By Rasheed Rabbi

False ceasefires and peace treaties masked ulterior agendas. Gender discourse was distorted to sabotage the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts. Education and research are defunded to stifle a nation’s future. Aggressive crackdowns on immigration stoked the age-old fear of racism. And the list goes on. 

These are not isolated acts but coordinated tactics of a sweeping agenda unfolding through a barrage of executive orders under the second Trump administration. As of May 14, 2025, 152 executive orders, 39 memoranda, and 54 proclamations have irrevocably reshaped policy, sharpened hidden agendas, and sent shockwaves nationwide. While political analysts frame these actions within the familiar slogans like “Make America Great Again,” “America First,” and “Peace Through Strength,” the deeper truth has been laid bare: these slogans are mere façades. 

These orders are not reforms, but instruments of erosion. Not solutions but strikes against the very spirit of America. Their intent is not to fix but to fracture, not to strengthen but to suppress. To call them merely deceptive would be an understatement. These are lies inked with deceptive intent long before the signatures on these contentious documents dried.

A Parody of U.S. Foreign Policy

The 2024 election’s defining issue was the Gaza ceasefire. Despite standing atop a mountain of corpses, bathing in Palestinian blood, and inhaling their dying breaths, the Biden Administration remained unmoved. Its refusal to act exposed a partisan allegiance to Israel which was steeped in political expediency.

That inertia became the perfect electoral bait that President Donald Trump seized. He offered what Joe Biden couldn’t: the promise of peace. Trump promised to deliver a ceasefire, which won him the Michigan Muslim vote, a key factor in his 2024 electoral victory. Yet, before even taking office, he reneged. What followed wasn’t peace, but rather a more calculated bloodletting in Gaza and across Palestine.  

His so-called three-phase ceasefire for Gaza hasn’t paused the bloodshed; instead, it has paved the way for a genocidal ethnic cleansing executed with unwavering U.S. backing. Even in his May trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and UAE, Trump labeled Gaza a “Freedom Zone,” reinforcing “his proposal to displace Palestinians from the territory just as Israel plans.”

The betrayal extends beyond Gaza. It reflects a broader foreign policy that deepens global divisions. Consider Ukraine. On February 28, Republican leaders hailed President Volodymyr Zelensky as a heroic defender of democracy in the morning, but after an afternoon closed-door meeting with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, they rebranded him as an ungrateful warmonger. 

This isn’t foreign policy; it’s foreign improv. Allies are cherished until they’re inconvenient. Enemies are condemned until they’re useful. Commitments are made with solemnity only to be broken at the speed of a tweet. Can nations truly still rely on U.S. leadership when it moves not by principle, but by personal convenience?

DEI Redefined as Don’t Even Include

The war at home came swift. Within hours of taking office on Jan. 20th, Trump eradicated every DEI program across federal agencies and institutions. This singular act dismantled policies that provided marginalized groups equal access to opportunities at the federal level.

Without DEI, corporate hiring regresses, schools lose equitable funding, and workplaces abandon fair treatment for all. “His baseless attacks on DEI are attacks on the promise of America — the promise that everyone should be able to build the life of their dreams without barriers standing in their way,” Andrea Abrams, Executive director of the Defending American Values Coalition, told USA Today. 

From Merit to MAGA: Money Takes Over Academia

The education sector is also under attack. Federal funding cuts target universities where protests against Israel’s genocide in Gaza have taken place. The Trump Administration cut $2.2 billion in funding from Harvard, $400 million from Columbia, $210 million from Princeton, and millions more from dozens of other institutions of higher learning in the United States. 

This isn’t about antisemitism, as the administration claims; it’s about silencing academic dissent. Suspending federal funding revokes the intellectual freedom of American universities. Ideological conformity is dictating funding. Universities now face an impossible choice: comply with political mandates or risk financial collapse. 

The very principles that once made American universities the envy of the world – free speech and academic independence – are now under siege. This slow erosion of academic freedom is part of a broader effort to consolidate control over public discourse, an “unspoken promise of Trump’s return.”

Deporting Dreams, Importing Decline 

The administration’s immigration stance also exceeds prior political posturing, advancing the false narrative that America is under siege by illegal immigrants. Within his first 100 days in office, Trump invoked archaic immigration laws, questioned judges’ power to rule against his decisions, and attempted to end several legal immigration pathways. 

