By:Carrie James
Everyone across New York City, not to mention across the United States, has felt the impact of what took place Sept. 11 in lower Manhattan and Washington D.C. Many are looking for revenge and a retaliation by the federal government on those who are responsible.
Some, however, are taking the law into their own hands, taking vengeance on innocent Middle Eastern and Islamic immigrants that call the United States home. According to Nasrin Ahmad, and East Meadow resident and practicing Ahmadiya Muslim, this has caused many of her friends to fear for their own lives during a time when they are trying to also cope with the losses from Sept. 11.
"I'm worried about my community," she said. "For them, I think I should get the facts out. We are with you in this tragedy and we are there for you. Let us grieve with you. I am a Muslim and I identify myself as American."
As a Muslim, Ahmad said she feels its important for everyone to know that those who did this terrible act are a small group of extremists or fanatics who operate under the guise of Islam. But Islamic beliefs do not fall in line with the behavior of those who did this, she said.
For example, in Islamic teachings Muslims learn that it is forbidden to take the life of another person, especially in the name of God, and it is also forbidden to commit suicide, regardless of whether it is for a "holy" mission or not.
"The Muslims who did this are only a small group of people," Ahmad said. "You cannot blame all of them. You can't target all of them for what a few did."
Even though it was just a small band of men who did this, already she has heard of a handful of attacks in Queens and Long Island on Muslim men and women. She wants to tell people that she and others understand that people are angry, but to think before doing anything.
One of Ahmad's biggest fears is for the young Muslims and Middle Eastern immigrants in East Meadow. She said she worries that parents' hatred and prejudice might spread to their children and to the school yard. Ahmad doesn't want to see Muslim children attacked or chided because of what a small group of Muslims did.
"The hatred is going to start in adults and go into the children and corrupt our children. Also, when someone talks against Islam it hurts the children because their religion is at the core of their lives," she said. "I don't want to see what happened to the Orientals after Pearl Harbor happen again or what's going on in Ireland take place here."
Something else, Ahmad wants to let people know is that many Muslims in Long Island and New York City are suffering too. Many lost friends and family in Sept. 11 accident and are grieving along with the rest of America. Even Ahmad said she feels the pain that comes from such a tragedy despite not knowing anyone working at the World Trade Center.
"One of our main teachings is that our loyalty lies with the country that has become our home," she said. "Our loyalty is to America. I think at this time we should be united. We need to show that we can't be divided. This is the only country that lets everyone practice their religion. Don't take that away. I don't want to lose that. I've cried. I've prayed."
Ahmad's Mosque, Bait-Ul-Zafar in Holliswood, and the Ahmadiya Movement, a national organization for this sect of Muslims, have done many things in the last few days to show their support and loyalty to America including a prayer service and a blood drive.
In the meantime, Ahmad and many other Muslims in Long Island are asking themselves how it is possible that people claiming to be Muslims could do such a horrible act.
"As far as my children, my daughter called and asked how can Muslims do this, how can they kill," Ahmad recalled. "Only my husband said, we can't judge who is a good Muslim and who is a bad Muslim. But if they read the Koran they wouldn't have done it."
In fact, the only thing these terrorists have succeeded in doing at the end of all of this, Ahmad said, is to give the Islamic faith a bad name.
"These people have only succeeded in putting Islam down," she said.
