President Barack Obama's remarks supporting the right to build a mosque near Ground Zero reverberated across the country, nationalizing a passionate debate over the project. The dispute is the most prominent in a series of debates around the country where Muslims have sought to build mosques. From New York to California, opposition to mosque building is a constant reality.

Shamefully, Republican leaders and right wing media pundits have made it their objective to use the issue not only to debase President Obama's popularity but as a tool in the upcoming midterm elections. Gratefully, a few Republican leaders have sided with what's right. Mayor Bloomberg of New York City and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie have decided that scapegoating American Muslims was in fact too costly for the party's political chances. The words of the Governor, breaking away with statements of others from his party, are an assurance that America will readjust its moral focus and find more productive venues to discuss the issues of the day.

We categorically reject the notion that mosques are somehow spoiling the American landscape much like a cellular tower, a porn shop, or a nuclear reactor. NIMBY, “not in my backyard”, has been the weapon anti-mosque advocates have used. Hypocritically, they differentiate between what is right and what's legal. American Muslims and their places of worship are an integral part of America’s pluralistic fabric. Their contributions, commitment, and patriotism have stood the test of time.

American Muslims have suffered plenty as a result of the 911 attacks. They lost their loved ones in the rubble of the WTC disaster and collectively suffered from never ending humiliation, suspicion, and denial of their religious and civil rights. While I genuinely grieve with the families of 9/11 victims, I refuse to accept the baseless charge of insensitivity to their feelings. It was not fellow Ameri... [Read More]

It was just over a year ago when the small Borough of Rockaway, New Jersey was the scene of a much heated and polarized debate whether to allow an Islamic center occupy a vacant office building. Pundits from all sides collided to demonstrate the benefits or the harm caused to the quality of life and America's basic values should the town allow the mosque plans to proceed. Thankfully, the mosque is now a legally functioning institution-and none of the opponents' fears have materialized.

Opposition to building mosques in the US seems to be a growing industry. Their Islamophobic devotees while small in number enjoy a growing political and monetary support from right wing elected and public officials and extremist organizations. Their spewing of insidiously filled rhetoric is a constant reminder that some Americans are willing to forsake the constitutional right of fellow citizens to practice their chosen faith in a place and in the manner of their choosing.

I wonder if the anti-mosque folks find it objectionable if say for example a church was to be built directly from across the Oklahoma Federal Building which was so savagely destroyed in a 1995 bomb by Christian Timothy McVeigh. Is it acceptable for non-Christians to accuse the church of being insensitive, of attempting to make a political statement or declaring its supremacy over other faiths? Will all of Christendom have to atone from the acts of one of its faithful?

In New Jersey, there are several mosques being planned to meet the growing needs of the community and all are faced with seemingly organized and nationally inspired and funded campaign that views such a development as an existential threat to America's values. A most ... [Read More]

Please join in my heartfelt prayer for the Swiss voters who were recently stricken by the curse of Islamophobia.

As a practicing Muslim, I truly do not feel that my faith or its many symbols have been irreversibly attacked by the recent vote to ban the construction of minarets in Switzerland. It is a fact that most mosques in Europe and the US have not minarets attached to them- the price we Muslims pay to integrate into non-Muslim societies.

Sorry Switzerland, (and all future copycats), my faith remains intact. I am a Muslim even if my mosque has no minaret or if it is located on a second floor of a rundown gas station. In fact, God hears my prayers from any spot on the earth He created. But I would argue that those who voted for the constitutional amendment have fallen victim to an ignorant, albeit misguided, form of the lemming effect of anti-Muslim immigrant hysteria sweeping most of Europe. The vote was not an innocent expression of the so called clash of civilizations but rather a clear indication of the lack of civility.

Switzerland has four minarets; the new legislation would block any further construction of the edifice. The country biggest political party, the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), had forced the referendum on the government under Swiss electoral regulations allowing a referendum if at least 100,000 signatures are collected on a specific issue.

Attacks on perceived religious symbols of ethnic minorities are not new in Switzerland. And it is not the first time a Swiss popular vote was used to promote religious intolerance. Almost a century ago, a Swiss referendum banned Jewish ritual slaughter in an attempt to drive out its Jewish population. Who is next?

We now know that the November 29, 2009 anti-minaret vote cannot be blamed on the myopia of a few. The turnout w... [Read More]

By all accounts and despite the election results, 2009 shall be recalled as the year Arab and Muslim Americans in New Jersey heralded their political prowess. Arab and Muslim Democrats were very busy hosting and organizing events to maximize the community’s tribute to what incumbent Gov. Corzine has done and promised to deliver. Whether the community voted for Corzine in the large numbers expected is not yet known. Pundits have opined that Corzine's loss is attributable to the low number of registered Democrats who bothered to cast their vote. With Corzine's defeat, Arab American Democrats may have written their political obituaries. This fatalistic and rather premature reaction has no place in politics. But an honest look in the mirror is warranted to reassess and prioritize their plans for the next elections campaign.

