Lily Zakiyah Munir, South Carolina
More than a year after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, I was invited by the U.S. State Department to join the International Visitor Program (IVP) under the theme of religion. This is a public diplomacy program aimed at enhancing understanding in the international community of the U.S.
The program was interesting, eye-opening and thought-provoking. We were taken to Washington DC, Massachusetts, Ohio, Texas, Utah and California, which represent the east, west, north and south of the country. By having direct encounters with individuals and organizations, we learned about religious freedom and religious life in America, about how religion is protected from politics, freedom of expression, etc. It was very effective.
In my subsequent visits to the U.S., with a better understanding of America thanks to the IVP, I found out how little Americans know, let alone understand, about Islam. When asked about Islam, they either knew nothing or associated it with terrorism or the Middle East.
I expressed my concerns over the matter to some American friends, and they agreed with me. Some of them told me that the majority of Americans had never left their country and did not see the need for knowing about other people. It is hard for them to imagine the diverse lives, often meaning miserable lives with a lack of access to resources, of the billions of people around the world who have been impacted by their government's or private sector's policies. Even many members of Congress, so said some friends, do not have passports and do not see the need for having a passport.
My current stay in the U.S. is different, self-fulfilling and very enterprising. Being a teacher in Women's/Human Rights and Sharia at the University of South Carolina, I have had ample opportunities to explain to my students about Islam and what its teachings are all about; what sharia is and the debates about it; what Islamic feminism is and how Islam has sought to liberate women; what human/women's rights are in Islam and the debates about them.
I was delighted to see the smiling faces of my students after completing the course. My students and I have just completed an important task for humanity: bridging the gap between the "West" and the "Rest" (in particular Islam), which arises out of ignorance and lack of understanding.
Not only that. Another chance has arisen for me to explain about Islam to the wider public in America. Community groups, churches and business groups in Columbia, the state capital of South Carolina, seem to be "thirsty" for knowledge about Islam.
In the talks I give to these groups, I emphasize three things. First, I tell the groups to distinguish between Islam and Muslims, because the attitudes and behaviors of certain people do not always reflect the Islamic message of peace, tolerance and other basic values of the religion. Second, do not automatically associate Islam and Arab. Islam is worldwide and, as a matter of fact, the largest Muslim concentration is in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia. Third, do not misperceive Islam as a religion oppressive to women.
I ask them to distinguish between Islam as a women-liberating religion and the prevailing patriarchal cultures that shape Muslims' male-biased conduct. My favorite example on this issue is myself. Wearing the hijab out of my own choice and not because of an external force, I have the freedom to do whatever I want, to travel to places I want to visit in the world, and still I have the love and support of my Muslim husband and children and my extended family and community.
Since the controversy over the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, Americans have become more interested in learning about the Prophet. I wrote an article portraying my loving and respectful image of him; I spoke to my students about the Prophet and why his image is not supposed to be visualized, and they listened attentively. We also discussed the cartoons from a human rights perspective, focusing on the principle of universalism versus cultural relativism, which has sparked lengthy debates and tension. In all, my encounters with Americans (and other Westerners in America) has been mutually fulfilling and productive.
I usually end my talks by inviting my audience to reflect on the reality we are facing: we have only one globe, one world to live in; there is nowhere we can escape to. We must strive to promote peaceful coexistence. Knowledge and understanding of each other will lead to appreciation and respect, which ultimately ends with friendship and love. It sounds utopian, but nothing is impossible if we have the awareness and commitment.
Concentrated efforts could be developed. The U.S. State Department, for example, could harness its public diplomacy more outwardly, promoting Americans' understanding and appreciation of other cultures, particularly Islam.
The writer teaches Women's/Human Rights and Sharia at the University of South Carolina. She can be contacted at lilyzm@hotmail.com.