The argument that has originated on anti-Muslim websites and appears to be spreading among conservative religious groups is that some sort of cultural or stealth jihad is being played out in the West while non-Muslims go about their business blissfully ignorant of the dangers. Meanwhile, mainstream media, according to some of these groups, conspire to keep it all hush-hush.

For those who may not care to read the blathering of such websites, stealth jihad supposedly occurs when Muslims seek prayer breaks at work or when Muslim women request private time to swim at public pools. Even wearing in public the so-called burqini, modest swimwear for women, is somehow Islamifying the local community. Who would have thought that a loose-fitting single-piece swimsuit would become a political hot potato that required government intervention, as we have discovered to be the case in France and Italy?

Now, the image of 50,000 Muslims -- most of who are American citizens - praying in public has raised the hackles of some people who see prayer as not worshipping God but as a threat to the soul of America. The whole thought seems, well, so un-Christian and un-democratic.

This past year or so a disturbing trend has emerged as small groups of people have staged anti-Muslim protests. On the eighth anniversary of 9/11 a small church group held an anti-Islamic demonstration at a Gainesville, Fla., mall to memorialize those who lost their lives on that day and those serving in the U.S. military.

It seemed less about a memorial and more about the 30 protesters waving confrontational signs and shouting anti-Muslim rants. In London a nastier and more violent confrontation occurred between the English Defence League and Muslim youths at a Harrow mosque under construction.

If taken as isolated events, the rallies don't amount to much. But it's curious that for the first time we are seeing organized anti-Islamic protests. Or perhaps more bluntly: anti-religious protests. I can't help but think we are witnessing the early signs of future, better organized rallies targeting the Muslim community, which ultimately will lead to other religions being attacked.

Certainly Muslims have staged anti-Western rallies and often those demonstrations are violent. But these protests are not so much as anti-Christian but sparked by specific events, such as the publication of images of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. The incidents at Harrow and Gainesville are a different animal all together. The protesters' target is faith, as in my faith threatens your faith.

The implication is that we pray to a different God because we call Him Allah. And that's the irony. We all share the same God. By denying, interfering or ridiculing anyone's right to worship demonstrates a complete lack of respect to the deity we all pray to.

Comments

[yankees]

This Day of Prayer should also be used to speak out against Radical/Extremist Islam, something that hasn't been done very forcefully in the USA. If Americans see more of this then perhaps the barriers break down and trust can be built. We had the same scenario with Japanese/German Americans during WWII. And the former were treated to the worse form of harassment and discrimination that we have had in modern times.

[stephenlight]

You will not see this. have you EVER seen ONE comment by ONE leader of the Muslim community in America condemning Islamic Terrorism? You have not. You want to know why? It is either because they do not actually condemn that activity OR because they fear for their lives if they did say so. Neither reason is particularly reassuring.

[coloboyz]

Stephenlight, you may want to check out this website.
http://www.muhajabah.com/otherscondemn.php

[bujudude]

I see an interesting paralell between the acceptance that peaceful Muslims have been seeking and the rise of the gay rights movement in the late 1960's. After Stonewall, more gays and lesbians were seeking visibility and acceptance and conservatives began screaming about how gay people were all permiscuous and why can't gay people be more like us (especially being in a loving, committed, monogamaus relationships)? After the AIDS crisis began, millions of gays and lesbians came together like never before and began entering into the very long-term monogamous relationships (including marriage) that conservatives screamed about, and now holler about how gay marriage is
"desecrating" the sanctity of heterosexual marriage.

After 9/11, the same conservatives howled about the "evil" of Islam and virtually demanded that Muslims stand up at speak out against Islamic extremeists. This has been done many times, but the MSM usually ignores it. One of the byprodcuts of the Bush years was that many conservative Christians saw 9/11 as a precursor to a protracted global battle of Christianity VS Islam, a highly dangerous perspective. But as the right has gotten increasingly psychotic, they continually lash out against anyone who is not a straight, white, conservative Christian.

