Every religion in US wants Washington to be 'humble': American Muslim chaplain says

Whereas the United States is aggressively engaged in its self-declared war against terrorism across the globe, the religious communities, including the churches, mosques and synagogues in the US want the sole superpower to "be humble." Also, an American organisation the Clergy Beyond Borders (CBBs), which is meant to use religion as a tool for conflict resolution and promoting interfaith harmony among different religious entities of the world, has offered its services to Pakistan.
"There are American politicians who think we are here to dominate the world... (but) I hope the America does not act as a sole superpower or a war police," said Imam Yehya Hendi during an interactive "Dialogue with Journalists" on "Islam in America: Religious Pluralism and Tolerance".
Yehya, the Imam of Islamic Society of Frederick, Frederick, MD, is the first full-time Muslim chaplain at Georgetown University, Washington DC and National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. The US Consulate-backed roundtable was attended by a select group of journalists from print and electronic media at a local hotel here on Friday. "There are so many religious communities who are so much engaged in this endeavour that America be humble, America be humble... because we as Americans are aware of this 'disease'," the first American Muslim chaplain told a questioner.
Blaming the religious scholars in Pakistan for using religion to entice violence in the developing country, Imam Hendi offered the help of the CBBs to Pakistan which he believes needs to train, educate and empower the local clergy to use the religion as an effective tool for creating religious harmony and resolving conflicts.
"Use us... (as) we are willing to fly these specific books courses and programmes to the other nations," he added. Seeing woes of the Muslims mostly at the hands of other Muslims and a "bad reporting" media, the American Imam proposes a "reason" and not "emotions" based defence of Islam against the blasphemous attacks.
"I was sad when Muhammad (peace be upon him) was called a terrorist but I am so proud to report to you that we Americans did not have a single rally in protests because we believe we have to defend Muhammad (PBUH) by reason and not by war," the Imam replied when asked to comment on the publication of blasphemous caricatures depicting the revered Prophet (PBUH) in some of the European newspapers.
He said the Muslims should not react to the emotions with emotions. Dwelling on basic difference between the American and European societies, Hendi said the former wanted the Muslims to integrate in it contrary to the letter which wanted to assimilate the minority in their society. "You don't have to give up on anything (in America)."
About the five American Muslim youth arrested in Pakistan, the chaplain views that a "bad reporting against Islam" had boiled blood of the youngling persons and they had stood up to defend their religion in a self-styled manner. Except some extremists, many of the American Muslims after being encouraged by the election of the first Muslim American President Barrack Hussain Obama were poised to contest the forthcoming general elections.
The chaplain nodded when asked if he backs the idea that the US devastating war in Iraq and Afghanistan or the Israeli atrocities in occupied Palestine were proving to be counterproductive in the Muslim world. "Violence begets violence... war is not the solution for any conflict," he maintained.
Hendi strongly suggests a dialogue-based resolution of the conflict between India and Pakistan, the Israel and Palestinians, the US and Iran and the US and the militants in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, he is reluctant to hold the US solely responsible for bloodshed in the Muslim world.
"To blame America for violence is not right. I am not releasing America from some responsibility... (but) the violence in Somalia and Nigeria or between Hamas and Fatah has nothing to do with America," he argued. Hendi said President Obama in various media shows had declared the Iraq war a "major mistake" of the previous regime of Republicans and was, therefore, heading towards an early disengagement.
Linking the success of diplomacy with table talks, the American Imam stressed the conflicting parties to have mutual understanding for each other's values. "Muslims and the West have to be humble enough and get engaged with each other through clergy and politicians," said the Imam.
Politics of justice, economics of equality and covenant of community are the three guiding principles, the visiting professor of John Hopkins University suggests to the nation states in their quest for building a successful society. Terming the human rights violations especially that of the women, freedom of religion and its suppression, pluralism and the respect for diversity as key areas Pakistan was lacking in, Yehya called upon the local clergy try to be less judgmental about others and not to speak up of the God whose mind, he said, could never be monopolised by anyone.
Imam Hendi does not believe in promoting tolerance that, he said, means that someone, despite harbouring hatred for others, bears with them. "I, as an ultimate aim, want you to celebrate the difference that I have with you." Elizabeth O Colton, Public Affairs Officer in the US Consulate General, was supportive when Hendi proposed the idea of secularism that the religious institutions be separated from that of the political ones. "Most Americans grow up with an idea that there has to be a separation," said Elizabeth who had flanked the US chaplain.
Hendi, one of the 16 leading Imams who are in the position of issuing Fatwa in America, had also visited Pakistan in August 2009 and had held an "Interactive Dialogue" with a group of media persons at the residence of the US Consul General here.