July 1991, Page 75

Islam in America

By Dima Zalatimo

Presidential Greeting to American Muslims Marks Eid Al Adha

George Bush became the first US president to extend a videotaped holiday greeting to the Muslim community when he recorded a two-minute message marking Eid Al Adha, celebrated at the end of June.

Standing beside a White House arm chair and wearing a navy blue blazer, Bush began his address by greeting Muslims as fellow followers of one of the Abrahamic faiths.

"It is my pleasure, on the day American Muslims celebrate the feast of sacrifice, to offer each and every one of you my heartfelt best wishes," the president said. "Today, millions of Muslims in America and around the world commemorate the absolute faith and unquestioning obedience of the prophet Abraham who was ready, at God's command, to sacrifice even his own son. Abraham's example inspires three great religions. As children of Abraham, American Muslims gather today to honor their ancient faith. As Americans, your celebration affirms this nation's allegiance to religious freedom for all.

"The notion of religious tolerance lies at the heart of the American ideal. Many of our founders came here because the land promised religious tolerance. And today in America, all people are free to believe, free to worship as their minds and hearts tell them they must. On this day of great joy for members of the Muslim faith, I ask everyone to remember the millions of men and women who are persecuted for their beliefs, forced to suffer for their faith. I offer this prayer: May God guide us forward, to the day when people of all faiths live in peace and freedom, everywhere in the world. "

The presidential greeting was proposed by members of the Washington, DC-based American Muslim Council (AMC) to mark the three-day observance of Eid Al Adha. It is the holiday that marks the Haj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, one of Islam's five pillars. Muslims typically sacrifice a lamb to be distributed to the poor along with zakat, or alms, in celebration of the feast and remembrance of the poor. In Washington, DC, the message was scheduled to air on national capital area cable television channels and was made available to Fairfax County schools to be shown in classrooms. The AMC also distributed the address to hospitals, to be viewed by Muslim patients, and to interfaith meetings.

One of the objectives of the video recording was to help alleviate religious discrimination and promote greater understanding and tolerance of Islam in the US, according to AMC's executive director, Abdurahman Alamoudi. "We requested assistance from Muslim communities to spread this message to the non-Muslim population, " said Alamoudi. "This presidential message will help define the Muslim community as part of the American fabric and as a positive, organized minority."

Copies of the videotape may be obtained from the AMC at a nominal price. For more information, call (202) 789-2262.

Imam Delivers Congressional Prayer

The House of Representatives' Chaplain, Dr. James Ford, reserved the delivery of the House prayer on June 25 for Imam Siraj Wahaj to mark Eid Al Adha. Nominated by members of the Muslim community, the American Muslim Council and Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), Wahaj, 41, is known nationally for his leadership in establishing a "drug-free zone" in his drug-infested neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn. One of the first Muslim leaders to cooperate with the New York City Police Department in this effort, Wahaj also broadcasts a weekly program on WWRL-AM. He serves on the advisory board of the Islamic Society of North America and on the Majlis Al Shura (Consultative Committee) of New York City.

Wahaj's invocation was scheduled to air on C-SPAN's daily coverage of congressional events.

Dima Zalatimo directs English-language programming on the Arab Network of America in Washington, DC