May Peace be Upon You.
My name is Nora Zaki, and I am a student at UF. I am also a Muslim. After hearing about the mass shooting by Maj. Nidal Malik Hassan at Fort Hood, Texas, on Nov. 5, I was shocked and upset. I want to express some comments from a Muslim perspective about this event.
First, I want to express my sincere condolences to the victims of this horrible incident. Muslims pray five times a day, and so after each prayer, I will ask God to help the families of the victims and the Fort Hood community. I also express my prayers for the family of Hassan, for I am sure they are dealing with a hard time too.
Second, I want to express my disgust and shame for what Hassan did. I know that the media will portray the unfortunate fact that he is a Muslim, and I have already seen him being labeled a Muslim terrorist on news Web sites. The Council on American Islamic Relations was the first Muslim organization to denounce the act. The statement said, “No political or religious ideology could ever justify or excuse such wanton and indiscriminate violence. The attack was particularly heinous in that it targeted the all-volunteer Army that protects our nation. American Muslims stand with our fellow citizens in offering both prayers for the victims and sincere condolences to the families of those killed or injured.”
The circumstances regarding Hassan’s harassment by fellow military members is unfortunate and discriminatory. But no one has a right to take the lives of innocent people. And that goes for soldiers fighting the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, too. I am sure Hassan was upset by the fact that many innocent Muslims are killed by U.S. soldiers, but that doesn’t justify him killing some people at Fort Hood, regardless of whether they are Muslim.
I just hope Muslim Americans realize how lucky they are to live in America. Truly, what a great country this is. I was born and raised here and have taken it for granted until I’ve learned more about how other Muslims are treated in other Muslim minority countries, and even Muslim majority countries. I don’t agree with all of U.S. foreign policy, but I respect the values this nation was founded on, and I respect America. In fact, these values are complementary to Islam.
I would like to end with a historical story, an encounter between different peoples. During the time when the Prophet Muhammad was revealing his message in Mecca, the most powerful clan realized that his message was challenging its unfair social order and polytheism, which led to lucrative business for the clan. So some of Muhammad’s followers emigrated to Abyssinia, in modern-day Ethiopia. The Abyssinian king, who was a Christian, was known for his tolerance and “being respectful and fair with his people,” writes Tariq Ramadan, author of “In the Footsteps of the Prophet.” Some emissaries from the clan that tried to persecute the Muslims tried to magnify the differences of the Muslims and Christians by presenting them to the the Abyssinian king. The Muslims told the king about their religion, and he heard the meaning of what they said: “Their God is the same, whatever the differences between their texts and our beliefs; their values of respect and justice are the same, whatever the discrepancies between the religions’ text.’ The king heard and welcomed those believers of another faith,” Ramadan wrote.
Muslims in America can relate to this story. America has allowed Muslims to live their lives seeking opportunity while maintaining their faith. Of course hardships and some unfairness exists, but Muslim Americans should be thankful nonetheless. Let me end with this: Muslims are people who can do terrible things. Islam is a beautiful and perfect religion, but a few Muslims have distorted its teachings. Please do not confuse the religion with its followers because they can be completely different.
“And be patient in adversity: for verily, God does not fail to requite the doers of good!” — Quran 11:115.
Nora Zaki is a UF student.
