Folklife Festival Narrative Session: Migration Across Generations: What Does It Mean to Be Muslim-American?

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[[People Speaking]]
Speaker 1: Okay, good afternoon everyone. Welcome to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. C'mon in, people in the back. Move up a little bit. We have a treat today. Before we introduce our wonderful panelists, I'd like to tell you a little bit about this year's festival. This year we have circus arts. Has anyone been to the circus yet?

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How was it? Woo-hoo! The circus! It's also the fiftieth anniversary, so there are a number of reunion events from National Endowment for the Arts recipients, and online, there is a wonderful online virtual exhibition of some of the art that has been collected over the last fifty years, so please take a moment to check out the on the line exhibition, which was curated by the wonderful women in the hat. Erin? Erin, wave your hand! She's the curator of the fiftieth online exhibition. The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is co-sponsored by the National Park Service and WAMU and On the Move, which you're on now, is supported by the Smithsonian Latino Center, Asian Pacific -American Center, and the American Anthropological Association. We came together in collaboration with the Anacostia community museum, the National Museum of American history which has a tremendous immigration exhibit. So please check it out it opened just a few days ago. So you're here in On The Move, and On the Move is all about journeys to the United States and within the United States, and as you know the United States is vibrant from the many cultures and peoples and identities that have come to the United States and have been resilient and have evolved into new cultural heritages. So On The Move is all about learning about the many parts of our vibrant culture and also embracing the many people who make up the Untied States.
Speaker 2:

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{SPEAKER name={Unknown Speaker} Today we are honored to have people from the Muslim Community Center of Silver Spring. Asalamalakim.

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The Muslim Community Center itself is a wonderful example of unity and diversity. There are people from many, how many countries? [Murmurs]

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Almost every country represented in the Muslim Community Center. And they have the challenging task of mediating between and embracing the many cultures that come to the Center.

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Um Usman, OK last one, Sarwar is the president of the Muslim Community Center, and he is going to be the facilitator of of this wonderful group from whom we can learn something about their lives and identities.

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As you know the way that we break down barriers between people is to listen to their stories and to tell our own stories. So, I encourage you to listen, to participate, and to ask questions.

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Along with Usman, we have Sabr, who I understand means patience—one with patience. Sanjana, whose name means calm and gentleness. And Nazia, who means pride.

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And Aziz, who is a servant of the Almighty and who brings us much strength to this session. So I would like to turn it over to Usman, and please join me in welcoming them.
Usman:

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Thank you everyone. I just, uh, first want to thank Alyssa, Sojan, Olivia and all the organizers for the Smithsonian on the Move and for inviting us.

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It is a really great honor for us to be here, and it is a pleasure for us to be here.

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And then quickly I will just talk a little bit about, uh, an intro and what MCC is. So, the Muslim Community Center is one of the older mosques, it is one of the oldest mosques in the Washington D.C. area.

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It was established as an idea in 1976, and then the physical structures kinda came on throughout the years. Primarily, it was, the idea was started as an education center for youth, for weekend school learning.

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A lot of immigrants came here, migrated from many different nations, and they wanted to make sure that they passed along some of the teachings, religiously and also culturally.

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So, that is how the idea of MCC came about. But over the years, it is has evolved into many different activities.

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We do have a weekend school still. It is over 500 students that come there on a Saturday and Sunday.

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We also have a very strong interfaith presence.

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Brother Sabr is one of the past presidents, and also has been a pioneer in starting the interfaith culture and also our partnerships around in the area with the interfaith counsel and other groups.

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So, we are very involved in that. We have a seniors committee, which takes care of the senior's issues.

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We have a youth group of which Nazia and Aziz were very integral and are still integral in that.

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We also have a young adults and professionals group with Sandana as the head of that.

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And we also have a medical clinic, which was established in 2003. It was a all-volunteer, free medical clinic. We are strongly in belief of healthcare for everyone regardless of religion, faith, or gender.

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And, um, we started out with a very modest clinic of I would say 50 patients the first year in 2003.

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And, just last year we calculated about 15,000 patient encounters, which is almost about five to six thousand patients.

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So it's grown tremendously. It is one of [[??]] County primary care coalition clinics. We don't deny anyone.

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If you have insurance, welcome. If you don't have insurance, please feel free. You will, you will be seen by anyone.

