Open Letter to MuslimMatters, We Are Disgusted and Appalled.
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Bismillah,
*MuslimMatters.org has since issued a public apology on their website.
Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmitullahi wa Barakatuh,
To the anonymous person who wrote the recent article on MuslimMatters.org regarding Br. Tarek:
I and many other Muslims are in complete disbelief as to what we have read with our own eyes. I understand that the attempt was a public relations stunt aimed at disassociating the writers of that blog with “links to terrorism” but this went beyond anything tasteful.
Instead, you decided to throw your brother under a bus, and give him no chance at all to be freed of charges. What gain have you benefited from doing this? Did you know that there were other ways to accomplish being disassociated with “terrorism” that did not include writing something horrendous in the eyes of Allah? SubhanAllah.
For the record we do not know Brother Tarek, we only know what has been accused of him. Has not Allah ‘az wa jal said in Surat An-Nur, “Why then, did not the believers, men and women, when you heard it (the slander), think good of their own people and say: “This (charge) is an obvious lie ?”
He may or may not have said what you have quoted, but leave that for Allah. Leave a person who may have done something wrong to repent to Allah and seek His aide.
We are all so quick to be afraid of other than Allah that we will do whatever it takes to save our own necks even at the expense of the life of another Muslim.
I implore MuslimMatters to remove the article and issue an apology. The author may have gained the acceptance of federal agents, but until he apologies publicly, he will not gain my acceptance nor the acceptance of other Muslims who feel likewise. However, our acceptance does not mean anything, but it is the acceptance of the repentance to Allah that matters.
Further, we’d like to apologize to the other writers on MuslimMatters.org who have nothing to do with the article. And we do not wish to see their dawah work be affected by this.
I come knowing the ins and outs of the Op-Ed section of a newspaper and understand there is something called “our view” in which the editors come together and write a piece with no one’s name attached made to represent the voice of the paper as a whole.
I’m almost certain this article was not reviewed and agreed upon by the other authors, so it was in more bad taste to post it under a psudonym.
We ask Allah to have mercy on you and that any damage done you can reconcile.
Wassalamu Alaikum,
Shirien Elamawy
*This article is the view of EgyptianGumbo.com and may or may not represent the views of others.
ar.m Says: 23.10.09 at 8:47 am
Allah bless you, ameen
BK Says: 23.10.09 at 8:56 am
well said, i was very confused by that article. wasn’t sure why it was posted and why it had that type of attitude.
trp Says: 23.10.09 at 9:11 am
Good letter.
aideh Says: 23.10.09 at 9:14 am
jazakillah kheir
Nasiba Says: 23.10.09 at 9:29 am
I feel soo sad after reading the article on MM. :’(
Abû Mûsâ Al-?abashî Says: 23.10.09 at 9:49 am
Jazâkillâh khayr.
Are you sure about that? Isn’t their previous articles in the last week, as well as their arguing with Abu Sabaya’s comments (in fact, I think the ‘Closing the Chapter on ‘Benefit of the Doubt’ for Terrorists’ was meant as a direct response to him), sufficient to show that already, such that further renunciation would be redundant?
shirien Says: 23.10.09 at 9:52 am
@Abu Musa Al-Habashi
That was one issue, but when The Associated press publishes a front page article linking to MuslimMatters in support of who they say is a “terrorist” then that brings about the need to respond on the front page for all the journalist and viewers who have flooded to their site yesterday and today.
A Friend Says: 23.10.09 at 10:50 am
Salaam,
I speak as a friend when I say that I read over the MM article and I didn’t sense that they were openly accusing him of the crimes he’s been accused of. They repeatedly stated that the justice system should decide his innocence or guilt. What I think the Muslim community in America should do is to ALWAYS distance themselves from extremist views because indeed there are good and BAD Muslims out there.
We should wait for the justice system to come up with a verdict and hopefully this will be a fair trial even though the media has really sensationalized this story. If a Muslim wants to live in this country they HAVE to obey the laws here and try to better THIS society or else they should go somewhere else where people would tolerate them (and there are very few places like that in the world).
