American and Muslim Identities are Compatible
Every woman we interviewed combated the idea of a binary between Muslim and American identities. This is indirect contradiction of the message of the Islamophobia industry that the identities are not compatible. The woman spoke to the fact that their very existence as individuals who are American and Muslim disproves the binary, and they did not feel they had to compromise one aspect of their identity for another.
Yasmin
Yasmin
- "I just think that whole divide is part of the problem. Like the people who live in the Middle East who live a very strict, Islamic life are saying, “Well, you can’t mix the two because they’re very opposite.” And then they kind of blame America as the problem, but then that thinking that Islam can’t conform itself to any kind of identity is part of the problem itself. And then on the other side, hearing people say that Muslims are part of the problem, I feel like it’s all just putting up a divide between a religion and a nationality. It’s comparing two different things and there’s always going to be a problem with that. I just feel like it’s very simplistic too. Like what do you mean by American? What do you mean by Muslim? You can’t put either category into a specific box."
- "I really don't respond too much because I know that's just a lack of their knowledge. Like they don't know about Islam and how Islam is for everyone, I went to China before and I seen a lot of China Muslims, and same thing, even us as Muslims, when I first became Muslim I thought the majority was Arab, and it's not, it's Indonesians, they're the majority and it's just, like, whenever you have lack of knowledge you just don't know- I was there at one time, I didn't know Islam was for everyone at one point, so everything is like I have no response, God give knowledge to those who seek."
- "Hopefully God will put somebody that they will be open to, let's say like a Muslim person that they can know and be open to, asking questions, and hopefully they will be curious to read and I just hope based on what the media tells you what Islam is about and Muslims are about but they kind of have their own sense of education of who we are we are Muslims could be from any part of the world, even being Latino Muslim we could have a Columbian, we could have a Mexican, we could a Salvadorian, you know from all parts of Latin America, you know, we're all a little different, in the end what makes us the same is we are all Muslims, we believe in one God, we pray the same way we pray the same time, like that's just what brings us together is our shahada which is declaration of faith."
- "I also think a lot of the sound ideas, like our ideas about morality and goodness and how to be a good person, is very much the same. And you know, I think that’s the core tenets of Islam."
- "I wouldn’t say they’re incompatible. I can be a Muslim American just fine. I’ve been able to do it for twenty one years. I don’t know who, I just find it funny that people would even think that. There are people that are Jewish-American, Christian-Americans like why wouldn’t there be Muslim Americans. I think they think of the extreme versions and different interpretations of Islam are hard to practice here. Maybe if you do wear completely covered it would be maybe difficult getting a job, going to the store, you might get a lot of looks at you-things like that. But I think hopefully we’re getting to a point that people who wear hijab can be respected to the same point as I’m respected so even if you can’t immediately tell I’m Muslim you can tell she is."
- "These are mostly dictated by my religious practice more than anything else. I can argue that this is American - this is the American way. This is my understanding of this country, which is the tolerance and the flexibility and acceptance of different practices as long as it is within the limits of the law of the land and respecting people's rights, loving this country, being a productive citizen. So these are all, for me, Islamic values, and I have no issues integrating that in my life as an American Muslim."
- "I feel very comfortable in this country. I love this country as far as people, as far as wanting to make it a better place for everyone. I disagree with a lot of successive administrations, not just this one. And this probably applies to so many other Americans. But I see no problem at all and no contradiction at all between my religion and whatever you call the values of this country of the American culture."
- "Being a Muslim and an American has never really contradicted itself because what does it mean to be an American? That’s very subjective as well. For me, to be an American, as I mentioned earlier, is being able to work hard, it’s being able to make a living, it’s everything that normal individuals peg with being an American-whether it’s going out or the party culture. There’s a certain persona that’s given to Americans and that’s not what I believe to be an American for me it’s never been an issue but if you associate being an American with doing certain activities then yeah, you’re going to have conflicting values or teachings because you’re definition and your view on what an American is is very specific. For me it’s not very specific. I am living and breathing as an American and so I’ve never faced a contradicting issue it’s more about how you define it and trying to fit into that specific mold that you face conflicting issues."
- "I strongly disagree. To me, the American identity is an extremely heterogenous one. Though mainstream media didn’t show us this when I was growing up, I think a lot of people are coming to recognize this. I don’t think being Muslim makes me any less American. I love this country and the opportunities it has afforded me. And I love it enough to be passionate about social reform through the democratic process. I also don’t think being American makes me less Muslim. This country has a robust and diverse Muslim population, and it is among this population that I am learning what it means to be Muslim."