I wish the Muslim day of prayer all the luck in the world. The more visibility peaceful Muslims who profess their love for America have, the less ammunition the far right has to attack them with.

[stephenlight]

I have a suggestion. Please travel to the Muslim country of your choice and declare you are gay. Try to set up a meeting to encourage your fellow gays in that country to attend a community event. Please ensure that you have all of your affairs in order before attempting this. There are now several states in the US where gay marriage is legal. There will no doubt be more over time. Would you like to place a bet on the first Muslim country that will adopt this?

[propitiousmoment]

This all makes sense when you realize that this country was not founded on the idea of freedom of religion but on the idea of freedom for only one quite restrictive and fundamentalist religion. Remember the Puritans? They were the 17th century version of today's fundamentalists, with all the obnoxiousness that that implies. They went to Holland because the English couldn't stand them any more, and they left Holland when the Dutch couldn't stand them either. They made the long and arduous trip over here to the new world to set up their little heaven on earth where they could be as oppressive and restrictive as they wished - remember the witch trials? We learned a much different version of that story in grade school, or at least I did, and gained this wonderful vision of America as a land where religious differences did not mean secular penalties. People who still have that wonderful vision of America, and people who have that fundamentalist, evangelical, tight-lipped, vengeful-god, my way or the hellway kind of vision, simply do not mix.
I gave up religion several years ago, but I still recall what it meant to make a sincere attempt at christianity and my friends who are muslim have that same sincerity and unabrasive attitude. I wish them the best on their day, and I hope with all my heart that no harm comes to them as a result of their harmless demonstration.

[Gidster]

This country was founded on the principle that you are free to worship in any way you choose. In the 1920s, the Evangelical movement and the twisting of this nation into some vague Christian Supremacy began.

History has never stood in the way of Evangelical progress, and many teach that the US was founded by devout Evangelical Christians, for Christians and only Christians.....

The removal of the separation between Church and State is an Evangelical goal, started during the Depression. They want to do away with the idea that Freedom of Religion, means freedom FROM religion, and the freedom to use whatever religion you choose, in favor of the notion that Freedom of Religions means their religion should be free to dictate governmental policy and societal norm.

[propitiousmoment]

You know, as I was typing that original post I was also remembering the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which was founded by Quakers but made the controversial move, for the time, of not persecuting Catholics. The Constitution happened a hundred or so years after the original colonization, which is what I was referring to in my comments about the Puritans, who really and truly were the obnoxious "fundamentalists" of their time. But the Quakers and other groups also settled here early on, and eventually the Constitution settled the question of whether there would be religious freedom or not, so we are both right :)

[jhanawalt]

"The implication is that we pray to a different God because we call Him Allah. And that's the irony. We all share the same God. By denying, interfering or ridiculing anyone's right to worship demonstrates a complete lack of respect to the deity we all pray to."

Unless you're an American Atheist. I wish Muslims, Christians, and Jews could see how similar they are in that their perceptions of the world are all incredibly monotheistic. It's rare to hear anyone of one of those three faiths talking about religious tolerance in a way that acknowledges the non-religious or even the polytheistic.

Personally, I'm opposed to any religious activity happening on the national mall and other national landmarks because I believe the separation of church and state should be a wall and not a thin line. But if we're going to let Christians do it, we should let Muslims do it, too.

[Gidster]

It is a public place, they should feel free to gather.

Protesting such a gathering is simply ridiculous, and shows the hubris and agenda of Christian Supremacists.

[stephenlight]

Gidster, I have read with interest your posts. The Western Tradition, including that of Christianity, is the foundation upon which your current freedoms have been built. I do not doubt you have plenty of grievances against the Christian and Western Canon. I am equally certain that if you were located in any other tradition, your freedom to make these comments would be nil. Please take a little trip this autumn to any of the non-Western based societies and start to criticize the predominate ideology. It should be an enlightening experience.

