In the wake of the anti-Muslim comments made by Donald Trump, Republican candidate aspiring for Presidency of US, the contribution of Muslims for the development of America has come to light. It may be noted Trump had suggested that the Muslims entering US should be banned. He had the recent incidents of killing in mind including San Bernardino. Several reports are appearing in press condemning Trump’s remarks.
The Guardian Daily of UK carried a detailed note highlighting the contribution made by Muslims in shaping and developing America. The article stated that the Muslims were part of American society right from its inception. To name a few, Bampett Muhammad was a soldier who fought for the Virginia Line between the years 1775 and 1783 under the command of Chief of the Continental Army, General George Washington, in the war against British Colonialism. A North African Arab, Yusuf Ben Ali also fought along with him. Peter Buckminster who killed British Major General John Pitcairn at the battle of Bunker Hill was a Muslim American. Peter Buckminster later changed his surname to Salem or Salaam.
The first President of US George Washington made it clear that a person did not have to be the follower of any religion to be an American patriot. It seems that Trump has overlooked this principle.
It may be interesting to note that Morocco was the first Muslim country which recognized the US in 1786. There is a treaty of peace and friendship between these two countries which is still effective.
The shape of America would not have been what it is today but for the contribution by a Dhaka-born Bangladeshi-American, Fazlur Rahman Khan who was known as the “Einstein of Structural Engineering”. He devised a new structural system of frame tubes that revolutionized the high rise building of skyscrapers. As a result of his system a new generation of skyscrapers which reduced the amount of steel necessary in construction changed the look of American cityscapes. It may be possible that the Islamist terrorists might have blown up World Trade Center but without the innovation of Mr. Khan’s system of the framed tube structure, the twin towers probably wouldn’t have been constructed in the first place. Fazlur Rahman Khan died in 1982, but his innovations proved key for future skyscrapers including the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago.
The contribution of Muslims in the field of Medicine and Surgery cannot be overlooked. Dr. Ayub Ommaya, a Pakistani-born Muslim Neurosurgeon invented an Intra-ventricular Catheter System in 1963 that can be used for the aspiration of cerebrospinal fluid or the delivery of drugs. Even today, “Ommaya Reservoir” is used to provide chemotherapy directly to the site for brain tumors. For the classification of traumatic brain injury, he developed the first coma score.
It may be noted that in the field of sports also Mohammed Ali earned a good name. He was three times champion in World Heavyweight Boxing. He is the same Mohammed Ali who presented Trump with a Muhammad Ali award in 2007. In May 2007, Trump posted a photo on Facebook posing with the great Muslim sporting hero and claimed then that he was his friend.
After the San Bernardino incident, President of US, Barack Obama mentioned that Muslim Americans are the friends of America.
Ms. Farah Pandith worked as Director for Middle East Initiatives in the tenure in the George W Bush administration at the National Security Council. She also served as Advisor on Muslim Engagement in Europe. In 2009 she became Hillary Clinton’s envoy to the world’s Islamic communities. Malcolm X fought for the Civil Right of the Muslims in US.
Ahmed Zewail who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry is known as the “father of femtochemistry”. He pioneering work in the observation of rapid molecular transformations is helpful to the scientists. He joined President Barack Obama’s Presidential Council of Advisers on Science and Technology (PCAST). He is widely respected not only for his science but also for his efforts in the Middle East as a voice of reason. Postal stamps have been issued to honour his contributions to Science and Humanity.
If the Muslims are not allowed entry into US, how can the country flourish without Muslims?