More Muslims are dying due to extremist groups today than anyone else, we have to stand united against those who have high jacked our faith no matter who they are. Sure major mistakes have been made in foreign policies around the world but I can tell you from experience, it is extremely difficult to defend Islam and show it in a positive light when people claiming to be “true” Muslims are destroying our own nations and have nothing but hate to share with others. One attack carried out by extremists can undue years of hard work in dialog and outreach towards non-Muslims.
Like I said if you want to live in this country you have to be a part of it and help build it, you don’t have to compromise your faith, instead live it as it should be lived. Be a real Muslim and show real Islam to everyone, not just Muslims. This is a very open country with many open minded people, we are the ones who have to be good examples for others. I we can’t do this, than its better to move somewhere else because you are hurting the rest of us. Just keep in mind that many Muslims feel they can better practice Islam here than most other parts of the world.
If you had the experience that I did growing up here, you would agree that it’s been a blessing, now its up to us to do our part and give back to this great country by standing by it and helping to guide it in the world. This country isn’t perfect but it’ll only be as good as the people who live here. If you don’t like the foreign policy here get educated, get in the socio-economic-political sphere and help guide Americans to a better path than the destructive one favored by the neo-cons. May Allah guide and protect us all.
Peace
Azeem Says: 23.10.09 at 11:17 am
I just read the MM article and have to say it was well written and I agree with their arguments. Especially the point about no good not coming out of violent movements.
On another note: If this person was even considering killing innocent people in the name of Islam or Muslims I hope he is held fully liable to the fullest extent of the law. If he is innocent, I pray Allah (S) finds a way out of this for him.
shirien Says: 23.10.09 at 11:49 am
@afriend @ Azeem
No one is defending what they have accused him of. The focus of the article is not Tarek, it’s merely about the manner in which the author chose to respond to the recent Associated press article published yesterday. There was no reason to bring more evidence against the brother if their aim was to denounce terrorism. SubhanAllah.
I was shocked when I read it and couldnt believe that it was published. How many times have we seen our own imams and leaders deported and imprisoned on false charges (or no charges at all) give the brother a fair chance.
shirien Says: 23.10.09 at 12:15 pm
I commend them for their apology statement issued at the top of the article. May Allah forgive us all. ameen.
Tuwaylib Says: 23.10.09 at 12:27 pm
Jazakillahu khair for your article.
To those defending MM:
You must be reading the article on MM with some really rose tinted sunglasses.
Tuwaylib Says: 23.10.09 at 12:33 pm
We waited for the ‘justice’ system and Ali Tamimi got life
We waited for the ‘justice’ system and Gitmo still exists
We waited for the ‘justice’ system and Aafia is still not free.
etc.. etc.. etc…
‘Friend’: cut the crap.
It’s your beloved country that has killed more Muslims in the world… Your patriotic view of Islam, your Americanized ‘HappyMeal’ Islam is what is destroying Muslim lives…
Abu Mujaddid Says: 23.10.09 at 12:49 pm
MM just recently recanted the original statements of that article. What is apparent from the likes of this action is the stirred-up reasoning behind it. It appears to be a superficial recanment. The writers of the article obviously still hold such views, hence the publication of such content itself in the first place. Having seen the negative reaction and feedback from the Muslims, it became obvious that in order to save face and reclaim their status of being well aware of “Muslim Matters”, they pulled it down. What this shows is the obvious, which is that in Islam, one needs to know the detailed evidences of ANY matter especially when it comes down to an extrajudicial matter of a fellow Muslim. I hope the editor at MM who wrote this article take heed of such action and refrain from committing such immature public stunts. Think through Islam, not from a superficial, new-age mentality, no matter how intelligent that sounds. Anyways, thank you for expressing your concern. Wa salaamu alaikum wr.
Verbage Says: 23.10.09 at 2:22 pm
jazaki Allahu khayran. I am still shocked by what took place over at MM.
Kashif Says: 23.10.09 at 4:43 pm
@AbuMujadid, that is just how i felt after reading their “apology”. Quite superficial and qualified.
Even though i’ve asked for the author of that piece to be named and shamed, i almost wish that he won’t be, so that he avoids the curses and bad duas he will receive from people.
