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American Muslims???

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American Muslims???
an
07/01/02 at 10:55:52
Assalammu'alaikum,

I'd like to express my concern with ppl calling themselves or the term 'American Muslims'. Doesn't this kind of labelling even more divide our Ummah according to their nation ??  ???  Aren't we all simply Muslims regardless of our origin, race, colour, etc?

I mean, Muslims from other countries don't call themselves - hey I'm Australian muslim or Indonesian muslim or Arabian muslim .. you get the point.

Yahiya Emerick also said something about this. "... The infamous "American Muslim" crowd. When a person places their national citizenship in front of their Muslim designation, then watch out! The prioritias are made clear...." (http://www.islamfortoday.com/emerick12.htm)

I like the idea of us being united .. rich with diversities, yet, all being one Ummah.
[wlm]  :)
07/01/02 at 11:00:50
an
Re: American Muslims???
Kathy
07/01/02 at 11:22:27
[slm]

I agree. I know i have used the term American Muslim, when someone on line asks.... but it is just because it is easier to say this rather than "I am a Muslim who is also American."

Back in the eighties... most Muslims who first came to America were shocked that American Muslims existed. [i]( do you see how easy that was to say?)[/i]

I meant nothing about it, as far as dividing the ummah... nor was I making  a reference to the loyalties of my priorities.

As anyone who has followed me on these boards know... I am so Muslim and Muslim first. I just happen to be American.... yet I live and am - a Muslim.

Much has happened in the last ten years... with immigration.  The average American has associated Islam and Muslims with foreigners. I think it is important that the American people know that  'American Muslims' exist.
Re: American Muslims???
haaris
07/01/02 at 11:23:35
[quote]When a person places their national citizenship in front of their Muslim designation, then watch out! The priorities are made clear ... [/quote]

Whilst I agree with the sentiments, I disagree with this statement.  In the English language, the adjective precedes the noun.  In this case, "Muslim" is the noun and "American" is merely an adjective.  It's no different, linguistically, from someone describing themself as  a "tall Muslim", an "old Muslim", etc.

For the same reason, I regard myself as "un musulman ingles" in Spanish but a British Muslim in English.  And, hey, let's not even get started on the question of whether us English language speakers are being arrogant and divisive when we put capital letters on words like "English" and "I"  ;) .

I don't think that the problem is with Muslims describing themselves in this manner, more with what they think that the description means.  That's a whole other can of worms ...

Wa salaam

Haaris
Re: American Muslims???
Muneerah134
07/01/02 at 12:24:53
[slm]
[quote author=Kathy link=board=bebzi;num=1025535352;start=0#1 date=07/01/02 at 11:22:27] [slm]

Back in the eighties... most Muslims who first came to America were shocked that American Muslims existed. [i]( do you see how easy that was to say?)[/i]

Much has happened in the last ten years... with immigration.  The average American has associated Islam and Muslims with foreigners. I think it is important that the American people know that  'American Muslims' exist.
[/quote]

I agree with Sister Kathy. I am Muslim first, and American second, (it is easier to say Muslim American ;)) but it is important that folks elsewhere know that we exist and that we live our lives as Muslims and Allah knows best.  I was in Saudi Arabia last year and was constantly asked where I was from. When I replied the US, most were suprised (we were told prior to Hajj that this would happen) It's getting better, but most folks are surprised - "we heard you guys exist, but never got a chance to talk to any of you."
May Allah protect us and guide us all to what is correct.
:-)Muneerah
Re: American Muslims???
Traveler
07/01/02 at 14:16:33
[slm]

 I'd say it all depends on how you're using the term. If it's to distinguish yourself from other muslims than I don't see anything wrong with it. People need  terms when making references to someone or something. And when we talk about muslims in context of region, we have to associate region with the word muslim. I don't see a way around it.

        If the term is being used to discriminate with a sense of superiority it obviously becomes unacceptable or more appropriately unislamic. So basically, as everything else in Islam it depends on the intention.

  There's another way to make this issue clearer.
Let's take the word Muslim itself. According to islam every human being is equal. When I say equal I mean the way man is equal to woman. But if we discriminate between muslims and non muslims thinking muslims are superior as a human being then we have gone against the fundamental teachings of Islam. But don't get me wrong; we do make a distinction between muslims and non muslims. The distinction is simply an advantage of knowledge of one over another.
     I'm sure people are aware of instances were muslims have considered themselves superior to non muslims in a sense where muslims could do anything wrong against non muslims, while believing they had not commited any sin.
 