[stephenlight]

An interesting post. However, i would like to point out that there has never been a successful society operated by Atheists. This is not a personal criticism. I defend your right to not worship and I am not judging that you are superior or inferior as a result. I am making a technical point. In societies in which Atheists are predominant, there is decline. The most recent, and very well supported, example is that of Europe. The birthrates of all major European countries, secular all, are now all below replacement rates. There will soon be no "there", there.

[EbonBear]

You have my best wishes that your day of prayer go ahead with no (or minimal) interference from those more determined to disrupt than to help.

[mommom]

As a Christian American I appreciate the thought and efforts of anyone who has the best interests of America at heart .In this time of division and with the proliferation of hate speech,any prayers from anone to God can do no harm,and if God does answer prayer as I believe he does,then it can only help.The problem lies not with a group of people coming together to pray,but with those who choose to see it as a threat to their own beliefs.If your faith is weak,you might have a problem with the prayer,but if you are a true,devout Christian with real Christian values,you would see that this is a effort from good people to help our country(ou­rs,meaning theirs too).

Its not like the foul liar of a fake Christian preacher praying for the death of the President of the United States,now,is it?

[EbonBear]

You don't have to be a Christian to appreciate the efforts of good people to help the nation.

[Gidster]

Bravo!!!

And co-sign EbonBear!

[averygard]

I think it's a great idea, but please--I don't know how to do it, but do whatever you can to keep as safe as possible on that day. It seems like the nuts in this country have gotten much nuttier lately and much more violent.

[somsoc]

The Family's "reach into governments around the world is almost impossible to overstate or even grasp," according to David Kuo, a former Special Assistant to President George W. Bush.
Fellowship leader Doug Coe urges a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that he compares to the blind devotion that Adolf Hitler demanded from his followers. "Hitler, Goebbels and Himmler were three men. Think of the immense power these three men had, these nobodies from nowhere," Coe said in one videotaped 1989 sermon. "Jesus said, ‘You have to put me before other people. And you have to put me before yourself.' Hitler, that was the demand to be in the Nazi party. You have to put the Nazi party and its objectives ahead of your own life and ahead of other people."
Coe, who has referred to the Fellowship as the "Christian Mafia", has said he tries to make the group act like the Mafia because invisibility bestows influence.

[Gidster]

The Family demands an oath that supersedes all others for that of the Family.

How does one accept an Oath of Office, knowing that his oath to another organization takes precedent?

That should be a disqualifying issue....

[somsoc]

Agreed, and the objectives of The Family are seditious in and of themselves.

[somsoc]

Agreed, and the objectives of The Family are sed!tious in and of themselves.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sabria-jawhar/muslim-day-of-prayer-expe_b_290617.html?show_comment_id=31346179#comment_31346179

[somsoc]

The radicalization of Islam, Christianity, and for that matter many of the world's religions over the past several hundred years has been a cyclical and ever increasing threat to world stability. The myopic xtians in the western nations do not seem aware that they have been systematically infiltrated by a nefarious organized extremist militant christian group over the past 75 + years that has as its goals the establishment of a theocratic dictatorship in the United States lead by what they call 'God's new chosen'. This organization has many names:

The Family is an international organization founded in 1935, most often referred to as the Fellowship. Other names by which it is known include:
• International Foundation
• Fellowship Foundation
• C Street Center
• Fellowship House
• Washington Fellowship
• Fellowship Ministry
The Fellowship, which has been led by Douglas Coe since 1969, Its members include scores of U.S. Senators and members of Congress, White House, and other executive branch officials, high-ranking military officers, corporate executives, the heads of religious organizations, and non-U.S. leaders. and ambassadors.
Coe has said that the Family aims to create a worldwide "family of friends" by spreading the words of Jesus Christ to powerful people through "cell" leadership groups. He and his followers teach that these elite, the "new chosen," have been selected by God and must learn to wield power according to the divine plan.