Drastic restrictions and abrupt policy shifts have generated uncertainty for millions, from asylum seekers to scholars to businesses reliant on immigrant labor. While national security and economic concerns are valid considerations in shaping immigration policy, unilateral and ideological executive actions fail to address the complexities of the issue in a sustainable or legally sound manner.

The Fine Art of Collapsing Markets

And even if you dodge these issues, the reeling economy won’t spare you. Stocks are tumbling, shedding over $5 trillion in market value in just three weeks in March of 2025. Markets are in a tailspin. Business leaders are panicking. Consumers are frightened and confused, and economists are desperately trying to make sense of a capricious tariff policy that punishes Americans more than foreign business interests. Within only 100 days in the Oval Office, Trump has driven an economy that the world envied to the brink of imminent recession.

Nor do the unilateral federal job cuts demonstrate reform; rather, they are purges. Democrats, labor unions, and watchdog groups condemn the moves as unconstitutional, violating the separation of powers that gives Congress, not the president, authority over federal spending. 

In March alone, layoffs surged by 205%, with over 275,000 jobs eliminated, one of the highest monthly spikes in U.S. history. A major driver? Mass firings led by then Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an entity with no Congressional mandate or legal basis. 

The Musk Doctrine: Power Without Accountability

Perhaps no one embodied the epitome of this administration’s collision of wealth, racist ideology, and unregulated authority more than Elon Musk, who quit the Trump White House on May 28. As the largest individual donor in the 2024 presidential election, funneling over $290 million to Republican causes, Musk, operating as a “special government employee,” was shaping federal policy while profiting directly from it. 

His companies, SpaceX, Tesla, and Starlink, have collectively received nearly $38 billion in federal contracts, subsidies, and tax breaks. 53% of registered voters disapprove of him, and he hasn’t received an official appointment from the Senate. His position is not for public service. It’s profiteering disguised as patriotism. When unelected billionaires dictate public policy, democracy is not merely weakened but is reconfigured into corporate oligarchy. And we may be closer to that reality than we think.

ISNA’s Call to Conscience

These glimpses of widespread depravity at the federal level are meant neither to discourage nor to fuel partisan attacks. Every administration has strengths and flaws, but the above concerns are recent and deeply interconnected. They are escalating too fast, even for an urgent call for leaders and citizens to act on behalf of the greater good of a nation pledged to freedom and unity. That’s exactly what ISNA’s annual convention upholds. 

What we are witnessing is not just policy shifts or misguided reforms; it is an orchestrated act of betrayal cloaked in patriotism designed to seize the American spirit and its founding promises of pluralism.

Despite a Republican House majority that could advance laws through standard procedures, governance now relies on executive actions at an unprecedented scale. This trend circumvents the checks and balances designed to ensure democracy, disregards institutional norms, and reflects a broad mistrust of the U.S. political system’s foundations.

Likewise, the speed and scale of these changes exemplify a restructuring of American institutions to fit a singular ideological vision. It shows power is no longer shared but wielded. It portrays an emerging political landscape defined by volatility, polarization, and departure from established norms. 

The truth is unsettling, but confronting it is essential. Preserving democratic principles, institutional integrity, and public trust – the core of the American political system – demands scrutiny and accountability. The future of America depends not just on who holds power, but on how that power is exercised.

A Call to Renew the American Spirit at the 62nd Annual ISNA Convention 

The ISNA annual convention is a call to action to recognize and renew Muslim Americans’ righteous spirit not rhetorically, but strategically. More than a conference that merely offers ideas, it’s a gathering of conscience, a platform of resistance, a place for communities to come together to uphold the true American spirit. 

ISNA invites all to speak the truth to demand justice, to embody freedom. The convention will not merely discuss these principles; it will model them. Through critical dialogue, faith-rooted actions, and collective resolve, the ISNA 2025 annual convention aims to empower individuals, families, communities, and leaders to restore our legacy. 

To be righteous is not to be passive. It is to stand firmly, act boldly, and love deeply this land, its people, and its promise.

We stand united to renew America’s spirit by defending the truth.

We protect its future by fighting for justice.

We keep it free by following prophetic ideals in this challenging time.

Rasheed Rabbi, community, prison, and hospital chaplain at NOVA, Doctor of Ministry from Boston University, and MA in Religious Studies from Hartford International University. He is the founder of e-Dawah and Secretary of the Association of Muslim Scientists, Engineers & Technology Professionals.

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By Raudah Yunus

Jul/Aug 25

In recent years, the term “climate justice” has moved from the fringes of activism into mainstream discussions about the environment. But what exactly does it mean? Is it the same as environmental justice? 