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It is a full, almost a full facility. It has dental, gynecology, we do labs, lab work, primary care physician, you name it.

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And it's on our property. So that's just a little bit about MCC. And what I want to do is kind of ask, ask our panelists a few questions.

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We will start with one question and see how far it gets.

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It is a loaded question, so I am pretty sure they will have loaded answers for it.

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And just as a preface to that, with the Muslim community, you know we kind of internally, and I would say loosely, define it within about 3 phases now.

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The first one is, post, I'm sorry pre-911. Kind of what the Muslim community was at that time. 911 was a very defining moment you know for our country and also for the Muslim community in America in particular.

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But the tragedy that happened and also the responses to that. Then there's also kind of this generation that I would say probably like, Sabr will talk about the pre-911, and he was the President when 911 happened of MCC.

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So Jon and I would say are probably more we grew up like I would say maybe from 911 up until like 2010 and that generation.

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So we are like the 911 generation. We had to grow up in that you know culture and and whatever came out of it, right.

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But then these two it's very interesting when I started working with the youth group, they've kinda far removed from it. It's the first generation I kinda met that it's history to them, right.

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They didn't really live through it. So their perspective in terms of what they go through is really very contemporary.

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And I think you'll find that you know that their perspectives are very interesting. So with that introduction I will ask them one by one.

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You can answer. Obviously, keep it as brief as possible but don't shortcut yourself.

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The first question. And the first question is: can you share your personal experience on developing your American Muslim identity? And what does it mean to you to be an American Muslim?

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Speaker 1: I am on
Speaker 2: lets get close to the mic
Speaker 1: [[?]] Alicia gave us these cards she gave the hanging strings to the young people then gave hanging string to the old people so I have to hold it in hand [[?]]. I came to this country in 1964 from Pakistan. I had to go to graduates school at University of Maryland, I had graduated from university of [[?]] university of Maryland good, I had graduated from university of [[?]] in Pakistan with a masters degree in mathematics, I was 24 years old at that time and Pakistan was 17 years old at that time. Im older than Pakistan {crowd"} (laughter)

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Speaker 1: I came here to go to graduates school just like many other Pakistani's came here to graduates schools because Pakistan had not yet established the higher learning institution beyond masters degree. They do now, Pakistan governments had a very large expense and a large number of us to come here and to many other countries to get higher education and go back and serve the country, we did not come here as immigrants, we did not come here to settle, We did not fit the Statue of Liberty slogan give me your tired your poor your oppressed yearning to breath free. We had been under colonial rule for long time but we had thrown out the colonial rulers about 17 years before I came here so we were free, and we were all a part of the middle and upper class families of Pakistan so we knew what to do. When we came here we wanted to go back, but what happened was some did and some did not and their was a reason for that. Pakistan had been under colonial rule for a very long time and the colonial rulers had established an oppressed oppressive frustratingly suffocating system of government to control the population. During that time all the top jobs were held by the foreigners for the middle and low level jobs they trained the locals they trained them in the same system to oppress and control the population, when the foreigners finally left, those who were trained by their masters for lower and middle level jobs became the rulers they continued the same oppressive and suffocating system. When we came her we discovered something, theirs freedom and we can breath free we can can claim our dignity and now we have to decide between the love of a country and the freedom

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Sabir Rahman: and to complicate the situation further, the U.S government and the American people

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Sabir Rahman: and the American employers wanted us to stay here.

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Sabir Rahman: Employers were after us with very good jobs because we were highly educated.

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Sabir Rahman: So the struggle between love of country and the lure of freedom --

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Sabir Rahman: Some got taken by the love of the country; they went back.

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Sabir Rahman: Some got taken by the lure of freedom; they stayed here.

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Sabir Rahman: And we became citizens, made good life of our self; during '70s, '80s, and '90s, we had no problems.

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Sabir Rahman: Muslims and Pakistani were well-respected in this country, well-regarded, and we were well-adjusted in the society.

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Sabir Rahman: Then came 9/11, which is what Usman is talking about, and it turned everything upside-down.

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Sabir Rahman: However it also created a unique situation and an opportunity.

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Sabir Rahman: A lot of people turned against us,

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Sabir Rahman: started saying horrible things about us,

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Sabir Rahman: but then a large number of people rose to support us

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Sabir Rahman: and it created the opportunity.

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Sabir Rahman: And although we say, "Badnaam honge to kya naam na hoga."

