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DR. MUAZZAM GILL
Vice President, American Leadership Institute
PLENARY SESSION III
“An Eye on Consequences: The Cultural and
Religious Challenge”
Mr. Daniel Fefferman, Mr. Douglas Joo, distinguished ladies and gentlemen. I am very honored and gratified to have this opportunity to be with you today. Over the years I have read Dr. Daniel Pipes’ work with great interest. It is a pleasure to share the panel with him, along with the distinguished gentleman from the American Muslim Council.
Ladies and gentlemen, I was born and raised a Christian in Pakistan and had to leave the land of my forefathers because it was becoming difficult to survive as a non-Muslim. My remarks therefore are tempered by my experiences.
Following the savagery unleashed upon us on September 11, 2001, certain grim facts have emerged. In the Western world, especially in the United States, we are faced with our own colossal ignorance regarding other faiths and cultures. In the Muslim world a spirit of total denial exists about what is occurring. From Egypt to Malaysia, there is an aversion to view terrorism as a Muslim problem and a Muslim responsibility.
Terrorism is a Muslim problem for some very good reasons. To begin with, most of the terrorist incidents actually occur within the Muslim world. In Pakistan, for example, terrorist violence is endemic. Marauding groups of fanatics, such as Sepa-Shaba (Soldiers of the Companion of the Prophet) and Sepa-e-Muhammad (Soldiers of Muhammad) spread terror throughout the country, along with a host of others. In Egypt, militants of Islamic Jihad have killed tourists, and members of the extremist organization Gama-e-Islami have made the life of ordinary Muslims a living hell. The Abu Sayyaf group of the Philippines, far from fighting for “liberation,” is nothing more than a band of terrorists. Indonesia, Algeria, Bangladesh, Lebanon, Iran—there is hardly a Muslim country that is not plagued by terrorism. It goes without saying that the bulk of victims of terrorism are Muslims, September 11 notwithstanding. This is especially true when we consider that violence and brutality have become the norm in unending quests for self-determination in such places as Kashmir, Chechnya, and Palestine.
The horror that terrorism provokes and the consequences it breeds are more familiar to Muslims than to any other people. Yet they stubbornly refuse to see terrorism as an internal problem. While it is true that the Muslim world has suffered, it has blamed everyone but itself. It is always “the West,” the CIA, or “the Zionists” hatching yet another conspiracy. Terror by governments against their own people, by opposition groups, and between factions is sadly accepted as part of the political discourse.
I respectfully submit, ladies and gentleman, that there is no place in the Muslim world to express dissent. Autocratic, theocratic, and despotic regimes allow no political freedom. All thought is outlawed, brute suppression is the norm, and violence is the only outlet to express dissent. That terror is used as an instrument to try to resolve genuine and perceived problems in the Muslim world is a reality. Denials cannot make it disappear.
As Dr. Brown suggested in the last session, perhaps we are looking at this whole issue a tad too causally. We sometimes hope the dangerous gulf in perceptions between two civilizations will bridge itself on its own, or just go away, or that some in the West can reconstruct Islam to suit our own needs and ideas.
Such wishful thinking, ladies and gentlemen, is pompous, arrogant, and a little silly, as it is beyond our capacity to tinker with matters as sacred as faith and belief. Lest we forget, every fifth person in the world is a Muslim. Islam is an ancient religion and a way of life that has contributed much to human civilization. Its contributions to architecture, calligraphy, algebra, astronomy, and military science are phenomenal. Just the profundity of thought as found in Sufism, the juxtaposition of the human condition with the eternal, is a great gift for all mankind to cherish. I am perplexed that Islam, which has given so much to human history, is now being held hostage by groups of zealots that are determined to cast their own puny shadow on a great faith.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Muslim world today is dreadfully stifled. There is no place for the young or old to express their fears or articulate hopes and dreams, no platform to vent, or as Matthew Arnold says, not even a place “to hear each other groan.” And we wonder why merchants of death and destruction hold sway.
On the other hand, we are preoccupied with our strength based on our technology. Technology cannot save us. At best it can protect us for a period of time. Only our values can save us, as they have throughout history, the same values that form the bedrock of our Constitution. As my friend Bill Gertz so thoughtfully stated at the previous session, technology is superb and we probably could photograph bin Laden’s eyeballs, but we cannot photograph his heart. Perhaps it is time for media to try and understand religion better. It may provide the key that unlocks the door to understanding the hearts and minds of peoples and nations, as Dr. Kwak suggests.
Media today has become a player in public policy and governance. This is a dangerous place to be, because it ascribes to media a role it should never have. Media, I believe, should mirror the hopes and aspirations of peoples and societies. It must not mold and shape issues geared to any particular agenda. That is a job best left to elected public officials. In the wake of 9/11 we would do well to take on the mantle of educator and help citizens think and reflect upon the pressing issues of our times. We can succeed by reporting facts, not prepackaged opinions of one shade or another.
I submit to you, my esteemed colleagues, that the times are evil and demand very serious thought and action. As worthy practitioners of our trade, it is time to respectfully learn and joyfully impart what we have gleaned. It is time to stop thinking how righteous and good we are in our own eyes. It is time to circle the wagons and reflect upon the values that have made us a great nation. To continue to be the “City on the Hill,” we must carry a big stick but walk humbly before our God. I thank you.
