Area Muslims join Christians in marking anniversary of September 11
The Mosque Foundation, American Muslims for Palestine, and local Muslims joined with the Oak Lawn Clergy & Religious Workers Association to present an event on Sept. 8 in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of September 11.
Under the title, “Commemorating 9/11: Remembrance, Renewal and Hope,” members of the Oak Lawn Commemoration Committee came together for several weeks to create the interfaith service that reached out to both the Muslim and Christian communities. Nearly 60 people attended the hour-long service, which took place at Oak Lawn Community High School.
Sh. Kifah Mustapha, Associate Director and Imam of the Mosque Foundation; Illinois Institute of Technology student Duhah Hamayel, who is also the president of Students for Justice in Palestine, and a board member of the Muslim Student Association; Rafeeq Jaber, community businessman and MF board member; and Oak Lawn Community High School student Miriam Sadoun each spoke on behalf of the Muslim community. Kristin Szremski, AMP Media Director, moderated the event along with the Rev. Phil Leo, of Calvin Christian Reformed Church.
Kristin Szremski told the group how AMP fit into the commemoration event and why the non-profit organization got involved in this local effort.
“As we work for peace and justice in Palestine, it is important to remember that these things must start at home. We must seek peace and justice in our own communities,” she said.
In perhaps the evening’s most compelling speech, Duhah Hamayel recounted her experience as a 9-year-old trying to come to terms with the terrorist attacks.
“I struggled to reconcile my faith and the principles that I had been brought up with, with the crimes that had been committed on 9-11. But try as I might, the two would not meet, and after a while, I stopped trying,” she said. “I understood my faith to be what it was and still is, a guide to what is good and right. And I came to the conclusion that, even though those responsible for 9-11 called themselves Muslims, my fellow Muslims and I, here in America and around the globe, did not, and could not, identify with them.”
September 11 strengthened her faith and inspired her to become a doctor, she said.
Ten years ago when the Bridgeview community marched in anger and confusion on the Mosque Foundation, board member Rafeeq Jaber saw the good in the situation. For every slur shouted, for every negative phone call made to the mosque in the days following 9/11, “there were 10 to 15 positive calls,” he told the crowd.
“That was very moving for me,” he said. “I will never forget those calls, and all the flowers people gave us. This is a memory I will have for the rest of my life.”
While the evening was one of unity and hope, Sh. Kifah Mustapha also pointed to the difficulties with which Muslims have lived since 9/11. "It’s a reality that we have to acknowledge," he said. Yet, he also reached a note of hope because of the way Muslims are integrated in their communities and the interfaith dialogue that exists now between members of diverse religions.