June 12, 2009

President Obama's message to the Muslim world

The Saban Center at the Brookings Institution recently published commentary from leading experts and policy makers from the U.S. and the Muslim world on President Obama's recent speech in Cairo. MPAC Executive Director Salam Al-Marayati was one of those experts. You can read his commentary, and others, by clicking here.

President Obama's message to the Muslim world was: "Ask not what America can do for you, but ask what you can do for yourselves and your own countries." The President's speech was remarkable and historic, proving that he is the best ambassador the United States has to the Muslim world. Muslim communities worldwide will see this opportunity as re-defining relations with America, ridding ourselves from historical baggage. Difficult yes, but today there's a ray of hope.

His message of reform within the Muslim world will not be dismissed as it has been when previous presidents spoke to Muslim audiences. He discussed the isolation of extremists while partnering with Muslim communities as an important pivot in his foreign policy. It's a new era for US Muslim world relations.

The stage set for the President of the United States of America marked a turning point for US-Muslim world relations. Cairo was the place, a former capital of the Muslim world, a capital of culture and political influence, a bridge between not only the US and Muslim countries, but between Asia and Africa. He spoke from a university, not a government building, he connected between society and religion in the Muslim world. He welcomed the co-sponsorship of Al-Azhar, where Sheikh Muhammad Abdu preached reform over a century ago.

The private chatter of world leaders, including those in our own country, must be expressed to the public, and their public posturing must end to address real concerns of their peoples, moving forward to serve human needs. Otherwise, their days in politics are numbered.

If I were Palestinian, I see the opportunity in this president the reality of a Palestinian state. He referred to Palestine's existence as something that cannot be denied, just as Israel's existence cannot be denied. If I were Israeli, I see the opportunity in this president one who can explain the Jewish narrative to Muslims worldwide and help in lasting security for Israel. President Obama maybe the only one standing in Washington calling for a two state solution, as Congress and the Beltway have pretty much given up on hope for the peace process. But he is a powerful voice with a growing American and global constituency.

The right wing in America calls him an apologist. The extremists in the Muslim world call him soft or rhetoric without action. In actuality, the two are in the same camp now, and President Barack Obama is leading a bus for peace and prosperity. If we achieve peace in the Middle East, there will be peace dividends for all of us, let alone the moral satisfaction of reducing tensions and improving human relations.

President Barack Obama dealt a blow to bin Laden today. The President spoke to the Muslim peoples and articulated his respect for Islam and the contributions of Muslims to world civilization. We can expect more from bin Laden, but we can also have hope that his voice will become irrelevant and the voice of the moderate mainstream will be the barometer for Islam's role in global affairs.

It is now the responsibility of Muslim Americans to form constituencies for the peace process, along with Christians and Jews. Now more than ever there is a need for Abrahamic faiths to create a new paradigm for cooperation beginning in America. Otherwise, the President's speech will be just another great speech. Worse yet, we, Muslims and Jews will be blamed for missing this opportunity to work together in cooperation for America's interests. We must be pro-America, not pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian in our orientation. It's time to engage the other, especially with those whom we disagree.