Abu Mujaddid Says: 23.10.09 at 5:51 pm
@Kashif, most likely the author will remain at the current nom de guerre(rightly phrased). And Allah s.w.t. knows who is sincere in his remarks so as to publicly apologize in front of everyone in the hopes to remove this slander from his/her account on yaumul qiyyamah.
On another note, the damage that MM did not intend to do(as mentioned in their update) has already been done. Some of the comments which were left under that article portrays br. Abu Sabaya as a pseudo-extremist sympathizer. And it’s these comments which are picked up by the media and blown out of proportion. This is sufficient to further add damage to this innocent individual. Some media outlets have already picked them up and are displaying them on their websites so as to show that other Muslims DID believe he was a terrorist-sympathizer. This is a failure to shield a fellow brother from further harm by the evil forces that be. May Allah s.w.t. keep all of us safe and may Allah s.w.t. make the whole team of editors at MM realize their mistakes so that it does not happen again. Let us all have trust in Allah s.w.t. in that He will reward all those who are the muttaqeen. They are always the winners.
jet Says: 23.10.09 at 7:52 pm
For people like me that still thought MM was not that bad, this post really made it clear where their allegiances lay. Its time for the shuyukh and the good brothers and sisters that are part of MM to disassociate themselves from that blog and start their own website.
Kashif Says: 23.10.09 at 8:45 pm
@AbuMujadid: can you give me an example of where these comments are being used on media websites?
jet Says: 24.10.09 at 3:15 am
here it is:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/10/22/records_show_man_intent_on_terror_but_supporters_skeptical/?page=2
“Iesa Galloway of the website muslimmatters.org, which bills itself as a platform for discussing contemporary issues from an orthodox perspective, said differing portraits of Mehanna have emerged on the site. While many people enjoy him personally, writers have noticed that Mehanna, under the name Abu Sabaya, has recently been debating them, supporting terrorism ideals and calling them “sellouts.’’”
Adib Contractor Says: 24.10.09 at 7:54 am
I’m sick and tired of this. I think it is appalling that anyone would label a ticket stall as a train. I will refute that.
AlBaraa Says: 24.10.09 at 8:15 am
@Adib
lol – you gotta admit at first sight it looked like a train in the bg. My wife said, “I’m from the south. We dont ride trains, much less subways”
Like you said being in NJ is like being in the future
A Friend Says: 24.10.09 at 3:20 pm
Salaam,
Tuwayub, tell me how many dialogue projects have you carried out, in how many instances have you tried to defend and explain Islam to others? How many times have you met with non-Muslim Americans in person and tried to explain how terrorism has nothing to do with Islam? On the flip side have you tried explaining to Americans how they can better this country’s foreign policy so that violence can be stemmed on both sides?
Unless you’ve studied international affairs, foreign policy, and public relations extensively I suggest you reconsider your views on how Muslims should handle this issue. Are you suggesting that there aren’t so called “muslims” out in the world who do believe in killing innocent people be they Muslim or not? There are modern day Khawarij who have high-jacked our Great faith and until we condemn people who misuse Islam for their own petty goals people will have a hard time distinguishing the majority of law abiding Muslims from the few extremists who ruin it for the rest of us.
(Assuming you’re from the U.S.) This country you’re talking about gives us the freedom to have this discussion on a public forum, if you don’t know yet the same isn’t true in many other countries. This country gave us security, unprecedented access to knowledge, a quality education, economic opportunity, and diversity among friends that we could only imagine elsewhere. Muslims in America are doing much better economically, politically, and socially than in many other parts of the world. As stated before we can practice Islam much better here than in many other places.
The strategy of blaming Israel and America for all the problems of Muslims hasn’t worked in the past and it won’t work now, George Bush is gone, Americans have accepted that going into Iraq was wrong and many want to leave Afghanistan and they eventually will. What we have to ask ourselves is what will be built in these countries after they leave? Will we support the definitively un-Islamic practices of the Taliban? Or will we support nations that work, that give infrastructure and good quality of life to the people without having to violate Islamic principles?
