Reflections from the Middle East

Islamic scholar and professor Akbar Ahmed, who wrote the forward to “The Beliefnet Guide to Islam,” is traveling for two months throughout the Muslim world with two of his students--Hailey Woldt and Frankie Martin and research assistant Hadia Mubarak--to learn what Muslims think, and how they really view America. | from Beliefnet.com

The West and the Muslim world stand on the brink of what seems to be an impenetrable divide. The war in Iraq, cries of racial profiling of Muslims, and the supposed desecration of the Qur’an at Guantanamo Bay are all divisive situations that have alienated Muslims from the West. But many Americans and Muslims believe a positive relationship can still be recovered.

Ahmed and his students are speaking with a vast array of Muslims, including ambassadors, sheikhs, royalty, tribal leaders, muftis and ordinary folk. When they return, he will present his findings at various conferences and write a book about his travels. Below is an edited travelogue, based on interviews with Islam Editor Dilshad D. Ali.

Everywhere we go, we ask Muslims questions about who their role models are, from contemporary life and the past.  From contemporary life, the answers vary. For example, here in Jordan they may say, “The king is our role model.” In Syria they may say, “The president of Syria is our role model.”

But from the past, every Muslim--whether he’s a mufti, a sheikh, or a secular Muslim--will say that their number one inspirational person is the Prophet of Islam. And I would say that answer was almost 100 percent. Now what does this mean for American policymakers?

It means that if you want to win the hearts and minds of the Muslim world, which is what America is trying to do--and spending a lot of money trying to do--and you disrespect that person, then Muslims will not be happy. (So consider this when you wonder at the veracity of anger Muslims have for the caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.)

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Filed Tue - March 14, 2006, 08:03 PM in

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