|
|||||||
![]() Homegrown Radicals: Complacency is not an Option
An army major at Fort Hood guns down fellow soldiers, five young men arrested after traveling to Pakistan to join radical elements, a coffee vendor charged in a New York terror plot and a terrorism suspect in North Carolina is arrested. Such headlines involving American Muslims ought to be a source of concern for the community.
|
|||||||
Friday, February 5,2010 23:20 | |||||||
|
|||||||
An army major at Fort Hood guns down fellow soldiers, five young men arrested after traveling to Pakistan to join radical elements, a coffee vendor charged in a New York terror plot and a terrorism suspect in North Carolina is arrested. Such headlines involving American Muslims ought to be a source of concern for the community. A recent scholarly report by researchers at Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill asserts that the number of American Muslims vulnerable to radicalization is small but not negligible. Since 9-11, 139 American Muslims have committed terrorist acts or have been convicted or charged with terrorism. Less than one-third successfully executed their violent plots, with a majority of these violent acts being committed overseas.
The American Muslim community should not brush aside these facts by either taking a defensive posture or by being apologetic. Saying that only a handful of American Muslims are involved in terrorism while the vast majority of the community are productive citizens or asserting that America’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are the source of such radicalization, while true does not solve the problem at hand. The better path for the community will be to conduct honest soul searching and enact proactive measures that can avoid such attention grabbing headlines in the first place.
In an ideal world, the misguided action of a few individuals will not invite scrutiny on the broader community. But we live in a world where the fear and misunderstandings about the Muslim community is pervasive. A recent survey by the ]Gallup Center for Muslim Studies found 53 percent of Americans view Islam unfavorably with 6 in 10 Americans reporting that they know little about Islam. While other religious extremists are portrayed as being outside the mainstream, terrorists who happen to be Muslims are characterized as representatives of their religion. Dalia Mogahed , executive director of the Gallup Center said to Bloomberg News, “Where a deranged person of a certain faith commits a crime in the name of their faith, we look at these incidents as someone misinterpreting faith. When a terrorist commits an act of violence in the name of Islam, it is often times framed as being devoted to the faith rather than being deviant.”
The Duke-UNC report while raising concern, commends the American Muslim community for the steps it has taken thus far to limit radicalization of its youth. These steps such as public and private denunciation of terrorism, nipping extremist ideas at their bud, social networking, and political engagement have been helpful but need of further enhancement for better sustainability. Among the ideas (not necessarily new or radical) that the community can use to prevent future radicalization are:
A recent publication titled, “Building Bridges to Strengthen America,” (produced by Muslim Public Affairs Council), cites a study by Quintan Wiktorowicz outlining a path to radicalization. Knowing these steps can help the community and families spot trouble before they become a nightmare.
The first step towards radicalization is usually socio-economic-political discontent often precipitating a personal crisis that Wiktorowicz describes as, “…shakes certainty in previously accepted beliefs and renders an individual more receptive to the possibility of alternative views and perspectives.” The identity crisis leads to seeking answers. People may find comfort in religion using a variety of methods such as personal social networks or the internet. If the seeker consciously or inadvertently were to engage with members of any extremist movement then the chances of radicalization increases as the, “[extremist] movement members attempt to convince seekers that the movement ideology provides logical solutions to pressing concerns.” Successful recruitment occurs because individuals are ignorant of or lack access to mainstream religious knowledge. Empirical studies show that most terrorists lack religious knowledge and were secular individuals until just before joining an extremist group (see Marc Sageman’s, Leaderless Jihad).
In the final phase, the recruit internalizes the ideology of the extremist group. Sustaining this state of mind requires isolating the individual from mainstream society. Radicals are often aloof, angry and excessively critical of society. Instead of seeking solutions to problem, they engage in the blame game, often making simplistic and stereotyping accusations that they themselves loathe when directed at their faith or community. An important caveat - not all people who are aloof, angry or excessively critical are necessarily radicals.
In a study by the Dutch Clingendael Centre for Strategic Studies, the author provides a way to measure social integration (arguing that better social integration can reduce chances of being radicalized). The study asserts that there are ten social factors, which are necessary for social integration. The factors are –
Scoring low on these factors increases the risk of radicalization. As is seen from these factors, the propensity to radicalize is a multifaceted and complex process. Community members need to proactively institute programs that allow young American Muslims to develop positive attitude towards their society. Some of these factors are outside the control of the community. And yet, if and when a problem surfaces, members of the community should engage with relevant agencies that can provide relief. For example, if a person feels that they are being discriminated in their jobs or badly treated when they go to the local gym, the community should seek immediate redress, understanding that the law is on their side. Brushing aside these grievances only makes the problem worse. Redressing grievances can engender positive feelings towards citizenship and foster loyalty.
Throughout his life, before and after the Prophetic mission, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) participated in many just causes without regard to who initiated that good action. To Prophet Muhammad, the principles were more important than who initiated a good action. He did want to establish a tribal order. He wanted to establish a system of governance based on justice and a social order based on compassion. Here are three examples of Prophet Muhammad’s inclusive and egalitarian vision:
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) remembered God Almighty by engaging in the service of God’s creations. He served God, by serving his fellow human beings.
Despite the many setbacks on civil liberties, America remains a land of the free. Muslims must use this freedom to effectively respond to the vigorous challenges to some of their deeply held beliefs. While speaking out against perceived affront to their religion or way of life they must uphold the right of others to offend without backing down from seeking ways to defend their own rights. This, of course, entails an unequivocal commitment to the rule of law. Citizens have the right to protest unfair treatment; and when they believe the law is unjust, they should work to change such laws. Promising integration lies in civic participation and political mobilization. Random violence targeting innocent civilians is immoral and ineffective. It can never be justified no matter how severe the underlying grievance. This message needs to be reinforced from the mosque pulpit to the kitchen table.
* [Parvez Ahmed, Ph.D., is a U.S. Fulbright Scholar. He is Associate Professor of Finance at the University of North Florida. He is also a frequent commentator on Islam and the American Muslim experience. His blog can be read at: http://drparvezahmed.blogspot.com/)
Parvez Ahmed Blog- drparvezahmed.blogspot.com |
|||||||
tags: Fort Hood / War on Terror / Minarets / Iraq / Afghanistan / American Muslim / Interfaith / Islamophobia / American Muslim Community / Muslims in The West / Interfaith Dialogue
Posted in |
|||||||
|
|||||||
|
|||||||
Related Articles | |||||||