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Sabir Rahman: Roughly translated, it means, "Notoriety also is a form of recognition."

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Sabir Rahman: When people started hating us and some came to... to support, they actually reach out to us as, "We are with you."

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Sabir Rahman: That gave us an opportunity to get to know a lot of people,

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Sabir Rahman: and when they got to know us, they found out we were not all that bad.

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Sabir Rahman: And we are making a lot of friends, including all of you.

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Sabir Rahman: We are going to be all right.

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[Speaker 1]: Thank you Saber. Sanjana:

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[Speaker 2]: Alright hello everyone. Lemme just get this a little closer. Alright.

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So unsurprisingly as you may know was mentioned 9/11 was a significant event in the development of the Muslim-American community and similarly it had a very significant impact on our individual identity development.

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While I was aware that I was Muslim growing up, that identity was reinforced after 9/11.

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Up until then, most people saw my ethnicity, which was perceived to be as Indian, although I was Bengali as my primary identifier, and then when I was in seventh grade 9/11 happened and suddenly there was a shift in how I was perceived.

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This hijab which I chose to put on when I was ten no longer was just an expression of my worship, but it became a statement and a flag that screamed "I am Muslim."

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So being 12, my religion, while it was important, it wasn't something that I had really engaged in because I was twelve, but now I was asked to speak for this entire group.

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So, 9/11 for me really catalyzed the development of my Muslim identity and it also made me so much more aware of my own "Muslimness."

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On the one hand, it led to a lot of discomfort.

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You know, I got called a terrorist. I got asked if I had a bomb under my scarf.

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I probably got a lot more weird and angry looks then the average American got, especially when they were twelve or thirteen.

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But on the other hand, it also cemented for me the importance of a psalm in my life.

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I knew that whenever people saw me, the first thing that they would think is a Muslim woman, so I felt the need to rise to that occasion, and to be the best version of myself because I knew that I had to actively fight the Muslim stereotypes that was inundating society.

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So it also forced me to learn more about Islam than I probably would have at twelve,

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And it really required me to navigate that intersection my identity.

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So in terms of the question "what it means to be an American-Muslim?" I have a really hard time answering that question because the term "American-Muslim,"

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it really just lumps together two things that I am: it's an American and a Muslim.

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America is the only home that I've ever lived in. I was born and raised in Maryland.

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I grew up trading Lisa Frank stickers, going to Sunday school, obsessing over 90's boy bands, learning the Arabic alphabet, you know, catching fireflies with my friends in the summer time but at the same time, learning about the stories of the prophets.

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There was no end point and middle point. All these activities bled together. There was no Muslim activity and American activity. This was simply who I am.

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So really to me, you know, I am an American who just happens to be a Muslim. They aren't mutually exclusive. American-Muslim is simply my existence.

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While there is so much emphasis put on one over the other, it's really just two parts and it's intersection of who I am.

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Those are two different layers of my identity.

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They're just combined together.

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And that's kind of, a little bit, you know, my response for that first question.

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[Crowd applause]

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[Speaker 1]: Alright, Naziyah.

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[Speaker 3]: Alright. Hello everyone, I'm Naziyah. So post 9/11. Honestly, I learned about 9/11 when I was in fourth grade. I didn't even know it happened.

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I was actually shocked when it happened. Like I heard about all these things like oh like this happened, there was this, and I'm just like "whoa this happened."

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I was two and a half when 9/11 happened. So i-i like when I found out about it was like, "oh okay it's just another part of history. Whatever" and moved on and played with my toys.

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But this question you know, what it means to be an American-Muslim, to me it just means being an unapologetic Muslim-American who just lives the American life. You know?

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For me personally, you know, it's a constant battle for me is just finding out what values I believe in as an American, and what values I believe in as a Muslim. You know?

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And that's just something I'm constantly struggling with, but as a Muslim American, you know, when you, I think being an American in general is just being who you are and just being who you want to be, regardless of what anybody says. You know?

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And that's what I love about America and that's what being an American is, just being proud of who you are and just being you, you know?

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And I think living in American, you just live with so many different types of people. A diverse community, and I think that's what I love about it because if everyone believed in the same thing and wore the same thing, and like everyone was just the same, we would just be boring. You know?

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We're amazing. People love America why? Because we're so different and we're, we stand out.

