As members of the American Muslim community, one of your strongest pillars of support, we congratulate you on the historic occasion of your election. It has long been a Muslim tradition for the ruler to hear advice from well-intentioned persons of faith. Permit us then to remind the president that the state of our community's participation in the democratic process will reflect the full promise of your campaign and have profound effects on America's relationship with the Muslim world.
After the tragic events of September 11, the Bush administration neither seized nor created opportunities for cooperation with the Muslim world in the fight against extremism and its causes. Instead, the idea of a "clash of civilizations" was allowed to enter the mainstream without rebuttal, persuading far too many to believe that irreconcilable differences separated Muslims and Westerners-never mind that millions of Westerners are Muslims. Repeatedly, our community denounced those radical elements that claimed to speak and act in the name of our tradition. But such denunciations were rarely noticed by either our politicians or our media; indeed, the latter often only reproduced a narrative of civilizational conflict, offending peaceable Muslims abroad while leaving American Muslims feeling unwelcome in their own country.
The facts of this election belie any talk of essential and eternal difference, whether promoted by intemperate voices on Western or Muslim fringes. Despite repeated attempts to marginalize our community and misrepresent our beliefs, we did not lose hope in American democracy. Nor have we been moved by a supposedly Islamic position claiming, with little substance or scholarship in its support, that popular governance is fundamentally irreligious. On November 7, 2008, the New York Times interviewed a cross-section of our student population and found that our membership passionately and overwhelmingly stood behind your candidacy. Nationally, the results were the same. On November 4, a record 95 percent of registered Muslim voters exercised their right and responsibility; 89 percent of us voted for you.
But our passion was not unqualified. American Muslims have waited to hear from you a direct repudiation of the hurtful language of recent years. As we have rejected violent misinterpretations of our faith, we hope that our commitment to democratic principles and ideals will be appropriately recognized. Our community asks for a clear sign that we are welcome to participate as equals in the great conversations of our time. Such an acknowledgement from your office, that our faith and values are of abiding benefit to this country and the world, will serve as a powerful first step towards strengthening America at home and meeting our goals and objectives abroad. The American Muslim community is a far more powerful asset than is given credit, a model of meaningful integration, hard work, and outstanding achievement.
We, as American Muslims, are eager to serve our country. You need only call on us.
May Allah bless you, and may Allah bless America.
Imam Latif is the executive director and chaplain of the Islamic Center at New York University. He has served as Muslim chaplain at both NYU and Princeton. In 2007, Mayor Bloomberg appointed Latif, then 24, the first Muslim chaplain of the NYPD. Haroon Moghul is a Ph.D. candidate at Columbia University, focusing on Muslim India. His first novel, The Order of Light, was released by Penguin in 2006. He serves as director of public relations at the Islamic Center.
