Saturday, November 04, 2006

9/11 – A view from the other side

On September 11, 2001 a series of events took place that would eventually see 2,973 people die because of a series of terrorist attacks. Within a few hours the world would watched the events unfold as reports of the tragedies flowed freely from every media outlet. Whether it be print, film or internet, we were deluged with vivid imagery and reports that haunted us, we were asked questions that that could not be answered. For 5 years I have read the heroic tales of rescue workers, who risked their lives, and I have seen the stories of the wicked Al-Qaeda conspirators, and I have even seen the victims rise to the level of martyr.

As a Muslim, and American I have witnessed the prejudice, been asked the questions, and suffered innumerable assumptions. Oft forgotten in the post 9/11 Islamophobic tendencies of the media, is that the majority of Muslims condemned the actions that transpired on that day. For the families of several hundred victims the grief and sorrow, anguish and despair has been compounded by constant suspicion, hatred and prejudice. For these families I have written this article.

For the Muslim victims of 9/11 I offer remembrance, and tribute to those who were lost but should never be forgotten. May Allah bless them and have mercy upon them all.

A 23-year-old New York City police cadet who was a part-time ambulance driver, incoming medical student, and devout Muslim disappeared on September 11. Law enforcement officials came to his family, seeking him for questioning in relation to the terrorist attacks. Salman Hamdani’s family never believed he would be involved but were forced to dl with the suspicions for over 6 months, until his remains were finally identified. He was found near the North Tower, with his EMT medical bag beside him, presumably doing everything he could to help those in need

On the morning of September 11, 2001 Mohammad Chowdhury prayed salat-al-fajr with his wife Baraheen Ashrafi who was 9 months pregnant. This was the last time she saw him. Baraheen gave birth just 48 hours later to their son Farqad.

Rahma Salie was 7 months pregnant and traveling to California with her husband Michael Theodoridis (who was also a Muslim) to attend the wedding of a friend. Their story did not end when American Airlines #11 slammed into the North Tower; Rahma's name was initially put on an FBI watch list, because her "Muslim-sounding" name was on the passenger manifest, and her travel patterns were similar to those of the hijackers (she was a computer consultant living in Boston). Although her name was eventually removed from the list, several of her family members were barred from taking flights to her memorial service.

Shabir Ahmed immigrated to America from Bangladesh in hopes of finding a better life. He dreamed of becoming a lawyer, but as a devoted father of 3, he settled for a job as a waiter in the Windows of the World restaurant to provide for his family, ensuring that his kids would continue on to college. He left behind a wife 3 children.

Tariq Amanullah was assistant vice president of computer information technology at Fiduciary Trust Co. International, and a team member of the ICNA website. Known to his family for coming home after long hours of work, and sitting to help his children with their studies, Tariq was also earnestly interested in world affairs, and following the cricket scores back in his native home of Pakistan. He leaves a wife and 2 children.

Touri Bolourchi was a retired nurse born in Tehran, who spoke 6 languages. She moved to the United States with her daughter in 1979 while her husband, Akbar Bolourchi joined them two years later. She had just spent two weeks with her daughter and two grandsons in Boston although her husband said his wife had not been to Boston for two years because she was afraid of airplanes. Touri was not supposed to be aboard Flight 175, but she decided to stay a few extra days in Boston to visit her daughter and two grandchildren while her husband, Abkar, flew home to Los Angeles on the flight she, too, had originally planned to take.

When the 32-year-old Nezam Ahmad Hafiz, who was appointed captain of the American Cricket Society last year, flashed his toothy grin, people took notice. A claims analyst for Marsh & McLennan, he was recruited by the Guyanese national team at 19, and toured Barbados, Jamaica and other islands throughout the West Indies, and the Caribbean. Nezam lived for the moment, “He had a certain strut, a certain bounce." And he never planned for the future saying 'tomorrow would provide for itself.

Khalid Shahid, of Union, N.J., arrived at work unusually early on Tuesday to attend a company meeting at Cantor Fitzgerald, on the 103rd floor of World Trade Center. Son of a Pakistani father and Colombian mother, Shahid, graduated Montclair State College and was a talented tennis player. Life was looking promising for Shahid, he was engaged to be married in November and had just bought a house in Mount Olive, N.J.

