{"id":1286,"date":"2017-03-12T21:05:08","date_gmt":"2017-03-13T02:05:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/commonwordcommonlord\/?p=1286"},"modified":"2017-03-12T21:07:35","modified_gmt":"2017-03-13T02:07:35","slug":"american-ummah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/commonwordcommonlord\/american-ummah\/","title":{"rendered":"Steve King and Our American “Ummah”"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the Name of God: The Extremely and Eternally Loving and Caring<\/em><\/p>\n

Steve King, Congressman from Iowa, came under fire<\/a> for a tweet he issued today speaking of “restoring civilization”:<\/p>\n

\n

Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can’t restore our civilization with somebody else’s babies. https:\/\/t.co\/4nxLipafWO<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Steve King (@SteveKingIA) March 12, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He was referencing Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who has advocated<\/a>:<\/p>\n

…to “de-Islamise” the Netherlands by shutting mosques and Islamic schools, banning the Koran and having “zero asylum seekers and no immigrants anymore from Islamic countries”.<\/p>\n

Muslims make up about 6 per cent of the Dutch population, mostly from Moroccan and Turkish backgrounds.<\/p>\n

While campaigning in February, Mr Wilders said, “there is a lot of Moroccan scum in Holland who make the streets unsafe, mostly young people \u2014 and that should change”.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Such a worldview, aside from being racist and xenophobic, short-changes America to such a great degree. If Rep. King wants America to “return” to an exclusively White, Christian nation (which it never truly was in all of its history), he will rob America of what already makes her great: her beautiful diversity.<\/p>\n

One of the greatest things about being a Muslim is that I am part of a global family of believers – very similar to Christianity – from every country and walk of life. All of us, together, form one family in faith. This global family is called the “ummah.”<\/p>\n

America is a very similar “ummah.” Our country is one of the very few places in the world where people of all origins and ethnic backgrounds – bound together by our love of this country – come together and form one American family. It is one of the greatest things about being an American.<\/p>\n

Why would Steve King, or anyone else for that matter, see this as a bad thing?<\/p>\n

We are strengthened by our diversity; we are made better by the fact that people of all races and walks of life can live and prosper, here, side by side. Moreover, “Deus Vult,”<\/a> or “God wills it”:<\/p>\n

And among His wonders is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your tongues and colors: for in this, behold, there are messages indeed for all who are possessed of innate<\/em> knowledge (30:22).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Our diversity is a wonder, a miraculous sign from God. It is a Divine gift given to us here in America, and we should show our gratitude for this gift by embracing its beauty.<\/p>\n

Why would Steve King, or anyone else for that matter, see this as a bad thing?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the Name of God: The Extremely and Eternally Loving and Caring Steve King, Congressman from Iowa, came under fire for a tweet he issued today speaking of “restoring civilization”: Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can’t restore our civilization with somebody else’s babies. https:\/\/t.co\/4nxLipafWO \u2014 Steve King (@SteveKingIA) March 12,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":175,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[130,827,828,11,825,826],"class_list":["post-1286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-a-common-word","tag-america","tag-diversity","tag-geert-wilders","tag-islam","tag-steve-king","tag-ummah"],"yoast_head":"\nSteve King and Our American "Ummah"<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Our diversity in America is a Divine gift, a source of tremendous strength. 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Hassaballa","description":"Hesham A. Hassaballa is a Chicago doctor and writer. He has written extensively on a freelance basis, being published in newspapers across the country and around the world. He has been a Beliefnet columnist since 2001, and has written for the Religion News Service. He is also a columnist for Patheos. His articles have been distributed worldwide by Agence Global, and he was also a guest blogger for The Chicago Tribune and has blogged on ChicagoNow\" . In addition, Dr. Hassaballa has appeared as a guest on WTTW (Channel 11) in Chicago, CNN, Fox News, BBC, and National Public Radio. Dr. Hassaballa is co-author of The Beliefnet Guide to Islam (Doubleday), and his essay, \u201cWhy I Love the Ten Commandments,\u201d was published in the award-winning book Taking Back Islam (Rodale). His latest book, Noble Brother, is the story of the Prophet Muhammad told entirely in poetry, and it is now published in its second edition. 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