An interview by Cassandra Newman
May 24, 2007-As I sat in the classroom surrounded by curious students, bare, white walls, cream-colored linoleum tiles and a colorful sign advertising the Muslim Hajj at Mecca at the University of Mary Washington's Trinkle building, fond memories engulfed my mind. There was my old Islam professor, Dr. Mehdi Aminrazavi, pacing back and forth in front of the blackboard and lecturing to his new students in that same genial but authoritatively intellectual style that commanded not too long ago my attention and respect. As usual, humor, used to enlighten potentially grave subject matter, was a staple of his lecturing. When Dr. Aminrazavi compared the five daily Islamic prayers against those one would say to get an A in his class, his students chuckled affectionately. Aside from a few gray hairs, I was glad to see that he had not changed one bit.
I decided as a college freshman to take Dr. Aminrazavi's Islam class to understand just what exactly was up with "those crazy Muslims" that the evening news often showed blowing up buildings and harming innocent civilians. In short order, the good professor's teaching changed my perceptions forever. The definitive information that he provided on Islam's teachings and Islamic culture enabled us to question and ultimately dismiss years of negative media coverage, while the affable and receptive example that Dr. Aminrazavi set gave us a living, breathing rebuttal of the slanderous stereotypes often hurled at his fellow Muslims.
After class that day, he graciously agreed to sit down with me and answer some questions about his experiences as an Iranian American Muslim residing in the United States, his political and religious views and his hopes for the world and its future. In the cozy sitting room of the Classics, Philosophy and Religion Department, the following exchange transpired:
Q: Describe your experiences as an Iranian Muslim living in America, particularly after 9/11 and in the current political climate we are facing today.
A: It has not been an easy experience. After 9/11 most Muslims felt threatened. Some...decided to leave. We all realize [that] it will take years to correct the [blows done to the Islamic religion's reputation]. Most Muslims, including myself, felt we were being held accountable for 9/11. Whether [experiencing] the negativity directly, or implied in jokes, body language and gestures, we all feel we are under the microscope, under the gun being watched and, frankly, it's a very uncomfortable situation. I was lucky enough to be insulated in an academic setting surrounded by highly educated people and therefore did not suffer any negative impact in the workplace. I had e-mails from former students and colleagues with kind remarks. [On the other hand,] I did receive a number of racist, hateful comments by some anonymous people and neighbors, which came to me as a complete surprise. Some neighbors approached me and said, "What do you have to say about this?" [Due to their sudden change in attitude,] we broke off contact with [people] that had been to our home and had dinner with us. [Many of these individuals demanded] to know why we did not put an American flag on our mailbox. To me, [this] cheapens the value of nationalism. [They] then made anti-Muslim comments linking Islam to terrorism and violence. My children have been ridiculed [in school] for having funny names and been asked why they haven't converted, or why they don't want to be saved. Regarding his point about cheapening the "value of nationalism," Dr. Aminrazavi later clarified, "Politicization of the flag, which is the symbol of a nation, cheapens what it stands for and [when used in that manner] becomes a tool to figure out and judge people's loyalties. If you don't have a flag in front of your house, you must not be patriotic [or] anti-American."
Q: Give me a brief profile of who you are as a person. What brought you to America?
A: I was born in Mashad, Iran, [the son of a military officer], and came to America in 1976. I [received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban Planning] at the University of Washington. I had every intention of going back home in 1979 [after graduation], but the revolution happened. [Instead, while employed at the Urban Planning League,] I decided to [return to the university] and study my Master's in Religion. I met my wife, an Irish Catholic woman named Mary McBride, in college. In the early 1980s, [when we decided to get married] she was ostracized by a number of her friends and [told by] a wealthy childless uncle that she would receive no inheritance [if she went through with the marriage]. Dr. Aminrazavi believes Mary suffered this treatment because their courtship took place during the height of the Iranian revolution and the hostage crisis, which generated a great deal of anti-Iranian sentiment. The Aminrazavis have been married for 26 years and have two children, a daughter who is a junior at George Mason University and a fifteen year-old son who, much to Dr. Aminrazavi's consternation, is now enthusiastically learning how to drive with his helpless father in the passenger seat.
Q: What is the most harrowing discrimination experience you have ever had?
A: There were two. [The first] was during the hostage crisis. I lived very close to the university. [I was passing] a fraternity or a sorority house [when], all of a sudden, a bunch of people started throwing beer cans at me. [The second occurred after 9/11.] A neighbor confronted me, asking what I thought of [the attacks] and calling me names, [among them] "towelhead." [I later learned through a mutual friend] that he [questioned] what these "sand niggers" were doing [in his country]. During our conversation, Dr. Aminrazavi mentioned that he was denied housing by a landlord in 1979. This gentleman informed him that he could not rent to someone who might support terrorism.