Mohammed Shajahan had a home and young family in comfortable Spring Valley, N.Y., and commuted five days a week to a job in lower Manhattan. There, he was an up-and-coming computer administrator for the insurance brokerage Marsh & McLennan on the 96th floor of Tower One at the World Trade Center. He helped two brothers immigrate to New York and constantly was engaged in giving assistance of all kinds to friends, family members -— even people he barely knew —- in his hometown of Asadpur in southeast Bangladesh. Trying to live the ‘American dream’ He operated a convenience store for a time, studied computer science at Pace University, before working his way up to a good-paying job at Marsh & McLennan. Shajahan and wife Mansura were active members of the Mosque of Jerrahi Order in Chestnut Ridge, N.Y. where the mosque operates an ambitious social outreach program, and Shajahan was an enthusiastic volunteer. according to sister-in-law Ruby Zigrino. He left behind a wife and 4 children.

In the end putting a face on victimization is just as easy as putting a face on terrorism. “If any one slew a person… it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.” Al-Maeda 5:32

Partial List of Muslim 9/11 Victims:

Note: This list is as yet incomplete and unconfirmed. It has been compiled from the Islamic Circle of North America, the Newsday victims database, and reports from other major news organizations.

Samad Afridi, Ashraf Ahmad, Shabbir Ahmad, Umar Ahmad, Azam Ahsan, Ahmed Ali, Tariq Amanullah, Touri Bolourchi, Salauddin Ahmad Chaudhury, Abdul K. Chowdhury, Mohammad S. Chowdhury, Jamal Legesse Desantis, Ramzi Attallah Douani, SaleemUllah Farooqi, Syed Fatha, Osman Gani, Mohammad Hamdani, Salman Hamdani, Aisha Harris, Shakila Hoque, Nabid Hossain, Shahzad Hussain, Talat HussainMohammad Shah Jahan, Yasmeen Jamal, Mohammed Jawarta, Arslan Khan Khakwani, Asim Khan, Ataullah Khan, Ayub Khan, Qasim Ali Khan, Sarah Khan, Taimour Khan, Yasmeen Khan, Zahida Khan, Badruddin Lakhani, Omar Malick, Nurul Hoque Miah, Mubarak Mohammad, Boyie Mohammed, Raza Mujtaba, Omar NamoosMujeb Qazi, Tarranum Rahim, Ehtesham U. Raja, Ameenia Rasool, Naveed Rehman, Yusuf Saad, Rahma Salie & unborn child, Michael Theodoridis, Shoman Samad, Asad Samir, Khalid Shahid, Mohammed Shajahan, Naseema Simjee, Jamil Swaati, Sanober Syed, Robert Elias Talhami, W. Wahid

Please forgive me for any names I have missed, understand there are many more people missing, however a truly complete compilation of the Muslim victims has yet to be complete.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

From a Pilot's view

This might be long but it sure hits the nail on the head. A Muslim
doctor is whining, saying we are profiling him because he has been
checked three times while getting on an airplane.

Here is a question that many of us have been asking for the past several
years .... this well spoken man, who is a pilot with American Airlines,
says what is in his heart, beautifully.... read, absorb and pass it on
.... it's time to get answers from those who claim their terrorist
members do not represent them ... why are their leaders not LOUDLY AND
FIERCELY AND CONTINUOUSLY condemning their visible murderous brethren?



ART




YOU WORRY ME!

By American Airlines Pilot - Captain John Maniscalco



"I've been trying to say this since 9-11 but you worry me. I wish you
didn't. I wish when I walked down the streets of this country that I love,
that your color and culture still blended with the beautiful human
landscape we enjoy in this country. But you don't blend in anymore. I
notice you, and it worries me. I notice you because I can't help it
anymore. People from your homelands, professing to be Muslims, have been
attacking and killing my fellow citizens and our friends for more than 20
years now. I don't fully understand their grievances and hate but I know
that nothing can justify the inhumanity of their attacks.


Five years ago, nineteen ARAB-MUSLIMS hijacked four jetliners in my
country. They cut the throats of women in front of children and brutally
stabbed to death others. They took control of those planes and crashed
them into buildings killing thousands of proud fathers, loving sons, wise
grandparents, elegant daughters, best friends, favorite coaches, fearless
public servants, and children's mothers.

