There are nearly 7 million Muslims that live in America. These Muslims live in America for the same reason as all Americans; for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This page includes thoughts by Muslim Americans on the September 11th terrorist attack.

For the past week, I have been at a loss for words.  Dumbfounded, shocked, terrified.  Did I actually see what I saw on television last Tuesday, September 11, 2001?  I do not consider myself an emotional man, but the horror, terror, and, above all, hatred I feel toward the individuals who perpetrated the horrible attacks in New York and Washington D.C. brought so much pain into the lives of my people, my home, my sense of vulnerability consumes me.  I am still sick to my stomach and it has taken me time to collect my thoughts in sending you this statement.

Before I continue, you should know, if you do not already, that I am first and foremost a devout Muslim. A distant, but not-too-distant, second, I am an American. America is the only home I know and one that I love. I am of Indian ancestry so I have the complexion of those of Arab descent. 

How do I explain to my fellow Americans of Anglo heritage that the ocean of my despair runs even deeper than theirs? Not only was this attack done to my homeland, but all indications are that it was an act by people that were of my religion.  Make no mistake; the misguided actions of these people were not representative of Islam. 

O you who believe! When you conspire together, conspire not for crime and wrongdoing and
 disobedience to the messenger, but conspire together for righteousness and piety and keep your duty
toward Allah, unto Whom you will be gathered.
- The Holy Quran, Chapter 58:9

I do not mean to give a lecture on Islam, but I feel it is necessary for you to understand that our Prophet Mohammed (May peace be upon him) has given us guidelines to be followed even at the peak of war.  We are taught NOT to destroy agriculture, damage infrastructure, pollute water, and draw bloodshed where elderly people, women, and children are present.  If the terrorists practiced their religion, the lives of innocent people -- both those that were lost and those of us that survived to mourn -- would still be in peace.   Not only did the perpetrators not have value for American lives, they had no regard for the lives of an estimated 250 Muslims whose bodies lie in the wreckage.

My plea to my fellow Americans is to realize this:

The terrorists that attacked the World Trade Center are no more representatives of Islam then David Koresh, Timothy McVeigh, and the Ku Klux Klan are of Christianity; then Baruch Goldstein, who massacred 30 worshippers in the Hebron Mosque, is of Judaism. America views these insane criminals as working independently of their religion, and rightly so.  Why isn’t Islam given the same consideration?

I leave you with this: Those fanatic suicide bombers have brought shame and despair to the lives of us patriotic Muslim Americans more than anyone else.    We live with the same fear of terrorism to strike us at any time. In addition, we fear of the backlash directed toward us, which is caused by the hatred the American people have toward those attackers.  Although the nature of my job involves interaction with new people every day, I personally have not seen outward hostility toward me. But I often have to wonder what these individuals are thinking about me.  I personally know of friends who have been recently physically and emotionally abused.  We not only fear international terrorism; some of us fear domestic terrorism as well. However, I take refuge in the fact that America is the greatest country in the world and the basic nature of the goodness in human beings.  I am proud to be an American.

May God bless us all and give us the strength, patience, and compassion to endure this horrible tragedy and, going forward, find a way to work, live, and interact with one another in peace.

With sincerity,
Shaibaz Shariff

United, we stand: Muslims part of America's fabric
By SAM AFRIDI

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
October 6, 2001 Saturday FINAL EDITION
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 11A

As a former White House speechwriter, I occasionally traveled with President Clinton in moments of profound national sorrow and reflection. I stood along a Navy pier in Norfolk, Va., for a service honoring the fallen sailors of the USS Cole. I watched and wept as tens of thousands gathered in Worcester, Mass., to remember lost firefighters. I walked in the shadow of what once was the Murrah Federal Building for the dedication of the Oklahoma City Memorial.

But last month, as I was preparing to drive back to Washington after a visit to my parents in the Midwest, friends called with a simple message: Stay put.

After events of the last few weeks, well-meaning loved ones are worried about attacks launched not only by foreign terrorists, but by fellow citizens. Why? In addition to having worked for more than a decade on Capitol Hill and later in the White House, I also happen to be Muslim.

As much as I appreciate their concerns, I wish they were unfounded. After all, the terror of Sept. 11 hit every American regardless of race or faith.

I first learned of the tragedy from a close relative in New York City who called in hysterics as she watched people die before her eyes. I know another American Muslim who worked at the World Trade Center and now spends his days attending funerals. And I have countless friends in Washington who were in the sights of the terrorists -- including American Muslims serving our country throughout government and in uniform.

I'm not special. But that's the point. Muslims were as targeted and enraged by this horror as any other American. But now American Muslims fear becoming targets all over again, singled out for attack by hatemongers blindly searching for scapegoats. We have seen it in the form of an angry mob marching on a mosque in Illinois, pig's blood splattered at an Islamic community center in San Francisco, a car crashed into the entrance of an Islamic center near Cleveland, and firebombs and bullets targeted at Arab and South Asian-American owned businesses across the country. At least two people were shot dead allegedly because they "appeared Middle Eastern." A Muslim woman was nearly run over in a New York parking lot. American Muslims also have felt the evil of discrimination in more subtle ways -- through verbal assaults and accusatory glares from fellow citizens.

President Bush has said to the world: "You are either with us or you are with the terrorists." We must say the same to bigots here at home. As former national security adviser Anthony Lake observed, "Every time some American citizen makes life harder for a fellow citizen who happens to be Muslim or Arab-American, somewhere Osama bin Laden applauds, because it makes his job of spreading hatred about America easier (and) it makes it harder for other governments to work with us in tracking him down."

Despite the backlash, American Muslims have found strength in unprecedented demonstrations of support from national leaders and from neighbors who have said in their own way -- and often through tears -- "we are with you." If there can be a silver lining in even the darkest cloud, I believe it will come in the form of better understanding of one another and a more united American community.

Islam is poised to become the nation's second largest religion, and Muslims are part of the fabric of America. Islam means peace and is rooted in the values of compassion, mercy and justice. The Qur'an says, "If a person kills an innocent soul, it will be as though he killed all humanity."

Make no mistake. Those who committed these atrocities were not real Muslims filled with faith; they were pure monsters filled with hate. They will never understand what makes us America: people of different beliefs, cultures and traditions -- all bound together by common values and a devotion to freedom. Muslims have been drawn to those ideals for more than four generations.

A few days after the attacks, my family and I joined hundreds of fellow citizens for a unity rally that included the leader of America's oldest mosque. After his impassioned plea for understanding, the crowd that filled a university basketball arena spontaneously rose to its feet in an unforgettable expression of American solidarity. On stage, Muslim and Jew, Catholic and Protestant, Republican and Democrat, locked hands and embraced.

There are many images from the past few weeks that I pray will fade in time. That is one I will cherish as long as I live. Without uttering a word, we issued the ultimate rebuke to all who seek to destroy our country and divide our citizens: You will fail. We stand united.

Sam Afridi served as a speechwriter and special assistant to the president from 1999 until 2001.

Contact info@islamfaq.org     Last updated on October 24, 2001