Bridges TV

One of the most significant efforts made by Muslims in America the creation of Bridges TV at http://www.bridgestv.com. If you have a broadband Internet connection, via cable modem, DSL, satellite, etc., you can enjoy Bridges TV for free. Otherwise, you have subscribe to it via Globacast or another satellite provider.

Since I only access Bridges TV via the Internet, I only occasionally "drop in" to see what's on. So far, I must say that I've been pleasantly surprised. The programming seems to be done very professionally, with an excellent selection of speakers from America, England, and all over the world. The mixture personalities is that of Western-born Muslims with those who have emigrated to the West. The common thread is an accute concern for a better understanding of Islamic teachings by Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

The emphasis on providing English-language programming is extremely important. Traditionally, Westerners learning about Islam had to wallow through a tremendous quantity of Arabic terminology and, if you'll pardon the comment, accents. This often made it extremely difficult to comprehend or even accept because of varying degrees of confusion generated by linguistic and cultural differences that served as barriers. Bridges TV bridges the gap between Islamic knowledge and Western audiences because it transcends these barriers and delivers with clarity.

Towards Mutual Understanding

Some Muslims and Americans are willing to kill and even die for their beliefs. How many times have we heard of Americans willing to "die for their country?" Americans call this Patriotism. Also, Muslim fighters frequently sacrifice their lives "for the sake of Allah." It’s not that Allah needs anyone to defend Him, but rather, it is Islam that they seek to protect, particularly from foreign invasion. Muslims call this Martyrdom. Of course, Patriots and Martyrs, are frequently called by alternative labels by the other side--Infidel Crusaders and Freedom Hating Terrorists.

An important question is whether actions such as killing and being killed are necessary components of the American or Islamic Ways of Life. Of course, we may hear echoes of Patrick Henry's "Give me liberty, or give me death." Many a brave hero has gone before, on both sides, prompting others to sacrifice themselves for the cause. But do such examples constitute a directive to take yourself and others out in a suicide mission? What about the killing of innocents? Is it really the American Way to drop cluster bombs on Afghani and Iraqi wedding parties in defense of our lifestyle? Similarly, is it Islam that urges its followers to plow passenger jet airliners into buildings where thousands of people are working?

If we agree that killing oneself and others, especially those who are defenseless and innocent, is incompatible with our way of life, then what about supporting and sympathizing with groups and countries who carry out such acts? Until September 11, 2001, many Muslims and Muslim countries recognized, supported, or sympathized with the Taliban government of Afghanistan. However, most Muslims would not want to live under such a government. Similarly, Americans widely support Israel in its practices against the Palestinian people. It is virtually unthinkable to report or refer to Israeli policies and practices in the Occupied Territories in a critical or negative light. Yet, few Americans would want to live in such conditions as the Palestinians have for more than half a century. Why do people support others who commit acts that they, themselves, would not like to do or have done to them?

Why is there such an utter disconnection between explicit beliefs and practices? The answer lies partially in a shared ideal of Self-Righteousness. In short, Muslims believe they are "the best of all nations." Similarly, Americans think theirs is "the greatest country on Earth." With such attitudes, it is hard to find fault with oneself. After all, how can whatever deeds the best people do be less than the best? Nobody's perfect, of course, but the belief is that people cannot be blamed for being the best people doing the best things, which become synonymous with the right things in many people’s minds.

It’s time to pause and reflect on the ideals you claim to believe in, and uphold them as true for both sides. Muslims must come to terms with the reality that most terrorists in the world today are Muslims. The question is: Does Islam condone terrorism? Without qualifications, conditions, blaming, and scapegoating, Muslim citizens must consider where their beliefs lie regarding these particular acts, and take a stand. Similarly, Americans must also do their share of soul-searching, make their viewpoints explicit, and also take a stand against those who violate them in their name. It’s time for everybody to practice what they preach and fulfill the promises of their professed ways of life.

Muslim individuals and American individuals must figure out where they stand regarding their own principles. What we see today is American and Muslim media, government, and other representatives working very hard to convince the other side to accept their points of view. The truth is, they’re just talking to themselves and past one another. America has Fox News, Muslims have Al-Jazeera. Each is busy telling its own audience precisely what it wants to hear. In many ways, it’s about numbers, ratings, advertising, and money. It’s also about influencing public opinion. Maybe it’s time for individuals from both ways of life, free from political and other biases, to begin to try to understand one each other’s beliefs without the interference of biased parties who have much to protect or gain from perpetuating animosity and a lack of understanding.

