The Teacher
by Cassandra Newman
July 13, 2007-I stepped into the Dar al-Noor mosque in Manassas, Virginia that housed the Muslim Association of Virginia with a trepidation so strong, I could barely bring myself to place one foot before the other. Not being acquainted with the faith community that attended this particular mosque, I was uncertain as to the level of conservatism that I would encounter once inside. When I reached the threshold and the heavy oak door closed behind me, I felt alone and naked in a sea of strangers whose reactions I could not predict. I cursed under my breath for not having been able to find a headdress and half-expected to be screamed at for my bare head. The moment I set foot on what seemed like an elaborate prayer rug by the door, I desperately tried to wrench my sandals off my feet. Two men were sitting at a bench.
One of them leaned over and gently said, "You don't need to take your shoes off. It's only the prayer area where we do that."
Relieved, I thanked them and asked where the office of Imam Sheikh Lamptey, the Muslim Association's Executive Director, was located. They pointed upstairs. Little did I know as I ascended the stairs, that I was going to walk smack into a Muslim women's prayer session. When I opened the door, I froze. An African American woman in a long black veiled robe motioned for me to come in. Gingerly, I walked in and quietly asked where I could find Imam Lamptey. The woman directed me to Jerusha Lamptey, the Imam's wife, who warmly welcomed me to her house of worship and led me to her husband's door.
After a hearty greeting, Imam Lamptey asked me to sit at a large cherry wood desk that, together with a massive bookshelf filled with religious tomes and commentaries, dominated an otherwise spacious office. It was here that we began our discussion on Islam and the greater role of religion in global peace.
Q: Describe your experiences as a Muslim living in the United States. What brought you to America?
A: I was invited here first by the State Department after 9/11 to see Ground Zero, the destruction, everything. The program on which I came was meant to give us a better picture of the separation [between] church and state and to see what the attacks on the U.S. [had done]. I had the opportunity to come here to visit the White House, the state legislature and other places. That was when I first came. After the visit, I went back home to Ghana and then I decided to come back again to help the nascent Muslim community and to get married. As religious leaders, our first obligation when we step in a country is to teach people true Islam as opposed to [its cultural interpretation]. For example, a Muslim man believing that barring women from education and separating them [from men] is more cultural [in nature] than religious. My intention was to help people teach the religion and not the culture because I have seen many teach the culture instead of the religion. One thing I have seen is people believing that the religion is against those who do not belong. That is not true Islam. There is no "Us" and "Them." We are [members of] a common humanity. [Islam] teaches acceptance of diversity and leaving judgment to God alone. I think it is high time we teach those beautiful principles of the religion to eradicate the unfortunate misconception of Islam's antagonism to all non-Muslims.
Q: How did you meet your wife?
A: I met my wife in Ghana when I was the Deputy National Imam of the Ghana Muslim Mission in Accra, the capital. She was a Fulbright scholar in Anthropology. I was giving a lecture in the mosque and she saw me. She didn't know who was speaking until she looked up. She offered to drive me to places where I was giving radio and television shows and that's how we got acquainted. When I decided to marry her and teach, I thought I would have two benefits in one travel. [When I got to America], I started as the Deputy Imam at the Adams Center, [an Islamic religious and cultural center in Sterling, Virginia.] Dar al-Noor was built and they were looking for an Executive Director. After an extensive search, they decided to go with one they knew. After they consulted Adams, [the latter] agreed to let me go and help build the community. They needed someone with experience and knowledge to build the community, not parochially but with knowledge of the religion's broad terms. Imam Lamptey and his wife Jerusha have been married for three years. They have a nine month-old baby daughter, Jalilah.
Q: As a person who comes from Africa and not the Middle East or South Asia, how different was your training in and experiences with Islam from other Muslims? Do the same problems of fundamentalism and politicization of Islam exist in Africa?
First and foremost, I was educated in Sudan. I had my B.A. in Islamic Studies and Education and my first M.A. in Shariah and Islamic Studies through Omdurman Islamic University. My second M.A. in Arabic Language was through the International University of Africa in Khartoum. It is more of the traditional study of the religion. I was very fortunate to be an African and study in Sudan because I had very good professors who broadened my understanding of this religion. My coming from Africa is a plus to my [comprehension] of [Islam] because Africans are very pragmatic people who seek to always see wisdom behind any dispensations. I had opportunities to go to the Middle East. [For instance,] I was in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. [I also traveled to] Bangkok and Hong Kong. I realized that being an African was a blessing because I was able to study my religion in its true perspective apart from the cultural residue that has ensnared it and many who study in the Middle East. Islamic politicization and fundamentalism do not exist in Africa. Sometimes, I don't understand what fundamentalism and politicization is because we don't have it there. However, with globalization it probably could come to Africa too. I think fundamentalism and politicization stem more from politics than religion anyway and are dependent on [one's] political background and world view.