While the two are related, they are not identical. Environmental justice is a broader term, typically referring to the fair distribution of environmental benefits like access to clean air, water, and protection from pollution. It addresses the fact that marginalized communities often bear the brunt of environmental degradation. Climate justice, on the other hand, is more specific; it focuses on how the climate crisis impacts different communities in unequal ways. Climate justice recognizes that climate change is not just a scientific or environmental issue, but a political one tied to power and privilege. 

Understanding climate justice is critical because the communities least responsible for climate change – often in the Global South – are also the ones most vulnerable to its consequences. Rising sea levels, extreme weather, droughts, and displacement disproportionately affect countries and people who contribute the least to global emissions. This is not coincidental; it reflects a deep-seated pattern of global inequality, much of which is rooted in colonial history. The same systems that enabled colonial exploitation, racial inequality, and economic marginalization now shape who suffers most in a warming world. Whether we are talking about extractive industries on Indigenous land or the disproportionate carbon footprints of wealthy nations, the climate crisis reveals and reinforces long-standing global inequities. 

Green Colonialism Defined

One of the lesser-known but increasingly relevant notions within climate justice discourse is “green colonialism,” a term that may sound contradictory. After all, “green” often suggests something clean or sustainable. But green colonialism describes a troubling reality: the exploitation of Indigenous and colonized peoples using environmental and climate policies. It occurs when the pursuit of climate solutions replicates colonial power dynamics in resource extraction and land occupation in the name of sustainability. 

Green colonialism can take many forms. Sometimes it appears as large-scale renewable energy projects built on Indigenous lands without consent. Other times, conservation laws are used to evict local communities under the guise of protecting nature. At its core, green colonialism continues the logic of traditional colonialism: taking land, imposing control, and prioritizing the needs of states or corporations at the expense of marginalized communities. 

Historically, colonial powers justified their conquests by claiming they were bringing “civilization” or “development”. Today, green colonialism enacts a similar logic; only this time, the justification is ecological. For example, carbon offset projects may involve planting forests on land taken from Indigenous communities, supposedly to reduce emissions elsewhere. Or rich countries might invest in “clean” energy in the Global South, not for the benefit of local populations, but to meet their own climate goals. These endeavors often appear well-meaning, but they ignore local knowledge systems, land rights, and the actual needs of affected communities. In doing so, they replicate the same extractive dynamics that caused environmental destruction in the first place.

Green Colonialism in Palestine

Nowhere is the intersection of climate justice, colonialism, and politics more evident than in Palestine. For decades, Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza have endured systemic land dispossession, environmental degradation, and extractivism under the broader context of Israeli occupation. But what is less often discussed is how Israel uses trees, forests, and nature as tools to advance its apartheid agenda. 

In the West Bank, one of the clearest examples is Israel’s use of environmental narratives to justify land grabs. Selected areas are designated as “nature reserves” or “green zones,” which might sound like an environmentally conscious designation. But the unstated goal is to make these areas inaccessible to Palestinians, preventing them from (re)building homes or cultivating their own land. Over time, the lands are used for expansion of illegal settlements, many of which consume disproportionately high levels of water and other resources. 

The recent wildfire in Israel, which has been described as the largest in Israel’s history, is but a manifestation of green colonialism. Experts have linked this environmental disaster to decades of ecologically misguided afforestation. Since the early 20th century, Israel has engaged in mass tree-planting campaigns across historic Palestine, to “green the desert.” The newly planted trees are non-native species such as European pines and eucalyptus. These are invasive and highly flammable species that are poorly suited to the Mediterranean ecosystem. Their dense planting on land previously home to Palestinian villages – hundreds of which were demolished or Judaized – was not only environmentally questionable but politically motivated. According to Visualizing Palestine, over 800,000 Palestinian olive trees have been uprooted since 1967 and replaced by non-native trees that pose threat to the local wildlife and biodiversity. 

In 2024, when a series of intense heat waves swept through the region, these flammable forests became tinderboxes. The resulting wildfires burned thousands of acres and forced mass evacuations. This highlights how the artificial imposition of “green” policies rooted in colonial logic can generate new forms of environmental vulnerability. What was marketed as reforestation (or afforestation, in some cases) turned out to be ecologically destructive providing a stark example of how green colonialism is both unjust and unsustainable.