The Palestinians Celebrated, The Iraqis were overjoyed as was most of the
Arab world. So I notice you now. I don't want to be worried. I don't
want to be consumed by the same rage and hate and prejudice that has
destroyed the soul of these terrorists. But I need your help. As a
rational American, trying to protect my country and family in an
irrational and unsafe world, I must know how to tell the difference
between you, and the Arab/Muslim terrorist.


How do I differentiate between the true Arab/Muslim-Americans and the
Arab/Muslims in our communities who are attending our schools, enjoying
our parks, and living in OUR communities under the protection of OUR
constitution, while they plot the next attack that will slaughter these
same good neighbors and children? The events of September 11th changed
the answer. It is not my responsibility to determine which of you
embraces our great country, with ALL of its religions, with ALL of its
different citizens, with all of its faults. It is time for every
Arab/Muslim in this country to determine it for me.

I want to know, I demand to know, and I have a right to know whether or
not you love America. Do you pledge allegiance to its flag? Do you proudly
display it in front of your house, or on your car?

Do you pray in your many daily prayers that Allah will bless this nation,
that He will protect and prosper it? Or do you pray that Allah with
destroy it in one of your "Jihads"? Are you thankful for the freedom that
only this nation affords? A freedom that was paid for by the blood of
hundreds of thousands of patriots who gave their lives for this country?
Are you willing to preserve this freedom by paying the ultimate
sacrifice? Do you love America? If this is your commitment, then I need
YOU to start letting ME know about it.



Your Muslim leaders in this nation should be flooding the media at this
time with hard facts on your faith, and what hard actions you are taking
as a community and as a religion to protect the United States of America.
Please, no more benign overtures of regret for the death of the innocent
because I worry about who you regard as innocent. No more benign
overtures of condemnation for the unprovoked attacks because I worry
about what is unprovoked to you. I am not interested in any more
sympathy...I am only interested in action. What will you do for America
- our great country -- at this time of crisis, at this time of war?

I want to see Arab-Muslims waving the AMERICAN flag in the streets. I
want to hear you chanting "Allah Bless America ." I want to see young
Arab/Muslim men enlisting in the military. I want to see a commitment of
money, time, and emotion to the victims of this butchering and to this
nation as a whole. The FBI has a list of over 400 people they want to
talk to regarding the WTC attack. Many of these people live and socialize
in Muslim communities. You know them. You know where they are. Hand
them over to us, now! But I have seen little even approaching this sort of
action. Instead I have seen an already closed and secretive community
close even tighter. You have disappeared from the streets. You have posted
armed security guards at your facilities.

You have threatened lawsuits. You have screamed for protection from
reprisals.The very few Arab/Muslim representatives that HAVE appeared in
the media were defensive and equivocating. They seemed more concerned
with making sure that the United States proves who was responsible before
taking action. They seemed more concerned with protecting their fellow
Muslims from violence directed towards them in the United States and
abroad than they did with supporting our country and denouncing "leaders"
like Khadafi, Hussein, Farrakhan, and Arafat. If the true teachings of
Islam proclaim tolerance and peace and love for all people then I want
chapter and verse from the Koran and statements from popular Muslim
leaders to back it up. What good is it if the teachings in the Koran are
good and pure and true when your "leaders" are teaching fanatical
interpretations, terrorism, and intolerance?

It matters little how good Islam SHOULD BE if large numbers of the
world's Muslims interpret the teachings of Mohammed incorrectly and
adhere to a degenerative form of the religion. A form that has been
demonstrated to us over and over again. A form whose structure is built
upon a foundation of violence, death, and suicide. A form whose members
are recruited from the prisons around the world. A form whose members
(some as young as five years old) are seen day after day, week in and
week out, year after year, marching in the streets around the world,
burning effigies of our
presidents, burning the American flag, shooting weapons into the air. A
form whose members convert from a peaceful religion, only to take up arms
against the great United States of America, the country of their birth. A
form whose rules are so twisted, that their traveling members refuse to
show their faces at airport security checkpoints, in the name of Islam.

