Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Assalamu Alaikum

I have been reading and following your magazine articles since I started receiving them. You have a variety of topics in your magazine and a broad group of readers. Within my 5 year stay in the USA, I have been very privileged to pray and visit most of the masjids in the Bay Area and also to listen to the "Bayans" (talks) from a variety of speakers and imams.

One thing that has remained consistent over all these years is listening to our brothers and imams in "Bayan" referencing the ways of the disbelievers as "THE AMERICAN WAY". Even though I am not an American by birth, I find this phrase insulting. Being an American is not a different religion nor should we treat this like one. When we talk about Muslims owning liquor shops and other haram places, we don't refer to them as "THE PAKISTANI WAY", even though there are Muslim brothers from Pakistan in this business. Or when we talk about adultery and shirk, we don't refer to them as the "ARAB WAY". My point is that these should not be referenced and targeted to any one specific country. Instead words like "Non-Believers" or "Disbelievers" can be used. This way, reference is made across the board and not to one specific group of people.

We in Fairfield (and in other places) have been very fortunate to have a mixed culture of people (including Americans) use our Masjid and take part in our programs. We should be very careful that we do not alienate any one group of people.

I hope that this message is read and at least understood by all brothers giving "Bayan" in any masjid in the USA.

A. Shakeel
Fairfield, CA

Editorial correspondence should be addressed to:

The Editor of the Islamic Bulletin
P.O. Box 410186
San Francisco, CA 94141-0186
info@islamicbulletin.org