Green Colonialism Around the World

Green colonialism affects communities outside of Palestine as well. In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have long maintained a deep, spiritual relationship with their land. Yet government conservation policies have historically excluded them from managing these lands. In some cases, traditional practices like controlled burning or hunting were banned in national parks under the assumption that Indigenous methods were harmful to the environment. In recent years, some large-scale renewable energy projects in Australia sparked controversy for being built without the informed consent of Indigenous communities. Framed as progress toward a green economy, these projects often result in displacement and loss of access to ancestral lands.

In South Africa, the legacy of apartheid still shapes land ownership and environmental policy. Green colonialism has manifested through ecotourism and conservation in areas that exclude Black South Africans from land that was once theirs. 

The promotion of a “pristine wilderness” often erases the fact that these areas were once inhabited, farmed, and maintained by local communities. Moreover, mining for so-called “green minerals” like lithium or cobalt often happens in poor, Black communities under exploitative conditions and with little benefit to them.

Similar patterns can be found in Kenya and Tanzania. There, Maasai communities have been evicted from their land in the name of conservation and safari tourism. In India, forest-dwelling Adivasi tribes have been displaced by carbon offset and tree-planting schemes. In Latin America, Indigenous resistance to hydroelectric dams and wind farms – projects backed by international climate funds – has been met with harsh repression.

A common thread ties these cases together: environmental goals are being pursued without respect for the rights, voices, and/or agency of local communities. In many cases, the climate crisis becomes an excuse to ignore historical injustices or even perpetuate new ones.

Why Climate Justice Concerns Us All

It is easy to think of green colonialism as something distant, something that happens in other countries or to other people. But the truth is climate justice directly or indirectly affects all of us. If climate solutions are built on inequality, they will never be sustainable. A just transition means not only switching to renewable energy or reducing carbon emissions; it also means dismantling the systems of oppression that caused the crisis to begin with.

So what can we do? First, we need to listen. The voices of Indigenous peoples, communities of color, and those most affected by climate change must be at the center of decision-making. Climate solutions imposed from above – whether by governments, corporations, or international institutions – often fail because they ignore extensive local knowledge and/or political realities. 

Second, we need to question the narratives around “green” development. Not everything labeled sustainable is just. For instance, if an electric vehicle relies on cobalt mined by child labor in Congo, is it ethical or just environmentally friendly? Cobalt mining has significant negative impacts on environmental health and individual well-being. Near mines, toxic dumping contaminates water while high concentrations of cobalt in the soil harms nutrients that crops need for soil fertility.

If a solar farm displaces a rural community, is it really green? If millions of trees are planted to erase the history and culture of a population, is that truly conservation? If wind farms negatively impact animal life through collisions with turbines, habitat disruption, and/or noise pollution, is it environmentally friendly? 

Third, we must support movements and policies that link climate action with social justice. That means pushing for land restoration initiatives, resisting exploitative development projects, and investing in community-led solutions. It means holding corporations and governments accountable not just for their emissions but for how their policies affect people on the ground, particularly communities with the least voice in policy debates. 

People must recognize their own role. Whether we are students, professionals, activists, or simply concerned citizens, we all have a part to play in shaping a more just future. Fighting climate change is not just about carbon footprints or recycling; it’s about fighting for dignity, equity, and a livable world for everyone.

This topic is especially relevant for the global ummah. As a community deeply affected by war, displacement, pollution, and occupation – from Palestine to Sudan, from Kashmir to Yemen – Muslims should not view climate justice as a Western or external issue. The climate justice framework offers a powerful language to speak about liberation, sovereignty, and dignity, values deeply rooted in the Islamic tradition. This tradition gives us the tools to speak the global language of justice while advancing the causes that bind us together.  

Rather than being passive recipients of “green aid” or targets of environmental criticism, Muslim communities must reclaim agency. It is time for Muslim scholars, thinkers, and youth to develop our own frameworks rooted in Islamic ethics, environmental stewardship (khilafah), and social justice that challenge both climate inaction and climate imperialism. We are not outsiders to this conversation. In many ways, we are at its heart.

Raudah M. Yunus is a researcher, writer and activist from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She is currently pursuing a postdoctoral fellowship in the United States.

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By Zahra N. Ahmed

Jul/Aug 25

As anti-Muslim sentiment intensifies across the United States, Texas stands out as a state where growing diversity meets deepening suspicion and increased targeting of Muslim communities. But rather than simply enduring it, Muslims there are responding with civic power, grassroots resistance, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Shaimaa Zayan, 41, knows this struggle intimately. As the Operations Manager at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Austin, she spends her days supporting victims of Islamophobic abuse by documenting stories, advocating for policy change, and connecting community members to resources. Yet nothing prepared her for the day her work became personal.

