ENGAGING THE MUSLIMAMERICAN COMMUNITY WHAT IS ISLAM Say

ENGAGING THE MUSLIM-AMERICAN COMMUNITY

WHAT IS ISLAM?

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "We believe in Allah and in what has been sent down to us, and what was sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma'il (Ishmael), Ishaque (Isaac), Ya'qub (Jacob) and Al-Asbat [the twelve sons of Ya'qub (Jacob)] and what was given to Musa (Moses), 'Iesa (Jesus) and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between one another among them and to Him (Allah) we have submitted (in Islam)" (Surat Al-Imran, 3: 84).

WHAT DOES WORD ISLAM MEAN?

COMMON DICTIONARY: • humbling oneself • obeying commands • heeding to prohibitions without objection • sincerely worshipping God alone • having faith in God LITTLE MORE TECHNICAL: "Islam" means "surrender" or "submission". "Salam" (which means "peace") is the root word of "Islam". In a religious context the word "Islam" means "the surrendering of one's will (without compulsion) to the true will of God in an effort to achieve peace"

MUSLIMS IN AMERICA

HISTORY OF MUSLIMS IN AMERICA §Many historians claim that the earliest Muslims came from the Senegambian region of Africa in the early 14 th century. It is believed they were Moors, expelled from Spain, who made their way to the Caribbean and possibly to the Gulf of Mexico. §What is clear is the make up of the first real wave of Muslims in the United States: African slaves of whom 15 to 30 percent were said to be Muslims. §Between 1878 and 1924, Muslim migrated from the Middle East, particularly from Syria and Lebanon, many settling in Ohio, Michigan, Iowa and even the Dakotas. §During the 1930 s and 40 s, Arab immigrants began to establish communities and build mosques. African-American Muslims had already built their own mosques, and by 1952 there was more than 1, 000 Mosques.

GROWING COMMUNITY §Muslims-Americans are comprised of over 75 nationalities §Globally, there are 2. 5 to 3 Billion Muslims §Pew Research Center estimates that there are currently 3 -6* million Muslims in the U. S. , with the growth of 100, 000 a year §According to Pew “Future of Global Religion” Islam will grow faster than any other major religion. If current trends continue, by 2050, the number of Muslims will nearly equal the number of Christians around the world

CURRENT ASSAULT LEVELS AGAINST MUSLIMS SURPASS POST 9/11

COUNCIL ON AMERICAN ISLAMIC RELATION (CAIR) BIAS INCIDENT DATA 2017

BIAS INCIDENT DATA CONTINUED…

ANTI-MOSQUE MOVEMENT

PUNISH A MUSLIM DAY 2018

ROLE OF MEDIA VS. PERSONAL INTERACTION One study found that reliance on media for information about Muslims was associated with Americans’ support for public policies targeting Muslims three months later. Including: §Military action against Muslim countries §Separate and more thorough airport security lines for Muslim travelers §Revoking the right to vote for American Muslims Reliance on personal contact for information about Muslims, however, produced the opposite effects. Importantly, these effects remained even after controlling for individual differences in political orientation.

EFFECTS OF NEGATIVE MEDIA When Muslim religious identity is threatened, American Muslims are likely to distance themselves from American culture. Also, study revealed that American Muslims who were exposed to negative media representation of Muslims were: §Less likely to desire acceptance by other Americans, and §More likely to avoid interactions with non-Muslim Americans. §Negative media portrayals alienate American Muslims from their own country.

SHARIA LAW IN U. S? -Family law Child support and alimony Criminal Cases § Inability to stand trial due to mental illness §Innocent until proven guilty Juvenile §Ability to determine between right and wrong

IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY Wahiba Abu-Ras, Ph. D, an assistant professor at Adelphi University's School of Social Work stated that Arab-Americans in New York City are especially vulnerable. In a 2008 study published in the Journal of Muslim Mental Health (Vol. 3, No. 2), Abu-Ras and a co-author conducted focus groups with a small, nonrandom sample drawn from a community in Brooklyn to assess 9/11's impact on Arab New Yorkers. Participants—all but four —revealed fear of hate crimes and threats to their safety, anxiety about the future, isolation and loss of community and stigmatization "Arab-Americans were traumatized three-fold, " says Abu-Ras, citing the devastation of the attack itself, the backlash from individuals and new government policies targeting this population, such as the Patriot Act, adding to existing trauma. ”

IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY CONTINUES… According to another study, Muslim Americans face several types of discrimination 1. religious 2. gender 3. demographics characteristic that leads to micro aggression, and the assumption that they’re not ‘real Americans. ’ Researcher also reports that Muslim Arab Americans ages 11 to 18 experience accumulated stress, causing withdrawn, sad, and depressed (Clay, 2017).

