Kindness Wins
Kindness wins
This election season, like so many in recent history, has offered itself up as prime Muslim-bashing season. What is particularly disheartening about this midterm season is the shift I see among many people I know, and who know me well, who have succumbed to prejudiced narratives, not only absorbing Islamphobic narratives, but actively promoting them.
Despite the hate fest, we saw a wave of Americans voting for kindness for thy neighbor, that it is not against the right vs the left but the top versus the bottom. (James Talarico)
The candidates who won on November 3 are just a setback for the haters. We have consistently seen how the othering of Muslims (as well as other minorities) is foundational to some politicians. From racist policies, like the Muslim Ban, to Haitians “eating our cats and dogs”, discriminatory rhetoric for political gains will not disappear any time soon. For Muslims, this has resulted in a heightened fear. After the 2024 election, 29% of Muslims feared for their safety (vs. 12% of the public), and 14% changed their appearance to look less visibly Muslim. (Source: ISPU)
The most recent example of this dehumanization was a racist tirade by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. who claimed that Muslims have not contributed to the sciences. . This rhetoric did not emerge from a vacuum. Over the years, I’ve heard plenty of false claims about Muslims’ contributions to science, mathematics, culture, literature, or the arts, even within intellectual circles. I remember during a tour of Oxford University a few years back, the docent said, “Oxford is the oldest university”, which is actually not true. The oldest university in the world is Al Quaraouiyine, built by a Muslim woman, Fatima al-Fihri, in 859 AD in Fez, Morocco. This is just one example of how our historical knowledge is skewed to favor the narratives of those who hold power and their physical locations.
The fact that folks have to resort to Islamophobic statements, accusing a Muslim candidate of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, or that a Muslim win “will invite jihadists to our shores” just reveals the truth about these candidates - they cannot win on good policy so they resort to bigotry and hate.
At Muslims for Progressive Values, our modus operandi has always been to focus on the good work of Muslims, to lift people up, and to show up for the rights of others. Denigrating others because of their identity or religious affiliation says more about you than it does about who you are targeting.
And on that note of good work, if you’re interested in a laundry list of how Muslims have contributed to society, I suggest you check this out.
In other good work news, I’m so grateful to have had the chance to attend “Sound and Music in the Muslim World” at the New England Conservatory in Boston.
It was both a blessing and a relief for me to step into this space, which celebrated Muslim society’s rich history and contributions to music and culture.
The presentations highlighted the transformational nature of music, the spirituality of beauty in relation to music, and ancient philosophies about music from the Muslim world, with a beautiful concert ending the day. I’ll make sure to share the videos once they are made available.
And in another happy space, while in Boston I was invited to do a book reading by MPV’s Boston Chapter and the Community Church of Boston. You can watch my talk here. What I appreciate about being in these collaborative events is the genuine care for each other and other’s perspectives and the commitment to understanding one another better. Afterall, it is only through listening to others that we understand their lived experiences.
Onward and upward…
Ani