During a routine doctor’s visit, Zayan stood quietly in line wearing her neatly-done hijab. Behind her, an older man gestured at her headscarf and asked, “Don’t you feel hot in all that?” She responded politely and moved on, but he kept going. His tone shifted from curious to accusatory when he asked whether Muslim women were allowed to speak to men. He then said with disdain, “We should convert [Muslims] to Christianity so you stop killing us.”

“His hateful words made me feel unsafe,” Zayan said. “I was afraid he might physically hurt me.”

Fearing further escalation, Zayan pulled out her phone and began recording, repeating his words aloud so others in the clinic could hear. The man eventually fell silent, but the damage was done. When her doctor examined her, Zayan showed clear physiological signs of stress, including high blood pressure and heart rate. Her individual experience is just one of thousands.

Islamophobic Violence in Texas 

In 2023, CAIR received more than 8,000 complaints nationwide – the highest number in its 30-year history. In 2024, complaints increased by nearly 600, marking a 7.4% rise. CAIR linked the sharp rise to Israel’s Gaza Genocide, which reignited anti-Muslim rhetoric in U.S. politics and media. Law enforcement encounters surged as well, rising from 295 in 2023 to 506 in 2024 — a 71.5% jump that coincided with the wave of student-led anti-genocide encampments on college campuses. In Texas, Muslim visibility has grown, and so has the backlash. In some cases, that hostility has turned violent.

In Euless, Texas, a woman attempted to drown two Palestinian American children, a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old, in a swimming pool. Initially released on bail, she was later charged with a hate crime after community advocates linked the assault to rising anti-Muslim bigotry.

The attack quickly became a flashpoint in Texas, underscoring the urgent need to confront Islamophobia and protect vulnerable communities — especially Muslim children. The case drew widespread outrage and galvanized local leaders.

Among those leading the response was Muslim American State Representative Salman Bhojani. He worked closely with community groups and law enforcement to raise awareness, demand accountability, and ensure the incident wasn’t dismissed or overlooked.

“These kids were put in a life-or-death struggle,” Bhojani told Islamic Horizons, emphasizing the need for swift action.

For Bhojani, the issue is deeply personal; his faith and life experience shape his approach to public service. He emphasized that Islam teaches the importance of giving back to the community and has made it a priority to ensure hate crimes are properly recognized and addressed — not just for Muslims but for all Texans.

However, that commitment has been tested. During his campaigns, Bhojani often faced Islamophobic rhetoric. “When I ran for office, people would repeat what they heard in the news and project it onto me,” he said, pointing to unfounded fears about Sharia law in Texas.

Rather than retreat, Bhojani used those attacks as motivation to push for inclusive policies and protections for marginalized communities. He continues to advocate for civil rights and pluralism, holding up his own story as proof of what’s possible in public life. 

Civic Responses and Political Challenges

While Bhojani fought for political change, Zayan’s experience marked a turning point. For years, she had internalized a common Muslim instinct to brush off microaggressions in the name of peace. But this time, she chose to confront the moment head-on, capturing it on film instead of staying silent. Her experience changed how she saw her role not only as an advocate but also as an active participant in a larger movement of resistance.

“We shouldn’t tolerate this kind of behavior,” she said. “Whether it’s crime, harassment, or public humiliation, we all need to report these incidents and have the courage to speak up.”

That show of resistance was on full display in April at the Texas Capitol where hundreds gathered for Texas Muslim Capitol Day, an annual event focused on advocacy, networking, and civic engagement. 

During the event, a group of agitators who disguised themselves as participants stormed the stage and shouted anti-Muslim slurs. Despite the disruption, attendees remained focused, continuing their meetings with lawmakers and attending civil rights workshops. Their steady presence sent a clear message: Muslim Texans are not going anywhere.

Political allies also showed up. State Rep. Ron Reynolds (D), a longtime civil rights advocate, assured the crowd. “You’re all welcome here — and so is CAIR,” he said.

But even as some officials affirm their support, Muslim Texans continue to face hostility — not only from fringe agitators but also from the very institutions meant to protect them. Reynolds’ call for solidarity underscored that support from allies is critical, but silence from powerful leaders enables discrimination.