MUSLIM YOUTH Nationally Muslim teenagers typically seek help for school bullying, depression, and substance abuse, New York Public School 28% of Muslim students report being stopped by police as a result of racial profiling Seven percent said they have been physically assaulted

MUSLIM YOUTH CONTINUES California Public Schools Grades 9 -12 th 55% of the American Muslim students surveyed experienced bullying. This is twice as high as the national statistics of students reporting being bullied at school 28% experienced discrimination by a teacher or an administrator Among the girls who wear Hijab, or headscarf, 29 % experienced “offensive touching or pulling” of the Hijab High suicide rate among the youth

HOW YOUNG MUSLIMS ARE RESPONDING TO ISLAMOPHOBIA In a survey of 10 questions on mental health and almost all of the results revealed that young Muslims were the least happy, as compared to youth of other faith communities. Muslim youth are also the least employed, as compared to any other faith community in the United States 29% of youth sometimes use a non-Muslim sounding name

HIJAB IN BIBLE AND QURAN But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shave. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. ” (1 Corinthians 11: 5 -6 King James Bible) §“and not display their beauty except what is apparent, and they should place their khumur over their bosoms. . . ” (Quran, An-Nur 24: 31). §A study conducted among Australian Muslims concluded that women who wear the Islamic hijab are less likely to compare their bodies to the impossible images on media and reported a greater body satisfaction than their non-Muslim counterparts (Dunkel, Davidson, & Qurashi, 2010).

WHAT WOMEN REALLY THINK OF THEIR HIJABS? §“I love it. I do. It brings a lot of positive aspects of wearing the hijab. There's this closeness a Muslim woman can get to God by wearing hijab. There's modesty that a woman can express. There's also the sense of identity” § “I feel like without it I'm not who I am, in fact because of the hijab I got my confidence. I wasn't really that talkative or confident before wearing hijab. I feel like I'm different than others. ”

WOMEN’S RIGHT IN ISLAM “I think we’re (Muslims) are the pioneers of women’s rights. I think places like Saudi Arabia where women are not allowed to drive is ridiculous. . . Islam is The first religion to allow women to vote, own property…. . I mean in America women were not even allowed to vote until 1920 s. So we're way ahead of the game and in my opinion. ”

WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN ISLAM CONTINUES… Prophet Muhammad's first wife Khadija was a business women. She had trading company. She had him working for her before she got married…. . there women worriers and fighters”

WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN ISLAM CONTINUS… “A woman has the right to educate herself as her husband has no right to say so yes or no. She has the right to work. Her husband has no right over her money. She can willingly spend it or not and keep it for herself. Those are extra rights that women have in Islam that others don't. ”

WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN ISLAM CONTINUES… “Thousands of years ago we had the right to vote, the right to own property, the right to divorce, and a right to education…. so many things that people in this country had to fight for. ”

EDUCATION Men and women are obligated to be educated; it is an obligation for every Muslim men man and woman to acquire knowledge. The first revelation to Prophet Muhammad from Angel Gabriel was to ‘read. ’ "Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists), has created man from something that clings. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, Who has taught (the writing) by the pen, has taught man that which he knew not. ” Surah 96: 1 -5.

MARRIAGE ‘They (your wives) are your garment and you are a garment for them’ (Quran, 2: 187). The Quran states that the responsibility of providing for the household falls onto the husband. The wife’s income remains for herself, another word the man has no right over his wife’s income. ‘And give the women (upon marriage) their [bridal] gifts graciously. But if they give up willingly to you anything of it, then take it in satisfaction and ease’ (Quran 4: 4).

DIVORCE “And when you divorce women and they fulfill their term of their Iddah (waiting period), either keep them according to reasonable terms or release them according to reasonable terms, and do not keep them, intending harm, to transgress against them. And whoever does that has certainly wronged himself. And do not take the verses of God in jest. And remember the favor of God upon you and what has been revealed to you of the Book [i. e. , the Quran] and wisdom [i. e. , the Prophet's Sunnah] by which He instructs you. And fear God and know that God is Knowing of all thing”(Quran 2: 23).

