By: Grainne Rhuad
“Applying contemporary standards of tolerance to medieval Muslim history and policy does a disservice to the prospects of reconciliation in our times. The assumption by some that an inherent medieval Islamic intolerance prevailed and that it underlies present-day Muslim terrorism is a distortion of reality. On the other side, the self-ascribed mission of the small minority of “card-carrying” Islamist fundamentalists to revive the pristine Islam of the Qur’an is itself a distortion that conveniently overlooks the pluralism of medieval Islam and the promise of freedom of religion embedded in the Qur’an and in other foundational Islamic texts. Until non-Muslims begin to understand Islam in all its facets, we will be destined to live in ignorance of the “real” Islam and to act out of fear. The presence of Muslims in our midst and of mosques like the one planned near Ground Zero, which will be an educational center as well as a place of prayer, is one good way of transcending this ignorance.”- Mark R. Cohen
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the hullabaloo surrounding plans to build a Mosque two blocks away from the site of “ground zero” of the World Trade Center at 45-47 Park Place in Lower Manhattan.
The property is privately owned and the project is being managed by Sharif El-Gamal, chief executive of SoHo Properties. The group funding the project: The Cordoba Initiative has been under fire and found itself a political target with people up for election on both sides of the fence calling for investigation into their funding. As if a 15 storey recreation and education center which also houses a house of worship were somehow going to unravel the fabric of America.
But this is apparently just what Rick A. Lazio, a Republican candidate for governor, appeared at the vote, in an auditorium at Pace University near City Hall, to oppose the project, was thinking. Calling on his rival Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, to (ask for) “transparency,” Mr. Lazio said. “If they’re foreign governments, we ought to know about it. If they’re radical organizations, we ought to know about it.”
He added, “This is not about religion. It’s about this particular mosque.”
This seems like it is less and less about religion or this particular mosque which in fact is much more than a mosque, it will be modeled after other cultural centers throughout cities all over the United States as a refuge, a place of learning and a place to come and understand one another. It really shouldn’t be an issue given that the building currently occupying the space is already an Islamic place of prayer and worship. It is only the reconstruction and political posturing that has made it stand out so starkly to people who feed off the evening news.
People are firing up their blogs and painting their placards claiming shock, disgust and downright hatred toward Muslims who would build a house of worship in a place that Christian America has claimed for itself as sacred…to Christians that is.
The planned structure which has already been approved is to be called Cordoba House, named for the Spanish city where Muslims, Jews, and Christians together created one of the most fertile and creative civilizations in the world. And just in case that in itself is in question let’s remember the Byzantine era is often described as the “Golden Age” of learning in which Muslims, Christians and Jews lived together in relative peace. Enough peace that the building of libraries and Academies became more important than the building of defensive structures. Literature, poetry, mathematics and science flourished during this time.
Daisy Khan and Imam Feisal the husband and wife duo who envisioned this community center meant it to be a place where people can come and learn about Islam. Daisy Khan expressed concern that critics of the Islamic cultural center have misunderstood its creators’ purpose. The center will not function primarily as a mosque; New York City is already home to more than 200 mosques. Instead it is modeled on other religiously based establishments like YMCAs and Jewish Community Centers. The Islamic center will serve the larger community to become an institution for learning, collaborating, and sharing knowledge across faiths and cultures.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg shares his concerns. He backs the project and also states that “Government should never – never – be in the business of telling people how they should pray, or where they can pray.”
Many people in blogs, on the air and television have stated that a mosque at ground zero would serve as a sort of “trophy” to Muslims everywhere.” This thought process misses the point of a community center. Muslims as a whole are as appalled by the actions of a few radicals. They are Americans, They want to connect with their country and give back as well. Undoubtedly people of the Muslim faith lost lives in the 9/11 attack as well.
A blog comment posted by someone identified as @mr9376 states: “Nobody’s got exclusive rights to Ground Zero? Wrong. We’ve got exclusive rights. The loved ones of the victims-nice to meet you. Our loved ones paid for those exclusive rights when they died. When all is said and done, it’s the victims’ families and friends who’re gonna have to live for the rest of their lives with the question I have to live with. Did… die quick or did she have to jump to avoid being burned alive? There is no answer to that question as there are no graves, just the Ground Zero site. It’s a cemetery, friends, and I hope you all have enough sense to respect that.”