That climate of repression has real consequences. When the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) proposed a 400-acre development in Josephine, Texas — known as EPIC City — top state officials responded with suspicion and hostility. The plan includes homes, schools, commercial spaces, parks, and a mosque. Though still in the early planning stages, state leaders moved to halt the project before construction began. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) urged the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the proposed development, echoing Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in referencing conspiracy theories about “Sharia cities” and “no-go zones” — rhetoric long used to stoke fear of Muslims.

“Christian Nationalists are using this moment to further alienate the Muslim community and pro-Palestinian allies,” said CAIR Houston Director William White. He compared the rhetoric to the use of post-9/11 fearmongering to justify discriminatory policies.

An Inclusive Vision

As these conversations continue, local leaders are charting new paths of engagement and inclusion. In Irving, community leader Yasir Arafat is redefining resistance through service, leadership, and steady civic involvement. A longtime organizer and former vice president of the Islamic Center of Irving (ICI), the 42-year-old has extended his influence beyond the mosque into city governance. Today, Arafat serves on the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau board and the Dallas County Historical Commission, becoming the first Muslim appointed to the city’s tourism board.

“Civic engagement is my life,” Arafat said. For him, it’s more than representation; it’s about building bridges, changing perceptions, and making sure Muslims are recognized as part of American society. His commitment began in 2014 when low voter turnout left the Muslim community politically vulnerable.

“We were being cornered,” he said.

Arafat helped launch voter registration drives, interfaith initiatives, and community partnerships to encourage Muslims to take an active role in civic life. His work shows that Muslims belong and contribute in many ways.

Through a partnership between the North Texas Food Bank and ICI, Arafat and other volunteers distribute more than 50,000 pounds of food each month to families across the community. The outreach program serves both Muslim and non-Muslim families — a reflection of a faith rooted in service and solidarity. He continues to encourage broader community involvement and participation in local decision-making processes.

“We’re not just here for ourselves,” he said. “We’re here for everyone.”

That inclusive vision led to a voter registration campaign that contributed to two historic political wins: Nuzhat Hye became the first Muslim woman elected to the Irving Independent School District Board in 2018, and Abdul Khabeer became the first Muslim elected to public office when he won a city council seat in 2023. Together, these victories show the growing impact the community can have when they engage in public life.

BEAM Academy: Preparing Tomorrow’s Muslim American Leaders Today 

Still, Arafat knows lasting change takes time. It requires years of cultivating leaders and connecting deeply with the community. That’s where programs like BEAM Academy — Building Enriching American Muslims — play a vital role. With programs in Plano, Allen, Frisco, and Richardson, this North Texas academy is carving out a niche that blends faith, academics, and physical development for students navigating their formative years. 

Founded by Farah Kuzbari, the academy offers weekend classes, after-school clubs, and enrichment programs focused on leadership, public speaking, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement. Sports and outdoor activities, including annual campouts, round out the experience — all within a framework grounded in Islamic values.

“Raising confident Muslims also means raising compassionate neighbors, bridge-builders, and community leaders working side by side with others to build a better future for all,” she said. 

That mission resonates with parents like Adeeba Alzaman, BEAM PTO president and mother of two children enrolled in its Sunday Islamic school. At home, she has open conversations with her kids about discrimination and the school’s commitment to nurturing a strong sense of identity and faith.

“BEAM reinforces pride in who my children are,” she said. “It’s a place where my kids feel grounded, valued, and connected to their faith.” 

The academy’s community stands in contrast to experiences like that of Sumbel Zeb, secretary of the Collin County Democratic Party. Reflecting on her middle school years, Zeb recalls enduring ignorance and prejudice. “I was asked if my dad beat me or my mom,” she said. “People hold distorted views from the start.” Her dedication to youth empowerment grew from that isolation. Through civic engagement workshops at BEAM, she helps young people understand the importance of using their voices effectively.

“It’s important [for] leadership roles — whether it’s serving on committees, volunteering, engaging elected officials, joining city councils or school boards, or even being a PTA mom or dad,” Zeb said. “It normalizes who Muslims are and builds bridges with the wider community.” 

Echoing that sentiment, Kuzbari said creating a sense of belonging is central to BEAM’s mission. “When Islam is lived as a shared, value-based way of life,” she said, “students stay grounded and grow into leaders who are capable of shaping their communities.” 

She believes the current generation of Muslim youth in Texas is becoming better equipped to confront challenges like Islamophobia by engaging with communities and instigating long-term, positive change.