INHERITANCE “Woman has aright to inherit, regardless of her status; whether she is a wife, a mother, a sister, or a daughter’ (Quran, 5).

MOTHERHOOD “A man came to the Prophet and said, ‘O Messenger of God! Who among the people is the most worthy of my good companionship? The Prophet (PBUH) said: Your mother. The man said, ‘Then who? ’ The Prophet said: Then your mother. The man further asked, ‘Then who? ’ The Prophet said: Then your mother. The man asked again, ‘Then who? ’ The Prophet said: Then your father” (Reem, 2012 -Bukhari, Muslim). Therefore, Muslim scholars’ states that mother’s right over her child is three times more than a father’s right.

HOW DOES THIS QURANIC TEXT TRANSLATE TO PRACTICE? §“Women have a lot of rights and a lot of importance in Islam. The religion itself however how it's interpreted in this world and the people who follow it twisted and they use it in their own benefit. ” §“Not everybody has the proper knowledge of Islam. They don't follow it properly. It's not that they have ill intentions just that it's lack of knowledge and understanding. . . ” §“I think it's a lack of understanding of the Quran and just being ignorant. ”

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS “Inferiority, that women are inferior to men. That there's a lack of education than men, that they’re only confined to domestic spaces within the environment than men. ” “Muslim women that were forced to wear the hijab. . . They think that we're oppressed…. I hate that word. ”

COMMON MISCONCEPTION CONTINUES… “Oppression, women have to walk behind them (men) and I think that's ridiculous. I've never seen that ever…. they have to stay at home. That is extremely false. I have sisters and mom and they didn't do any of those things whatsoever. They drive, they're very independent. They do their thing. They are very vocal about everything politics, religion. They're really passionate about their rights. So definitely not the case…”

IMPACT OF MISCONCEPTIONS ON MUSLIMS “Upset …they automatically think these misconceptions. They don't try to actually get to know a person. Why do you believe this? Why do you do this? There's no more questions there. Just everyone's know it all. ” “Definitely frustrates me. But it's sad. But like with everything that's going on in the media and that's been going on for years and everyone we see almost become desensitized. ” “Upset that people aren't educated enough and apparently they don't know that many Muslims. ”

CHALLENGES OF SERVING THE MUSLIM AMERICAN COMMUNITIES The five components identified as being key to serving Muslim communities include: § 1. therapeutic alliance § 2. socio-political context § 3. awareness of personal characteristics § 4. competencies that facilitate multicultural counseling § 5. required trainings of multicultural counseling. “The counselors’ lack of proper understanding of the religion can lead to additional socio-political discrimination against Muslim clients. ” (Inayat, 2007, pg. 289).

CHALLENGES FOR MUSLIMS SEEKING HELP Muslim clients underutilize mental health services for several reasons such as, mistrust of service providers, fear of inappropriate treatment, fear of racism and discrimination, language barriers, difference in communications, and cultural barriers.

ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES Counselors, social workers, and other human service workers must become knowledgeable that despite the cultural and language barriers, Muslims adhere to one text which is the Quran and Hadith. Counselors’ understanding of basic Islamic knowledge will help interpret client’s distress in multicultural settings (Inayat, 2007).

INTERVENTION STRATEGIES Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) was used with refugees in Germany who were suffering from repeated trauma exposure, including war, rape, bombings and torture The research concluded that NET participants had a better functioning with PTSD and all of it’s clusters even after 12 month follow-up (Schauer, Neuner, & Elbert, 2005). Clients are also able to create a personal identity by highlighting contextualized interrelated emotional responses and recognize patterns of behavior. Muslim American through NET can create ‘their own story or narrative’ rather than the ethnic and religious profiling happening with the mainstream media, since each community have different experience, challenges, and set of belief and culture.

INTERVENTION STRATEGIES Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) empowers clients by teaching them on how to create an inner balance after a traumatic event and regulating emotions, while teaching them mindfulness and acceptance. The radical acceptance of DBT is closely aligned with Islamic teaching Preforming five daily prayers and Diker (Rosary) are naturally occurring Mindfulness/distress tolerance practices that a Muslim client would be familiar.

QUESTIONS?