[stephenlight]

This is pure fantasy on the face of it. Are there various powerful Christian groups trying to impose their views on the rest? Yes. Have they been successful? No. Take a look at any night of HBO or Fox to confirm this. For a much more effective model of religious belief equaling state belief look to the Islamic states. If you are on the watch for a danger to your freedom of belief or non-belief, then turn your conspiratorial gaze there.

[randyjet]

I think it is fine that Muslims wish to pray and show their allegiance to the USA. I wish that more of this would be done by Muslims and that they would condemn those in their community who wish to FORCE the rest of us to bow to THEIR DICTATES on religious grounds. Unfortunately, this writer does NOT seem to share that perspective.

The reason for bans on certain types of wear in some countries in some places is that the MUSLIM community has NOT done anything to curb the violent actions of some of its own members. The reason the headscarf was banned in France was that Muslim born women who chose NOT to wear it were assaulted by MUSLIMS. THUS the reason for the ban. When Muslims grant others of their own faith the right to THEIR own rights as MUSLIMS, THEN I will have a MUCH better opinion of Islam.

If skimpy bathing suits offend you, there is a good solution, LEAVE and go where strict Muslim dress codes apply. Do NOT ask US to adopt YOUR standards and FORCE us to accomodate YOU.

[RedDogBear]

You are wrong when you say there hasn't been outcry by Muslims against terrorism. In fact there has been a lot of it. After 9/11 there were many muslims, in the US and all over the world who spoke out and said that terrorism is not consistent with the Quran and denounced Al Queda. Iran even offered to help the US hunt down Al Queda.

Although I think the notion that Muslims have to constantly apologize for the violence from a few extremists is hypocritical. After the Oklahoma city bombing did ministers feel compelled to make statement decrying violence from fellow white christian men? Or after the murder of an abortion doctor where was the outcry from the right to life community saying how wrong that was?

Regarding the bathing suits I wonder how carefully you read the article. The author never said that skimpy bathing suits offended her or called on people to stop wearing them. She was decrying the writing from right wing web sites that claimed when Muslim women choose to wear such suits they are doing something wrong and trying to Islamify the community.

[RedDogBear]

Here is some supporting evidence that Muslims do indeed speak out against terrorism:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kamran-pasha/the-big-lie-about-muslim_b_188991.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ali-eteraz/the-myth-of-muslim-condem_b_67904.html

[Gidster]

Some ministers praised McVeigh.

No minister to date has apologized for Blackwater's "Crusade" against Islam.....

Randy....Americans have been forcing the world to adapt to OUR way of doing things for generations. It is a condition for aid, for trade and for normalized relations.

Muslims around the globe are in a cultural upheaval it will normalize, in our own cultural upheaval, how many folks were murd ered because they were not white....?

[stephenlight]

Yes, very interesting and I started to look at these......so CAIR, one of those organizations condemning the 9/11 attacks is sponsoring Siraj Wahhaj on Friday at their meetings...here is what he thinks, when away from the public microphones:

A little over a year later, addressing an audience of New Jersey Muslims, the same Wahaj articulated a rather different vision from his mild and moderate invocation in the House. If only Muslims were more clever politically, he told his New Jersey listeners, they could take over the United States and replace its constitutional government with a caliphate. "If we were united and strong, we'd elect our own emir [leader] and give allegiance to him. . . . [T]ake my word, if 6-8 million Muslims unite in America, the country will come to us."

Quite interesting, no?

[Thabit]

Asalaam alaikum wa rathmatullai wa barakatuh
I am the son of a WW2 navy Vet, the great great grandson of a confederate general and a vietnam vet myself , and yes i am a muslim too. My family has fought for freedom for hundreds of years both in scotland before we came to america and since we arrived . This country was founded on the freedom to practice your religion in peace without having to fear what others thought . When this freedom is no more, then turn off the lights, America is dead . it has been about the last freedom we had . Haebeus corpus was killed by bush , regan killed the last of protective regulation against corperations. one by one what truely made this country great has been striped away . Now the right wants to dictate what religion we can have ?? Where does it end , do we all have to have the same hair color , skin color to live here?