Do you and your fellow Muslims hate us because our women proudly show
their faces in public rather than cover up like a shameful whore? Do you
and your fellow Muslims hate us because we drink wine with dinner, or
celebrate Christmas? Do you and you fellow Muslims hate us because we
have befriended Israel, the ONLY civilized democratic nation in the
entire Middle East?

And if you and your fellow Muslims hate us, then why in the world are you
even here? Are you here to take our money? Are you here to undermine our
peace and stability? Are you here to destroy us? If so, I want you to
leave. I want you to go back to your desert sandpit where women are
treated like rats and dogs. I want you to take your religion, your
friends, and your family back to your Islamic extremists, and STAY THERE!
We will NEVER give in to your influence, your retarded mentality, your
twisted, violent, intolerant religion.

We will NEVER allow the attacks of September 11, or any others for that
matter, to take away that which is so precious to us: Our rights under
the greatest constitution in the world. I want to know where every Arab/
Muslim in this country stands and I think it is my right and the right of
every true citizen of this country to demand it. A right paid for by the
blood of thousands of my brothers and sisters who died protecting the
very constitution that is protecting you and your family. I am pleading
with you to let me know.

I want you here as my brother, my neighbor, my friend, as a fellow
American. But there can be no gray areas or ambivalence regarding your
allegiance and it is up to YOU, to show ME, where YOU stand...Until then
.. you worry me.

Hamza Hashem said...

Anonymous (Art?) and John Maniscalco,

Thank you for coming to my blog and sharing your opinions and the opinions of this other person. I would ask that if you intend on pasting articles attached within your comments then I would appreciate a summary of it as oppose to the whole article. It was excessively long and few will bother to read the whole thing, and it takes unnecessary space away from other commentors. That said, I did read the whole thing and hope you don’t mind my approach as I respond to what has been written.

You seem to have missed the point of my article completely, so I will do my best to help you understand it. Regarding the beautiful heart felt words, believe me I will take them absorb them and pass them on, but perhaps for different reasons then you suggest.

I have chosen to address this in a point by point address in hopes that I can help she some insight into my feelings when I read an article such as this.

“I notice you because I can't help it anymore” – this is normal reaction due to a traumatic event. I don’t understand how that is bad however, because I was raised in an America that boasted to ‘Celebrate Diversity’ furthermore it is said - “I don't fully understand their grievances and hate” and I ask in all sincerity, have you ever tried?

“nineteen ARAB-MUSLIMS hijacked four jetliners…” - yes 19 out of out of what, 300 million? You then follow it up with - “They took control of those planes and crashed them into buildings killing thousands of proud fathers, loving sons, wise grandparents, elegant daughters, best friends, favorite coaches, fearless public servants, and children's mothers.” This is exactly my point or do you seem think that all the victims were American, and none Muslim? My article takes nothing away from the victims of 9/11; on the contrary I only seek to bring attention to people such as yourself that we Muslims were also victimized because of these indiscriminate attacks.

“The Palestinians Celebrated, The Iraqis were overjoyed as was most of the Arab world” – I am assuming you were witnessing these celebrations on television, so I remind you ‘sensationalism sells’. I wonder how many celebrators you actually saw, a few hundred? A few thousand? Dare I say a million? Even 30 million out of 300 million is 10% at most, that is a 1 out of 10 Arab Muslims so I find it hard to see how this grossly exaggerate number can even be considered ‘most of the Arab world’

“our schools, enjoying our parks, and living in OUR communities under the protection of OUR constitution…” - Perhaps you should remember you are not speaking for all of us when you say OUR about anything. I am American born and raised, and very proud to be Muslim and your views are not shared by me or even by the majority of Americans. Then you add “It is not my responsibility to determine which of you embraces our great country, with ALL of its religions, with ALL of its different citizens…” - Then please don’t try. Discrimination is a slippery slope when traveled so eagerly. It is not your responsibility to determine us, nor is it contrary to your belief our responsibility to determine anything for you. You are just another piece in the - beautiful human landscape we enjoy in this country - and we do not owe you individually anything more then we owe anyone else. Among the freedoms granted in America, ‘innocent until proven guilty’ is still one of the most fundamental principle we hold dear.

