Satan Fails Pitting Jews and Christians against Muslims

MARIA ARITA, A RESPONSIBLE REPORTER

The word “Satan” is rarely used in my writings and that is a lot of writings – over 3000 articles! I am using the word Satan today to denote the dormant evil side in each one of us, but remains under control with a majority while messing up a few souls among us.

Those who fall for the Satan make it their business to pit one against the other. They manufacture hoaxes and place wedges between Jews and Muslims, Jews and Christians and invoke nativism. They forget that they were once strangers too. In India, these men place wedges between Hindus and Muslims. They are not happy with what they do, but keep doing it instead of getting out of it. Cohesion is a strong anecdote to division. Occasionally it makes sense to address one or two incidents to bring sanity to the situation.

The two opposite incidents I witnessed today caused me to write this essay.

What a joy it was meeting Rabbi Alana Suskin and Haytham Younis, a Jew and a Muslim who are planning to make short videos about strengthening Jewish-Muslim relationships. It was a reinforcement of the goodness I witnessed a few weeks ago where the Jews and Muslims came together for building a secure America for every American. Jewish Muslim Relationship get a big boost in Washington, DC.

But when I went home and opened the email, I saw an email from a friend who was beholden by the Satan. The evil in us continues to plot one group against the other; it started from the very beginning of mankind and will continue to happen. All we have to do is guard ourselves and not fall in to their trappings.

This man hates Muslims but poses to be a humanist. Most of my friends don’t even want to deal with this man, but I continue to deal with him hoping he would see the light. We can never give up on peace; it is worth the frustration, humiliation and the patience. The article reads “The Mayor of Dorval in Quebec refuses to remove pork from school cafeterias.” In a smart ass letter, that pleases the nativism in the sons of the soil, the Mayor asks the Muslims who demand removal of the pork, why did they come here? He exhorts them to have gone to the 56 other great Muslim Nations? He then admonishes them, “Don’t mess with us, you have to adapt to our ways and not the other way around or go back to where you came from.”

My instant reaction was this cannot be true, and it did turn out to be a hoax.

Way back in 2006 – Maria Arita of Fox News in Dallas called me up and wanted to know what to do with the News items she had just received. “France had banned teaching about Holocaust because French Muslims had demanded it.” I was stunned, here I am, organizing the first Holocaust Memorial event, first time in the world organized by a non-Jew and first time by a Muslim and first time in a non-Jewish space, and I had just fought off Ahmadinejad’s Holocaust denial in Dallas Morning News and thanks to nearly 30 Muslims who wrote to the Morning News that Ahmedinejad does not represent Muslims and his words are not to be taken seriously.

Maria gave me time till the evening to come up with a response. I dropped everything I was doing and called on my Jewish friend Bernie Mayoff and Late Elliott Dlin, the director of Holocaust Museum in Dallas, they found out it was a hoax. Maria thanked me and the item did not make it to the evening news.

Imagine the damage it would have done to the Dallas community? The ignorant among Jews would have bought the story and build up their hatred for Muslims. Likewise the ignorant among Muslims would have believed it was a victory for them. What a shameful thing it would have been for both the communities.

Around the same time, there was another hoax against Iran that they were persecuting Jews, Bahá’ís and Zoroastrians. We wrote petitions and someone found out from Jews living in Tehran that it was not true, it apparently came from a Jewish Member of Parliament in Iran.

Let me state this unequivocally, and most Muslims would agree with me on this. America is a great nation and we have to do everything to keep it that way including assuring the disaffected Americans that they need not worry; and that their culture and their way of life will not change due to immigrants or Muslims. We are all better off in making sure America remains America.

You are who you are and I am who I am; let’s learn to live with each other by respecting the otherness of other and accepting the God given uniqueness of each one of us. We should be on the same page and yes, we will make the right calls! We the people, the Muslims, love this country and we will keep it that way.

As American Muslims we uphold, protect, defend and celebrate the values enshrined in our constitution. Our faiths reinforce the idea of one nation with liberty and justice for all.

