"The film is offensive because it misrepresents Islam. Senseless violence and murder is offensive for the same reason." Nouman Ali Khan

One act of stupidity doesn't justify another. My heart goes out to the US ambassador, his family and to anyone who has suffered as a consequence of the foolishness, immaturity and barbarianism. Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, would have trash thrown on him by a woman every day. He did not go out and throw it back on her. He didn't do anything at all. A few days went by without him getting trashed. Instead of rejoicing he went a visited her to see if she was ok.

Islam teaches peace. It teaches kindness and respect. The act of a group of people does not reflect anyone except those involved. If an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, what does overreacting to a stupid cartoon and killing an innocent person do? 

Mid-Week Pick me up

Last week a group of people and I were talking about how Muslims are portrayed in the Media humorously and what is and isn't tasteful. Someone brought up The Simpsons episode "Mypods and Boomsticks." It's about a Jordanian boy named Bashir, whose family recently moved to Springfield. Homer's friends convince Homer that the Bashir's family is a terrorist and he sets out to investigate.

I just watched it and thought it was pretty funny and wanted to share it in case you haven't seen it. It's worth a watch. Let me know what you think. :) click HERE to check it out.

9/11 We Remember

The authors of Symphonic Discord reflect on 9/11. Our hearts go out to the 2,819 people who lost their lives. God bless.

Edit @ 3:17 p.m. 9/12/11


Youthful Wisdom:

Ten years ago this day I was sitting in third hour US Literature class. The morning went by unusually slower than most. I remember talking to some friends around me about some topic that was probably mundane. My teacher then called me aside and took me outside the class.

"Youthful Wisdom something happened today. Someone knocked down the Twin Towers. I want you to know that people might blame you or say things to you tomorrow. And even if you take your scarf off that you need to remain strong. Okay?"

What??? The Twin Towers? What do you mean someone knocked them down? Blame me?? But I was sitting right here in your class. Take off my scarf??? But I just started wearing two months ago and I love it! What the heck is going on??

I thanked my teacher for her advice and went back into the classroom. I can't explain the feeling inside of me except for it was extreme confusion. All my classmates stared at me silently as I walked back to my desk.

That afternoon we were left out early. No TVs were played at our middle school during school hours that morning. I walked home to find everyone in my family hovered around the kitchen table in fear and confusion watching the news. It was just like my teacher had said; someone knocked down the Twin Towers.

The days that followed things happened exactly like my teacher said they would. My own friends and classmates started looking at me different; I was the only identifiable Muslim girl at the school because of my scarf.

"Hey Youthful Wisdom why do YOUR people hate us so much?"

"Go back to your country bitch!"

"Hahaha I just pulled your scarf off! Whatchya gonna do huh??"

MY people? MY people are YOU but apparently I'm not one of you. And I don't have any country to go back to!! And if you pull off my scarf I'll take you to the principle!

Ten years later these memories come back to me. Memories of a time where my fellow Americans were attacked and where my Muslim American identity was attacked. It's a sad day in my mind representing injustice, misunderstandings, and hatred. But since then I've have positive experiences, including feedback from this blog, that make me truly believe that mutual understanding is possible. That people have the ability to look beyond the lies the media is feeding them and seek out truth for themselves.

May God guide us all and bring us to the Truth, wherever it may be. And may we all become vehicles of positive change and spiritual growth in our communities. Ameen.

Controlled Chaos:

With the 10th anniversary of September 11 upon us, that day has been circulating in my mind more so than it has in the past years. When I think back to that time I remember being confused and a little lost. I don't think a part of me had emotionally or completely understood what happened. And to be honest, I was also uncomfortable with the topic because of the first reaction I had gotten from a classmate.

That day and for many days to come, a student kept loudly declaring across the classroom that I should get my "uncle" to stop bombing our country. Even that statement registered slowly, it wasn't until the next morning that I understood that she was degrading me in front of the whole class and the teacher never did anything. I felt as though I was being indirectly blamed. Every time the topic came up I just wanted to disappear. It wasn't until months later that I felt my first annoyance at my teacher and especially at that student. I was a slow high-school student. And my emotions were even slower.

