[Vision2020] July 4: A Muslim celebration

[Moscow Cares]

Courtesy of today's (July 10, 2015) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with thanks and appreciation to S. M. "Ghazi" Ghazanfar.

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Letter: July 4: A Muslim celebration
The above may seem preposterous to some, but indeed, July 4 is also a celebration for Muslim-Americans. Muslims have been a part of the American mosaic since even before Columbus. Enshrined in the Bill of Rights is the value of freedom, especially freedom of worship - the very core of being American. George Washington wrote that America was open to receive "the oppressed and persecuted of all nations and religions, including Christian, Jews, and Muslims." Benjamin Franklin praised Islam's compassion and humanity and expressed his strong belief in religious freedom by suggesting that "the Mufti of Istanbul may preach Islam from a Philadelphia pulpit." Given such historical connections, the present day Islamophobic epidemic seems highly exaggerated.
Further, our Founding Fathers respected Islam and Muslims, and our second president, John Adams, named Prophet Mohammed as "one of the great truth seekers," alongside Moses, Socrates and Confucius. Thomas Jefferson, our third president and the author of the Declaration of Independence, learned Arabic and studied the Qur'an, acquired much Middle Eastern literature and incorporated it in his writings. He hosted the first presidential Ramadan-fast breaking. In fact, for his intellectual interests in Islam, he was the first president to be "accused" of being Muslim. Indeed, he and others substantially drew upon principles from Islamic civilization in fashioning our political and judicial system.
Perhaps most importantly, it was the compatibility of the Declaration with Islamic principles that led an Islamic country, Morocco, to be the first to recognize U.S. independence (1777) - and first to recognize the U.S. Constitution (l787). Also, the Moroccan-American Treaty of Peace and Friendship was signed in 1787, the longest, unbroken treaty in history. Moroccan recognition was soon followed by another Muslim ruler, Tippu Sultan, king of the Mysore State in India.
S.M. Ghazanfar
Acworth, Ga. (formerly of Moscow)
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Ghazi and Rukhsana Ghazanfar along with some Moscow friends.
http://www.moscowcares.com/Ghazi_Rukhsana_and_friends_051013.jpg
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Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares"
http://www.MoscowCares.com
  
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
 
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