Unless you have an answer to these questions, please keep the rhetoric to yourself, it is difficult enough already to give a positive image of Islam in the post 9/11 era. I will continue to support America because I know many, many good American people who have embraced and valued me precisely for being a Muslim in this country. Like I said before I don’t have to compromise my Islam to be a good citizen because this is what our faith teaches to be good people wherever we go. I’m sick of the hate mongering, there’s enough of it in the world already…
Shirien Says: 24.10.09 at 3:48 pm
for the record, i apologize for the harshness of the title and for my husband’s love of graphic design lol. Sometimes not even I can stop him from his “creativity.”
I feel it was a little out of line, and if it offended any, please accept our apologies.
Nihal Khan Says: 24.10.09 at 8:02 pm
sh yq and yb posted on mm.
Zayed Says: 25.10.09 at 5:02 am
I don’t think MMs did anything wrong. There is no reason for anyone to get offended. They didn’t say anything offinsive. I believe you have something against MM.. Also let’s keep in mind MM didn’t accuse him or a crime, they only stated facts.
I believe your title is more harsh. I think you should abologize to MuslimMatter.
Shirien Says: 25.10.09 at 7:30 am
@Zayed, Did you read the article before it was edited? If there was not reason to get offended why did over 100 people get offended and them have to issue an apology?
I do not have anything against MM, and in fact many of my friends are writers for it as well as people I work with and respect greatly.
Also, had you read the comments right above yours you would have seen I did apologize if my headline sounded too harsh.
Wallahul musta’an.
Zayed Says: 25.10.09 at 8:30 am
Not everyone that commented on the article was upset over it. Anytime you write something people will get upset. You can’t make everyone happy.
I read your article and didn’t think there was a need for it. I also read the MM article and most of the comments on there. They’re only stating facts. No need to get upset over it.
They said they were sorry because people were getting upset for no reason, I guess they did what they thought was correct.
I am glad you said you were sorry for your harsh title and article.
May Allah guide us all and I ask Allah to teach us manners and how to respect our fellow Muslims.
Shirien Says: 25.10.09 at 9:19 am
@Zayed,
Over 90% of the comments were really shocked and upset at the article. I’ve written for sewspapers and I’ve written online. That’s not normal- yes not everyone will agree with you all the time, but when a huge number of people speak out and the majority is that they are genuinely upset there is something wrong. Especially from people who are avid readers of the website and are regular visitors.
if what you stated was the case, why dont they apologize for every single article they write considering there’s always people who disagree?
Further, I didn’t apologize for the article itself. I stand by my article, and I don’t think there was anything rude about the article itself. It was general naseeha for someone who did wrong to another brother. Since it was anonymous I couldn’t email the brother or sister themselves, so this is the medium I decided to give my thoughts and naseeha.
Wallahu alem.
abullah Says: 25.10.09 at 10:10 am
there is the support group for tariq if anyone wants to know more about this brother from his friends and family and the massachusetts community and keep up with the news . i knew t his brother for almost 5 years and all i can say is he is one of the most kind respectful and knowlegble brothers i met. he often spote against the killin of innocent people and made it knowning and would comdemn acts of killin of civilians. may allah make things easy on him and protect them from any harm and release him soon. he has no one but allah at this point.
http://www.facebook.com/inbox/readmessage.php?t=1174568530438#/group.php?gid=159128188381&ref=mf
siddiq Says: 08.11.09 at 4:34 pm
so since mm took down the article, shouldn’t you as well take this down?
Nuh Says: 17.11.09 at 10:52 am
As Salamalaikum My True Believers in Islam:
Check this Hadith and ponder over it- Insha’Allah you will be guided, Ameen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2gs1Su-GOg
As Salamalaikum,
Nuh
Cera Says: 20.11.09 at 6:20 pm
Assalamu Alaykum,
I beleive this article should also be taken down since MM has done so. I believe this article was distasteful as well and instead of being an open letter, the naseeha could have been given privately which is proper etiquette. I’m sure you would’ve been able to find an email for MM to contact them or any of the individuals associated with MM.
May Allah swt guide us and protect us all. ameen.
wasalam