Q: Because of your background, have you ever been discriminated against by a fellow Muslim?
A: As a matter of fact, no because Muslims respect knowledge and they understand that the basis of this religion is predicated on the prophecy that there is no [divine] preference for an Arab to a non-Arab except by righteous conduct. So, the Muslims respect knowledge wherever they see it, be it from an Arab, a white, an indigenous Indian, etc. Provided that you have knowledge of this religion, everyone respects you and they come to you for religious questions. Chapter 49, verse 13 of the Quran says, "O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into Nations and Tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)."
Q: Have you or your family ever been victims of discrimination by non-Muslims, either in the United States or Africa?
A: No. I am a very lucky person and wherever I go, I am a leader so I don't often experience that. In Africa, we accept everything. Also, [with regard to my wife who is a Muslim convert], my family are very broad-minded people.
Q: It is my understanding that being an Imam is more of a religious calling than a full-time profession, since clerics are generally not allowed to derive a salary off of preaching Islam. Was this prohibition mandated by the Prophet Mohammed and, if so, why? What attracted you to religious orders and what do you do as a day job?
A: No, [that is not true]. As a matter of fact, Islam does not see the perspective that you must be called because the Imamship is religious leadership. So you study to lead the people right. You don't need to be called. When a person does the work of leading the people, he is obligated to receive a stipend because it goes without saying that if you dedicate your life to leading the people, then you need to be taken care of to enable you to dispense your religious knowledge. This is my day job. I was [always] attracted to studying religion. I lived in a country where there was diversity of religion. Sometimes people preach to you different types of religion every day. So, I started questioning myself. Was I doing the right thing being Muslim? That was what inspired me to start religious studies seriously. I studied with a clean and clear mind. I studied Christianity, Judaism and Islam without bias. My quest led me to study in Sudan. I did comparative religion, but as a minor.
Q: In your opinion, what causes Islamic extremism and terrorism?
A: Well, what is your definition of extremism and terrorism?
Q: My definition of extremism is the advocacy of a fundamentalist version of a religion in which violence is used as an enforcement mechanism. My definition of terrorism derives from a counter-terrorism professor named Dr. John Fishel at American University. It is the killing of non-combatants to achieve a political end.
A: There is no place in the Quran where Islam teaches terrorism. If terrorism means "the killing of non-combatants to achieve a political end," then Islam has nothing to do with that. This I know from the core of my inner being. I could give several examples. I was reading an e-mail sent to me by a non-Muslim friend. He sent me writings that denigrate Islam and make Muslims look inhuman. [One of these writings is a chain letter about prison ministries where a prisoner asks an Islamic cleric about declaring jihad, or Holy War, against non-Muslims. When the cleric does not dispute this, the prisoner proclaims his allegiance to Jesus, a figure of universal warmth and love.] [This idea of Holy War] is not true because the Quran is not a Holy Book; it is a glorious book. The Prophet is not the Holy Prophet. "Holy" is [a word] we borrow from non-Muslims. So, we do not have Holy War. According to the Quran, the closest thing you can find to a Muslim is a Christian. The Quran calls us to recognize People of the Book. There is no compulsion to conversion in this religion. All of these verses underscore the fact that as long as we live on Earth, diversity will never stop. Islam does not mandate killing a non-believer to get into Heaven. At this point, Imam Lamptey told an anecdote concerning the Prophet Mohammed and a funeral procession for a non-Muslim. The procession passed Mohammed as he was sitting with his friends. When he stood up to pay his respects, they asked him why he would do such a thing. He replied, "Was he (the deceased) not a human being?" They all stood up immediately. Extremism and terrorism are basically personal choices that have no place in religion. This religion abhors the wasting of life so seriously that when someone kills an innocent, Heaven is prohibited for such a person. You only kill someone when they are fighting you directly and have the intent to kill [you]. There is no teaching in Islam or of the Prophet that allows someone to strap a bomb to himself, go to a public place, kill innocents and be rewarded. The Quran says, "Whoever kills a person [for purposes other than self-defense] or does something that prompts his death, it is as if he has killed the entire human race." That is why during the London bombings, I was the first to give a sermon condemning them at the Adams Center. Religion is meant to connect you to God and make you a better person. God doesn't want you to kill another. For what? Some verses in the Quran look very [violent]. But you must ask: Why were they revealed? These verses were revealed at a time when men were trying to kill the Prophet and his followers, hanging them, treating them like animals. After a while, the Prophet signed a non-aggression treaty with his enemies. But they broke it and went on killing. Then God revealed those verses. These [revelations] were pertinent to the [treacherous] group, not to all of humanity. Those verses do not mean "kill everyone." Violence is innate, it is not something you learn. It comes in handy when you need to defend yourself. [Islam] says use violence to defend yourself [from physical harm], not to coerce others. In fact, those verses were so intimidating that the Prophet's enemies stopped when they heard them. [At the cessation of hostilities], the Prophet had his enemies lined up before him. They were all frightened and believed that he would treat them the way they had treated his friends and fellow Muslims. After a long pause where he just looked at them, the Prophet said, "You are all free to go." Some were so moved, that they cried. Others became Muslims themselves. And people say the Prophet is a killer! The violent verses that Imam Lamptey is referring to can be found in Chapter 9 of the Quran which deals with the subject of how to deal with enemies who break peace deals.