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Like the other day, I was buying some supplies for Fourth of July and some of my friends were like,

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Yo Naziyah, why are you buying supplies for a party, like for America, for a country that doesn't love you?

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And i was like you're wrong. There's some people in this country that don't love me, but this country gave me the opportunity that I would not have if I lived back home in Bangladesh with my parents.

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And it just wouldn't have worked out. And I am who I am because America has given me the opportunities that I have today, and I am a very proud, unapologetic Muslim-American Bengali teen.

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And, that's just who I am.

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[Crowd applause]

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[Speaker 1]: Great, thank you Naziyah. And then last, we'll do Azeez.

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[Speaker 4] Alrighty. So I mean kind of piggybacking a little bit off of what everyone said, but kind of adding my own twist to it.

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To me, being an American-Muslim is embracing my individuality and my differences while at the same time, being an American.

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And kind of what everybody said, but America is a place where everybody, no matter your differences, or who you are, it's a place where you can be who you are.

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I don't think there is a place where I would be, or any of us would be able to practice our religion the way we could here in America. With its freedoms and with the civil liberties that we have here, there's definitely not a place where we could be proud Muslims.

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And i think that just goes, in this day and age, I mean we have people who pre 9/11 and in the 9/11 era, and I guess me and Naziyah in our post 9/11 era, we have our own challenges in 2017 with the different things we have to deal with.

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But I don't think there's a better time for me to being an American-Muslim, seeing as though although we have the hate on end, we have so much support and love for us. Just by-

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[Audience applause]

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[Speaker 4]: Just by being who we are, unapologetic and being Muslim, we can, I mean we're just as American as anybody else.

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I mean I think that's what makes me an American-.

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Speaker 1: Great, Great. So hopefully that kind of gives an overview of the inter generational, I should say, maybe evolution of what that American Muslim community is going through. The only thing I will add is that I think that, we American Muslims kind of feel a little a little added responsibility to kind of showcase what Islam really is.

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Speaker 1: And I think the best way that we could do that is to open up and meet people and let people ask questions and get to know who we are, you know and hopefully you know, you'll love us. So I think to Segway into that umm Alicia maybe we can open into questions.
[SILENCE]

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{Alicia="Speaker 2"} hey does anyone have a question they would like to ask ok?

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Speaker 3: I do

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{Alicia="Speaker 2"} ok would you like me to give you the microphone

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Speaker 3: I don't need a microphone, I would like to ask the younger people if growing up after 911 they felt something of a burden to carry the whole weight of the oh, of the, uh, feeling they had to represent their particular faith to individuals or to groups of people

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Speaker 3: For example i was brought up a Roman Catholic and i never felt the need when i was growing up that people would question me and that i would have to uh, represent the entire faith of Catholicism for example i wonder if you found that not only an opportunity but something of a burden, thank you.

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Speaker 2: uhm, yah, thank you for your question sir i really appreciate it, uhm, honestly it was-it was both, it was a burden and it was also you know, an opportunity you know but like, uhm, it was hard like people that would ask me "why do you have that on your head" and i'm just like "why do you have that towel on your head" and i just look at them, and like

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Speaker 2: Before i use to be like so mean, i would be like "why are you so mean" i would yell at them like "why, why-why are you being so rude", you know and as i got older like, you know, i have to respond kindly, they don't know what's on top of my head, this thing is called a hijab, and you know some people don't know that and like growing up it was like I'd kinda always had to defend myself,

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Speaker 2: you know even with the attacks going on today you know, i like, if a Muslim attack happen, i have be like "why do we have to apologize" you know why do we need to say sorry because i didn't do anything these people on the stage didn't do anything so why would we have to apologize

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Speaker 2: And you know that's where it gets hard it gets a little frustrating you know, but we gotta keep our head high, and uhm, growing up we would get so many like comments i'm sure me and Naziyah we would be called terrorist all the time and it's just like it's all fun and like jokes, but you know it hit's the core sometimes,

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Speaker 2: You know and i think for me personally going through all of that i learned to combat it with being nice and being kind, and just showing them like this is who i am this is what my faith is you believe in something else and i respect you i would like the same respect you know, and it's tough, but you know were going to get through it and were going to keep our head's high and you know keep going-

