Peace and patience: New York native and Muslim reflects on terrorist attacks

Nuha Elkhiamy was born in upstate New York. She recently returned from a trip to New York City with her sister and saw her home state forever changed. But after the Sept. 11 attacks, other students were quicker to focus on her hijab, the traditional Muslim head covering, than her grief. \n"I feel like I took that attack as an attack on myself and on my country," said Elkhiamy,a senior and a Muslim. \nBut before she could fully grieve, Elkhiamy dealt with the suspended time while a nation waited to see who was responsible, followed by threat of backlash on fellow citizens of the Muslim faith. \n"I felt like I wasn't allowed to mourn immediately after," she said. \nSome Muslims were assaulted physically and verbally across the country as a result of backlash from the terrorist attack. \nBut Elkhiamy said Bloomington gave her the support she needed. At the Islamic Center, supporters sent cards, flowers and monetary donations. When a buddy walking system was initiated for Muslim students who walk alone at night, more than 200 people volunteered their help. \n"It was so touching. I can feel that initial anger has died down," Elkhiamy said. "It's times like this I'm glad I'm in an academic environment."\nA first-generation Egyptian-American, Nuha's father was educated in the United States. After her father worked in Bloomington, Nuha decided to go to school at IU. She is a teaching assistant for a business technology class and a business computer information systems major.\nThe 21-year-old said she always had an awareness of her faith.\n"I've always understood I'm a minority, and I think I grew up a lot quicker (because of that)," she said. \nHer parents were open-minded with their daughter's questions about her religion and let her choose her level of following. \nNuha recited a verse from the Koran that her parents had told her: "There is no compulsion in religion." Not only does the verse reflect a universal spiritual meaning, but it is also a glimpse into the peaceful religion called Islam.\n"Islam comes from the word salam, which means 'peace,'" she said. "In Islam, we believe in a struggle within ourselves where the ultimate goal is to love for your brother what you love for yourself." \nTo most people, the radicals who hijacked planes and terrorized New York, Washington and Pennsylvania did not seem to be practicing peace.\n"Hurt is never in the name of religion," Elkhiamy said. "I don't consider any violent acts on anyone an act of Islam, and in no way does Islam condone this."\n"It's just sad," Elkhiamy sighed. "If this whole incident was caused by blind hatred, and then there's a reciprocal of blind hatred… it's just so sad."\nPalwasha Rahmany, a junior, is from Afghanistan. Recently, she wrote a letter to Oprah Winfrey in response to a show about Islam. Rahmany said she wants everyone to understand her religion and her country.\n"I think it is very important that people are educated about the Islamic faith and realize that we do not promote terrorism," she said. "Afghanistan is my country and Afghans are my people. We are not terrorists, but a suffering nation."\nRahmany said all too often people mistake the Afghan people for the Taliban group. \n"Talibans are foreigners and Afghans are prisoners in their own country," she said. \nBut despite feelings of anger and misconceptions about their religion, Muslim students can find a place of support at IU. Elkhiamy is a part of the Muslim Student Union and the Islamic Center Community. \n"The events have pulled us together," she said. "They are places of mourning and speaking out."\nMichael Thomas, a graduate student and a converted Muslim, said the community has had some extra activities in order to help deal with the events of Sept. 11. \n"Different kinds of people get different kinds of support depending on their own personal situation," Thomas said. \nThe mosque, for example, is a place that offers the five daily prayers as well as congregational prayers on Friday afternoons. Thomas converted from Episcopal Protestant to Islam after studying religion and philosophy and examining Islam's balance between spirit and law. Like Elkhiamy, he is also a New York native.\n"I knew a number of people who worked in the World Trade Center," Thomas said. \nAll of them escaped death, including a police officer whose car was destroyed when a WTC tower fell.\n"My hope for the future is that God blesses America, but also that God blesses the world in general," said Elkhiamy. "I also hope we can find who is responsible for this and work together for a better world. It is wise for us to be patient."\nElkhiamy said she does not consider the suicide mission to attack the United States an act of martyrdom.\n"The firemen and the firewomen -- they are the true martyrs"