Q: Unfortunately, the origins of most terrorists can be traced back to their religious training. How do you as an Imam try to minimize the risk of extremism among your flock?
A: In fact, we start right from scratch. We make sure that the youth we have are given the true teachings of the religion. All of our programs are geared toward the questions: "What is the true religion?" and "How to be a Good Muslim." We give lectures to the youth and have programs that are devoted to bringing non-Muslim friends to participate and show that [Islam] accommodates those who may not believe what you believe that prove that being nice to others is an Islamic virtue. We have a lot of Christian friends who bring their children to play table tennis with our youth. It is not by antagonizing those who do not share your convictions that you become more religious.
Q: Are there any similarities between the Islamic belief in angels and those held in Christianity and Judaism? Do Muslims believe that one can encounter angels in situations of danger and death?
A: Yes. Angels are believed in in Islam in the same way that they are believed in in Judaism and Christianity. They are emissaries of God sent to be with humans, some to right their deeds and others to protect. We do believe that in some cases if one is in danger, an angel can come in the form of another person to assist.
Q: What is the Muslim view of the afterlife? Does it truly involve 72 virgins? If not, how did they become a predominant feature of Paradise?
A: (chuckling) God mentions that on the day of Judgment, single people who were given Heaven would be married or paired off. They would have "purified spouses" in Paradise. The Arabic word ozwag (spouses) has been grossly mistranslated and misinterpreted in the Quran. It means "opposite pair," so the best English translation is "spouse." Interpreters translated this [word] to mean "wives," making it look like one man would have many purified wives. No. Many will go to Heaven and get purified spouses. This is what is said in the Quran. Muslims believe that in this earthly life an individual is made of spirit and flesh. Whatever an individual earns for himself or herself, be it good or bad, you realize that it is a conjunction of soul and flesh that perpetrates good and evil. Whatever you do here will earn you either Paradise or Hell. If whatever you do is between flesh and soul, wouldn't it make sense that flesh and soul rejoin for your reward? That is why when the Trumpet of Heaven is blown, souls will come back to earth and merge with their bodies. Soul and flesh will taste good or bad together. That is justice.
Q: I have been told that Islam urges Muslims to treat Jews and Christians with respect because they are People of the Book. This was later confirmed when I met a Muslim man who was going to marry a Christian woman and he told me that his family accepted the union because she was "of the Book." Yet, I recently attended a presentation where some Muslim women indicated that common practice among Muslims was to marry within Islam because wedding a Christian was considered to be "going backwards." Could you please explain this discrepancy?
A: I think that is more reflective of an individual view because that is not what the Quran says. The Quran looks favorably to People of the Book for their understanding of the precepts of the religion and [their adherence to] prophets. In fact, the Quran was sent to confirm what had been given to Moses and Jesus a priori.
Q: Why do Muslims consider dogs unclean?
Here, Imam Lamptey directed me to open my copy of the Quran to Chapter 5,
Verse 4, which states: "And what ye have taught your trained hunting animals
(to catch) in the manner directed to you by Allah: Eat what they catch for
you." According to explanatory commentary provided at the bottom of the
page, the "trained hunting animals" referred to in this verse include hounds.
A: (after having me read the verse to him and pointing out the notes in the commentary) Dogs are not considered unclean. The Prophet does not mind you keeping a dog for purposes of [protection or guidance for a handicapped person] but he does not like keeping it for fun and letting it drool all over you. Allowing them to be near you when they drool is not clean. But having them hunt your food shows that they are not unclean.