It wasn't until the following 9/11 anniversary, while I was looking at a full-page picture of the Twin Towers burning in my local newspaper, that I felt my first genuine, deep shock. In that picture, I realized I could see what looked like people, in midair... I thought of how it would feel to be in the same situation. It was a horrible cold feeling. That day I cried. I cried for everyone that had died and who had lost someone. I cried while I imagined what it must have felt like for all those who got caught up in that event. And I cried not knowing what I was supposed to do and frustrated at my own incompetence for the past year. It took me an entire year to register and emotionally understand September 11.

Before I completely understood what had happened, I 'borrowed' reactions of people around me. If someone joked, I joked. If someone got quiet, I got quiet.

For the past few days I've been contemplating ways to show my solidarity for the victims of that day. And besides praying I've come up short. I've considered lighting candles on my driveway and then wondered if the neighbors would take it the wrong way. I wondered about blogging about it but then feared peoples' responses during a time when emotions ran so high. In the end, I chose to blog truthfully. My thoughts go out to everyone affected by that day directly and indirectly both here and abroad. I truly hope the world becomes a better place for us all to live in. Ameen.

Softly Spoken:

I was in eighth grade when 9/11 happened. It didn't hit me that these events would lead to a revolt against American Muslims. I had always thought of myself as American as I was Muslim. I grew up as one of the only visible Muslims in school - but was very much respected - and now live in Detroit which has a good chunk of people who dress and worship like me.

In the 10 years after 9/11, the negative light on Islam and Muslims has grown brighter. It is also politically incorrect to stand by Muslims. The American Muslim community is starting to stand up and speak, some leaving behind traditional jobs and getting more involved in government, social services and journalism, to show a different perspective of practicing faith and living up to America's golden opportunities.

As American Muslims, we too mourn lost loved ones. We too cherish those who work to protect our safety. We condemn those who attacked the World Trade Center and The Pentagon in the so-called name of Islam. We chide those who make it difficult for American Muslims to retain their rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We condemn those who stand divided. We stand united with all Americans, as Muslims, to live to the fullest in peace and equality. Amen.

As we celebrate...and Remember

It was Eid on Friday here in America.

On 9/10/2010

There was a joke circulated that we tried our hardest to see the moon the night before because everyone wanted to avoid having Eid ul Fitr on 9/11/2010..the ninth anniversary of September 11.

Imagine...Muslims celebrating...on the same day the nation remembers the 'terrorist attack on September 11'

911. What's your emergency?

The towel heads next to my house are partying.

Is there a problem? Was someone hurt?

No...It's just that All the MOZlems in my city are celebrating.... Like they're really partying it up with all kinds of food and games.

You don't sayy!

I mean you can only give them Soo many excuses...Is there anyway we can get them arrested?

Stay on the line while I contact the authorities. ***

The day Eid ul-Fitr falls on changes every year, just like how Ramadan does, and all the other Islamic months do. And I've mentioned the reason for this being that the Islamic calendar follows the Lunar calendar.

This Ramadan has been kinda eventful for Muslims. The 'Ground zero Mosque' controversy is still raging, 1/5 th of Pakistan is flooded , some dude was trying to host a "Burn a Quran day", some people are running for political offices and one of their platforms is that Islam isn't a real religion and so shouldn't be protected by the Bill of Rights, and the knowledge Eid could potentially fall on september 11.

Some Muslim communities were advised to keep their celebrations low-key.

While Eid ul Fitr didn't fall on September 11 most activities and celebrations will however follow the entire weekend. It's weird to celebrate Eid ul Fitr, when you remember everything that happened on that day in 2001, especially for Muslim Families that also lost loved ones on that day... but I don't think that's a reason to stop anyone from celebrating their religious holiday.

Even with the 'Ground zero mosque' controversy still present and if anything, getting worse.

Eid also isn't a reason for any Muslim to stop remembering all those that are suffering here and across the world.