Q: What attracted you to the study of religion?
A: [Since childhood,] I have always been interested in philosophy and religion. It didn't make sense to get through life [without] answers to some of the bigger issues.
Q: You once indicated that your father was tortured and killed by fundamentalists in Iran. How did that influence you as a teacher and as a man?
A: That was primarily the reason why I became interested in pursuing religion [as a course of study]. My father was a general who retired two years before the Revolution. Almost a year later, he died in the interrogation room. That permanently changed my life. When you come upon major acts of suffering...it puts everything in perspective.
Q: What are some of the biggest mis-perceptions and stereotypes that you have had to correct in your students? At the beginning of the semester what is your most important objective? At the end, what is the biggest impression about Muslims and Islamic culture that you want your students to leave your class with?
A: That's really the biggest challenge. I always start my course by saying that Islam is the easiest non-Western religion to teach because it has so much in common with the Judeo-Christian tradition. But it is also the hardest because I have to go through layers upon layers of stereotypes [to reach its true essence]. It is not easy for people to overcome years of education against Islam. I find I have to use examples a lot. For instance, 300 years of practicing slavery in the Bible Belt is not a reflection on Christianity. Separating the religion and what is done in the name of the religion has been the biggest difficulty. What I want my students to learn is, first, familiarity with original sources and, second, the ability to think critically for themselves. If you familiarize students with original sources and [encourage] them to think independently, they will be able to cut through the sensationalism and get to the bottom of things. The truth will always show itself. It may take a while, but it will. I want them to know that Islam is a continuation of the Judeo-Christian tradition, that it shares the same set of values, the same God and that Islam, Judaism and Christianity share the fundamentals of the same perennial truth.
Q: That perennial truth being "Love Others?"
A: Love period. Love God, Love Others, Love the Ten Commandments and Be Decent.
Q: How do you know you've reached a student?
A: I know I've reached a student in a variety of ways. [First of all,] when the questions begin to change from more superficial, popular questions to more serious, textually-based [inquiries]. For example, students will come in wanting to know if all Muslims have many wives. Then, when they read the [relevant Qurannic verses or assigned texts regarding Islamic women], they begin to ask questions relating to that information. Even more rewarding are cases like yourself, when I hear from students a year [or] two later. I [recently] heard from a student working in the entertainment business in California who said she was still touched by my class from ten years ago. In that sense, I know I have reached some students.
Q: If education is the bridge to mutual understanding, then in the wider scheme of things how do you see your role as an educator and what roles do you envision your students playing as a result of their interaction with you?
A: I have always seen education [in that light]. [As a professor,] I have to be a bridge-builder. No instrument is more influential than education. What I can do is take my students on a journey into the mind set of Islam, the cultures of the Islamic world and act as an intermediary between the two different perspectives. I need to show...that these different worlds can co-exist with each other peacefully, that they're not necessarily contradictory and that a common humanity and shared values are the best bridge between the West and the Islamic world. I am hoping that [my students] will become messengers of peace and continue the task of bridge building and spread the message of mutual understanding which is so central in today's world. I would like my students to know that our lives are intertwined, that what happens to Iraqis has consequences here in America. With this realization, hopefully we will walk more carefully on this earth and take more care in our decisions.
Q: What are your views on Islamic extremism and terrorism?
A: It is important to realize that Muslims are the first and foremost victims of Islamic radicalism and terrorism. Mainstream Islam, which constitutes [the belief system of] 90% of Muslims in the world vehemently condemns extremism, fundamentalism and terrorism. They are not a solution; they are part of the problem.
Q: The War on Terror is a battle that has many fronts and takes many forms, the most prominent being the war to win hearts and minds. As a Muslim American, what steps do you think are needed to combat extremism and violent inclination at the grassroots level?
A: [Terrorism] is a new phenomenon and much of it is [reactionary in nature]. Some of the unresolved issues, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, have an impact [on the extent and nature of terrorist activity]. At the grassroots level, what we need in America is a national discourse and debate about the root causes of terrorism. It is unfortunate that so much time and effort is spent talking about terrorism and virtually none [has addressed] the causes of it. This is something that the grassroots movement in America ought to pursue as its prime objective.
Q: You supported the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 as a viable front in the War on Terror. Has your attitude towards that conflict changed since then?
