: Remember 9/11 with the Muslim Eid stamp

On Sept. 1, 2001, the very first U.S. stamp recognizing Islam was issued, after years of lobbying by American Muslims. Ten days later, the United States suffered the worst terrorist attack in its history, carried out by persons claiming to be Muslim and leaving 3,000 innocent people dead.

Though their dates were close, the events could not be less related. The stamp celebrating the Islamic Eid holiday represents the best of Islam. The terrorist attacks do not represent Islam at all. Eid emphasizes family and charity. The 9/11 attacks represent the manipulation of a 1,400-year-old faith by political zealots.

American Muslims were excited about the stamp, which, like Islam, is beautiful in its simplicity. American Muslims were horrified by the 9/11 attacks.

With the Eid stamp, the population of more than 6 million was being acknowledged as an American community. With 9/11, the community was now recognized as the target of a national bull’s-eye.

Muslims celebrated the Eid holidays this past year with a heavy heart. On television and radio, we heard the faith that many of us have followed our whole lives branded as inherently violent. Although we repeatedly condemn terrorism, especially the 9/11 attacks, American Muslims cannot apologize for 9/11, as many demand, because apology is an admission of guilt, and none of us would ever be a part of such a horrible act. A number of Muslims, including some who may be innocent, have been jailed – with the key thrown away, literally. At the same time, so many average Americans reached out to us – to make sure we were OK, to learn more about Islam, to express support.

How should we remember 9/11? How do we win the war on terror? Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda subscribe to their own narrow interpretation of Islam, selective about what aspects of Islam are required. For instance, they obviously ignore the disapproval in the Qur’an of murder and suicide. I would argue that they are not Muslim at all – their actions defy so many clear Islamic teachings.

One of Osama bin Laden’s major arguments is that the U.S. is against Muslims and Islam, that the U.S. is dead set on exterminating Muslims worldwide. The Eid stamp proves him wrong, though. Surely, if the U.S. is so against Islam, it would not issue a stamp focused on Eid.

When I was a little girl growing up in Pueblo, I thought Americans didn’t like Muslims because I never saw “Happy Eid” messages the way I did for Christmas. When I heard the Eid stamp was going to be issued, I was happy. I knew Muslim boys and girls across America would grow up feeling differently than I did. They could now send a letter to their pen pals with a stamp that celebrated their religion.

Sure, we could fight the war on terror by turning it into a war on Islam. If we attacked the more than 1 billion Muslims in the world, we would eventually catch the less numerous needles in the haystack by taking out the whole haystack. Then bin Laden’s criticism of the U.S. as hating all Muslims would come true.

Or, we could frustrate the goals of the terrorists. So many people have asked me since 9/11, “What can I do?” The last thing the terrorists want to see is Muslims treated well in the country they hate. The Eid stamp is being reissued this year. If you purchase it, you are, in your own small way, sending a message to the entire world but especially to the terrorists that the U.S. will not be baited into a war on Islam. The reason we must continue to fight the war on terror, the reason we must remember the victims of 9/11, besides to save our own country, is to preserve the peaceful Islam that the Eid stamp represents and the spirit of a country that is open enough to issue such a stamp.

Asma Gull Hasan is the author of “Why I Am a Muslim” (HarperCollins Thorsons/Element 2004) and “American Muslims: The New Generation” (Continuum 2000).