My name is Suleiman. I was born and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia. I have a unique idea I am interested in sharing with you. Being a Muslim myself, the idea of centralizing all of the Muslim intellectuals and scholars to form a public cabinet came to my mind a few weeks ago.
This cabinet would represent the ideal Muslim Public Opinion if you will - “what the 1+ Billion Muslims in the world” really think (similar to the book Dalia Mogahed co-authored). This cabinet, whose members would already be somewhat renown and critically acclaimed, would ascertain the Muslim Public Opinion based upon what the true message of Islam is. That of courage, compassion, and justice.
These influential and self-identified Muslims are already in the public spotlight. They are the ones who appear on CNN, Democracy Now, NPR, CNBC, Fox News Channel, etc.. They are the ones who write books, teach, give lectures and speak at conferences and forums in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East.Some may identify as more religious than others, but all of them would agree that the true practice of Islam is not what is portrayed in the media, yet the media depicts Muslims as those who not only commit such acts, but that “Islam” itself is oft-times to blame as the root cause of such vileness.To join wisely and constructively to create a self-determined authority as to what Islam represents and what it does not represent, what Islam stands for and what it does not stand for, this organization could be called the Global Muslim Peace Movement, and it would essentially counter Islamophobia by essentially empowering the Islamic identity through a unified cabinet of members, many of whom are well-respected by society and critically-acclaimed in their respective fields and industries as explained above.We already have the aforementioned opinions existing in the media but I believe it must be centralized. For that will build bridges across all of the organizations and groups involved and will interlink the connections that these public constituents already have, making the true identity of Islam all the more encompassing and proactive.
So what is the true message of Islam? Well we know that just about every Muslim in the world (who adheres to the rightful and critical interpretation of the text) is against ISIS and similar extremist groups. And yet many of these same Muslims, beyond just condemning, also reach analytical and awe-defining conclusions and insights on such events - which help to shed light on reasons and solutions to prohibit such actions. The GMPM would furthermore serve as a centralized medium between what the Cabinet Members all think together, as well as individually – oft-times the cumulative opinion (of the Cabinet) will be one in the same, with the personal opinions (of the Cabinet) exemplifying the cumulative opinion each in it’s own unique perspective, thus a platform for wholesome commentary is also established when oft-times it is dispersed due to there being no centralized Muslim Public Opinion organization in existence, for instance.
I do not know why this hasn’t been established yet… What is stopping us Muslims from joining together to defeat the industry of “Islamophobia” by joining together as a Muslim Public Opinion (i.e. A Global Muslim Peace Movement authority) - thereby ostracizing not only ISIS from being the “representative" of Islam, but also ostracizing the Mainstream Media who would then begin to lack whatever "expertise” they claim in ostracizing Islam as a religion of violence and trouble, especially WHEN THIS CENTRALIZED CABINET ITSELF DEFINES WHAT ISLAM IS in the public and intellectual spotlight - as a driving central force of self-identification…
At this point, all I see are muslims in the media playing the defending role in trying to convince the anchors of these news stations and the listeners that these acts are not representative of the true Islam. I think it is important to take a step forward in taking the offense via organization and self-commanding respect. Such organized-action would also empower the Muslim morale in America. It would have Muslims feel like they are now represented honestly, by some of the most critical Muslim minds - from scholars, to writers, to professors, to even actors and singers, who can all join this movement/group; and we know the various races that encompass Islam: from Blacks to Whites to Asians to Africans to Arabs to Persians to Latinos… the more diverse, the more all-encompassing (and thus powerful) and legitimized the movement becomes in representing what “Islam is” and in devaluing the credentials of the medias and their propagandas.. The more proactive and wide-extending action we take, the greater our ability to delegitimize the media biases.This may sound like an intricate idea, but it is not when principles and the great minds whom I’ve considered as the Cabinet Members (appointees) of this initiative are brought together to work toward the common goal of reconciling and thoroughly defining and reinforcing the true and constructive identity of the Muslim populace, primarily in the West but also across the World.Another topic to discuss —- the work and contribution of the Cabinet and those concerned… The number one way for the Cabinet to establish itself (and this organization) would be to first identify themselves as part of such centralized force. From that moment on, it carries value. Then from there, with executive and secondary personnel leading the way and subsiding when necessary, the formulation of the Cabinet Members (power-plays) contributing their opinions and ideas to the centralized Muslim Identity (of Public Opinion) will manifest the Movement / Organization.
The Public Cabinet members will agree in closed quarters what GMPM chooses to release as a statement to weekly/monthly/yearly occurrences and events done in the name of Islam - and when such statements are released - it would begin to serve as the defining opinion of the Muslim (American/European) public garnered and agreed upon by the diverse array of the intellectuals, artists, and other critically acclaimed folks involved.
Social Media is a powerful force in utilizing this means of organized action.
Some of my own ponderings include:
A) Whether a centralized bridging-of-the-Muslim organizations already exists?
B) If such organization does not exist, why does it not exist in your opinion?
C) What concerns, doubts, challenges, and questions came to your mind while you were reading the above?
Anyways, this is all just food for thought. I know it would take much work and quite some time to actually evolve and garner the reputation and notoriety required to be taken seriously by the rest of the world; this being once I convince those who I deem fit as being cabinet members, to join in on the movement. That in itself would likely feel like I’m “pulling teeth” due to my own lack of notoriety or expertise. But by no means should it delegitimize this idea, an idea that I believe has immense power.
Thanks for your time.
Peace,
Suleiman A
www.GlobalMuslimPeaceMovement.com