2008 Woodie Awards
Muslim-U.S. relations still tense six years after attacks
Islamic students tackle cultural stereotypes
Catrina Cieslik
Issue date: 4/21/08 Section: News
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"I remember before 9/11, the westerners were intrigued by the Muslim culture," said Yacine Djemil, sophomore accounting major and one of five council members of the Muslim Student Association. "Now, the Taliban and the United States government have turned on each other because of the different ideologies."
Because of isolated incidents and attacks, tension has continued to grow between the two cultures, Djemil said.
The U.S. government used to give the countries where the Taliban ruled more funding, Djemil said, adding that Muslims were considered allies during the Cold War, but now there is tension between Muslims and Americans.
Before the relations between the U.S. and the Middle East can evolve, there are misconceptions about the Muslim culture that have to be addressed, added Djemil.
"Islam does not condone violence, and the word Islam actually means peace in Arabic," Djemil said.
One of the biggest misconceptions of the Muslim culture is about the way women are treated.
"(Americans) think that women are oppressed, but it is the woman's choice and an act of modesty," said Hamzah Khalaf, senior integrative life and science major and council member of the Muslim Student Association.
| Differences There are many differences between Muslim culture and the American way of life. While American culture puts an emphasis on living life to the fullest, the Muslim culture considers Earth as a test. Muslims believe the present life is a trial in preparation for the next realm of life, said Sajid Mirza, sophomore integrated life sciences major and member of the Muslim Student Association. "We strongly believe in life after death," Mirza said. Muslims are prohibited from participating in activities that most Americans take for granted. Muslims are not allowed to date, drink alcohol, eat pork, do drugs, practice casual sex before marriage or smoke. "Smoking is a point of debate among the Muslim community, but I personally do not think it should be allowed," said Yacine Djemil, sophomore accounting major and one of five council members of the Muslim Student Association. |
Both Americans and the strong Muslim believers who are more conservative misunderstand Americanized Muslim women.
Both men and women are required to be covered to a certain extent. Men are expected to be covered from their navel to their knees and women have to cover their hair, torso area, arms and legs, depending on how religious they are, Djemil said.
"The West does not understand that we aren't slaves and that we are treated with respect," said Alia Awadallah,Copy editor 4 4/20/08 major different online freshman biochemistry major and member of the Muslim Student Association. "The conservative Muslims think that I should be covered up."
Before Americans and non-Muslims can understand the Muslim way of life, they have to keep an open mind, Awadallah said.
"We are normal college students, and we are not much different than anyone else, but we are a lot stricter by what we can and cannot do," Awadallah said.
Women have the same rights as men; they are not oppressed. Women have the right to an education and have the right to initiate a divorce, Djemil said.
Another concept about the Muslim culture that Americans need to understand is their religion and different ideologies.
There are five practices that all Muslims complete in their lifetime.
Muslims pray and fast regularly, visit Mecca at least once in their life, donate to charity and recite Shahada, which is the testifying of one God and Muhammad as its only prophet, Awadallah said.
"Muslim is not a religion, it's a way of life," said Sajid Mirza, sophomore integrative life sciences major and member of the Muslim Student Association.
The goal of the Muslim Student Association is to help Americans understand the fastest growing religion that makes up roughly 1.5 billion people. The Muslim Student Association meets every Wednesday night and encourages non-Muslims to attend so they can better understand the Muslim religion.
There are roughly 300 to 400 people on campus who practice the Muslim culture and around 70 to 100 people who show up and participate in events sponsored by the Muslim Student Association, Djemil said.
Before non-Muslims turn against the Muslim culture, they should do their research or go to one of the weekly meetings held by the Muslim Student Association, Mirza said.
"Americans should not believe everything they see and hear through the media because the pop culture is publicized and that is all they see," Mirza said.
Contact religion reporter Catrina Cieslik at cciesli1@kent.edu.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 21
MSA Awareness dossier
posted 4/21/08 @ 1:36 PM EST
Founded by members of the Muslim Brotherhood, MSA was named in a May 1991 Muslim Brotherhood memorandum as one of the Brotherhood's likeminded "organizations of our friends" who shared the common goal of destroying America and turning it into a Muslim nation. (Continued…)
The St. Petersburg Declaration
posted 4/21/08 @ 1:38 PM EST
Western universities that are tax funded to enlighten free thinkers should not promulgate Muslim propaganda. Nor should they carry any of the regular opinion columns on how wonderful life is for Muslims in America. (Continued…)
Robin Anderson
posted 4/21/08 @ 5:31 PM EST
Gawd...what a bunch of hooey!
Any follower of Islam in the United States of America who does not speak out against any act of terrorism by other followers of Islam is, simply put, part of the problem rather than part of the solution! They, above anyone else, should realize that Amerida's aspirations far exceed it's shorcomings. (Continued…)
A Blacksquirrel
posted 4/22/08 @ 1:37 AM EST
Honestly it's kind of hard to improve Muslim relations on campus with people like Prof Juino Pino using the religion as an excuse to wage war. When Pino threatens the entire Kent State community by writing "Dear editor" letters to the Stater, saying that the "Muslims are at our doorstep" and praising suicide bombers, then don't expect people to feel uneasy. (Continued…)
bobbie bonacci
posted 4/22/08 @ 5:37 PM EST
good job Trina.
love
Aunt Bobbie
the real red herring
posted 4/22/08 @ 6:58 PM EST
Whom ever is using the name red herring is not the same person that has used it on other postings ie myself.
Because I defend Robin
Red
posted 4/22/08 @ 9:16 PM EST
Holy Cow!
I can not believe what we have here a pseudo intellectual right winger,the rarest breed of right wing troll.
Not only does this person support an anti-muslim witch hunt but is also a believer in reshaping the academy to support this goal. (Continued…)
213423
posted 4/22/08 @ 11:24 PM EST
How bout we take this time now, to watch a little Muslim TV
Anyone for some JIHAD RABBIT
and to think this is a HAMAS TV STATION the same people who endorsed
Obama for president!
http://www. (Continued…)
tokyo_dave_paton
posted 4/23/08 @ 5:17 PM EST
ISRAELI MOSSAD RESPONSIBLE for 9/11/2001 WTC attacks...not radical muslims...
1)YouTube Video of actual 9/11/2001 NYPD Police Dispatch:
http://youtube. (Continued…)
Robin Anderson
posted 4/27/08 @ 4:33 PM EST
Sigh...
...the Nation of Islam didn't annihilate the indiginaous peoples of North, Central and South America! Hell! They didn't even introduce the art of "scalping" to our Wild Wild West, eh? I'm afraid that onus falls upon the shoulders of all those fine European Christians that founded our Nation. (Continued…)
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