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Speaker 1: I mean uh pretty i guess Nazia said it all but yeah its tough its definitely tough having to justify the acts of a couple people but i mean Muslims are 1.6 billion of the worlds population you know so. At times yeah its tough but then again its a learning opportunity for those who might not know like I mean yeah its gonna be tough to answer, but then again they're not gonna know so educate them like hey they did this in our name but that's not who we are or who we stand for and you can look throughout history, people do certain things in the name of other people but it doesn't necessarily represent those people and what they stand for so yeah.
Speaker 2: Thank you.
Speaker 1: Thank you for your question sir!
Speaker 2: Is there another question?
Speaker 1: Can i say somthing? Iliza
Speaker 2: Of course!
Speaker 1: Can i say something? IS this on? Oh ok!. TH way people ask questions is also important. Sometimes we we ask for information its very pleasant because you can give the information but most of the time they ask from a point of view as if they are condemning you. That's what is hurtful that's harder to deal with.
Speaker 2: The present political climate especially the ban on Muslim travel into this country. How are you feeling about the present political climate?
Speaker 1: Um i just wanna like say a quick thing you know like its tough of course its tough you know but like you know uh the President of the United States is uh trying to divide all of us you know but i think what we need to do is come and unite and you know come together in unity. and um honestly like i think were stronger than ever now with all of our marches, with all of our protests i think i feel like i have a huge community like supporting me you know? and honestly its its tough of course like you know like im im actually still shocked that he's still president but uh you know i think we just have to come i think i think we just have to come together you know and just support one each other and just be there for all of us.

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Sanjana Quasem: So, I think it's -- I think the current political climate has had two impacts. The first --

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Sanjana Quasem: It's almost desensitized, I think, the Muslim community in a sense that one thing after another, after another, after another,

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Sanjana Quasem: you get used to the trauma that this community -- has been continually inflicted upon it.

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Sanjana Quasem: And that's kind of -- when you read the news, you hear it, you're watching the news, and there's yet another thing about Muslims happening or another person who's saying something inflammatory about Muslims,

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Sanjana Quasem: you're kind of just like, "Okay, just another one of those -- another incident that's happened."

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Sanjana Quasem: And then, you know, after a certain point, you realize that you're kind of internalizing all of that.

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Sanjana Quasem: So, it's just kind of -- its an interesting place to be because it's very odd to just hear inflammatory statements being said about a group that you identify with, over and over again, and then trying to learn to desensitize yourself to that.

00:27:13.000 --> 00:27:22.000
Sanjana Quasem: But I also think, on the other hand, it's created a really high level of fear that I don't think we -- the Muslim community in particular -- has felt since right after 9/11.

00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:27.000
Sanjana Quasem: Having been -- you know, remembering 9/11, having gone through that experience --

00:27:27.000 --> 00:27:32.000
Sanjana Quasem: I was in high school, I was in middle school -- I remember the fear that kind of cloaked the Muslim community at that time.

00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:35.000
Sanjana Quasem: And I feel like it's similarly happening again.

00:27:35.000 --> 00:27:42.000
Sanjana Quasem: We worked, the Muslim community worked -- and just the community in general -- we worked really hard to understand one another, and I felt like after some time, that did get kind of shred --

00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:51.000
Sanjana Quasem: We were able to dispel some of that fear, but then, now, we're right back there. We've had some progress and we've regressed now.

00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:56.000
Sanjana Quasem: Ten steps backward, and that's kind of hard, because --

00:27:56.000 --> 00:28:03.000
Sanjana Quasem: I know, for myself, I'm gonna be traveling soon, and I'm like, "Okay. Well, I was born here, but I don't know if that really means anything, right? Am I gonna be able to come back?"

00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:08.000
Sanjana Quasem: I was just joking the other day with my boss, telling him, "Well, if you don't see me next week, you know why."

00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:21.000
Sanjana Quasem: But that's kind of the reality of our existence, that actions that people may commit very easily, that you really don't think about twice, we have to think about twice.

00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:30.000
Sanjana Quasem: We have to think about, "Okay, well, what am I gonna wear? What am I gonna look like? What's my facial expression gonna look like? What am I gonna pack? How am I gonna respond? Where am I gonna go?"

00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:38.000
Sanjana Quasem: These are things that we have to consider actively and daily in every decision that we make, and I think that's kind of the biggest thing.

00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:46.000
Sanjana Quasem: The weight of the political climate really is seen and felt in our every interaction and every decision that we make.