Lest the impression is given that only right wingers are behind the blocking this statement came recently from the Anti-Defamation League : “building an Islamic Center in the shadow of the World Trade Center will cause some victims more pain – unnecessarily – and that is not right.”
But then we should not be surprised by seemingly nice religious folks taking sides. We’ve seen a lot of it lately. It has become a matter of course, our Gods all seem to be angry and all seem to be intolerant. Perhaps we do need to begin thinking in directions of behaving better than these ancestors of the Goode Book. (s)
Should the voices of Muslims who lost their lives in this attack be silenced simply because some fringe elements took it upon themselves to stage an act of terrorism?
There is a president for this mistreatment and we would do well to remember it. During WWII thousands of Japanese Americans were interned in camps for the “safety” of our nation. Their land was taken, their lives disrupted and it wasn’t until the 1989 when then President Bush issued a formal recognition along with apology from the United States Government. Do we really want to go there again?
It seems to me that an Islamic community center is exactly what is needed at this time. Many Americans are still greatly misunderstanding the message and teachings of Islam one blog commenter posted the following:
“Do you know that Muslims are allowed to lie to infidels so they can spread the cause of Islam? It is a doctrine called Taqqiya and is to be spread in lands that do not have a Muslim majority like the USA.
Compare Muhammad and Jesus. One advised that you give the other cheek and even forgave his crucifiers. The other beheaded people and was a pedophile. Is there a religion more foolish than Islam?
Also wherever Islam has been victorious, it has decimated the most important religious sites of other religions. Cordoba? Do you know about the jizziya tax? That is what Christians and Jews had to pay for living in Cordoba as infidels. The Hindus had to do the same in India.
There may be moderate Muslims but there is no moderate Islam. Islam teaches hate about infidels. Instructs its followers to kill them. Of course there is violence in other religions but no other religion challenges Western values like Islam does. Freedom of speech, freedom of women, freedom of religion are all ‘haram’ under Islam. It is a hateful ideology. Please open your eyes before it is too late.” [@brian_geo]
This sort of antilocution reminds one of, well…every fear based propaganda that human kind has disseminated throughout history in order to sway weak minded people to their sides.
This argument has not been limited to the Tri-State area, as everyone knows the political glitz brought out former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin who upped an already raucous debate when on Twitter she called on “peaceful” Muslims to “refudiate” the plan, calling it “a stab in the heart” for America.
Actual Palin Tweets:
“Ground Zero Mosque supporters: doesn’t it stab you in the heart, as it does ours throughout the heartland? Peaceful Muslims, pls refudiate,” Palin said via Twitter.
She subsequently deleted her “tweet” and published a new message, which did not include the made-up word “refudiate”: “Peaceful New Yorkers, pls refute the Ground Zero mosque plan if you believe catastrophic pain caused @ Twin Towers site is too raw, too real.”
What we need as a nation is to heal. We need to leave the political grandstanding behind for a moment and think about the realness of the people involved on both sides. We really haven’t dealt with our feelings on a deeper and spiritual level. Yes we have gone to war against the “bad guys” and yes we see rants galore regarding immigrants, supposed security risks and darker folks in general. But we have not taken the opportunity to allow for those Americans who are Muslims to feel their pain. Christian America seems to think they have a corner on Pain Avenue. To disregard the feelings and sorrow of our Islamic brethren is to disenfranchise a portion of our own people. And isn’t it disenfranchisement that causes such problems to begin with?
American citizens could take this opportunity to begin healing themselves and the land around ground zero by accepting the sacred nature of a mosque set up at the site. A mosque is less about a trophy as some westerners seem to see the setting up of religious structures and more about a place to sanctify the spirit and the land together as one.
