Download PowerPoint slides (Week Six)

Strategies for The
Islamic Movement
in North America
Proceedings from a National
Seminar: Islamic Movement in the
West
Understanding the Goals
of the Islamic Movement
in North America
The following goals and ideas are from
Muslims promoting Islamic Mission
 The Major Goal is to evolve together a
unified approach among Muslims to the
establishment of Islam in “this part of the
world”
Workshops
 Meaning of Islamic Unity
 Character of Islamic Organizations
 Diverse Traditions and Schools of Islamic
Thought
 The Nature of the Conflict Between Islam
and the West
 Social Integration verses Social
Separation
 Islamic Movement: Nature and Model
 Language of the Islamic Movement
 Setting Priorities for Action
Islamic Unity
 Three levels: Local, National, Global
 Within the framework of the “deen” of
Allah
 Unity is an effect of the cause of “the
movement to establish the deen of Allah
Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala on this earth” (p3)
 “With Allah Deen is only that creed
which makes man recognize Allah”
Unity (continued)
 Unity is conditional upon all Muslims
seeking to establish the deen of Allah.
 The Islamic Movement is the cause
which will join us all together
 The goal we should work for in unity is
not something else but the Islamic
Movement and the Jihad (p 3)
Unity (continued)
 Nationally work for one organization
 Disagreement occurred on the centralization of
power and the autonomy at the local level
 Do not copy from other countries
 The need to divest of national and cultural
affiliations of the home countries and have a
truly American cultural social political
movement
Unity (continued)
 Problems seem to be people trying to
import or copy from their own cultures
 We must eliminate consciously the idea
of differences in origin and culture, e.g.
“overcome the ethnic character of Muslim
organizations”
 We must develop jurisprudence for
America . . . From the Quran and sunnah
Unity (continued)
 The Quran is the source
 A print medium that is standardized
 Train Muslims in humanities and organizational
skills so they can work within existing
organizations to develop them into an Islamic
movement
 Islamic education
 Islamic training
 Islamic motivation (p4)
Unity (continued)
 Remain linked to world-wide Islam
 We are a single brotherhood
 Everyone in America should commit to
“make some contribution to the
establishment of Islam on this earth” (p 5)
 No organization should claim it is the sole
representation of Islam in America
 Most problems are ethnic ones
Suggestions on Relating
to Americans
 Stick with Islamic Identity and interact
with American society
 Learn in all areas
 Form alliances with other non-Islamic
organization but “we should lead and be
in the forefront” (p6)
 If we cannot interact without jeopardizing
our Islamic identity we should not
Suggestions on Relating
to Americans
 Muslims must associate with Muslims
intentionally so there are marriages and
relationships with the idea of establishing Islam
and disseminating it to others (p6)
 Sponsor academic Olympics, summer
programs, camps, Muslim schools and
colleges
 Join the National Conference for Christians
and Jews and change its name to “and
Muslims” to increase understanding of Islam
Suggestions on Relating
to Americans
 Identify social ills and lead public
demonstrations on all levels, “present an
Islamic view on these issues”
 Initiate databases on potential allies
 Draft Islamic voter registration among Muslims
 Maximize mass media to advance and spread
Islamic principles and perspectives
Suggestions on Relating
to Americans
 Establish interest free borrowing and
lending institutions
 Establish Islamic literature in the schools
 Target areas where Muslims can colocate and be neighbors
 Assist Muslims in relocating and finding
other Muslims to associate with
Suggestions on Relating
to Americans
 Should we visit Americans who are nonMuslims? Should we invite them into our
homes as a means of propagating Islam?
 To what extent will we expose issues that
are a “cancer in the society” and give
Islamic perspectives?
 Until we integrate our own communities,
we shouldn’t try to integrate in America
Suggestions on Relating
to Americans
 Invite qualified teachers to explain Islam to
Americans – we need more. How many do we
have?
 There can be no alignment with Christian
fundamentalists or anyone like them because
we must present views from an Islamic
perspective
 Beware of marrying Christians – the role the
woman plays in child-raising and the mind of
the child is fundamental
Suggestions on Relating
to Americans
 Set up a dynamic moral example for
Americans to follow
 Community in Islam is not geographic—
we are community in cooperation
 Do not violate Islamic principles
 Develop teamwork as most of us are not
qualified to discuss the difference
between Islam and other religions
Suggestions on Relating
to Americans
 Islamic identity is not a cultural thing—it
does not mean you sit on the floor and
eat rice with your fingers
 In 30 years we may have 50 million
Muslims but they will look and behave
differently then those “back home” (p7)
 Diet, silverware, clothing, dress must be
American Islam
Suggestions on Relating
to Americans
 We need to find commonality in ideology
that crosses all barriers between Muslims
 Beware of cooperating with groups.
Wanting Muslims prayer in public schools
is good as long as it remains the “AlFateha” Some groups have fallen into a
trap of modifying it when they cooperate
with Christians and others
Suggestions on Relating
to Americans
 Find need nobody is filling and fill it---don’t just
copy the Salvation Army
 Propagate Islam to your neighbor and don’t
shove the responsibility off on others (p8)
 We need professional looking material on
Islam
 We need Muslims teaching children in Muslim
schools
Suggestions on Relating
to Americans
 Muslims tend to dump 10 million dollars
in a new school that is mostly for looks –
be more humble in architecture and more
strategic.
 Niyah – the purpose served. Integration
or anything must depend upon the
ultimate question “What is it going to
accomplish [for Islam]” (p9)