 Although I was brief, I hope I was clear. If you think I need to elaborate let me know.
Re: American Muslims???
Barr
07/05/02 at 07:23:34
Assalamu'alaikum :-)

[quote] I'd say it all depends on how you're using the term.[/quote]

I agree with Br Traveller. In addition to that.. I think what is important is the meaning of both words, as what Br Haaris has pointed out.

Comparing between Nationality and faith is like comparing between apples and oranges.

They are 2 different things altogether and are of different nature. The former (nationality) talks about identity and affiliation to a country whereas the other (faith) talks about beliefs, the philosophy of life and living.. it is a more basic, more fundamental and more rooted for a person, as it is a matter of being and becoming of oneself. Hence, it would not make much sense for one to equate geographical attachment to the question of being itself, when the issue of a Muslim identity is expounded.

As Br Haaris mentioned, it is a matter of semantics and terminologies... it does not dictate who we are. For whether one is a White American Muslim or a Muslim White American, the Muslim identity supercedes the ethnicity and nationality... in its meaning and attachment to the self.

The more concrete problem, as mentioned by Br Haaris, is whether Muslims truly know what it means to be Muslim.

I think another larger concern of the ummah is probably voiced in Tariq Ramadhan's book "To be a European Muslim"

[color=green]Therefore the true question is not, from a Muslim point of view, to justify the first attachment of believers - which naturally, is to God and their faith - but, more specifically, to clarify the nature of articulation which exists between the prescriptions of the Islamic references and the concrete reality of citizenship in a European country[/color]


Allahua'lam :-)
07/05/02 at 07:48:10
Barr
Re: American Muslims???
sabirah
07/08/02 at 23:39:35
i see it 2 ways. if you say Muslim American, it sounds to me like ur an american who happens to be Muslim. or an American Muslim, is a Muslim who just happens to be American. Either one can have positive or "negative" connotations ( as in less favorable ) Yes all muslims are one family and we aren't different cuz of where we live or where we're from, but to nonmuslims who still have the idea of Muslims as "the other" or only foreigners....that distinction could be useful. Since America's like a huge cornocopia of everything, its good that Islam could be seen as accesible to everyone. but ofcourse I would prefer a world without borders and boundaries and countries....one planet one world one family.  ;D
[wlm] :-) Emily
Re: American Muslims???
jaihoon
07/09/02 at 00:16:30
' We've divided you into nations and tribes so that you may know each other'

:)
Re: American Muslims???
UmmZaid
07/11/02 at 02:10:23
Salaam 'Alaikum

I always say Muslim American, b/c I'm Muslim before I'm anything else.  

Sadly, sometimes the term is thrown on us by other Muslims... you know, to distinguish us from the "real" Muslims who are Arab or Pakistani by descent (even if they were born and raised here and are thus as American as Joe the convert).  "Oh her? She's [i]American[/i]."

I use the term because I am -- not proud, but happy to be Muslim and American.  I like to surprise other Americans -- "Wait... but.. but you're American? And Muslim?" and I like to surprise Muslims --- "But... you wear hijab... and jilbab... and you pray... and you're American? And Muslim?"  I would hope that it would help people get past their stereotypes and preconceived notions about what a Muslim is and can be and what an American is and can be (can we just all admit that many Muslims, even the ones living here, have very negative ideas and opinions about Americans?).  And can we all say that there are some really good things about America and being American, and that many of our fellow Americans are good people, even if they are naive or ignorant of a lot of things sometimes?  I'm grateful beyond measure to be Muslim, but I am also so grateful that Allah wrote for me to be an American in America, even if we are in a time of confusion.

I love it when the conversation goes like this: "Of [i]course[/i] you're American... but where are your parents from?  Oh.  But where are your grandparents from?... Oh...."  and it's even better when it's "When did you convert?  But you... Oh."  (fainting or quick changing of subject ensues) LOL
Re: American Muslims???
Ms._Bey
07/24/02 at 17:01:45
[slm]
Interesting topic.
It reminds me of a statement I heard a few years ago on a college campus:

The young man was a pre - med student. Being from Ghana, he was surprised to come to America and find such a large population of African - Americans still in America. When asked why his surprise was so great, he simply relpied, "Because we thought you guys all died out with slavery."  ::)


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