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Is Washington – A New Qibla for the Muslim world?
11-24-2020
There was a time when the west used to anxiously await on passing of the Khalifa in the Muslim world, and wondering who the next Khalifa would be? What was his view of the west? How will it impact their relationship with the Muslim world? Several few centuries later, it’s the other way around. The entire world, particularly, the Muslim world anxiously awaits the stalemate in Washington and looking forward for Trump to concede. Whether its Trump or Biden, what difference does it make for the 1.6 billion Muslims around the world? Whether a knife falls on a melon, or a melon falls on the knife. It is the melon that’s going to get sliced. Thus, summarizing the situation of Muslims around the world.
The Muslim world’s dilemma is beautifully captured in Malcolm X’s following quote, “Foxes and wolves belong to the same family – I think it’s called canine. And the difference is that the wolf when he shows you his teeth, you know that he’s your enemy; and the fox, when he shows you his teeth, he appears to be smiling. But no matter which of them you go with; you end up in the doghouse.”
Essentially, for the Muslims, the difference between Trump and Biden is nothing more than six of ones or half a dozen of the other, because no matter who comes to power, the U.S. established foreign policy towards the Muslims will remain unchanged. Neither the Muslim ummah’s sufferings from Palestine to Kashmir will end, nor will we witness the curbing in Islamophobia. Although the U.S. president is known as the “most powerful person on earth.” The “powers” of this so-called “most powerful person on earth” are shackled in U.S. foreign policy and no matter who is in the office, is enslaved to implement it. So, before we start jumping with joy, doing dabkah in the Dubai, or bhangra in Pakistan over Biden’s victory, lets look at some undeniable facts.
Remember, it is the American voters who decide on the president, and both presidential candidates had their campaign objectives to appeal to the certain vote bank. Trump campaign played on divisive politics of fear – fear of Islam and Muslims. Biden on the other hand appealed to the Democrats and Muslim voters to end the divisive politics and getting the people out to vote. It was one of the highest voter turnouts in twelve decades, and eighty six percent among Muslim voters, where sixty nine percent voted democrats, and seventeen percent voted republicans.
Muslim candidates also made history, broke barriers, large numbers of firsts. Mauree Turner, first openly nonbinary and Muslim state lawmaker in the US. In Oklahoma. First Muslim senator in Indiana’s history, Fady Qaddoura, Madinah Wilson-Altor, first legislator in Delawar. First Muslim legislator in Colorado, Iman Jodeh, Sambah Baldeh, first in Wisconsin’s history. Zohran Kwame Mamdani, first Indian-Ugandan in New York assembly. Nida Allam, first Muslim county commission. Abraham Aiyash, first Muslim to Michigan House of Representatives. Omar Fateh to Minnesota State Senate.
Besides the groovy make us feel good news. The facts are, both Democrats and Republican are bad news for Muslims. Trump targeted Muslims in the U.S. given rise to Islamophobia as he tried to appeal to his far-right vote bank, with the theme of “Islam hates us.” Trump told CNN, “I think Islam hates us. There is something there that – there’s a tremendous hatred there. There’s a tremendous hatred. We have to get to the bottom of it. there’s an unbelievable hatred on us.”
Biden on the other hand appeared as a knight in shining armour to save the American Muslims from this evil man called Trump. While appealing to Muslim voters he quoted Hadith about “removing the evil” – of course he was referring to Trump as the evil. During September 29 debate, he even used the term Inshaallah, and Twitter went crazy, “Joe Biden is Muslim.”
On average, every twelve minutes, U.S. drops a bomb somewhere, vast majority of them on Muslim nations. Regardless of who is running the show in the White House. The U.S. will continue to drop bombs -kill and maim poor Muslim citizens “somewhere: in the world. so exactly why are we celebrating Trump’s lost and Biden victory?
The only Muslims who might somewhat benefit from Biden’s victory are those who voted for him – American Muslims. Hopefully, under his leadership the tone from the White House against Islam and Muslims may provide a healing period for American Muslims and tackle Islamophobia. However, the level of hated trump has instilled against Islam and Muslims, it would require decades to eradicate the seeds of hatred Trump has sowed among his supporters.
The problem with Muslims – all of us collectively – is that we have stopped being Muslims. We have divided ourselves into tiny little groups, each with its own regional and nationalistic agenda, rather than being united.
We have stopped following Islam.
We have stopped practicing the teachings of the Quran and our beloved prophet, Mohammed (PBUH).
We have stopped trusting in the help of Allah and positing our faith in U.S. voters to help us rid the evil.
We have changed our Qibla from the Kaaba to Washington.
If we stay on this deadly path, neither will our conditions change nor our disastrous destiny.
The only way for us to return to the basics. Start learning and practicing the teachings of the Quran and our beloved prophet Mohammed (PBUH). We must recalibrate our focus back to Allah, pray to Allah to change our conditions and trust that he will answer our prayers and he is the only one who could eradicate the evil forces fighting against Islam and killing Muslims worldwide.
We need to acknowledge our Qibla is Kaaba and not Washington, D.C.
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