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Op-ed

Beyond Trump: Muslims’ Obligation as Americans

I hesitated to write this article in response to Trump’s victory and inauguration. We, as American Muslims, often react to events and demand unclaimed attention from politicians.

This needs to change. Our role should not be to fit into the decaying American partisan landscape, rather it’s to lead the healing process of this ailing nation.

America will not be great again if the same diseases continue to tear it apart from the inside, it will be great when we, as American Muslims, introduce the great principles of Islam to our own nation’s political and public life.

In his farewell speech Biden rightly warned against “an oligarchy” that “is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power, and influence that really threatens our entire democracy.”

Yet, these bells should have been rung years ago. The super-PACs have been operating freely and shaping political decisions for a very long time, it’s not new. 

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Beyond Trump: Muslims’ Obligation as Americans - About Islam

Ailments Begging for Cure

Biden should have equally warned against the increasingly extreme wealth gap, the breaking family values, the inequitable health system, ongoing discrimination against African Americans, hate crimes against minority groups, the great political polarization, the widespread use of drugs, the environmental crises, our unethical foreign policy, and much more. These are the diseases that are eating America alive, while Trumpism is only one of the symptoms.

Trump, being able to abuse his wealth and connections towards achieving political gains, is a natural outcome of a political and economic reality that does not factor in any values or morals. 

In such environments, American Muslims are torn between either fitting in to survive, and maybe have an impact, or isolating themselves in a bubble to protect their own values and families.

There is no denying that the American Muslim character has developed tremendously over the past few decades, from witnessing a contradiction between being an American and a Muslim to making both sides speak to each other.

American Muslims are now, on an aggregate level, strongly Muslims and proud Americans. Such maturity should be the first step in a long path towards providing America with what it needs the most: a value system that pushes for human progress.

America needs a value system that pushes for human progress.

American Muslims are not carrying a message of peace, it’s a deeper message to heal America and cure its lingering diseases. Islam is not a passive message of peace, i.e. we are here to coexist.

Islam calls every member of the faith to step outside their personal interests and help others.

A true American Muslim is one who can’t sit back and watch his nation be dragged by corrupt politicians and businessmen that failed to make America great on the first round and allow them to try again.

Beyond Trump: Muslims’ Obligation as Americans - About Islam

Universal Ethics

Biden’s warning against the growing “oligarchy” or, in essence, any other threat might be a shout into the void. If all of us Americans are made to care about ourselves, our own self-interests, then who will step out to protect the group against the threats?

Biden’s call needs an audience that is driven by a value system that obligates and rewards the individuals when they care about the group. An audience that sees the survival and prosperity of America as their own survival and prosperity.

It needs an audience that is not bogged down by the blue-red contentions, but can see beyond them; an audience that has a vision of how to make America great while carrying along universal ethics of liberty, equality, justice, integrity, empathy, generosity, and courage.

Trump’s audience largely consists of fellow Americans who care deeply about values. Their sincere commitment to family values and pro-life stances must be acknowledged and built upon by Muslims, fostering mutual understanding and collaboration. However, Christianity does not offer all answers to the different social, political and economic ailments, but Islam does. 

Rather than reacting to Trump’s victory one way or the other, American Muslims should first define their role and then act upon it.

When it is ethical, greatness lasts beyond four years.

The first step is to build the American Muslim deep and balanced understanding of Islam and then bring it as an antidote for America. An understanding that allows a Muslim economist to see through the 2008 financial crisis and offer an Islamic solution, a Muslim civil right lawyer to end systematic Black incarceration, or a Muslim medical entrepreneur leader who can bring the health system back to sanity.

We, American Muslims, do agree with Trump about making America great, yet greatness passes through healing, ethics, and justice. 
When it is ethical, greatness lasts beyond four years.

About Abdelrahman Rashdan
Abdelrahman Rashdan is a researcher and media commentator.