Muslim Success Stories | Congratulations to Dr. Babar Cheema

Muslim Success Stories  | TheGhouseDiary.com    

Louisville, KY, January 12, 2016 -- Dr. Babar Cheema and I ran into each other in Louisville Airport terminal. I was heading to Washington and he was returning from Washington.

From time to time, I would like to write the Muslim success stories, not the ones who make lots of money, but the ones' who do things that will create better safer and secure societies for all.

What a joy it was to know that he was an honored guest at President Obama’s state of the Union address last night. Dr. Mohammad Babar Cheema and a few others have worked relentlessly in building relationships with fellow Americans of all hues, and this note is to appreciate his work and to acknowledge his contributions.

If you know any other Muslim who was invited, please let us know with their information, the least we can do is acknowledge and encourage others to get out and be a part of the society.

Congratulations Dr. Cheema!

This is how we become part of the American story, thanks for setting the example. 

I urge every Muslim to make that effort, to get out and be with the people, if you can afford, please invite a Christian, Jewish, Hindu, African American, Hispanic, Chinese and an Arab family to dinner, at least once a month.  For God's sake get to know each other as friends and kindly keep religion and politics out of the conversation, don't even try it. We all need to connect with each other as fellow Americans with common concerns. 

If God gives me life, I want to do something very big this December, and want to celebrate those Muslims who have built relationships with at least 10 families of different faiths including- Atheists, Baha’i, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains, Jews, Native Americans, Pagans, Shinto, Sikhs,  Wicca, Zoroastrians and others. Each denomination in Christian and Muslim traditions counts as one.   There is no limit to how many Muslims can do that. 

I'll be happy to share simple guidelines to make the dinner successful and memorable for everyone.  

 
Here is a link to the extraordinary work that testifies their work in building good relationships.

http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2015/09/are-muslims-part-of-american-society.html?m=1

 Dr. Mike Ghouse is a community consultant, social scientist, thinker, writer, news maker, and a speaker on Pluralism, Interfaith, Islam, politics, terrorism, human rights, India, Israel-Palestine and foreign policy. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. Visit him in 63 links at www.MikeGhouse.net and a bulk of his writings are at TheGhousediary.com and several blogs listed there in. 

Are Muslims a part of the American society?

Yes, we are. Indeed, one of the most exemplary American Muslim stories of the post 9/11 era happened in Louisville, Kentucky just this month.

On September 16, 2015, a few miscreants painted hate symbols on the River Road mosque in Louisville. When the local community at large found out about this, nearly 1000 people from main stream and disparate ethnic communities came to the mosque to show their solidarity with Muslims, and they joined in the community cleanup and re-painting the mosque. 

This act of support was not just out of a sense of justice, compassion or help for the underdog, but clearly out of enduring friendship, which is the most reliable relationship, not bound by time or situation.  The America Together Foundation congratulates Dr. Babar Cheema and the Louisville Muslim leadership, which has nurtured a relationship of friendship and trust with the local community over many years.

As time permits, we will write more about this, and we hope it becomes a model for other American Muslim communities, just as different communities have successfully dealt with Rev. Terry Jones in Mulberry, Florida who wanted to burn 2998 copies of Quran, and Rev. Robert Jeffress of Dallas, Texas who called uncivil names about Quran and the Prophet.  Indeed, we need to keep a record of our contributions to the well being of America, there is so much to be proud of our work.

With love and caring for our neighbors, no American can go wrong. The America Together Foundation has assigned me with responsibility to work on building a cohesive America.

There are so many Muslims out there who have contributed and are contributing richly towards building a cohesive America, where no American has to feel alienated or fearful of fellow Americans.

 In the end, this freedom from fear will bring peace and prosperity to our nation. Indeed, that is the essence of Quranic guidance in verse 49:13 which says God has created us into different tribes and nations and says, the best ones among you are those who learn and care about each other.  If we can learn to respect the otherness of others and accept the God given uniqueness of each one of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge.

Please tell us your story, where your acts have changes the minds of others, bringing us all towards a more cohesive America. Send us the details to us, and will help share it with the widest audience. Join us in our mission.

Please visit http://AmericaTogetherFoundation.blogspot.com   for connecting to the links

1. The Louisville Story
2. Are Muslims a part of the American Story?
3. Terry Jones and changing perceptions of Muslims
4. Robert Jeffress attacking Quran (www.QuraanConference.com)
5. Sean Hannity and Fox News– Positive engagement produces positive outcomes.
6. Amins of the Society

Mike Ghouse,
(214) 325-1916

Mike is a social scientist, thinker, writer and a speaker on Pluralism, Interfaith, Islam, politics, foreign policy and building cohesive societies. Mike offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day and more about him is in 63 links at www.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at TheGhousediary.com