A New York City community board recently approved the construction of an

A New York City community board recently approved the construction of an Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero in line with local laws and the US Constitution. The project has seen support from top politicians including President Obama and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. However, some obstinate narrow-minded socio-political groups are vehemently opposing the project. These opponents are very few in number but are visible because they scream the loudest. The silent majority supporting the project is not very noticeable because their voices keep them at a low profile. Their support for the project is attuned to rich American values of religious tolerance. Republicans opposing the project and criticizing President Barack Obama for supporting it would have approved it themselves had they been in power.

One may ask such questions to those opposing the project. At the same time, the American Muslim community must also answer the million dollar question: Why did they feel the need to build a mosque near Ground Zero in utter disregard to America’s current charged political and social environment? Were the 100 plus mosques in New York City not enough to cater to the community’s needs? Are mosque visitors forced to say their daily prayers–which take place five times during the day–on the streets because of overcrowding in the available mosques? Had mosque administrators stopped accepting new students for their Sunday religious classes because of their limited capacity to accommodate students?

We believe none of these assumptions are true. Barring Fridays, most of the mosques are empty for all regular prayers. Same is the case with the enrollment for Sunday religious classes in these mosques. We understand that many Muslim circles will disagree with us. But it is our firm belief that no minority must take advantage of the freedoms given by the US Constitution and cause fissures and discomfort in sections of society. We believe that the World Trade Center tragedy, which changed the entire world, put additional responsibilities on the American Muslim community. One of these responsibilities is to cause the least amount of social disharmony, discomfort and disunity. Instead, we should promote tolerance, accommodation and acceptance through our decisions and actions. We should realize that if the construction of an Islamic center near the World Trade Center site would hurt the feelings of some people, then we must move the project to some other location in the city.

Similarly, those opposing the project must revisit the tolerance and accommodation that is displayed every Friday in synagogues and churches across the city, which lend space to Muslims to say their Friday prayers. The current charged situation and Islamic traditions demand that Muslim organizations withdraw their project from its current location near the WTC site. They should tell America that they are moving the Islamic center to another location in the greater interest of social harmony, amity and accommodation. American Muslims will lose nothing but gain everything with such a decision.

Via Pakistan Post, 19 August 2010. Translated from Urdu by Shagufta Khan.