Q: What is your opinion on gender relations in Islam?
A: I believe that women should be in the majority of professions that men perform because many women are more comfortable when dealing with [a member of their own gender]. [A perfect example of this is] a police officer [that needs to] conduct a physical search [of another woman]. The services of each gender is needed at [different] times and you should be able to accommodate the two living together. In professions requiring a lot of manpower like construction, I believe women should be exempted because exposing them to too much hardship upsets their childbearing abilities. I believe that women should be treated equally to men. The Prophet said, "Women are the equal halves of men." [This] is why his advent [granted] them an expansion of rights, [such as enabling them to be in the same room with men to pray, the prohibition of honor killings and the right to inheritance, among other things].
Q: You participate a great deal in Catholic-Muslim dialogues. Do you think that these dialogues have had a positive effect on Catholic-Muslim relations in the northern Virginia area? How did you get involved in them? How do your promote them among your flock? As an Imam, what is your ultimate goal
in dialogue?
A: I think Virginia should be made the example for the entire United States. They have precedence in this field and I am very proud to be a citizen of Virginia. Relations between Christianity and Islam have advanced so much in Virginia that I hope we will reach new frontiers in the future. We have gained so much trust in [this state] that Muslims and Christians no longer fear to come together as one big family. I became involved [in interfaith dialogues] during my time with the Adams Center. My country Ghana is full of diversity. There is always a religious mixing and we learned to accommodate [each other] and live as one family. When I came here and saw that the Adams Center had the same views [as myself], I said that that was the place for me and I got involved in interfaith matters. As a diverse community, we should understand that we are all [passengers] in the same boat. Our diversity is just coloring. Underneath we are the same people. My agenda when I came here was to open up and work with other faith bodies. I began working with a group called Unity in the Community and we were able to have Catholic-Muslim dialogues for the third consecutive time. We have Unity in the Community meetings that alternate from church to church. June's meeting was held here in the Muslim Association of Virginia Center and we sent out an invitation via e-mail to the Muslim community. It was very successful and was one of the most attended [meetings we had]. Many Muslims came and were excited to see their Christian brothers and sisters. [Ultimately, our goal is this:] we can pray together and have pro-active programs where a Muslim can walk up to a Catholic without any second thoughts or doubts. [We must have] confidence and trust where we can attend classes in each other's houses of worship. The programs that we have are mere stepping stones to the realization of a dream.
Q: How would you react if one of your flock decided to convert to Christianity? What if it was your wife or daughter?
A: It is a matter of reasoning and teaching. When you raise a child, you teach them to honor what the truth is. You don't have to say this religion is good or bad. Teach them the specifics and it provides a foundation. In the Prophet's time, people became non-Muslims and he allowed them to be at peace. There is no place in the Quran where Allah mandates the murder of someone who becomes a non-Muslim. In my opinion, Christianity and Islam are united in their beliefs so a convert is never moving out of the sphere of
Islam.
Q: Do you subscribe to the Clash of Civilizations theory?
A: No. That is sometimes at the back of the minds of a lot of rulers and heads of state. This [generates a great deal of] unrest in the world because they try to maintain their supremacy, but I don't believe in that.
Q: What is your view of the ideal Muslim/non-Muslim relationship?
A: We grow to the level where religion becomes a personal view or identification and we embrace friendship.
Q: As a religious man, what role do you envision yourself playing in cultivating peaceful relations between Catholics and Muslims at the local level? What roles do you envision members of your flock playing?
A: First and foremost, religion is at the center stage globally and politically. It is now time for us religious leaders to accelerate our efforts in teaching our people what faith really stands for, what our purpose is here on earth and what the final goal is. By doing so, if we succeed in teaching our flock to have these principles then they themselves will be active players in matters of world peace. [An Imam's role] is to teach people to be themselves in practical matters. Our rule is to foster understanding and broker the knowledge of God because that is a prerequisite to global peace.
After our interview, I had the pleasure of sitting with some women in the classroom/prayer space outside Imam Lamptey's office. Our laughter echoed throughout the halls as we compared experiences, matched wits and shared humorous anecdotes. The jovial and respectful attitudes of the Imam and his flock had put me at ease, to say the least. I often return now to Dar al-Noor for Arabic classes and a little fellowship. The model of acceptance and kindness set forth by the Imam and his followers is an example that ought to be followed by all faith communities, be they Muslim or Christian.