“I want to know, I demand to know, and I have a right to know whether or not you love America” - Again I must stress the point that they, the Arab Muslims, nor I owe you anything, and you have no right to know anything about us. It is proper in most civilized society that if you wish to know something you will ask, however you feel as if it is some God given right that people must explain or somehow justify themselves to you? I think not.

“Do you…” – This seems to me to be yet another example of your self aggrandizement, somehow feeling you are more important then anyone else. Why should they feel obligated to show you anything? If they do not, you will assume their guilt and persecute and oppress them because of how they look, not ever knowing their true feelings? How many Americans truly show this spirit of pride you seem to demand?

You demand so much, yet what are you willing to do? You have not even proven to me you are sincerely interested in learning anything about us, or you would already know. You want to know what we are doing as a community? Your beloved country has not been able to stop Al-Qaeda in over 5 years. They have not caught bin Laden, nor even established a semblance of control over Afghanistan or Iraq. You invade countries under false pretenses, and have done nothing but sent these countries to the brink of civil war. And you ask what we are doing? As for what the leaders are doing I offer this as an example:

“Grand Sheikh Mohammed Sayed Tantawi of the Al-Azhar mosque of Cairo - which is seen as the highest authority in Sunni Islam - said groups which carried out suicide bombings were the enemies of Islam. Speaking at the conference in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, Sheikh Tantawi said extremist Islamic groups had appropriated Islam and its notion of jihad, or holy struggle, for their own ends.” BBC News, 11 July, 2003

At this point I ask you if you are sincere, to please do a bit more research before sounding off; A simple GOOGLE search offered 4,490,000 results for ‘Muslims against Terror’ – I am sure a few of those might be helpful.

As an American before I was Muslim, and even more so now seeing the direction that America has taken, I have never carried the American flag in the streets as you suggest, nor said the words May Allah Bless America, I have not and would not enlist in the armed services due to moral objections (again a decision before I ever knew anything about Islam). You say “I want to see a commitment of money, time, and emotion to the victims of this butchering” and my article is about those who were lost in this tragic affair, my article is about those oft forgotten losses, overlooked because it does not paint Muslims as terrorists, but as victims. “The FBI has a list of over 400…” and yet they held over 4,000 for months with no charges, and in the end 99% were shown to have no affiliation to Al-Qaeda nor terrorism of any kind. If you have information showing that these communities are hiding people as you suggest, you should go to the FBI with your information. If not, then you should get off your soap box and understand that just because you say it is so, does not mean it is. It is the persecution they face from people like you that cause these communities to become even more closed down, for fear of reprisals.

“few Arab/Muslim representatives that HAVE appeared in the media were defensive and equivocating” Again I can only ask you to more thoroughly research this topic before making unsupported statements. Rallies, Demonstration have been held, leaders have spoken out, see Hamza Yusuf (among the most prominent American Scholars), but it was not just here in America, it was in the Middle East as well that they spoke out against terrorism. If in fact the majority of Islam was being taught as “fanatical interpretations, terrorism, and intolerance?” then I dare say with 1.5 -1.7 BILLION Muslims in the world, we might have see far more wars and bloodshed. Fortunately regardless of your opinions it is not.

“It matters little how good Islam SHOULD BE if large numbers of the
world's Muslims interpret the teachings of Mohammed incorrectly and
adhere to a degenerative form of the religion” Again I say to you with 1.5 -1.7 BILLION Muslims in the world, we would have see far more wars and bloodshed, but that is not Islam, no the beliefs of Large numbers of the worlds Muslims.

“A form whose rules are so twisted, that their traveling members refuse to show their faces at airport security checkpoints, in the name of Islam. Do you and your fellow Muslims hate us because our women proudly show their faces in public rather than cover up like a shameful whore? Do you and your fellow Muslims hate us because we drink wine with dinner, or celebrate Christmas?” Perhaps they hate you for such derogatory and ignorant statements, Perhaps the hate you because of the vile venom that issues forth from your tongue, perhaps they hate you for trying force your beliefs down their throats, perhaps they would not hate you if you did not so obviously hate them.

