Growing Up Muslim After 9/11
- Dec 6, 2016
- 2 min read
Meet Aashiq Mohamed, a 24-year-old Canadian-American Muslim. I originally interviewed him for my piece entitled 'The Many Misconceptions of Moral Millennials', which explored the different stereotypes that young religious people face from their peers. Aashiq's story was one of many that I received after putting out a call for people who were willing to open up to me about feeling stigmatized for their faith. His story can be read below:
"My religion is Islam. Islam teaches patience, peace through understanding, and retaining modesty. In a world full of violence and chaos, Islam gives me faith that and a peace of mind to help me live out my life. Many people misinterpret Islam to be a religion that encourages violence and misogyny, however it is quite the contrary. Like I emphasized earlier, Islam is a religion of peace and actually views women as completely equated with men under the perspective of God in terms of their rights and responsibilities.
I grew up in New York in my early childhood, and actually witnessed the Twin Towers collapsing from the window of my Grade 4 classroom. The aftermath of the towers definitely did have a negative spotlight shining over the Muslim population in the weeks to follow. Many people would often categorize any person with a brown complexion as being Muslim and would engage in demeaning jokes and comments about being a terrorist or a 'dangerous' person. Even when I moved to Canada and in my post-secondary days, I've encountered a few people that would 'joke' about a bomb joke. I've gotten used to the scrutiny so I do not pay too much attention to such comments, but it makes me think how ignorant some folks can be and how such comments would have a grievous impact with other Muslims.
I would like people to know that Islam is actually a peaceful perspective in life, one that promotes well-being and tranquility. Yes, there have been terrible Muslims in the past, but that can be said about Christians, Jews, and other practitioners. But we shouldn't generalize a religion based on one bad apple. That is why I strive to become a better Muslim in our contemporary society despite the modern confinements that surround our society. Islam is such a beautiful religion and so many people misinterpret it as a chaotic lifestyle just because of some people who have engaged in terrorism. I want people to stop judging Islam based off of what they see on Fox News or CNN, and to avoid listening to ignorant idiots like Bill Maher and Donald Trump. I want people to take time off and actually do some research about Islam's tranquil nature so they can be educated for themselves on how beautiful this religion is."
Check out this video below to hear more Muslims speak on their experiences after 9/11 in a video by Al Jazeera.
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