WASHINGTON, DC – Responding to President Donald Trump’s speech delivered to more fifty Muslim nations, American Muslims have welcomed his more conciliatory message about Islam, calling for new policies and concrete actions to assure Muslims.
“While President Trump’s address today in Saudi Arabia appears to be an attempt to set a new and more productive tone in relations with the Muslim world, one speech cannot outweigh years of anti-Muslim rhetoric and policy proposals – including an attempt to enact a Muslim ban by executive order, which his administration continues to defend in court,” Nihad Awad, National Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said in a statement sent to AboutIslam.net.
“We welcome President Trump’s recognition of Islam as ‘one of the world’s great faiths,’ but that recognition does not wipe out years of well-documented anti-Islam animus.
“The president should also recognize the contributions American Muslims make – and have made for generations – to the betterment of our nation.”
In Saudi Arabia, Trump articulated a much more conciliatory message about Islam, different from his tone and rhetoric during his candidacy or during the first months of his presidency.
“We are not here to tell people how to live, what to do, who to be, or how to worship,” he said during a speech.
“Instead, we are here to offer a partnership, based on shared interest and values.”
Awad urged the US President to adopt new policies to reset relations with the Muslim world which had a tough start.
“New policies and concrete actions – not mere rhetoric – are what is needed to reset relations with the Muslim world,” he said.
“Such concrete actions should include condemning Islamophobia, protecting the civil rights of American Muslims and other minority groups, achieving just and comprehensive resolutions to the various Middle East conflicts, ending religious and ethnic profiling at borders and in airports, ending support for dictators whose oppression foments extremism and violence, and supporting mainstream Muslims who peacefully pursue social, economic and political progress around the world.
“President Trump should instruct his representatives to stop legal efforts aimed at reinstating his ‘Muslim ban’ executive order and should remove anti-Islam advisers like Sebastian Gorka and Steve Bannon from his team. He should also appoint a recognized American Muslim representative to lead his outreach to other Muslims.”
Shared Goal
Commenting on Trump’s calls to drive extremists out, Awad stressed American Muslims rejection for any terrorist acts that target innocent people.
“American Muslims share the goals of stamping out violent extremism, protecting minorities targeted by hate and providing a more hopeful future for children of all faiths and backgrounds. That has never been in doubt,” he said.
“We also share the belief that the struggle to end violent extremism is not a battle between faiths or civilizations. But when a faith or civilization is viewed exclusively through the lens of violence and extremism, that singular perspective creates distortions that inevitably lead to policies that have the opposite of the desired effect.
“Muslims in America and around the world have consistently condemned violent extremism and Muslim military personnel of many nations – including our own – are on the ground fighting those who carry out acts of violence. Muslims die daily fighting ISIS, Al-Qaeda and other terror groups.
“ISIS has called for American Muslim leaders to be assassinated after they deconstructed that group’s anti-Islamic actions. We are still waiting for President Trump to acknowledge that reality or to acknowledge and repudiate the growing Islamophobia in America for which he and his supporters must assume a large degree of responsibility.
“The American Muslim community stands ready – as it always has – to counter the poisonous views and violent actions of anyone who would violate the principles of Islam and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by committing acts of terrorism or espousing religious extremism.”
In Northern California, the Islamic community was suspicious of the president’s motives.
“It is hard to know the sincerity of those words,” Sacramento Area League of Associated Muslims (SALAM) Vice Chair Anne Kjemtump told KCRA.
“My first thought is that it was a well-scripted speech. But to be honest, it was rather a surprising speech.”
Others were skeptical of any solid change, citing his anti-Muslim rhetoric which resulted in an unprecedented rise in hate crimes.
“Before preaching tolerance to world leaders, we hope he would preach tolerance here,” Council on American Islamic Relations — Sacramento Executive Director Basim Elkarra said.
“Unfortunately, his years of anti-Muslim rhetoric have caused the biggest uptick in hate crimes (and) mosque vandalism.”