By STEW MAGNUSON Daily Press Correspondent
GARDEN GROVE, Calif. — The 17-meter high minarets and dome of the Islamic Society of Orange County’s unfinished $2.5 million mosque rises above a quiet residential neighborhood near Little Saigon about 50 kilometers south of Los Angeles.
Inside, local politicians, members of the congregation and religious leaders from the nearby Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist communities gathered earli-er this month to celebrate the society’s project to create a building large enough to serve the approximately 100,000 Muslims in this sprawling suburb of Los Angeles.
When the grand opening was scheduled months ago, members of the congregation said the ceremony was expected to be a joyous event, but the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks turned it into a more somber occasion.
While members said they were completely behind the United States’ war on terrorism, all expressed concern that the continued bombing of Afghanistan was creating unnecessary suffering for the civilians caught in the middle.
“All of us want justice, and all of us want whoever did this to be punished, but the bombing in Afghanistan is hurting innocent people,” said Sahiha Khan, 24, media relation coordinator for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
“All of us want justice, and all of us want whoever did this to be punished, but the bombing in Afghanistan is hurting innocent people.” — — SAHIHA KHAN Media Relation Coordinator for the Council on American-Islamic Relations
The Islamic Center recently received news that a brother and uncle of a member the congregation was killed as a result of the bombing, Khan said.
“I know there are cluster bombs. And I know that cluster bombs don’t differentiate between the Taliban and civilians,” she said.
While it’s true than Muslims have fought many wars throughout history during Ramadan, the methods of waging war have changed, said Muzammil H. Siddiq, the society’s director and leader of one of the largest Muslim congregations in the United States.
“In the old days, soldiers fought in front of each other with swords, the population wasn’t involved... but now war involves everybody,” said the society’s director, Muzammil H. Siddiq, the leader of one of the largest Muslim congregations in the United States.
Bt not everyone in his congregation agrees on how the war should be won.
Dr. Naina Rahman, 59, said the quick-est way for the United States to end the suffering is for a quick victory. “I don’t care if it’s Ramadan or not,” he said. The U.S. Army should ignore the Northern Alliance, and march in with 100,000 troops, surround the enemy and isolate them from the rest of the country, he said. “Just finish them off,” he said As the United States circles in on Taliban strongholds, Siddiqi hopes there is a pause in the bombing for the sake of the civilians as the holy month of Ramadan started Friday.
“The bombing should be reduced drastically, and some other diplomatic means used to apprehend the criminals. There is nothing in Afghanistan to bomb except human beings,” Siddiqi said.
As the refugee population in and outside of Afghanistan begins to climb and winter sets in, non-combatants caught in the middle will suffer enormously, he said. “The criminal element is not going to suffer much. It is the people, so there should be some other methods used,” he added.
Pausing the bombing campaign during Ramadan would not only be good public relations for the administration of President George W. Bush, Siddiqi said, it would give both sides of the conflict a chance to use diplomacy and reflect on their actions over the past weeks The Sept. 11 attack has left the Orange County Muslim community on edge. While there hasn’t been any incidents aimed at the center, there were a few threatening phone calls immediately after the attack, Siddiqi said. Security concerns and efforts to reach out to the non-Muslim community are two of the reasons the mosque’s construction was delayed. The water and electricity were only connected hours before the opening ceremony.
Siddiqi said the center has embarked on an outreach program to explain Islam at schools, colleges and non-Muslim religious institutions. So far, the response has been positive. President Bush’s clear message to the nation that the terrorists did not represent Islam was crucial, Siddiqi said.
“That changed the atmosphere completely. There could have been a lot of hate, and violence, but it was drastically reduced,” Siddiqi added.
Kamal Chohan, a 16-year-old high school student, said that message hadn’t reached some of his classmates. “They call me ‘camel’ instead of my name ‘Kamal’ and ask if Osama bin Laden is my uncle,” he said. “I know they’re joking, but it still pinches a little.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 17, 2001. Read the original PDF.