I never thought my worldview could change from simply attending yet another Zoom meeting, but that is what recently happened. Our vibrant and inspiring Muslim Student Association (MSA) presented a program titled, “Hawk Talk: Meet the Muslims of MVCC.” I felt fortunate for the opportunity to hear from a panel of five MVCC faculty members who are Muslim, as they courageously shared their experiences that included comparing living in the United States with their experiences in other countries. The 90 minutes flew by thanks to their stories and the brilliant facilitation of a student leader from the MSA.
Prior to the program, I did a quick refresher to remind myself of the different types of Islam and the difference between Islam (the religion) and Muslim (the people who follow Islam). I clicked the Zoom link, hit my mute button, and got ready to learn.
With each panelist’s story, common themes quickly emerged. Like most religions, Islam is very personal. Despite the panelists sharing very different experiences and stories, they all found a sense of peace that comes from their faith and how Islam’s focus on kindness and doing good deeds makes it more a way of life that blurs the lines between a religion and simply how one lives.
A question was asked about their thoughts on stereotypes about the treatment of women in Islam. All five panelists and the facilitator happened to be women and commented how most stereotypes about oppression are more about gender than religion. They all had very interesting insights that highlighted the difference between religious oppression and cultural oppression. What we see in the U.S. media as oppression due to religious beliefs is often, in reality, a reflection of the culture in those countries or regions — oppression that is disconnected from the religion of Islam. For example, contrary to the perception of most Americans, in many countries Muslim women have the choice of whether or not to wear a head scarf, as the Quran does not prescribe specific garments like burqas, veils, etc., and most Muslim women do not view the hijab as an oppressive garment or something that is forced upon them.
Listening to their stories made me ask the question, “Is the subtle gender bias you experience here in the States more frustrating than the more overt religious bias you experience?” They all said “Yes.” Some went on to point out how the media presents such a myopic, stereotypical view of obedient and oppressed women in Islamic-majority countries and yet, those countries have a history of female leadership and women’s rights with some having elected female prime ministers.
Specifically, in the past several decades, a number of countries in which Muslims are a majority, including Turkey (Prime Minister Tansu Çiller, 1993), Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto (1988-1996), Bangladesh (prime ministers Begum Khaleda Zia (1991-1996, 2001-2009) and Sheikh Hasina (1996-2001, 2009-Present), Indonesia (President Megawati Sukarnoputri, 2001), Kosovo (President Atifete Jahjaga, 2011), and Kyrgyzstan (President Roza Otunbayeva, 2010) have been led by women; Mauritius, which has a significant Muslim minority, elected a female Muslim (Ameenah Gurib) as president in 2015. At one stage in the 1990s, over 300 million Muslims — at that time, between one-third and a quarter of the world's entire Islamic population — were simultaneously ruled by women when elected heads of state. In contrast, this country has yet to elect a female president and has yet to ratify an amendment to the U.S. constitution guaranteeing women equal rights under the law (not just leaving it to existing 1972 legislation that could theoretically be overturned by a congressional vote).
My worldview was further expanded when the panelists were asked what they’d like to see changed about Islam. They’d like to see a more complex view of the Prophet Mohammed presented and celebrated. Too often he is associated with war, but he was a strong advocate for human rights of all people — women and slaves included. The panelists said they’d also like to see the media and society celebrate the peaceful focus of Islam along with the tremendous diversity that exists within the religion to break down the short-sighted and simplified stereotypes that are all too common in this country.
With COVID-19, I was anxious about the College being able to continue our legacy of providing such diverse and extensive programming opportunities available to our students, but I’m not as concerned anymore. The pandemic presents a fascinating opportunity for us to seize in this moment. Talking about diversity, equity, and inclusion and engaging in uncomfortable conversations takes effort, intention, and courage. Pre-COVID, I would have had to muster the energy and courage to physically go to a room and sit with my “white-maleness” as a visible minority and risk being exposed for all my ignorance about the topic in a room full of experts with real, lived experiences … that would’ve been pretty uncomfortable for me and most people like me. Thanks to the Zoom delivery format, it only required me to click on a link, hit my mute button, listen, take notes, and think. It was literally so exhilarating to expand my worldview that I couldn’t help but comment in the chat and quickly unmute myself when the opportunity came to ask questions. It was the most comfortable I’ve ever been with being uncomfortable.
I’m grateful for the leadership of our Muslim Student Association, the wonderful student facilitator and the brilliantly courageous panelists for providing our MVCC community with such a meaningful program. I look forward to the MSA’s upcoming programs and I encourage everyone to attend (look for more information to come.):
- Open Mic Night with Imam Thomas Facchine: Oct. 26, 2020
- The Humanity of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) from a Christian’s Perspective by Dr. Craig Considine of Rice University: Nov. 13, 2020
If you have any questions or comments about this post, please contact me directly at presblog@mvcc.edu.