The Future for Muslims Texans

Muslim communities across Texas have grown, but harmful stereotypes persist. U.S. Rep. Al Green (D-Tex.) who represents southeastern Texas, has taken action to challenge these views. His co-sponsored bill created a Texas state office to monitor and combat anti-Muslim hate. He also met with the Islamic Society of Greater Houston to oppose President Trump’s travel ban on Muslim-majority countries, condemning the policy’s portrayal of Muslims as “radicals.” But harmful Muslim narratives of being violent, foreign or extreme can’t be undone with visibility and allyship alone. Lasting change requires structural reforms in schools, policies, and public life.

Some states are moving ahead with such reforms. New York City schools have adopted plans addressing Islamophobia and antisemitism, including training for principals and more inclusive curriculums. California’s “Education to End Hate” initiative equips teachers to combat anti-Muslim bias in classrooms. 

While such programs remain limited in Texas, progress is emerging. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Tex.) has introduced a bill to address Islamophobia in schools. Although the Republican-led Texas legislature has pushed back, the bill shows a growing awareness of the issue.

 Today, Muslim-led organizations and their allies continue to mobilize at the grassroots level. Coalitions formed with churches, synagogues, labor unions, and civil rights groups are framing Islamophobia as a broader human rights concern. The Texas Civil Rights Project works across faith and racial lines to challenge systemic discrimination. National groups like Interfaith Worker Justice unite religious communities to support marginalized Muslim workers.

Coalition-building, while not new, is gaining strength. “We’re not in the same place as 25 years ago,” said White. “We have many more allies who understand the Constitution applies to everyone and are willing to stand with us.”

Texas is part of a larger national movement against Islamophobia which has been shaped by history, politics, and the state’s shifting demographics. Muslim Americans are turning to civic engagement, community organizing, and policy advocacy to challenge stereotypes and influence decisions at the local level. Their efforts embody the push for equal rights in a country where religious bias is entangled with policy decisions. While challenges remain, Muslim communities nationwide are building networks of support and making their voices heard.

Zahra N. Ahmed, based in Houston, Texas, is a storyteller with more than a decade of journalism experience. Her work focuses on the Muslim experience, using human-centered reporting to explore identity, faith, and belonging.

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By Nahid Widaatalla

Jul/Aug 25

El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz’s (Malcolm X) Letter from Mecca, written in April 1964, documents his first Umrah (pilgrimage similar to Hajj). Malcolm X, a prominent African American leader during the Civil Rights Movement, wrote of the interracial dynamics he witnessed between Muslims in the holy city. 61 years later, my own trip to Mecca during Ramadan inspired me to assess his observations and their applicability to the state of the global Ummah today. 

Malcolm X and Racial Unity

Malcolm X began his letter by emphasizing the spirit of brotherhood he felt during his trip. Worshipping with Muslims of all colors, particularly white Muslims, convinced him that “America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem.” 

His experience in Mecca was in stark contrast to 20th century racial segregation in the United States. As a result, he painted Islamic unity as an antidote to anti-Black racism, but his observations don’t mean that Muslim communities are free of anti-Blackness. Unity was not an inherent trait, but rather a conscious choice made by Muslims then and now.

Like Malcom X, I observed the beautiful kindness and generosity of Muslims during my pilgrimage to Mecca. Countless women insisted I break my fast with them, sharing food and drinks without hesitation. Many created space for me to join them on their prayer mats. The sense of peace in the air makes you feel like you are exactly where you need to be. 

In an earlier letter written in 1946 before his conversion, Malcolm X vented to his brother from jail about the phoniness of religious preaching he heard from Muslim inmates, calling it “just talk.” In a subsequent letter written in September 1964, Malcolm X described his newfound membership in the World Muslim League as working towards “a greater degree of cooperation and working unity in the Muslim world.” This change of heart aptly illustrates the powerful difference between hearing about something, in this case the teachings of Islam, and experiencing it for yourself.

The Specter of Racism in the Muslim World

While Mecca is a place that brings out the best in people, it also has the potential to bring out the worst. 92 million people visited the holy mosque during Ramadan this year, striving to worship as close to the Kaaba as possible. People shoving the elderly and scolding the young were common sights. These negatives, however, can sometimes be exacerbated by race.

The kafala system used in many Middle Eastern countries brings migrant workers from impoverished countries to wealthy Gulf states for cheap labor in exchange for visa sponsorship. These transitory laborers commonly face low wages, poor working conditions, and racial abuse in and outside of the workplace.