L. A. Breaux 
Subversify Staff
I love the quote you started off with. It reflects my thoughts about this issue perfectly. When you stated “The planned structure which has already been approved is to be called Cordoba House, named for the Spanish city where Muslims, Jews, and Christians together created one of the most fertile and creative civilizations in the world” it really reflect the potential healing powers of the creation of The Cordoba House. You said it best “Christian America seems to think they have a corner on Pain Avenue. To disregard the feelings and sorrow of our Islamic brethren is to disenfranchise a portion of our own people. And isn’t it disenfranchisement that causes such problems to begin with? You’re right. It’s past time to really start healing.
Amen, racism and undiluted hatred of anyone with a different opinion and perspective is America in the 21st Century … welcome to my nightmare !!!
Everyone, especially the owners of the property, know how badly this hurts a lot of people – the majority of people, as a matter of fact. If their intentions were sincerely good, they’d honor that sensitivity and build it at a respectful distance. Their insistance on forcing the issue shows us their true hearts, their true nature.
Good to know, we’ll keep it in mind.
[…] the victims' families. …Ground Zero Mosque and the Freedom From PainHuffington Post (blog)Mosque ZeroSubversify (blog)Go ahead, build it — far from Ground ZeroNew York […]
Dear admin, thnx for sharing this blog post. I found it wonderful. Best regards, Victoria…
Excellent research and topic, Grainne. I’m not sure if I agree with your stance. I don’t think I’m for any side particularly, but it’s just a matter of predictability. You assume the best in people, you’re going to be disappointed. You build a mosque in ground zero, there is sure to be ramifications.
@TheLateMItchellWarren- I don’t think it could be said that I assume the best in people. Generelly speaking I don’t, but I do expect people to strive to be better. I do not however think that this has any bearing on the subject. The fact of the matter is the property is owned by Islamic followers and already operates as a prayer center. This will change nothing other than to make the building higher and maybe nicer looking.
There are ramifications for all actions we chose…In my humble opinion this doesn’t mean we should sit back and not allow choices. The underlying issue is freedom of religion and the right to use private property. Both of these should be protected at all costs no matter who wants to use the land two blocks away from ground zero.
@Jeff-“Everyone, especially the owners of the property, know how badly this hurts a lot of people – the majority of people, as a matter of fact.”
Really? So maybe we should shut down all this picketing nonsense, because to be frank Jeff It is hurting my feelings that picketers weild their signs at everything I love from Harry Potter to Doctors willing to practice according to their conscience, stating that it is all from the Devil. In fact I think I may have PTSD from the Tea Party crew who spewed that my kids in line for the latest Harry Potter flick were going to Burn in Hell along with anyone else who was magickal and gay.
We need to stop looking at eveything as a means of attack and realize that people may just want to live their lives as they see fit. That is what America was founded on isn’t it?
@Victoria- you are welcome.
@RichinPA I am thinking this has gone beyond nightmares to a matter of daily living, this sense that we can and should exclude anyone not Christian or even not Christian enough…whatever that means…It needs to end.
And in case anyone’s wondering I would just as vehemently be on the side of a marginalized Christian group that was being hastled about their buildidng plans. Or a group of monkey loving followers of Rainne Wilson. I don’t care, It’s about what freedom means and about what is right.
I think the whole “feel my pain” issue is the main underlying problem. We all feel pain, but when we use it to strike out emotionally, leaving behind our rational abilities, or to avenge our pain by making the unsuspecting feel a bit more, we’ve entered the never-ending cycle of abuse. I understand the pain of the people who lost loved ones during the World Trade Center bombing, and their desire to see the area served as a monument to the dead. However, such a memorial would also serve as a bitter reminder as to what a handful of radicals are capable of committing. A greater memorial would perhaps include a public parks area where people would not only be able to find better understanding through education, but communications through a peaceful setting. The contest of who has suffered the most pain can only end in conflict.