If Al Qaeda wanted to destroy the America we know and love .....
They're too late ........, because Republicans beat them to it

[hardcorelib]

Demonstrate that you love America - but do not do it through a prayer. There is a separation of church and state here - where many people would feel uncomfortable that you are using prayer as your form of patriotism. As a gay person, I am attacked by religion on a day to day basis - whether it is Christianity doing the attacking or Muslim. I am intolerant of intolerance period. If we could all just go about our lives without trying to make the laws of the land conform to our specific religious beliefs and have respect for everyone who is a law abiding citizen - the problems of the world and this country would greatly diminish.

[joceeco]

I am not gay, but I agree with you totally hardcorelib. I was raised in a Christian home in Baton Rouge, LA. My grandfather fought in WW2, my father fought in Vietnam and Korea, my brother and I fought in the Gulf War. My family is African American and my ancestors loved America and served in her wars, even when America did not love them, but I am tired of religious nutjobs pitting us against one another in this country, by attaching their beliefs to patriotism and patriotism to their religions.

[Yeah-Me]

I don't think speration of church and state quite relate here in this instance. I believe the seperation of church and state referes to the construction of laws, not whether a goup may choose to pray for unity within the US.

However, instead of seeing this event as being used to push ones religious beliefs upon another, I prefer to see this event as an opportunity for others to become more aware and knoweldgeable about the Muslim faith. As well as to come out and stand with with our brothers and sisters against those who would seek to persecute them for their beliefs, all because of radical terr0ri$t groups.

After all... each and every one of us has the freedom to practice the religion we so choose.

[Thabit]

Did i tell you to join them , or did i tell you how to demonstrate your love for america ?. Did i tell you how you cant demonstrate your love for america? Who gave you the right to tell me this. I dont claim that right over you So why do you claim it over me

[Gidster]

Bin Laden could not have done more damage to America than our own government did post 9/11!

[stephenlight]

Bin Laden: 3,000 plus American Civilians Killed....quite a bar to clear there.....

[WinterStorm]

Congregational prayer is understandable... But I think we should be careful Christian/Muslim or Jew whenever we want to demonstrate patriotism through prayer. Is it patriotic to say by our actions, "hey look at me! I'm praying over here for America's soul! Please like me now."

I am a Muslim, and I love Jesus and his admonition for us with these words from Matthew I v 1 "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven." and in verse 5-6 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Then he proceeded to lead the Lord's prayer. Keep it real...

[Rogan]

Right. If you're "showing off" in the way you pray, your prayer is a public show, then it's not really prayer, in the sense of being a dialogue between you and God. You don't pray on a stage.

Nevertheless, I deeply appreciate the "gesture" from the reigious Muslim community, toward trying to improve relations between them, and the rest of us Americans. I think the anger coming from white people in this country, directed toward them, is being generated by ugly media... but I can't help but think, the prayer gathering this post is written about, can't be a bad thing. Obviously, those angry white people need to be reminded of some basic truths, about how we're meant to handle issues like race and religion, in the United States. It's the media's responsibility to do so, but if i were a serious, religiously observant Muslim, myself, I'd have a lot of trouble sitting by and doing nothing, while what's happening in this country, happens...

[GinnyW]

If everyone should "pray in secret", what is the purpose of all those churches, synagogues, and mosques?? Just to show which team you support in the game . . . but everyone's playing football, huh?

[somsoc]

Atheists trump all myths and religious cults, we simply honor life, for that is all there really is, nothing more. Be kind to each other and quit trying to make your group better than the other, that is the foundation of b!gotry and w@r.

