This is literally what Ted Kennedy said at a democrat rally for Senator Obama. This was no coincidence but a reminder as to where Barack Obama’s roots lie. His father was a Muslim Kenyan and he had lived in the most Muslim populace place in the world, Indonesia. He had attended Madrassa and still currently has Muslim relatives.
Yes, he is an interesting candidate for presidency with his colourful background and various stints with different cultures and adopting the adage Viva La Vida. But what is it about him that captures the imagination of people around the world? What is it that mesmerises the masses about his policies, enchants the Muslim world and gives a feeling of hope in the future in terms of benefit to mankind? Is it because he is the first ever black candidate from a major political party for the US presidency? Another explanation could be his astronomical propulsion to the top of the political hierarchy from a humble beginning. Or is just that he looks different to Bush?!
Previously, when his campaigning for the democrat nominee for presidency position was in full swing, Muslims around the world and even in the USA were thinking about how he was going to change the face of American relations with the Muslim World. Here in the UK a seminar organised by The City Circle in conjunction with Radical Middle Way entitled “Can Muslims Trust Barack Obama?” was a conversation with Imam Johari Abdul-Malik. The conclusion of the talk was to support Obama and promote the “Regime change” at the White House. Unsurprising, as at talks like these during election times in Western Europe or America, a band of Muslims always manage to stick their two pence worth of political campaigning for a non-Muslim candidate to cement the declined ungodly system they inhabit.
However, the thunderous asunder tore apart all the hopes and wishes of the Muslims in the form of the victory speech by Senator Obama at AIPAC. The editor of Al-Quds, an Arab newspaper published from the UK, was appalled on the same day former Ambassador of the Arab League to the UK on Newsnight abundantly showed his disappointment with pro-Israeli and anti-Palestinian sentiments to Jeremy Paxman. But no, die hard Muslim supporters in America still want to show their allegiance to Senator Obama. Let’s hope for the two Hijabi sisters, after being kicked out of a rally for Obama when on television, that Allah (swt) gives them Hidaya as well as anyone else who has the same inclinations.
The readiness showed by Senator Obama to distance himself from the politically radioactive word Muslim cannot be more furnished than aforementioned examples, plus the fact that he has been to many churches and synagogues but no mosque for his campaign and completely repelled embracing Muslim organisations. His book “The Audacity of Hope” does not even mention the word Muslim or Islam in the index! Some might suggest that he has to do this to get to the top and once there he can bring the real change. These people base this assumption on the alone fact that he had Muslim ancestry and heritage!
When voting in a Capitalist Democratic System, whether you vote for Obama, Osama, or a candidate from the monster raving loony party, it will always be the system you are voting for not an individual. The cataclysmic blunder of looking between the candidates for who would serve best the Muslim interests has always been to the detriment to the community. Was it not in the US Presidential elections of 2000 that we thought Joe Lieberman and Al Gore would be more of a threat, and that it would be better to vote for George W. Bush? Jeez I don’t think anyone of us have the audacity to call Bush stupid!
As Muslims, I always felt that being blessed with the revelation from the Creator, we are the most prepared for any eventuality and refrain from making repetitive mistakes as highlighted by the hadith of Prophet Muhammad (saw):
” A Muslim is not bitten by the same hole twice“
Let us ponder on the verse below with regards to Senator Obama who wants to take troops out of Iraq but put more into Afghanistan, where Israel’s security is non-negotiable and suggesting the possibility of bombing Pakistan and truly ask ourselves which leader can bring peace, justice and stability to the world.
“And when it is said to them “Make not mischief on the earth”, they say: “We are only peacemakers” Verily they are the ones who make mischief, but they perceive not” [TMQ Al- Bakarah: 11-12]
July 1st, 2008 at 5:22 pm
So who else then? Why do the Muslims have to vote only on ‘Muslim’ matters? Shouldn’t they also respect true democrat values for say, universal healthcare. What about education, corporate governance and immigration? Labour rights, gun control, native americans? Obama and McCain stand miles apart on these issues. Aren’t American Muslims deserving of this to?
There was a time when America didn’t support Isreal. Its not written in our constitution. The right to choose is.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:45 pm
As Salaam Alaikum,
I find this article to be more proof of the problem with the Muslim world in general.
We continue with this false notion of all or nothing in a very real world we have to contend with.
Furthermore, many continue to chime in on American politics with zero experience in them.
Policy is dictated by support. If you want to change the policy than you have to back that up by working to do so as a bloc.
The civil rights act, was only passed because of this method. It is well recorded that President Lydon Johnson told Dr. King to make him change the policy and he did just that.
The Israeli favoritism is only the way it is because they don’t have opposition.
We spend most of our energy burning flags and complaining meanwhile they are putting their money, resources, people, and vote together to help shape policy.
Choosing a President in America or any other office is about representation.
If a candidate doesn’t represent you, then you have to either make them through voting power, or produce your own candidates.
But to sit back and complain with zero solutions, does nothing.
So we can sit here and criticize all day, but if we don’t engage and participate to further our interests, than others will and their interests will continue to supercede our own.
Now we can obviously just call the system corrupt and against Islam and it is, but what are we willing to do about that?
Well we could just leave the West, but where would we go? Look at our lands? When we have a model system that is working and in place, then we should flock to it, until then, let’s work to change the one’s we have.
July 2nd, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Fair comment Robert and you’re absolutely correct in that there is no significant opposition to AIPAC hence them being an incumbent for any presidential hopeful to please.
The Muslims as a whole need to have unified political will and get over their inferiority complex. The Muslim nations are most economically strong of the emerging regions, to the degree that if there was some political coordination it would be the Muslim nations that would be an economic threat over India or China.
But before all that, it is us, the “joe ummah” on the street that need to align ourselves to a valid perspective, like representatives of AIPAC, we need to understand what our goal is, what our motives are, where our destiny lies. Only then will political coordination come about to rival the likes of AIPAC.
It is up to like minded individuals like yourself that need to engage with all strata of society from the Muslim perspective, and the need for greater political coordination along Islamic etiquette. It is also upon yourself to engage the Muslims and give them the correct direction such that they rid themselves of this identity crisis and establish themselves firmly within Western society by way of taking influential positions within an economic framework.
Until then, we will just be at the behest of the political hurdles every presidential candidate will need to jump to be successful and bring about ‘change’.
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:09 am
When involving in interest based politics, the rule of the jungle applies “Might is Right”. As a Muslim, trying to establish our own interests in this system will make us subjected to the above notion. Thus being in any western country, it is highly unlikely for us to become “Mighty” enough to be effective.
Like Brother Robert mentioned we have to deal with the “real world” to contend with and seek our path. Who else can be a better example than our beloved Prophet Muhammed (saw). He (saw) catagorically rejected entering the then prevailing political system and did to speak to politicians of that time execpt to further progress the call of Islam explicitly.