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by Jamshed Bokhari WASHINGTON (IslamOnline) - On the first full day of the First Annual National Leadership Conference For Imams sponsored by the American Muslim Council (AMC) opened on Saturday here, Imams from across the United States, and some invited international guests, met in order to actively initiate political participation by Muslim Americans.
The conference's schedule for the day included sessions dealing the Islamic legality of political participation by Muslims in the U.S., legal and constitutional issues and introductions to the American political system. Organizers of the conference maintain stressed the importance of educating Imams, leaders not only within mosques and masjids, but within Islamic communities spread out throughout the U.S. as well, in order for them to actively stress and to Muslim Americans the need for them to participate in politics in the United States. The initial issue most Imams and Muslim Americans must address when it comes participating in American politics stems from the argument stating that it is unlawful for Muslims to participate within a secular political system. Sheikh Taha Jabir al-Awani, in a comprehensive fatwa addressing this question entitled "The Participation of Muslims In The American Political Process", he states that the argument has faults because it misinterprets the American system and has faulty logic. The fatwa concludes that, "it is the duty of American Muslims to participate constructively in the political process, if only to protect their rights, and give support to views and causes they favor." IslamOnline asked al-Awani what he believed was the major stumbling block for Muslim participation in the American political system. Al-Awani's response went beyond the issue of the lawfulness of Muslim participation to the practical matters, "The participation of the Muslim community, the political activities, needs to start with voting, with nominating some of the community leaders to some positions." "We should not be hesitant to exercise all of those things, As to the reasons why Muslims must participate, al-Awani stated, "Without this kind of participating and involvement in this kind of activities, I'm afraid that people wouldn't know about Islam except from the media, or from the novels; stories from the literature of the history when the conflict was the main law between the Muslim ummah [community] and the other people."
"They have their own vision, point of view, about these kind of activities; and sometimes some of them will say that it is haram, it is unacceptable, it is against Islam, according to their experience in their countries," he commented, observing that, "they don't know enough about this environment." Asked whether the Imams attending the conference would spread the conference's message, al-Awani said, "I hope so, I hope so. Alhumdilillah, they were very receptive." |
"The [f]ramers of [the] American system did not intend it to be 'faith-less' or 'non-believing,' but rather faith-neutral," the fatwa states, adding that the, "political system is not intended to oppose religious values, but to be unaligned with those of any one sect or religion."
because we are here to transfer some of our values, to share these good values"
When asked if it was imperative to give this message to Imams, al-Awani stated, "It is very important…because those brothers who are Imams come from different corners of the Muslim world.
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