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I Am A Muslim. I Am Not A Terrorist!

Before 9/11, racial profiling was vehemently denied by police, border officers and airport authority. In a 2005 Internet article on CBC News, the author states that, "Some black Canadians have had a name for the practice. When they get pulled over for no reason, they are guilty of "DWB." - driving while black or brown." Since 9/11, racial profiling has become a legitimized way of discriminating against a group because they happen to belong to a particular religion or because they are young, male and Muslim.

My twin sister, Zeineen, and I were exhibitors at a gift show for new entrepreneurs on the day the twin towers fell. As we were driving to BC Place, we were shocked at what we heard on the radio and we agreed that if anyone asked us who or what we were we would say "Canadian." On previous days there were curious customers and we were proud to say we were Muslim, but on 9/11, we were more cautious. Some readers may find it difficult to imagine why anyone would ask me or anyone else who or what they are, but it is a question that has been asked of me since coming to Canada in 1972 from Uganda, East Africa. When asked, "What are you?"

I would answer, "I am Canadian." The person would ask again "No, really, what are you?" and when I answered, "I am Muslim, Ismaili Muslim," the answer seemed to satisfy the white face that asked the question. Eventually, I made a conscious effort to explain I am Muslim first then Canadian.

In the 70's and 80's racism was the norm for me. I walked knee deep in the stench. Racial names, such as "Paki, Punjab, Turban twister," were slung at me. I was bullied, taunted, harassed, given lousy marks on tests, essays, and passed over for jobs. I even went through a "white-wannabe" stage and during that time, I shunned my people, my culture, my dress, and my ethnic food. Finally, when I turned 23, I looked in the mirror and heard this voice telling me "Girl, you ain't white. You will never be white. Why don't you accept the person you are and be proud of what you are?" After that I embraced my difference and started to enjoy being brown-skinned and Muslim. I ended up marrying a Punjabi Sikh man and had a wonderful daughter. Then 9/11 happened, and the safe, secure, life I had created for myself came tumbling down as the towers crashed. The way I perceived my world changed.

The days following 9/11, I literally hid in my house. I took off the tasbi-our version of the rosary beads- that used to hang proudly around my rearview mirror, so ignorant vandals would not trash my car. I was scared of venturing outside my backyard for fear of stepping on a minefield of hate. Though my life has returned to "normal", the new form of racism that has veered its head in the 21st century is not an easy one to ignore.

My brother used to travel quite a bit before 9/11 and never had problems. But for months after 9/11, whenever he traveled, he was questioned and his luggage was thoroughly checked. His colleague, who is Asian, was never treated with this type of scrutiny. My brother fits the stereotype-young, male and Muslim. Unfortunately, this narrow-minded focus targets innocent people, as in the case of Maher Arar.

In 1992, Maher Arar, who is a Canadian Citizen, was pulled from a plane in New York while on a stopover from Syria to Montreal. He was accused of being a member of the al Qa'eda terror network and the Americans deported him to Syria because of his dual citizenship. RCMP provided U.S. authorities with "inaccurate intelligence information" that resulted in Arar being put on a "border watch list as a dangerous al-Qa'eda terrorist suspect." While in Syria he was tortured and questioned. He returned to Canada in 2003, and after his story broke and the information about his capture and torture became known, there was a commission inquiry in 2004. In October 2006, he was cleared of all terrorist allegations. His case has proven that racial profiling is discriminatory and racist, and does not work.

Another example of racial profiling happened as recently as November 20, 2006. Six Muslim Imams were handcuffed and removed from a flight at a Minnesota airport and were guilty of nothing more than "flying while Muslim." The pilot of US Airways removed the six men after some passengers reported that the men were "praying loudly" at the airport terminal. Nihad Awad, Council Executive of Council on American-Islamic Relations stated, "We are concerned that crew members, passengers and security personnel may have succumbed to fear and prejudice based on stereotyping of Muslims and Islam." What is so ironic about this incident is the fact that these men were attending a three-day meeting in Minneapolis to discuss "how to build bridges" between Muslims and American society.

