A few weeks ago, Afshan Ejaz’s son came home from school, troubled by something a classmate had said. If the family went on their annual trip to Pakistan, would they be allowed back into the country?
Such is the life of modern-day Muslims in the United States, according to Ejaz and other locals. She and five other Muslim Bellevue residents spoke to roughly 200 attendees of all ages at a recent city event about their struggles and concerns, as well the religion that has been linked to acts of terror.
“It’s very distressing, because Islam is a very peaceful religion, and in the Quran, to take one life is as if you’ve killed the whole population. Then, you see what you see on TV and it’s just horrible,” said panelist Shaiza Damji.
Discussing the fears felt by both non-Muslims and Muslims, as well as hope for the future, is more timely than ever, both Mayor John Stokes and the city’s Diversity Outreach and Engagement Administrator Mark Manuel told the crowd. Approximately 35 percent of attendees reported feeling anxiety about their personal safety.
The March 16 event was part of the city’s neighborhood forum series, which challenges residents to learn about and examine their community. Last week’s forum was meant to stress the diversity of experiences and backgrounds of Muslim residents.
Islam is the second-fastest growing religion globally, with 1.6 billion followers across the world, according to the Pew-Templeton GlobalReligious Futures Project. However, Muslims only make up around 1 percent of the U.S. population.
Some of the panelists came to Bellevue as students or for jobs, others as refugees joining family members already here. Most have joined local organizations or volunteer opportunities, as community is a large part of Islam, similar to other religions such as Christianity and Judaism.
For the most part, Bellevue residents have been welcoming, panelists said. Even still, the negative stigmas of Islam have begun to trickle into the area.
“I feel that whenever something happens around the world, not even specifically in the United States, I am expected to give an explanation. When I go to school, when I go on play dates with my children, people do expect me to explain things that I have had nothing to do with. I think that has trickled into Seattle,” said panelist Afshan Ejaz.
As a result, Ejaz feels like she has to constantly be on her best behavior, that she does not have the luxury to have a bad day, because people view her as a representation of Islam as a whole. Such pressure is not put on the shoulders of Christians, she added.
Many panelists also said they felt pressure to justify their religion and associated lifestyle choices, including dressing modestly, fasting during Ramadan, stopping work to pray five times a day and rejecting the consumerism associated with corporate America.
They have seen the fear prevalent across the United States seeping into their lives, as well as their childrens’.
Ejaz told the audience about having to mollify her son’s and his friend’s concerns that if her family went on their annual trip to Pakistan this year, they would not be allowed back into the country.
“I want them to grow up in an environment where they do not feel like outsiders. They are American, I want them to know that they can be proud Muslims and proud Americans at the same time,” she said.
Their children, many panelists said, embody their hopes for the future.
“I really see a very positive outlook for my kids, getting educated here and going out into the workforce and contributing to society here,” said Shams Pirbhar.
In the meantime, panelists said residents should continue to do what they already do: show up, have discussions and reject their fear by asking and learning.