00:28:46.000 --> 00:28:57.000
Usman Sawar: So, real quick, I wanted to add one thing. Being the president of MCC, the burden was felt on me initially, because how do you navigate your community through?

00:28:57.000 --> 00:29:09.000
Usman Sawar: But I want to speak to this one point. After the tragedy of 9/11, I think our community always felt like all eyes are on us, and we didn't really have much assistance at that time.

00:29:09.000 --> 00:29:23.000
Usman Sawar: We really had to navigate things for ourselves, and also introspectively at the same time deal with the trauma, but also deal with being very vocal about what our voice is, and what is not Islam.

00:29:23.000 --> 00:29:28.000
Usman Sawar: This time around it's been a little different, and I'll just explain it.

00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:38.000
Usman Sawar: So, we -- I think from the time of January up until now -- have had over one thousand, almost five hundred people of other faiths come through our doors.

00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:40.000
Usman Sawar: They want to know who we are, they want to support us,

00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:51.000
Usman Sawar: we've had flowers sent to us, we've had cards from churches that have been sent to us from their kids in Sunday school supporting our kids.

00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:55.000
Usman Sawar: I would really give a shout-out to Smithsonian Folklife Festival, they help us to get our voice.

00:29:55.000 --> 00:30:01.000
Usman Sawar: I also want to give a shout-out to Oyen [[??]], she's back there with the Strathmore Music Center.

00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:07.000
Usman Sawar: They've approached us to help us get our voice out, and the difference this time is we have so much support.

00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:13.000
Usman Sawar: And I want to emphasize it means the world to us. Because this time we feel like we have support.

00:30:13.000 --> 00:30:21.000
Usman Sawar: You know, before, the first time, we were really kind of fending, and it helped us, because we had to think a lot of things through ourselves.

00:30:21.000 --> 00:30:27.000
Usman Sawar: This time we're very clear, and the amount of support that's there is really really comforting for us.

00:30:27.000 --> 00:30:35.000
Usman Sawar: And that's why we feel that the best thing is just break bread and have dialog. We have to learn who we are, so that people can speak.

00:30:35.000 --> 00:30:43.000
Usman Sawar: You know, we can speak for others and we have taken on other minority causes as well, because there are other minorities that are affected and we realize that.

00:30:43.000 --> 00:30:49.000
Usman Sawar: But the difference is that we have a lot of support, and that really means the world to us.

00:30:49.000 --> 00:30:53.000
Sabir Rahman: Usman -- [[clapping]]

00:30:53.000 --> 00:30:58.000
Sabir Rahman: After 9/11 we did have the support of a lot of people.

00:30:58.000 --> 00:31:09.000
Sabir Rahman: We are fortunate to be located in Montgomery County, and Montgomery County government is so supportive of its population.

00:31:09.000 --> 00:31:20.000
Sabir Rahman: And right after 9/11, the county executive called MCC and held -- first, a prayer meeting at MCC,

00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:23.000
Sabir Rahman: and then a press conference at MCC,

00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:36.000
Sabir Rahman: and then he asked the chief of police to make sure that a police car is always at MCC for the next few weeks.

00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:39.080
Sabir Rahman: So we got a lot of support.

00:31:41.000 --> 00:31:47.000
Sabir Rahman: to your question. As for as this travel ban was concerned,

00:31:47.000 --> 00:31:54.000
Sabir Rahman: since 9/11 travel for us has been very, very difficult.

00:31:54.000 --> 00:32:06.000
Sabir Rahman: Because when they started "random checking" passengers at the airports, we were always the "random check".

00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:16.000
Sabir Rahman: One of our leaders usually tells people that "My middle name is Random Check" when he goes to the airport.

00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:33.000
Sabir Rahman: He says, "I'm here! Siraj Random Check Wahhaj! Check me." We are always picked, right? If that's random, then that random is beautiful.

00:32:33.000 --> 00:32:45.000
Sabir Rahman: We are scared of the airports. I went to Canada driving. On my way to Canada, the Canadian immigration treated me with respect and dignity.

00:32:45.000 --> 00:32:52.000
Sabir Rahman: On the way back, my own immigration people treated me like dirt, and I felt so bad.

00:32:52.000 --> 00:33:01.000
Sabir Rahman: So, when this travel ban, the first one, was declared, there were so many people who cancelled their flights.

