Mehdi Reacts to 9/11 Attacks From an Islamic Perspective

By Emily Gabriel
Business Manager

The 250 people gathered to listen to award-winning journalist Anisa Mehdi share her expertise in the Islamic faith had at least one thing in common with her: each person could remember what they were doing on Sept. 11, 2001, when the World Trade Centers were struck by two planes.

I was on a transit train from New Jersey going into New York City for a meeting with my boss, Mehdi said.

Mehdi described sitting on the train, hearing that the Twin Towers were hit by a plane and initially thinking what a jerk, some stunt pilot, and later, after hearing about a second plane thinking, damned Muslims.

Mehdi said she believes many others reacted in the same way she did, but felt surprised at herself because she is a Muslim.

Mehdi informed the audience that there are three trends involving Islam that directly contradict Islamic teaching. The first trend is people who kidnap and kill in the name of Islam.

Mehdi explained that jihad, a word tossed about in place of holy war, is actually a word meaning the struggle within oneself to be the best person possible, someone who is humble and patient, which she acknowledged is hard when life grabs us.

There is also a lesser jihad, which is the struggle to defend oneself. All other violence is explicitly prohibited in Islamic teaching.

The second trend is mistaking insurgents for martyrs because they believe they are acting out of religious purposes.

Boys are strapping grenades to their waists to be beamed up to heaven, Mehdi said. In actuality, suicide is prohibited by Islam because followers believe it is Gods choice of when someone dies. Gods ways are persuasive, not coercive, she said.

Finally, the third trend is the idea of infidelity. Who is the infidel? Mehdi asked. She explained that Christians and Jews are being called infidels when in reality they are believers, too.

Mehdi also explained parallels between Christian and Islamic teachings by referencing specific stories like Adam and Eve that exist in both the Bible and the Quran.

The only difference between the teachings is that the Quran teaches that men and women are partners in life from the beginning; thus, Adam and Eve made the decision to disobey together and it was not just Eves fault.

Mehdi is a unique figure in the American media. According to her biography, she is the first woman to cover the Hajj for broadcast, partially, she notes, because of her Muslim background.

Mehdi explained that she believes Muslims are taking up arms for other reasons. She listed hunger, humiliation resulting from being occupied, feeling betrayed by their own governments when wealth is not shared and American promises backfiring or not being kept as reasons for this behavior. Mehdi said religion is being used to unite and motivate people as a flag to rally, but is not a justification for behavior.

Mehdi also said the American media has failed to report the suffering of the Iraqi people, and she also criticized American involvement in Iraq.

Bombs are aspirin and Advil for broken bones, Mehdi said. The intestines and innards [of government] are corrupt, ill, rancid, and rotting. Iraqis need counseling not surgery, education not amputation. We are talking about Gods children, not collateral damage.

Mehdi also clarified that despite popular rhetoric, Muslims do not hate our way of life, but long for what we have.

They are eager to apply democratic principles like free speech, and embrace modernity without sacrificing their own rich cultures, without becoming mere satellites in the American solar system, Mehdi said. They long for a slice of the economic pie, as long as its homemade.

Mehdi stressed the importance of Americans understanding how policies are viewed by others, even if others dont agree with them.

Hate is not an ideology of Islam, she said. If we believe this, we are lost.

In a question and answer session, Mehdi was asked what she would change about the American media. She said she would like to see fewer stories about Muslims on the front page and more stories on Muslim involvement in business.

She also said she would like to see Islam removed as prefix for terrorist.

Timothy McVeigh wasnt a Christian terrorist, she said. He was a damned terrorist!

Mehdi commended the Sisters of Mercy and the Cultural Affairs Committee who co-sponsored her visit on Oct. 28, for throwing their nets into the sea and trying to educate people about Islam.

She said that the silver lining in the events of Sept. 11 is that there is more interest in Muslims and Islam.