I don't condone for one minute what atrocities are being done in the name of Allah. But I don't accept the ignorance, fear, and blatant acts of discrimination, racism, and oppression that are inflicted upon people, just because they pray to the all mighty Allah. There are many atrocities committed in the name of Christianity, but these are not labeled terrorism like the acts that are allegedly carried out by Muslims.

I have been a long time member of a non-profit organization called CAERS -Canadian Anti-Racism Education and Research Society. It is a "Frontline anti-racism organization that tracks and monitors hate crime and provides anti-racism leadership, victim support services and neighbourhood watch programs." They produce reports and papers on hate crime such "Hate Crime Canada" and "BC Hate Paper." The Municipality of Surrey seems to attract hate groups. I don't know what type of fertilizer this municipality uses, but it is a huge breading ground for the most extreme Christian hate groups. These groups not only exist, they are growing in numbers.

I am an Ismaili Muslim and follow the Aga Khan, who is our spiritual leader. He is not rich because we give him our money. His wealth is his own. When I pray, I pray to Allah, God, the Universe. My religion, Islam, does not preach hate, killing, or the suppression of women. Our men do not marry more than one wife. That was a century old custom and done at the time of the crusades when men went to war and left their wives behind. A man took more than one wife so she and her offspring were taken care of financially. The real polygamists are in BC, and this practice is alive and well as I write and breathe.I am not on a Jihad. I don't wear a scarf or a hijab. I don't pray five times a day. Hell, I don't even face Mecca when I pray. I don't pray on a carpet, nor do I fly on one. I don't read the Koran every waking moment. I don't own a missile and don't have one buried in my back yard. I don't have a baking pan in the shape of a missile either. I don't own any bomb paraphernalia. The only bombs I make are bath bombs and they explode nicely in my bathtub. I don't wrap my head up in cloth. Sikhs do that and that cloth is called a Turban. I don't carry a knife either. That is a Kirpan and it is worn by Sikhs not Muslims. I am not related to Osama Bin Laden. I make these points to clear up once and for all the misconceptions, questions and queries I have been faced with and have to defend against when I tell someone I am Muslim.My anger is directed towards people who support racial profiling all in the name of national security. It is directed towards policies and acts that are passed in our government condoning racial profiling as a good thing, even though this practice infringes upon our charter rights.

Our government passed an anti-terrorist act (Bills C-36 and C-42), which was Canada's response to combat terrorism, and became part of the Criminal Code on Dec. 18, 2001, but not after "heated debate and controversy." On October 24, 2006, Justice Douglas Rutherford of Ontario Superior Court "ruled that a section of the Anti-terrorism Act that defines "terrorism" violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms." In June 2006 Justice Minister Vic Toews Toews said "There are two problems with [the motive clause] definition: it could lead to profiling of people of a particular religion, Islam."

My anger is also directed towards the media and the ones who wield a camera and hold onto a mic and spew their propaganda and misinformation to the public. It is directed towards an elected official who has the gall to commit heinous terrorist attacks against innocent civilians and defends his actions and his nation's action as being a legit fight against terrorism.

What scares me more than anything is the fact that people are being bombarded with distorted images of what Islam is and this new version is what is being ingrained in the minds of millions. The true essence and meaning of Islam, which is about peace, love, knowledge, embracing differences, accepting a pluralistic society, is getting lost because these images are boring and counter to the stereotype of what a terrorist is.

My wish for the future is that my daughter will grow up knowing it is okay to be different and that being a Muslim is a good thing. I also wish when she grows up and someone asks her "What are you?" she will answer "I am Canadian" and it will stop right there.

Zebeen is a published writer, a mother, and an entrepreneur."I Am A Muslim, Not A Terrorist" will be published in the 2008 issue of Pearls, a student anthology that is produced by the Faculty of Language, Literature & Performing Arts at Douglas College.