Outgoing Governor Corzine will be fondly remembered for he has outpaced all his predecessors in integrating and mainstreaming the Arab and Muslim community. Corzine's enduring legacy is manifested by his strong public support of Imam Mohammad Qatanani and the creation of the NJ Arab Heritage Commission. His frequent presence at our homes, places of worship and events was always seen as a recognition and achievement. He so frequently and glowingly highlighted the role our community continues to play in New Jersey's economy, culture, political participation, and empowerment. He has appointed several Arabs and Muslims to various commissions. Strong rumors have it that Corzine will soon... [Read More]

I woke up last Friday morning, the day after an army doctor killed and wounded over forty people in Texas, to seven urgent messages on my voice mails. All were from news organizations anxious to quote the Muslim community's reaction to the recent heinous killings of Army Dr. Nidal Malik Hasan. They all wanted my reasons for what drove a 39-year-old Muslim to go on a killing spree. "Isn’t he a native born," someone pointed out, “did not he take an army oath to obey his command and serve his country” “he's an educated man, he's a doctor." What triggered him to do it?

It took but a few moments to figure their reasoning for calling me. For I have been called before to reflect on acts of terror committed by fellow Muslims here and around the word. Truthfully, I was expected to again disassociate myself from the killings and secondly to explain what Islam is. I guess I fit their criteria of a person who has these qualities: I am a Muslim American of Palestinian descent. Consequently, I know what each one out of the 1.5 billion Muslims around the globe is thinking or doing at any given moment.

"Hey, Dr. Assaf, pardon the annoyance so early in the morning. Another one of your people killed innocent Americans. This will be a big story again as you have come to expect. As a leader in your community, as a practicing Muslim, can you share your response to the recent carnage? I was wondering if you're feeling less of a Muslim when you learn about crimes committed by a fellow Muslim. Can we send our television crew to record your response?”

I almost wanted pull whatever grey hair is left on my head; I wanted to scream so loud that a deaf man could hear me. Why is my opinion so important or even newsworthy? How many times do I need to so publicly and unconditionally condemn violence and terrorism against innocent civilians? How many times do I need to state that more Muslims have been the victims of terrorism than members of other faiths. How forcefully do I n... [Read More]

The good fight continues: The retrial of Imam Mohammad Qatanani

Dr. Aref Assaf is Spokesman for Imam Mohammad Qatanani and Media Chair of Americans for Qatanani.

Since 1999, the US. immigration authorities has, for a variety of reasons, denied Imam Qatanani's petition to become a permanent resident. The 47 year old Imam has since 1996 served as the spiritual leader of the tri-state’s largest Muslim mosque, the Islamic Center of Passaic County. Over a year ago, a Newark Federal Immigration, in a much publicized trial, ruled in favor of the Imam. In his 71-page ruling, the judge dismissed the government’s case as "patently incomplete" and two federal agents’ conflicting testimonies as "not credible." Consequently, the government sought an appeal from the judge’s opinion. Because of the government's appeal, the case is headed back to court as a result of split opinion by an the Board of Immigration Appeal. The opinion denied part of the government’s appeal and remanded the case to the Immigration Judge saying that he did not give sufficient weight to the government’s evidence.

At the May 2008 trial, the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, had sought to link Imam Qatanani, a Palestinian who emigrated from Jordan to the US in 1996, to Hamas, which the US classifies as a terrorist organization. The linkage was one of many tactics the DHS employed justifying and confirming its denial of residency status. We successfully argued against the government’s assertions justifying its deportation proceedings. In the course of a five-day trial transcribed in over 1000 pages, we proved that the government’s case was baseless and weak on both evidence and credibility. The judge who heard expert testimonies from both sides ultimately agreed with our position.

After ten months of review by the government-appointed Immigration Board, A 12-page written opinion was transmitted on October 2, 2009 to the Imam’s lead attorney, Claudia Solvinsky... [Read More]

The specious moral equivalency argument that Israel is justified in its military actions against the Palestinians, especially Hamas is a striking example of moral bankruptcy and baseless analogies.
The UN’s Goldstone Report was commissioned to investigate the extent and consequences of targeting civilians when Israel invaded the Gaza Strip in late 2007. Critics of the report conveniently ignored several salient facts not only regarding the Report mission and findings, but about the supposed moral and practical analogy between the US and Israel on one side, and Taliban/Al-Qaida and Hamas on the other.

It should first be noted that Israel refused to assist with the fact-finding mission of the UN-mandated commission. The supposed tilt in the Report was a reflection not only of the undeniably high and asymmetrical Palestinian deaths and devastation but also due to Israel’s deliberate attempt at sabotaging the commission’s mandate. Israel did not cooperate with the investigators nor did it provide any data covering Israeli casualties.
Even if we distrust the findings of the UN Report, one needs only review several reports by Israeli based civil and media organizations which categorically exposed the deliberate targeting of Palestinian civilians, schools, and places of worship. Even Israeli soldiers confessed to the clear orders by their superior to shoot at unarmed civilians.
Pro Israel supporters have long levied the self-hating-Jew- label to effectively silence Jews who, by defending what is morally right, have often found themselves castigated and outcast by other Jewish organizations. Conveniently, charges of anti-Semitism would have awaited any gentile who dared to disagree with Israel.

Crucial to the credibility of the equivocation is the absence of moral justification: Al-Qaida/Taliban attacked our country, on our soil on 9/11. The U.S. was not in Afghanistan as an occupying force. The majority of the world countries such as ... [Read More]