South Asian and African migrant workers in Saudi Arabia specifically face substantial racism. At a fast-food restaurant in Mecca, I witnessed an Arab man cut in front of a line of people waiting to pick up their orders. He callously waved his receipt at a South Asian worker, making no eye contact. The worker, visibly intimidated, rushed to put the man’s food items into a bag and handed it to him without question. 

But this exchange between the Arab patron and South Asian worker was not an isolated incident. In fact, some argue that anti-Blackness among Muslims is becoming rampant and affects all Muslims who have darker skin. It’s why people choose a mosque based on the racial background of the attendees, and why interracial marriages are considered taboo by some Muslims. It’s why atrocities like the ongoing war in Sudan, shadow-funded by the United Arab Emirates, do not get much attention in the Muslim world.

The “white attitude” that Malcolm X describes is not only reserved for white people; it is a fundamental belief that a person is inherently superior to another based on the merit of their race, and because of this, their needs are more worthy of being met. 

In his farewell sermon, Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) warned, “An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a White has no superiority over a Black nor a Black has any superiority over a White except by piety and good action.” 

Wealth and Community in Mecca

In addition to race, social status can shield against negative experiences in Mecca. There is an inherent privilege in having the time, money, and physical health to travel to the holy city. When you are not hustling among sweaty crowds, relaxing and enjoying a hotel meal is a luxury. Malcolm X described his experience as a state guest, highlighting the Saudi government’s provision of “a car, a driver, and a guide,” and “air-conditioned quarters and servants in each city that I visit.” This treatment is by no means normal. Travelers who aren’t protected by status often cook for themselves, pray on the streets, and walk long distances, often in the sun, to get to their accommodations. 

The people living furthest away from the holy mosque are largely African and South Asian, while those living closer by are mostly Arab or Westerners. But inside the mosque, these differences become almost invisible. There is no way to know who is poor, rich, or famous, with everyone wearing the same white ihram and weeping the same tears as they worship. In Surah Al-Hujurat Ayat 13 (49:13 Quran), Allah says, “Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may (get to) know one another.” Umrah gathers people from all corners of the earth, displaying the vastness of Islam and the diversity of Muslims. 

Islam’s answer to the “race problem,” as Malcolm X called it, is an emphasis on community. This was most apparent to me during taraweeh and tahajjud prayers, with thousands of Muslims praying fervently for the people of Palestine. During my time in Medina, the second holiest city in Islam, I met a young local woman named Afnan. We sat together on the outskirts of the mosque courtyard, listening to the imam’s Quran recitation. Afnan told me she regularly visits the mosque when she can’t pray, just to listen, observe, and experience the feeling of being around so many Muslims.

In Islam, congregational prayer is an intimate communal experience. Physical touch is exercised between strangers standing shoulder-to-shoulder, while the solid, structured rows of people create a visual of unity. In a Sahih hadith narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar, the Prophet Muhammad said, “Whoever joins up a row, Allah will join him up (with His mercy), and whoever breaks a row, Allah will cut him off (from His mercy)” (Sunan Abī Dāwūd Book 8, Hadith 101).

When gaps in prayer rows occur, they stick out. People shy away from filling these gaps because it can be tough – moving everything to a different line, standing next to someone with a crying child, or praying beside someone who doesn’t smell great. But being part of a community means accepting inconvenience. This includes forgiving the faults of others and sacrificing personal comfort for the sake of something bigger. There may come a time when we are the ones with a crying child or become the elderly person who whispers their prayers a little too loudly. 

Sacrificing comfort can also mean using your abilities to uplift another person while disadvantaging yourself. I witnessed countless strong, tall people refrain from pushing ahead in a crowd during Umrah to stay back and shield a weaker person from being shoved.

Malcolm X, Islam, and Spiritual Truth 

In his April 1964 letter, Malcolm X discussed the “spiritual path of truth” as a means of healing the disease of racism in America. Much of what he predicts about younger generations leading this search for truth can be seen today in the resistance of university students against institutions that enable the genocide of Palestinians. There is a present-day search for spiritual endurance in a burning world. This endurance, offered by faith, keeps hope alive while comforting the part of us that yearns for an answer to everything.

Malcolm X’s letter from Mecca is therefore a basis for reflection on the condition of Muslims today. While the issue of racism persists within Muslim communities, Islam’s unwavering messages of unity, generosity, and brotherhood stand the test of time.

Nahid Widaatalla is a public health professional and freelance writer/journalist, covering social justice, Islam, digital health, and more.

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