Let no one place a wedge between any two of us, together we can do a lot of good, against each other we both weaken. When politicians play Satan, they don’t see all of us as God’s children, and feel entitled to more privileges than the other. Hell no, we are all created equal, and the anti-dote to division is for us to come together as Americans more frequently than we have been doing now.

God Bless America!

Mike Ghouse is committed to build a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.

Are Muslims a part of the American Story?

THE AMERICAN AMIN AWARD

Published at Hufffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/58818eb3e4b0d96b98c1da86?timestamp=1484886748791

Indeed, we are not connected enough with the mainstream society for a vast majority of Americans to stand up for us, empathize with us, or even understand the truth about us that we are no different than them in our endeavors and aspirations of life. We must however express our gratitude to the millions of Americans who have stood up for us, compelled by their sense of justness and fair play.

Professor Sherman Jackson observes, “Thus far, however, Muslims remain outside the American story, which is why, despite their positive contributions to society; they seldom enlist empathy when they are jailed, deported or discriminated against.” And he offers the solution, “Hopefully, however, it will not be long before Muslims come to understand this. Once they do, while guilt by association may continue, Muslims will be able to fight back. For in this they will be joined by others.”

Refreshing our identity

As good citizens, it is not only our right but it is our duty to be self critical. I hope that the conservatives among us will get beyond the self righteousness and value the freedom that we are endowed with to exercise with pride and care.

We must learn to re-examine our attitudes towards others and push the refresh button to understand the essence of Islam. We must fight against the temptations to reduce Islam to rituals, rituals are merely pathways, Islam is about living a wholesome life.

I don’t want to be identified as a Muslim by the externalities like beard, cap or clothes; I rather follow the most important Sunnah (practice) of the Prophet: Amin. That is someone who reaches out to every human regardless of his or her religion, race, region or other uniqueness for the common good of humanity. Amin is someone who tells the truth, someone who is just and kind, and around whom people feel safe and secure.

El-Farouk Khaki, a Gay Imam puts this succinctly, “To relegate an entire spiritual identity of a person into a religious cloth doesn’t make someone a good imam,” Khaki says. “The most important role I play is soul care-because the other stuff is ritual, which has no meaning in itself.”

Being a Muslim is volunteering one’s time and effort for the general well being of the society, and serving it with blinders. Prophet Muhammad said your responsibility is to yourselves, your family members and fellow humans. Neither he nor God advocate exclusion; a neighbor is a neighbor is a neighbor.

A Muslim is someone who is engaged in mitigating conflicts and nurturing goodwill amongst our neighbors and countrymen, to help create a just and more viable society for all. Indeed, Prophet Muhammad set that example earlier on in his life when he was called on to resolve a dispute between the conflicting tribes as to who should have the honor of restoring the fallen stone in the walls of Kaaba (the black cube in Mecca). They came to him because he had earned the reputation for being just and truthful. He could have chosen any one to do the honor to gain favors, he could have given it to his tribe and make himself look good, but he did not.

He believed in peaceful co-existence and saw the opportunity to mitigate conflicts between the tribes and nurture goodwill amongst them; he wanted to bring about a change. Indeed, he placed the fallen stone ‘Aswad’ on a sheet of cloth and had all the leaders together raise the sheet up in unison.

Imagine those men lifting the sheet and looking at each other, they were adversaries an hour ago and now they are participants. What must have gone through their minds? The probably saw the erosion of conflicts and emergence of goodwill. It is a model for Muslims to follow; to be just, fair and truthful and goodwill nurturers. He was called the Amin, the truthful and just, not by Muslims, but fellow humans who were Jews, Christians, Pagans and others during his life.

A Muslim respects the otherness of the others and understands the essence of Islam which is justice and peace. What does God want? In Sura Rahman he says he created the universe for us in a balance, and elsewhere he calls the humans Ashraful Makhlooqat –honored beings who are endowed with the ability to think and manage their own affairs. All that God wants us to do is keep the harmony and balance intact. Isn’t submitting to the will of God means working for a just society, and bringing equilibrium between living beings and the environment?