A: No. I think overthrowing the Taliban regime was a justifiable case, not only because the existing government at the time supported terrorism, but also because it had no respect or regard for the welfare of its own citizens.
Q: What do you think about Iraq?
A: The invasion of Iraq is something that I have been opposed to since the beginning not because I had any respect for Saddam Hussein, but because overthrowing the government would have led to great catastrophe. History has proven that to be the case.
Q: Do you feel that your right to voice your opinion has been affected by the current political climate and, if so, how?
A: At the beginning of [the Iraq war], dissent was seen as unpatriotic. Now, current affairs support what scholars have been saying. But on another level, it is difficult because neo-conservatives have sold America a perception of Islam that has become entrenched in the minds of the people. So anyone who calls for dialogue, understanding or rapprochement is seen as being soft on terrorism or sympathetic to it. I have not had any negative experiences with speaking out but I know of others who have. Several mosques in the Washington, D.C. area were vandalized and the library of one in Falls Church, Virginia was burned.
Q: In your opinion, how have the media and Hollywood affected popular perceptions of Muslims, Islam and the Middle East?
A: This is an unfortunate reality in America, [this belief that] in order for something to be newsworthy, it has to be sensationalized. [Consequently,] mainstream Islam, which is peaceful and uneventful, is rarely, if ever discussed. But acts of terror seem to be prominently displayed.
Q: When I took your class, Amina Wadud's book "Women and the Quran" comprised a core part of our curriculum. What are your views on the treatment of women in Islam?
A: There is no such thing as "the treatment of women in Islam." That question itself gives rise to the notion that all women are being mistreated in Islam. I am told that in America, one female is abused every four minutes. Are there women being mistreated in the Islamic world? Yes. Are there some parts of the Islamic world that are chauvinistic and backward regarding the rights of women? Yes. But there are also places in the Islamic world where women play an active role in society with men. 50% of the doctors in Iran are women. 40% of its government employees are women. Half of the crazy drivers in Tehran are women. There is also a thriving feminist movement [in Iran] and I am hoping that some of the religiously-based laws [regarding gender relations] would be modified in the future to allow a greater degree of freedom for women.
Q: As a professor, how do you explain violent verses in the Quran?
A: I don't know of any religion in which violent verses do not exist. All of the violent verses in the Quran should be put in the proper context and measured by or against all of the [peaceful] verses. The very word "Islam" in Arabic means "peace" and in the last and final revelation to the Prophet Mohammed in the Quran we read "Arrows are not a good way to settle disputes."
Q: What steps do you think should be taken at the local and even state level to heal the fractured Muslim/non-Muslim relationship?
A: There has to be a widespread ecumenical dialogue between churches, community centers, etc. in order to understand Muslims and Islam. Fear, prejudice and bigotry are most often by-products of ignorance. People who learn about Islam, regardless of whether they accept it or reject it, are at least able to see Muslims in their humanity.
Q: How do you envision the ideal Muslim/non-Muslim relationship?
A: Tolerance of course is ideal, lower-case. Acceptance and appreciation of other faiths is Ideal, upper-case. I look forward to a day when we celebrate our differences based on mutual understanding and respect.
Q: What are your biggest concerns for your children, who are growing up Muslim in a nation where anti-Muslim bias seems to be steadily increasing?
A: You answered the question. My biggest fear is that they will grow up in a world where this bias is increasing. Once wounds are big enough and fractures are deep enough, it will either not heal or take very long to [do so]. My children are American Muslims. They don't know anything else. This is home and it is unfortunate that they would not be accepted based on their personal views. I think [that possibility] would [mark] a sad day for a nation that has prided itself on being a haven for all religions. I am hopeful and confident that we will go beyond this phase.
Q: What kind of future would you like for them?
A: Same as one would expect for anyone else. Equal opportunity in every aspect of life. To be able to express themselves freely and be appreciated and judged not on the basis of their religious beliefs but on their character and conduct.
Q: What is the most important thing that you want readers to take from this interview?
A: That's a hard one. (After some reflection) I want readers to know that beyond our differences there is a common spiritual bond and that our common humanity, shared values and love of our fellow humans is far more significant than most people realize.
With that, my old professor and I concluded our tete-a-tete. We both had some place to be, but it was refreshing to know that we could still meet and talk about deep issues with good humor. As in many times in the past, I left him sitting at a desk in his tiny enclave of an office, sifting through extensive piles of books and papers. His vision for the future was admirable and even I, the perennial pessimist, found myself hoping that it was not a world aspired to in vain.
