The past week has been a political fiasco for Muslim “leaders” in the US peddling the adaptation of mainstream US political dogmas.
After spending years kissing-up to the US political elite, often compromising Islamic principles when it clashed with secular dogmas, Muslims calling for “working within” the US system have had to face an embarrassing reality. The system completely disregards Muslim grievances.
On August 20, Joe Biden’s campaign officially disavowed Linda Sarsour, a leftist-Muslim US pundit masquerading as a Muslim political leader.
Biden’s campaign disavowed Sarsour simply because she criticized Israeli crimes in Palestine, even though Sarsour was a strong advocate of Americanism and a promoter of the Democratic Party’s ruling class.
Commenting on the latest developments regarding Sarsour, Canadian Muslim author and intellectual, Bilal Muhammad pointed out that “in the end, you Muslims are last in a long line of corporations, banks, lobbies, media, and constituents. Is it a surprise?... Your so-called “friends” think that your hijab is sexist, your views on marriage are oppressive/abhorrent/backwards, your faith is superstitious, and that you are all antisemitic.”
At the time of publication of this report, Middle East Eye reported that Ashley Allison, national coalitions director for the Biden campaign, apologized to Sarsour in a private call.
Sarsour’s fall was not the only crucial event which took place in the petty political scene of pro-establishment Muslims in the US.
English speaking segment of the Muslim Ummah was outraged after the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies, of which Hamza Yusuf is a member, issued an official statement endorsing the UAE-Zionist treaty. Over the past several years, Yusuf has established a solid track record of being an admirer of autocratic Sheikhdoms in the Persian Gulf.
Faced with outrage, Yusuf later issued a vague statement retracting his backing.
Commenting on Hamza Yusuf’s targeting of the media, 5Pillars editor Roshan Muhammed Salih said: “I find Shaykh Hamza Yusuf’s clarification on his alleged support for the UAE-Israel deal highly problematic. Firstly, I am glad that he said he doesn’t support the deal. Alhamdulillah for that. But instead of directing his ire at the UAE institute which allegedly misrepresented him, he blames the media for correctly quoting them.
“Should the media have directly contacted him to verify the quote? No, I don’t think they needed to. Hamza Yusuf is a member of that UAE institute, openly supports it and Abdullah bin Bayyah is his teacher. So, it was reasonable to assume the statement was authentic.
“And the very fact that Shaykh Hamza Yusuf is blaming the media suggests to me that he is attempting to deflect attention away from the real culprits – the UAE authorities he is associated with who have just made peace with Israel.
“What he should have done is resign from the UAE institute which misrepresented him and denounce the Israel deal. But he has not done that which frankly speaks volumes.”
Hopefully Yusuf and Sarsour’s embarrassments will force US Muslims to rethink the pathetic pro-establishment narratives and methodologies they have adopted.
Courtesy: Middle East Eye