00:33:01.000 --> 00:33:08.000
Sabir Rahman: Because they were going overseas, they cancelled; it cost them large amounts of money, because airlines do not return money.

00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:23.000
Sabir Rahman: If you buy the ticket and do not go, you have lost the money. Lot of people cancelled their flights, they were so scared of the travel ban. And, that fear continues to be felt.

00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:29.000
{SPEAKER name="Usman Sawar"] I think we should go on to other questions, because we only have about ten minutes, right? Alissa? {SPEAKER name="Alissa Stern"] Yes. {SPEAKER name="Usman Sawar"] Yeah.

00:33:29.000 --> 00:33:38.000
Ali: Yeah, good afternoon, the name is Ali, and I'm a naturalized American citizen. I've been in this country since 1978.

00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:46.000
Ali: The reason of my speech this morning is Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson was one of the founding fathers of this country.

00:33:46.000 --> 00:33:53.000
Ali: If you read his book, he has a Qu'ran that he put together to write freedom of religion into the Constitution.

00:33:53.000 --> 00:34:04.000
Ali: I would encourage each and every one of you to get the book from the Smithsonian Institute and read about it, that gives each and everyone the opportunity to practice your faith, irrespective of where you are.

00:34:04.000 --> 00:34:11.000
Ali: So, that's my point to you guys. Freedom of religion was written into the Constitution by Thomas Jefferson, whose monument is down the street there. OK?

00:34:11.000 --> 00:34:17.000
Ali: So that way, let's treat ourselves equally, because in the Constitution every man is equal.

00:34:17.000 --> 00:34:20.000
Ali: Yes, there are evil and good in this society.

00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:31.000
Ali: The portion of the society that is bad is what is happening to us by certain people causing problems so as much as Timothy McVeigh, that blew up Oklahoma.

00:34:31.000 --> 00:34:44.000
Ali: He's a Christian, he blew up Oklahoma, killing a lot of people. So, bad people out there, good people that support each other, because there is freedom of religion, according to Thomas Jefferson in the Constitution. Thank you.

00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:45.210
Sabir Rahman: Thank you.

00:34:48.000 --> 00:34:58.000
[[clapping]]
Alissa Stern: OK, we have time for a couple more questions? [[Talking background noise]]

00:34:58.000 --> 00:35:01.000
Audience Member: Well, first I just want to say that I think this is wonderful that you are doing this today.

00:35:01.000 --> 00:35:05.000
Audience Member: And I came in a little late, so you may have already spoken to this,

00:35:05.000 --> 00:35:13.000
Audience Member: but I think that it's just lack of understanding and fear that causes some of these things.

00:35:13.000 --> 00:35:21.000
Audience Member: So, we hear things in the media or on Facebook or wherever, and they may or may not be true, and we don't really know.

00:35:21.000 --> 00:35:34.000
Audience Member: So my question goes to -- is Sharia law a part of the Muslim faith, and, if so, can you explain a little bit to us about that and the impact that it would have on people.

00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:45.000
Usman Sawar: OK --
Sabir Rahman: Sharia is an Arabic word which means "path to the watering hole".

00:35:45.000 --> 00:35:59.000
Sabir Rahman: Sharia is a path, and some people have started using this word in the legal terms, in terms of jurisprudence.

00:35:59.000 --> 00:36:10.000
Sabir Rahman: "Sharia law" is a nonsense term, because "Sharia" is "law". We do not say "law law".

00:36:10.000 --> 00:36:28.000
Sabir Rahman: There is no such thing as a "Sharia law", and you will not find anybody in America who is a Muslim and asking America to adopt a law called Sharia.

00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:40.000
Sabir Rahman: Only those who are scared of Islam or hate Islam are using this terminology to scare everybody else.

00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:54.620
Sabir Rahman: If you find somebody who wants to tell you that I am here to install "Sharia law" in America, come to Muslim communities and we'll set him straight.

00:36:58.000 --> 00:37:01.000
[[clapping, background talking]]

00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:04.000
Alissa Stern: One more question.

00:37:04.000 --> 00:37:06.000
Usman Sawar: No, no, no I'm good. [[background]]

00:37:06.000 --> 00:37:13.000
Alissa Stern: Ok. One more question?

00:37:13.000 --> 00:37:20.000
Audience Member: I would like to know how Ramadan is a part of people's personal growth.