A majority of Muslims certainly practice this refreshed identity, but a few don’t and sadly they get the most coverage in the media, drowning the good. But vigorous effort to project our real identity has begun and we will succeed with a realization that what is good for Muslims has got to be good for the mankind and vice versa for it to sustain. We cannot have advantages over others, such benefits are deleterious and of temporary nature.

Where did we go wrong?

The average Mohammed and Amina have realized that to be a spiritual part of the society, we have to connect, we have to care and be cared for, and we have to be with the society emotionally as they would be with us. To feel a complete sense of feeling “at home” we have to live the essence American life, which is not different from the essence of Islamic life. Please don’t jump to conclusions, it does not mean you have to give up an ounce of your identity, it simply means the sense of difference “they” v “us” has to vanish from our thoughts and language, and “us” has to be ingrained in our feelings, language and actions. We are Americans and nothing but Americans.

We need to embrace other flocks, we need to look for permanent solutions of co-existence and honor every one’s God given space.

The Center for Pluralism is an initiative of American Muslims, but it is not a Muslim organization. However, it is committed to pave the way for Muslims to become a part of the American story just as it is committed to do the same for others religious groups. It simply means Muslims are a part of the normal conversation and not exotic talk. What does it take for Muslims to be a part of the society?

It is time for Muslims to take the steps necessary to allay the fears of fellow Americans and undo the tensions, remove the suspicions and restore trust among Americans. This is what a Muslim ought to be; a conflict mitigater and a goodwill nurturer.

Please consider the following events this month.

Milad - http://centerforpluralism.com/milad-prophet-muhammads-birth-celebrations/

Amin - http://centerforpluralism.com/awards-the-american-amin-awards/

Holocaust - www.HolocaustandGenocides.com

Essence of Christianity - http://centerforpluralism.com/christianity-understand-the-essence-of-christianity/

Next issue: Do American Muslims want Sharia? Does Quran teach Violence?

The Quran is not about governing other people but living in harmony with all of God’s creation. In effect Quran tells you to mind your own business and let others mind theirs.

God Bless America!

Mike Ghouse is committed to build a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.

PROFESSOR SHERMAN JACKSON

Festival of Faiths at Jefferson Memorial in DC | Center For Pluralism

Thanksgiving Celebrations & XVIII Annual Awards Night

11/20/16
XVIII Annual Thanksgiving Celebrations & Awards Night
Sunday, November 20, 2016 5:00 – 8:00 PM

Pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeghouse/sets/72157673617222434/show
Video:

Program outline
MC: Rabia Ali Baig

1. Seating & Socializing
2. Pledge of Allegiance – Dr. Har Swarup Singh
3. National Anthem
4. Diya lighting – Swati Choksi
5. Greetings & Welcome – Mike
6. Symbolic Turkey Carving –
7. Expressions of Gratitude –Mike
8. Experiencing other Religions – Volunteer
9. Dinner (Vegetarian food available) – Every one
10. Acknowledging Interfaith & Interracial couples
11. Awards & Recognitions (list on page 5)
12. Center for Pluralism – Mike
13. Peace Pledge – Rabbi Chuck Fienberg
14. Post event interviews

Pledge of Allegiance

Dr. Har Swarup Singh to lead the pledge
National Anthem
Rabia Ali Baig – to sing the National Anthem
Diya lighting

Although it is a Hindu tradition, this has universal appeal in it. Lighting the Diya or candle signifies end of darkness. Martin Luther King had said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”  So help us cheer after the lighting.

Mike and Swati Choksi to start the program with symbolic lighting of the candle.   

Greetings & Welcome
Since I am new to the DMV area, I have not had the chance to reach out to every American.

In the last twenty years, in our (Center for Pluralism) events, we take pride on inviting Americans from different traditions such as Atheism, Baha’i, Buddhism, Christendom, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Native Americans, Paganism, Scientology, Sikhism, Wiccan and Zoroastrianism and every one in between including the LGBTQ community.