I’m not necessarily for or against the new culture center/mosque, but I do understand the fears of those who decry its existence – to the way of thinking that has been promoted by society for the last decade, the 9/11 attacks was trhe opening salvo fired in a war against America by followers of Islam (never mind that the attacks were likely blowback for over 50 years of military intervention in the Middle East, but I digress…). In the minds of the American public, the construction of an Islamic “holy site” near ground zero is a symbol of victory for the hijackers that brought the towers down: as such a thing would represent the founding of a colony of a foreign belief system on American soil (never mind that the U.S. government has been doing the same thing for years overseas – looks like the nationalists can dish it out, but can’t take it…).
If the building does go up (who knows, the threat of a riot just might stop it from being constructed at all), expect to see some serious retaliation by offended Christian nationalists – perhaps another tower just might fall around ground zero when it happens, further driving the knife deeper into the heart of this nation’s collective consciousness.
It’s times like these when I’m glad that I no longer think of myself as an American citizen (my citzneship is just a “legal” status to me now and nothing more)…
Grainne, I appreciate your input. 45 Park Place isn’t exactly ground zero territory. It’s about two blocks and around the corner away. It’s not even parallel to the actual site, nor can it be seen from there. Journalists are ascribing the structure with the “Ground Zero” term to spark emotions for viewers. This is not much of a news story to me, nor should it be. I guess the media’s looking for coverage other than reports of economic downturn and cases of hemmorhaging foreclosures. It’s important that racism, fear, blame and anger is instilled within the hearts of Americans towards other “Americans”, anything to alleviate or relieve the government from what it has done to this country. The World Trade Center bombing is an act that goes against Islam altogether. I wonder what the Native Americans thought when Churches were erected on spiritual burial grounds. Oh wait! They didn’t have a say.
Did I mention that you wrote a great article and it’s nice to see the perspective of others and their comments. I’m still trying to figure out what refudiate means. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was added to the dictionary this time next year.
I’ve linked this on Multiply where some deliberately or actually ignorant people are spouting off lies and misinformation on this topic.
Thanks Maya and thanks Bill please send some of the interesting discussion this way, I’d love to see/hear it.
Also I found this which is an interesting slant on the topic:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/mobile/iphone/story.html?id=3370303
Here you are, Grainne:
http://geopolitics.multiply.com/journal/item/912
Unfortunately it”s visible to group members only.
Are you joking? I’m not 100% sure I can put myself behind what you have said. But I will certainly be back to find out more next week.
Thanks Bill the conversation there was interesting and reflective of what is going on all over the nation, world and internet. People have strong feelings about this, which is fine. It is actually I think really good to have strong feelings.
Where it gets confusing and useless is when nonesence and antiquated “proof” of a population’s behavior is put forth for such conversation.
What we need really is open and honest dialog on this subject of Islam, terrorism, etc. If nothing else projects like this community center/Mosque are bring up the conversation and for that I thank them.
Historically Muslims have marked victories by erecting mosques on Judaic and Christian holy sites after destroying existing temples and churches.
The group funding this deliberately provocative structure (because of its proximity to 9/11 site is curiously named the Cordoba Initiative–Cordoba, Spain being the placed when the Muslims erected a mega mosque to commenorate their conquest of Spain. Surah 3:28 tell us “Let not the Believers take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than Believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from Allah.” So much for promoting understanding and friendship between Muslims and non-Muslims.
@Emilie- I adressed my feelings about that in the article.
@Emilie- Let’s not be hypocrites now, what grouped hasn’t marked victory by oppression or subjugation?
God decreed that a man who picked up sticks on the Sabbath day was to be stoned to death (Numbers 15:32-36).
God commanded that anyone who curses his father or mother was to be put to death (Exodus 21:17).
Witches, and those of differing religious views were to be killed (Ex. 22:18,20).
Abraham was told to sacrifice his son…
This was all considered OK at the time. The Quran has remained unchanged since the day of its revelation. You cannot try to compare something that was revealed at a time where barbarianism was the norm to this day and age. I’m so tired of these point on cue comments. They’re empty and invalid.
When Islam refers to disbelievers, it refers to people that don’t believe in God period!!! Excluding people of the book. It was very important historically. At that time being a disbeliever meant a person that lacked morals and understanding of righteousness, people that couldn’t be trusted.
I thought that was extremeley informative. Thanks for the cool post. I’ll keep following this.