The first place to begin is to challenge the over-abundance of stereotypes on both sides. Write down five things you heard, think, or believe about Americans or Muslims. Then begin to explore the truthfulness of these ideas. Begin with neutral information sources such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, and library books. Stay away from web sites that purport to tell you what you need to know about America or Islam; web sites are generally biased, so avoid them until you have done your homework from other sources. Eventually, work towards explaining these issues from the other side. Even if you don’t agree, briefly state the other position in order to see if it sounds coherent. For example, “Muslims believe in One God, whom they call “Allah.” Or, “Americans believe in the right to own guns not only to protect themselves from criminals, but also to protect themselves from the Government.” These are basic statements upon which to build understanding. People will find they have more in common than they think.

Islam and America on the Killing of Innocent People

On October 29, 2004, a joint declaration by a group of American Imams condemned the targeting of innocent civilians in Iraq, including the kidnapping of more than 150 civilians and murdering roughly one third of them. The joint statement highlights that such actions are in direct contradiction to the teachings of Islam, specifically the following verse of the Qur'an:

'If anyone slays a human being it shall be as though he had slain all mankind, and if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all mankind.' (5:32)

Interestingly, on the same day, the Baltimore Sun quoted a study done by The Lancet, a leading British medical journal, in which it reports more than 100,000 deaths of Iraqi civilians as a result of the American-led invasion. Most of the reported deaths are said to be the result of collapsing buildings, direct bombings, and fatalities caused by burning shrapnel. These numbers exclude the town of Fallujah where fierce fighting has taken place off and on for the last six months. Nevertheless, the Brookings Institution has disputed The Lancet's claim as being too high.

Significantly more innocent Iraqi civilians have died than the combined number of those murdered by "terrorists" and kidnappers, a sum total of, perhaps, 3,000 people. If the actual number of deaths of Iraqi civilians is only 50%, 25%, or even as low as 5% of The Lancet's report, America is still responsible for a greater number of casualties, perhaps on the order of tens of thousands of lives. All of this does not include the untold number of deaths caused by American-led sanctions against Iraq during the 1990s and early 2000s, which, according to some estimates, surpassed one million deaths of infants, sick, and elderly caused by the deprivation of food, clean drinking water, and medicine.

Yet, while American politicians and media repeatedly claim that Muslim Americans have not done enough to condemn and prevent terrorism, yesterday's joint statement by the American Imams released at a Capitol Hill news conference will go largely unreported in the American media. So has any meaningful reporting of The Lancet's study, even if only to refute it. There has been no similar media or political condemnation of the killing of Iraqi civilians by the American-led attack.

If the killing of innocents is wrong, it is wrong for everybody.

Islam and America as Ways of Life

Islam and America both purport to be ways of life. The Qur'an, Islam's Holy Book, refers to Islam as a deen, which means way of life in Arabic. Americans too, speak of the American Way of Life, or simply, the American Way. In order to lay some groundwork, we'll refer to Islam and America in their abstract forms initially. After all, where is Islam and whose version of it shall we refer to? We have Sunni Islam, Shi'a Islam, Radical Islam, Moderate Islam, Militant Islam, and Secular Islam. Similarly, there are many Americas, meaning the United States of America, to which we refer here. Terms such as Black America, Corporate America, Religious America, Rich America, Poor America, Rural America, and Urban America represent different experiences and outlooks.

Islam and America both have founding documents which outline many of these ideals. The Qur'an has several recurring themes that establish the foundations of the religion. Without going into lengthy detail, the Qur'an preaches Justice, Freedom, Prayer, Charity, Compassion, Forgiveness, Tolerance, Patience, and many other noble virtues such as Peace, which is implied in the very name of the religion itself. The Arabic letters equivalent to s-l-m form a root word meaning Peace similar to the Hebrew sh-l-m, which give us "Shalom." The Qur'an and the well-recorded life of Muhammad, described as the living Qur'an, provide ample examples, stories, and prescriptions for attaining Peace. When issues emerge in the lives of Muslims or within Muslim societies, the established practice is to return back to the Qur'an or Prophetic Traditions for personal or scholarly interpretation in order to establish the rights, responsibilities, and restrictions relevant to the issue in question. Occasionally, these determinations become binding as law.

America, similarly, has its founding documents. The Constitution is the core document forming the basis of American law and the American way of life: Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness, Equality, Justice, and Tolerance, to name a few. Perceived violations of these and similar doctrines will ultimately be scrutinized and potentially deemed "unconstitutional" under the law. Upholding Constitutional rights and removing laws or practices considered to be unconstitutional is an important part of the American legal system. Occasionally, Amendments are written to the Constitution in order to legislate such judicial opinions and preserve them for posterity.

In conclusion, America and Islam are both viable ways of life with many similarities. They have similar values and similar methods for upholding those values. American Law and Islamic Law go through similar processes of reviewing foundational documents, interpreting their meanings in new contexts, determining proper courses of action, and occasionally codifying these into law. To behave un-Islamically is a sin. To behave unconstitutionally is a crime.