[William1950]

the intolerance shown is a symptom of the lack of values shown in most of the world... relegion is used by many of all faiths to justify hatred of "others" ... it seems many of us need to blame somone for the mess. if there is a god, surely he/she is crying... for no faith is living by it's tennets ... some individuals are to be sure... and many who have no faith are more "christian" , or more "muslim" or buddist or hindu or jewish than the main groups of any of the above... those of different faiths defy their own supposed god by hatred and by killing and fire bombing..
it's why I have none. there is good and there is truth in all relegions, if only it would be seen.
and all faiths teach that god can be found within.

[WinterStorm]

"SOME" different faith defy their own supposed God..." - SOME

[surfcitysteven]

Why should muslim Women expect a section of time for their private use at a public pool? I don't get this one.

[WinterStorm]

It does not sound like an expectation it sounds like a request. One that I suppose could be granted or denied. I hope it is granted. Muslims pay taxes that pay for that public pool too.

[surfcitysteven]

Fine, they pay taxes like everybody else, they can go when everybody else does. No religion should get privileges like this.

[larry278]

Some Islamic women believe that Allah through the Angel Gabriel told Muhammed, the prophet of Islam, how Muslims, men & women, are to dress & behave. These Muslims believe that Allah does not women & men to swim together. Surrendering to Allah's will is important to Muslims.
I'm an infidel to Muslims. I don't understand Islam. I don't choose to interfere with Muslims when they abide by their religion. It is a common courtesy. I've had the good fortune to live among Muslims, from time to time.

[WinterStorm]

Important to note that the word "infidel" is an English language word used by Christians to describe non-Christians or non-Catholics. It's not an Arabic term or Islamic for that matter. It means one lacking faith.

Muslims do not consider Christians and Jews infidels. In fact, the Holy Quran teaches that the three - Muslim, Christian and Jew - will be in the Hereafter/­Paradise/H­eaven.

[ThinkCreeps]

Some people believe that the moon is made of green cheese. Thought-based policy anyone?

[RedDogBear]

First of all to make sure there is no confusion, I completely support your right to do this and am appalled at the hypocrisy of people who dominate the media and government with their christian religion making this out to be some kind of threat. However, as an atheist I feel compelled to disagree when you say:
"Now, the image of 50,000 Muslims ... praying in public has raised the hackles of some people who see prayer as ... a threat to the soul of America. The whole thought seems, well, so un-Christian"
Actually, if you look at the history of Christianity, with a few very minor exceptions like the Unitarians, Christians are anything but tolerant towards other faiths. The crusades and the inquisition for example. And its not just people mis-interpreting the loving words of Jesus. Even in the gospels Jesus himself says that he's not coming to bring peace but a sword and that he will set brother against brother and children against parents. In other words Christianity has always been about "my way or the hell way". I mean the essence of every Christian faith is that if you don't agree with them you suffer eternal torture. When I was a kid the nuns taught me that not only were all the jews and commies going to suffer eternal torture but also all the Lutherans, Methodists, etc. Which is why I turned into a tolerant atheist at such a young age.

[William1950]

bless you my reddogbear son... for you are right

[Gidster]

Even the spread of Christianity was done at the sword point of the Roman Legion.....

Convert or di.e was the term.

The RC Church even canonized Olaf for converting Vikings by shoving live snakes down their chieftains throats......

Not a gentle call to vespers......

[stephenlight]

Your history is leaving out two points. First, the Crusades were not an invasion of a previously Islamic dominated land. It was an attempt to reclaim the Middle East and North Africa. Please take a moment to remember that Islam drove the Christians out, not the other way around. The beloved Hagia Sophia is a testament to this. Second, the Inquisition was obviously not a "good' thing. However, you might want to take a moment to contemplate that it was a reaction to the imposition of a Caliphate in the Iberian peninsula. Why do you ignore these preceding events?