Let’s assume we have every representation of America here.

When you go to a neighborhood which is all white, Black or Brown, you may feel apprehensive walking down the street…. Sometimes you may even want to run, but imagine or you may have experienced having a sense of safety, if someone say Hi to you.

When God created humans, he had projected what each year would be like, and he had the full report on 2016. So he called his advisory angels, and showed them a film called 2016 – it is what you see here, people worried, concerned, feeling insecure…  not knowing what will happen to the Muslims, Jews, Blacks, Hispanic, women and…..others.

Then God asks them to find solutions. He said, I don’t want any one of my creation to be afraid of the each other…    how do we break the ice? How do we free each other from tensions?

They came up with a formula

1. Acknowledging the strangers – remember that Hi how it brought relief?
2. Tell them you wish them peace and blessings
3. Let them know you could be friends

Then God put them in all his religions and no-religions, after all we are all his creation.

Dharmic Greetings
Abrahimic Greetings

– American Indians – Aho Piva
–  Atheist secular – Hi!
–  Bahai
–  Buddhist
–  Christian
–  Hindu
–  Jain
–  Jewish
–  Muslim
–  Sikh
–  Wicca
–  Zoroastrian

Center for Pluralism is all about inclusion – God created each one of us, so we are one nation, one people – Hindu scriptures talk about Vasudhaiva Kutumbukum and Abrahamic scriptures talk about we are one big family originated from Adam and Eve.
Symbolic Turkey Carving
Cynthia Roseberry

Expressions of Gratitude

The gratitude narration – Appaiah story by Mike

Experiencing other Religions- Voluntary

Rabia and Mike will invite 24 individuals to the open space for experiencing other religions or traditions such as Atheism, Bahá’í, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islam, Jain, Jewish, Scientology, Sikh, Zoroastrian.

Mike to tell Dallas Story-

Experiencing other religions: 24 individuals will be called on the floor to be in the team of 2, that is 10 teams.  Each team will be given a random verse from different faith, and we ask them to read and explain to the public. It was one of the most successful events we have had in the last several years. People love this and understand that all religions are beautiful in bringing peace and tranquility to its followers.

1. ATHEISM

Humans are an integral part of nature, the result of unguided evolutionary change. (-Humanist Manifesto)

Life’s fulfillment emerges from individual participation in the service of humane ideals. (-Humanist Manifesto)

“Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will be as one.” – John Lennon

2. BAHAI

3. BUDDHISM“Radiate boundless love towards the entire world — above, below, and across — unhindered, without ill will, without enmity.” – The Buddha

4. CHRISTIANITY”Do we not all have one father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously each against his brother so as to profane the covenant of our fathers?”  Malachi 2:10

5. HINDUISMThe one who loves all intensely begins perceiving in all living beings a part of himself.
   He becomes a lover of all, a part and parcel of the Universal Joy. He flows with the stream of happiness, and is enriched by each soul.
   (Yajur Veda)

6. ISLAM“O, Mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that you may know one another.  Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah is the one who has piety.” (49:13)

7. JAINThe most sacred mantras

Namo Arihantanam

Namo Siddhanam

Namo Ayiryananm

Namo Uvajjaysnam

Namo  Savva Sahuman

I bow to five most revered entities..  arihantas,siddhas,acharyas

upadhyayas,sadhus

“SAMYAK DARSHAN GYAN CHARITRA NI ..MOKSHA MARGAH”.

Summary of ENTIRE  jain way….RIGHT faith,knowledge and conduct are way to Salvation.  “Tatvarth Sutra

8. JEWISH

Love your neighbor as yourself: I am Adonai.” (Leviticus 19:17–18)  “When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt:    I Adonai am your God.” (Leviticus 19:33–34)

9. SCIENTOLOGY”The hardest task one can have is to continue to love his fellows despite all reasons he should not. And the true sign of sanity and greatness is to so continue….” L. Ron Hubbard

10. SIKHISMNanak Says: May I Be Blessed With Vision To Realize Your Blessings And Your Order. And Thus Be a Thankful Offering to You. That Your NAME, O Timeless Infinite Being, May Rise For Ever, And In Thy Will, May There Be Well-Being Of All Humankind.