“I want you to go back to your desert sandpit where women are
treated like rats and dogs.” When one resorts to immature and petty insults it does nothing but harbors more hostility, and takes away any credibility from their argument/comment. “your retarded mentality, your twisted, violent, intolerant religion.” Choosing words like this, you act surprise anyone hates you, yet take your very words and thrown them in the mouth so of someone labeled a neo-Nazi, Klu Klux Klansman, or any other number of groups founded on hate and turn the words towards Jews, Christians, African Americas, etc. and you would be appalled. Mentalities like that are what gave birth to the ACLU, Anti-defamation League, the NAACP and so many other civil liberty/civil rights organizations.

“I want to know where every Arab/Muslim in this country stands and I think it is my right and the right of every true citizen of this country to demand it” It is the very freedoms of America you are so avidly defending that give them every right to completely ignore you, and still be treated fairly according to the very constitutional rights you claim. They should not even have to be bothered with racist intolerance and religious discrimination, and because we still believe in “Innocent until PROVEN guilty” your virulent attacks on them can be ignored, and you will have absolutely no right to do a damn thing to them.

Take this chance to actually open you mind if not your heart, and make a sincere effort to actually understand the topic you speak about, to educate yourself on the challenges that may face us all if we can not co-exist and then come back to the table and present a more insightful look at solutions instead of wild, rambling rants about what you are demanding.

Most of all I say let us as Americans please let us stop being hypocritical, let us not worry about being politically correct – “I want you here as my brother, my neighbor, my friend, as a fellow American.” – Seriously, let us not try to fool anyone anymore.

Anonymous said...

After reading your article, I am once again reminded of that day when time stood still in American history. Though that day is never far from my thoughts, the fact that the victims were many and varied nationalities, religions,and cultures is at times lost in the emotion of shock and disbelief. The common denominator is these were all innocent souls. As an American with a strong belief in God, I cannot mourn the deaths of some and not others, and I cannot blame all for the actions of some. In the grande scheme of things, if we lose our compassion we are no better than those who take it upon themselves to end the lives of thousands to promote their own ideals.

Hamza Hashem said...

Believer,

Thank you for your continued support, I am glad you appreciate the topic and understand as I do the need to recognize that we Muslim suffered losses on 9/11 as well.

AnxiousSoul,

I could not agree more with what you said, and as an American, as a Muslim I am very happy to know how you feel and can only pray more open their hearts and minds as you have.

egyptaya said...

Asalamu alekum Hamza,

It was good that you have mentioned the muslim victims who have been forgotten amoung the other victims. However, I am sick of hearing about 9/11 over and over and over. As if those 3000 who died that day are more important and much more significant than the Millions who died in other incidents many of them by the hands of Americans. The world did not change after 9/11 as many suggest, the world has been changing to the worse since a very long time as a result of the social and political injustice around us. 9/11 was nothing but a result of this injustice and it should have been a wakeup call to some people who ignored whats been happening in the other side of the world. Unfortunatly some got awaken and opened their eyes to reality, yet the rest are still living an illusion.

Hamza Hashem said...

Assalam Alaikum Egyptaya

I agree with you 100% - 9/11 was a result of the socio-political climate fueled by the injustice and oppression that we in the West deride, yet ignore. The persecution people have suffered has only been exasperated by US foreign policy, which unquestionably influences the foreign policy of the rest of the West. A foreign policy that has seen led from neglect and ridicule, to invasion and occupation.

While the US may not be the root of all evil, it certainly has taken advantage of the situation presented by 9/11. I regret the loss of 3000 lives, however what is that amount compare to the 50,000-150,000 dead in Iraq, or the multitude of deaths that occur in Palestine on a daily basis for over 50 years. With hundreds of thousands of families displaced by the violence that creates these deaths, it is a bit hard to focus on the 3,000 that are portrayed as the most life changing event of the twentieth century.

Anonymous said...

History repeats its self. Raza Mujtaba's last name has the very same name as Mujtaba Aidroos, the victim of a crazy old man.

Anonymous said...

Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!

Hamza Hashem said...

Anonymous,

Thank you very much for visiting my site and reviewing some of my older work.

Your words of encouragement are appreciated and inshAllah I will continue to write some more now, I hope to have a new article this week.