I would be lying at this point, if I kept up the hopeful charade of jump-starting this community into action and developing a more united Ummah with services that extend our religion to our lives and our community, both Muslim and non-Muslim. I know that some who read this may not be pleased with what I have to say, but I am being honest and completely open with my experience in this Community. I apologize in advance if you do not like what I see but please keep in mind this is my experience and my perspective.
A few months ago, I began talking about how we need to be out there, and visible, and active, doing good deeds and becoming known in our community as good people. When the women from the Muslim community got together with the Women of Wasatch, I was not quite understanding why the Islamic Society of Salt Lake was not involved in any way, and I initially had some concerns with doing something while maybe they were also planning a thank you but not announcing it (as is often the case with them, not announcing some things). When things remained quiet from the Society, I began to wonder what it is the Society DOES do. I sent an email to the Imam at Khadeeja Masjid and one to the Imam at Utah Islamic Center. A copy of the letter I sent is
here. As you can see from the response, I was (in a very long and winding way) told thank you and good luck! My note to the Imam at UIC was a lot shorter and just asked if there were any services offered to the community or any food assistance or anything of the sort. Here was the response I received from him :
"
As-salam-u-alikum,
Dear Sister,
We do not have a social service program, such as the one you mentioned on an ongoing basis. We might have a food drive in the Holy Month of Ramadan, but that is about all.
We can certainly discuss what you have in mind. As a start, UIC would surely like to have something that helps the needy in our communities as well as other communities."
I was elated to have received such a response. it was exactly what I could hope for. of course my letter to IS was posted several weeks later on the site. The Imam at UIC responded right away. Now to make a VERY, VERY, VERY long story short, I will condense it A LOT, and give you the edited and polished version of the events over the last 6 months.
In an attempt to establish some sort of community and activity and partially to correct the incorrect information on the Utah Muslims website, I established an ongoing communication with the President of the Islamic Society. Through this communication, I found out that because of a feud and a split in the community a few years ago, there is a fierce division of "sides" if you will, and a great political wound that appears to not be healing, but instead festering and poisoning the community. At the time I started this communication with him, I did not feel this way. I imagined that time had passed, there were so many new people to the community that have nothing to do with the politics or the divide, there are converts coming in on a constant basis, we have a great need to fill in the community and with Muslims being in the spotlight so much we really need to do some good. I thought maybe they were just unaware of how big the community is (which I still believe), and maybe just don't have the resources to assist and need volunteers or SOMETHING. I had one very disturbing meeting with him, and since then, (even though he promised action and a meeting with me to discuss the community service the sisters wish to contribute), there has been nothing but disappointment and the hesitant realization that what I have been told and what I feared about this Society is correct. And even worse.
This community is so divided, and until I stepped inside I had no idea. There are so many feuds, besides the 'big" one that split the city, so many separated masjids (mostly by race, Turkish, Iraqi, Somali, Bosnian...no American one though...I am pretty sure that would be considered racist) and so much tension and negativity that it seems impossible to come all together and accomplish anything. Unfortunately that includes doing good for those who are in need, which for me has been the most disappointing experiences I have felt. Maybe it is because I grew up in the Catholic Church where feuding is secondary to helping the poor, and helping the poor is a top and well practiced priority within the congregation, that my disappointment cuts so deep. Alhumdulillah for the small circle of people I have around me that have cared for me and my daughter and welcomed us with open arms into the Muslim Community. Our lives would not be the same without them, and I am sure my experience with the religion would not be the same without them either. Because without those core people, my experience, I am almost ashamed to say, has not been so wonderful in dealing with this community here in Salt Lake City, Utah (That's a blog post for a later day). I have to be completely honest...things here are a mess. More than just a mess. A tangled, sticky, gooey, stain. Unity? Compassion? Kindness? Mercy? Charity? These are the things my religion is based on...where are they in this community?
