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RIGHT: Members of the Islamic Center of Fredericksburg gather during an afternoon prayer session Friday.
Taleb Moushtaha (center) bows his head during an afternoon prayer at the Islamic Center of Fredericksburg. |
ONE MAN was shoved as he got on a commuter train at Fredericksburg, and called "desert nig- ger."
Another man heard a knock on his door, and was surprised when the FBI walked into his living room.
Although these people don't know one another, they have one thing in common: Islam.
Roughly 250 traditional Islam, or Sunni, families now live in the Fredericksburg area, and they have more in common than their religion. They also share a feeling of being misunderstood. And that feeling has been magnified, first by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and more recently by the Iraq war.
"We've been trying to educate people about Islamic culture and to create a pillar of trust, but since 9/11 and the Iraqi war, all that was built has been destroyed," said Nader Muhsin, a Palestinian businessman who lives in Stafford County.
"Now we have to rebuild," he said.
Muhammad Fahforee, who was born in Iran and teaches Islamic history at Mary Washington College, said misunderstandings about Islam are widespread, and incidents against Islamic people are the result of it.
"It's a shame. People should not be blamed by what governments do," he said.
Some of the area's Islamic residents, who were initially from the Middle East, Pakistan and India, claim they have been insulted on the street, received hate e-mails, watched customers drift away and even received visits from the FBI.
"Ever since 9/11, and then again during the war with Iraq, people have been staring at me," said Gotham Sethi, a lobbyist living in Stafford, who was born in northern India. "At first, I thought it was because I'm so darned handsome and people were finally noticing."
He said he realized his good looks were not the source of the attention when one day, "Someone came up to me on the VRE, shoved me and referred to me as 'desert nigger.'"
Abdul Hakim Johnson, a U.S.-born Muslim, who is the head of the Islamic Center of Fredericksburg on Harrison Road, said he received a visit from the FBI right before the war.
"They wanted to warn me of the pending war, and to know if there were any terrorists in the community," he said, adding that he was also told to inform the FBI if he or any of the center's worshippers were harassed by the public.
"I told them there probably weren't any terrorists' sympathizers here because they would not be tolerated," he said.
Other area Muslims have also been visited by the FBI, but said they understood and agreed to cooperate.
"Our homeland security needs to be protected," said Abdullah Muhammad of Spotsylvania.
Fahforee said Muhammud's concern for homeland security is not unique. He said most Muslims are peaceful and appalled by the 9/11 terrorist attack.
"And those who have made their lives here are here because there's something about this society that attracted them," he said.
"And let's remember that Saddam wasn't popular, but people were scared to talk against him. Now, they're being punished because of him."
At MWC several Muslim students have told professors about a rash of hate e-mails, yet students failed to return repeated phone calls made by The Free Lance-Star.
Another MWC professor, Mehdi Aminrazavi, who was born in Iran and now teaches Islamic religion, said many Muslims may be scared to talk to the media because they are often misquoted or misunderstood.
But that all may be changing.
College administration officials say interest in Islam and Middle Eastern studies has increased tenfold.
Before 9/11, a course on Islamic religion was offered every other year. It's become so popular that it is likely going to be offered every semester. Additionally, the college is now offering a course on Islamic history and another one on Islamic art.
"When people take my class they are always so surprised. They say, 'really, really, really,'" Aminrazavi said. "I invite everyone to learn more, and dispel the stereotype."
He said the public is learning more and more about Islam because not only are more people taking classes, but the Sunni Muslim population is growing. It is now the second largest religion in the country, he said.
In Northern Virginia, the population of Sunni Muslims is roughly 100,000. The Sunni Muslim population in the Fredericksburg area is growing as well. Ten years ago, there were only about 10 Sunni families. Now, there are about 250 families.
Aminrazavi was optimistic that American Muslims will benefit from the increased interest in the religion and culture.
He said immediately following World War II, there was a dramatic increase in studies on Japanese culture, which helped reduce prejudice.
Fahforee agreed: "More interest in Muslim culture is a good thing. It'll increase understanding."
At a recent prayer meeting at the local mosque, other Muslims invited area residents to come to learn more about Islam and its people.
They said their greeting, salaam, also means peace.