Like a lot of other people out there, I have my own message, and I think everyone should send it out through facebook, twitter, and their local lawn elf and maybe even to the pastor in Florida:

Happy Eid to the Muslims; A prayer to the victims of 9/11, and a prayer for all those undergoing suffering and hardships. **

CC, out.

***The above conversation was entirely fictional (hopefully) and no authorities were contacted or harmed during its making. And is to be taken in a humorous, non-offensive manner and does not necessarily reflect the views of its author...which could be kinda self-contradictory. Rated OIWH for Open-minded Individuals With Humor

**Caution: Message promoted by the author may not be well-received by the local lawn elf.

"Ground Zero Mosque" or Pentagon Chapel?

Just weeks away from the 9-year anniversary of the September 11 attacks, controversy brews in New York City over the building of an Islamic cultural center at Park51, nearly two blocks away from Ground Zero, where 2,700 people were killed.

The measure was taken to the city's Landmark's Preservation Commission, which approved the building of the cultural center 9-0, said the New York Times.

According to www.park51.org, the vision of the community center includes, "pluralism, service, arts and culture, education and empowerment, appreciation for our city and a deep respect for our planet," to allow an "accessible platform for conversations across our identities."

Those who lost loved ones, neighbors and Republicans have been opposing the building of the cultural center - noting sensitivity issues such as "giving the terrorists a reason to cheer" being one of the main concerns.

Supporters have raised the flag of tolerance for religion freedom.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York said, Muslims have the right to practice religious freedom, reported the Huffington Post.

"We may not always agree with every one of our neighbors. That's life and it's part of living in such a diverse and dense city. But we also recognize that part of being a New Yorker is living with your neighbors in mutual respect and tolerance. It was exactly that spirit of openness and acceptance that was attacked on 9/11," he said.

"Let us not forget that Muslims were among those murdered on 9/11 and that our Muslim neighbors grieved with us as New Yorkers and as Americans. We would betray our values - and play into our enemies' hands - if we were to treat Muslims differently than anyone else. In fact, to cave to popular sentiment would be to hand a victory to the terrorists - and we should not stand for that."

President Barack Obama echoed the message of religious freedom, putting the issue of whether to continue the project, on a national scale.

"Ground Zero is indeed hallowed ground. But let me be clear. As a citizen and as president, I believe that Muslims have the right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country, and that includes the right to build a place of worship in a community center on private property in lower Manhattan," said the president, reported the Voice of America News.



While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she supports the constitutional right to freedom of religion, she is concerned about the funds of the project, reported CBS News.

"Pelosi told KCBS is San Francisco yesterday that she joins "those who have called for looking into how is this opposition to the mosque being funded." She added: "How is this being ginned up?"

In a follow-up statement today on the project - an Islamic cultural center that includes a mosque called the Cordoba House that would be built two blocks from the site of the Sept. 11 attacks - Pelosi said the location of the project is a "local decision," though "the freedom of religion is a Constitutional right."

She said that she agrees with the Interfaith Alliance and Anti-Defamation League that the funding for the project should be transparent, as well as this portion of a statement from those groups: "At the same time, we should also ask who is funding the attacks against the construction of the center."

From a different set of eyes

While all eyes are on Ground Zero, Muslims are praying freely at the Pentagon Memorial Chapel, where 184 people were killed on September 11, 2001, reported CNN.com.

The building was created in November 2002, giving space to all religious groups to practice freely.

"United in memory, September 11, 2001," it reads.

"The chapel contains 80 seats and has regularly scheduled religious services on weekdays, including Catholic confession and Mass, a Jewish service and Torah study, a Hindu service, a Mormon service and services for other Christian denominations, along with the Muslim prayer service.

"I've never had a question about it" in four-plus years at the Pentagon, Army spokesman George Wright said.

The Army culture of religious freedom dates back to the Revolutionary War, Wright said, describing it as "a big tent."

"We're very tolerant here of one another and our faith," he said. "We don't keep track of who comes in."

Peace, Journalist.