11. ZOROASTRIANS

12. NATIVE AMERICAN TRADITION

Dinner (Vegetarian food available)  

30 Minutes into the dinner… after all of them have seated and had some meal….

Acknowledging Interfaith & Interracial couples
Mike will acknowledge the couples

Despite their religious, racial or cultural differences, they are setting the new standards of civility by showing the world how to live in harmony. We have to cherish and honor the couples who embrace genuine humanity by accepting each other’s uniquenesses.

When people are showing extreme intolerance towards each other, the interfaith and interracial couples are showing the way to live in harmony and are contributing to the idea of one nation. They are indeed exemplary patriotic Americans.

You are who you are and I am who I am, and let’s acknowledge that and live in peace. As long as we don’t mess with each other’s space, sustenance and nurturance, and respect each other’s uniqueness, we all will do well.  If we can learn to respect the otherness of other and accept the God-given uniqueness of each one of the seven billion of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge.

As a society, the least we can do is acknowledge them for their contributions towards the idea of one nation that is America.

God bless them!

Awards & Recognitions (list on page 5)

Mike – It is our duty to “honor and cherish individuals “who have
dedicated their lives to building bridges among Americans. Their pioneering spirit in facilitating communities to know and to
respect each other is appreciated by fellow Americans.

Rabia – On this day, we appreciate and celebrate their contributions
towards building a cohesive America, where no one has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of the other.

This year we are appreciating five individuals who have made a difference in our communities. They have spread their wings beyond their own nest and have reached out to many others.  Over the years we have admired 50 such individuals who are listed on the website.

Robert J. Marro
Adams Center, for building relationships with the civic and faith based organizations in the DMV area.
Presented by:  John Foust
Rabia to read the Bio

Mike’s Comment: Bob has become a spokesperson for the Muslim community and has built great relations with the county and state officials along with the interfaith community. I laud his open mindedness.
Picture:
Cristina Frey
New Americans Expo, for bringing diverse ethnic communities of DMV area together.

Presented by: David Frey
Rabia to read the Bio
Mike’s Comment: I watched Cristina in the expo she held in October, she virtually had invited every race, faith and tradition to be part of the event, that is the kind of thing we need to be doing, and I encourage her to keep it up.

Charles Stevens
Geotrees for being an integral part of diverse communities in the DMV area

Presented by: Dr. Aquilur Rahman
Rabia to read the Bio
 

Mike’s Comment: There is not a week gone without receiving at least two or three pieces of information about certain happenings somewhere with Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims or others.  Why should one do that?  It’s nothing but passion to serve fellow beings.

Andrea Barron
for promoting Jewish-Muslim understanding in the Washington, DC area

Presented by: Judith Lelchook
Rabia to read the Bio

Mike’s Comment: Andrea’s enthusiasm is infectious; she really believes in the Jewish responsibility of fixing the world and has gone out of the way to build bridges.  I am sure each one of you knows that, when you do things like that, there will be always criticism from a few from her tribe, and suspect from the other. She bulldozes all that and does what needs to be done – building cohesive societies.

Rev. Sue Taylor,
Church of Scientology, National Affairs Office for reaching out and standing with persecuted communities around the world.

Presented by: Beth Akiyama
Rabia to read the Bio

 
Mike’s Comment: People are so wrapped up in defending their own, that they cannot see beyond, and I have been watching Rev. Sue Taylor with admiration for defending the rights of others, regardless of who they are. If you don’t stand up for others, why should anyone stand up for you?

Center for PluralismWhat is the Center for Pluralism?

Peace Pledge – Rabbi Chuck FienbergPlease rise and join the pledge with Rabbi Chuck Fienbert
 

Dr. Mike Ghouse is Founder and President of Center for Pluralism.    He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. All about the center at www.CenterforPluralism.com and about him in 65 links at www.MikeGhouse.net