00:37:20.000 --> 00:37:36.000
[SPEAKER name="Sanjana Quasem"} So, Ramadan is a time of -- so first, just general, the reason why in the Qur'an it says that fasting was described to you so that you may gain god consciousness or that term is Taqwa.

00:37:36.000 --> 00:37:47.000
[SPEAKER name="Sanjana Quasem"} So, that is kind of the very first -- the very first thing that Ramadan is meant to do for Muslims. It's really a time for us to reflect, to spiritually grow -- and for us to kind of re-center ourselves.

00:37:47.000 --> 00:38:01.000
[SPEAKER name="Sanjana Quasem"} I know a lot of people use Ramadan -- a lot of Muslims -- like it's this time that we are kind of re-fueling, re-centering our beliefs and trying to kind of remember why we as Muslims believe we are put on this earth.

00:38:01.000 --> 00:38:07.000
[SPEAKER name="Sanjana Quasem"} So, Ramadan is a very huge spiritual -- it's a time of spiritual reflection and growth.

00:38:07.000 --> 00:38:15.000
[SPEAKER name="Sanjana Quasem"} And oftentimes -- in terms of how it's celebrated and how that manifests -- oftentimes individuals usually put together Ramadan goals or certain things you want to work towards.

00:38:15.000 --> 00:38:22.000
[SPEAKER name="Sanjana Quasem"} I know for myself, these are things where there are actions like, "I want to read these things" or "I want to pray this much",

00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:26.000
[SPEAKER name="Sanjana Quasem"} but I also -- a lot of it is also just me growing as a person.

00:38:26.000 --> 00:38:29.000
[SPEAKER name="Sanjana Quasem"} One of the things that Islam does is that it was sent to perfect our character.

00:38:29.000 --> 00:38:35.000
[SPEAKER name="Sanjana Quasem"} So, as a Muslim, our main goal in life is to perfect our character.

00:38:35.000 --> 00:38:44.000
[SPEAKER name="Sanjana Quasem"} A lot of the things that we are meant to do to be good people is just -- really, that is what Islam tells us to do.

00:38:44.000 --> 00:38:49.000
[SPEAKER name="Sanjana Quasem"} So, oftentimes Ramadan is one of those times where I'm like, "OK. Well, is is this what I am working towards?

00:38:49.000 --> 00:39:02.000
[SPEAKER name="Sanjana Quasem"} Am I a person who practices kindness? Am I a person who is honest whenever I can? Am I a person who gives back to community? Am I a person who makes time for my parents even though things are busy?"

00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:09.000
[SPEAKER name="Sanjana Quasem"} So really Ramadan for me is a time to not only learn about my religion and ensure that I am kind of staying connected to that,

00:39:09.000 --> 00:39:16.000
[SPEAKER name="Sanjana Quasem"} but also make those personal goals to perfect my character, which is one of the things that Islam was sent for Muslims to do.

00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:18.790
[SPEAKER name="Sanjana Quasem"} I'll leave some time in case others want to add to that.

00:39:24.000 --> 00:39:31.000
Sabir Rahman: Ramadan is like Lent for Catholics, like Passover for Jews, and similar --

00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:50.000
[[Sabir corrected by someone without a mic]]
Sabir Rahman: Yom Kippur. You don't -- Jews don't fast on Passover? They should, they should. [[laughs]] Yom Kippur. [[laughs]]

00:39:50.000 --> 00:40:01.000
Alissa Stern: OK, well thank you so much. Unfortunately, we are out of time, but I hope that our guests will stay for a few minutes in the Nixon room, so that you'll have a chance to ask them questions.

00:40:01.000 --> 00:40:10.000
Usman Sawar: Also, if anyone ever wants to visit MCC, learn more about Islam, learn more about Muslim, or even see our center, see me and I'll get you my card.

00:40:10.000 --> 00:40:14.000
Usman Sawar: We have some tote bags. Please feel free to take a tote bag if you like.

00:40:14.000 --> 00:40:21.000
Alissa Stern: And please come back at 3:30 when Usman will be in conversation with Hena Khan, who is a Muslim-American writer.

00:40:21.000 --> 00:40:28.000
Alissa Stern: So, we hope to see you then, and please enjoy the rest of the day. Thank you so much for coming.

00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:40.536
[[clapping, background noise]]