Letter to President Obama May 30, 2009

May 30, 2009

Subject: In regard to your upcoming visit and comments in Egypt.

Mr. President,
I am a Palestinian American with a long involvement in resolution of conflict in the Muslim world. Although Palestinian by birth, my love is for all of the people in the Middle East and abhor the ongoing battles and continuing deaths going on there.

I am concerned about your upcoming visit to Egypt and any address you might make there. I consider the timing of this planned visit unfortunate. The speech is scheduled to be given near the 42nd anniversary of “The Six Day War” of June 5 – 10, 1967, when Israel attacked Egypt, Jordan and Syria. This has great significance in the Arab world and improper statements could escalate animosity toward the United States.

The Six Day War was a major defeat for Muslims and Egypt, the leader of the Arab world at that time. Because the United States supplied Israel many of their weapons used in this war, much of the Arab and Muslim world considers the U.S. complicit in Israel’s victory. This has not been forgotten. President Hosni Mubarak benefits from the timing of your visit. Mubarak’s weakened government will be bolstered by reminding the Arab world how he helped bring Egypt back to prominence through the recovery of the Sinai following the short 1973 war between Egypt and Israel. This led to the Camp David Accord engineered by President Jimmy Carter with President Anwar Sadat and Prime Minister Menachem Begin.

Mr. Mubarak is probably the least popular Arab Leader in the Muslim and Arab world. Most Egyptians are dissatisfied with Mr. Mubarak’s leadership. Many Arabs and Muslims have demonstrated against him because his closure of the safe passage between Egypt and Gaza during the recent Israeli assault on Gaza and the firing of rockets into Israel by Hamas.

The reason why Mr. Mubarak does not support Hamas is because he believes that Hamas is an extension of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt which opposes him. As the most credible opposition force in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood is supporting democracy by attempting to prevent Mr. Mubarak from transferring political power directly to his son, Jamal Mubarak, a person of questionable ethics and intelligence. The Mubaraks want to maintain a status quo and their family control of the nation.

Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood are like other Islamic movements in the Arab world. If these movements are allowed to participate in free democratic elections, most likely they will win majority control. Members of most of the Islamic movements are among the most educated, hard working, family oriented and trustworthy people in Arab society. They are not hostile to the United States.

Mr. Mubarak’s motive in pleasing the United State over Israel is to ensure that money from the United States will continue to flow into the Egyptian treasury. Since the 1979 Camp David Accord, Egypt has received almost $2 billion annually from the United States. Most of that money goes into the pockets of the military and the elite. Very little actually benefits the people. This is why the Egyptian people as a whole want to abolish the treaty with Israel. Egyptians thought that the treaty would bring progress and prosperity. It did not. Instead, the people of Egypt received superficial changes such as Pizza Huts, and McDonald restaurants from which the average Egyptians, who can barely afford basics like bread, do not benefit.

Mr. Mubarak and his government promised to make the Sinai bloom. The Sinai today is similar to how the Prophet Moses left it after he led the children of Israel from the bondage of the Pharaoh about 3,500 years ago. The principal difference between the Sinai of the time of Prophet Moses and and the Sinai under Mr. Mubarak is that God provided Manna and Salwah (Quail) for the children of Israel while Mr. Mubarak provides intelligence agents and police to arrest the Bedouins (Sinai inhabitants). The Bedouins have been provided minimal opportunities for advancement. Therefore, a large percentage of the Bedouin population continues to make a living by smuggling.

Mr. Mubarak is constantly exaggerating the dangers of Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah in order to divert attention from his own shortcomings. Moreover, Mr. Mubarak is becoming incompetent and paranoid and appears to be in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Mr. Mubarak frequently rules from Sharm Al Sheikh, which is a resort area on the Red Sea. This arrangement would be similar to a U.S. President presiding over his duties from a five star resort in Miami Beach. Mr. Mubarak frequently summons his cabinet members from Cairo to Sharm Al Sheikh. Imagine the reaction to a U. S. President summoning the United States Congress to Miami Beach for official business. (Although some members of Congress might consider this a job benefit!) Some time ago when British Prime Minister Tony Blair visited President Perwez Musharaf, he asked what he could do for Pakistan. President Musharaf replied: “Just solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.”

While the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a major world issue, I urge you to set that issue temporarily aside during your visit and direct your thoughts and words to the Muslim world as a whole. Address those key Muslim nations with which United States desires to forge stronger friendships.

One of the failures of past Administrations has been lecturing and talking down to the Muslim world. The power of the U.S. is well known. Resistance to this power within the Muslim world is strong. Using this speech as a platform to establish diplomatic relations with Israel in exchange for the establishment of a Palestinian state or other benefits should be avoided.

An effective approach would be to talk about tolerance and reaching out to non-Muslims. This would be an important precursor to asking the Muslim people to help contain extremism because extremism is not in line with Muslim teachings.

You might mention that the Constitution of the United States is not alien to Muslims because the principles of the Constitution are found in the Quran and sayings of the Prophet. Therefore, the ideology of America is in line with Muslim ideas. For example, Chapter 49, Verse 13 states: “O mankind! We have created you all out of a male and a female, and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you might come to know one another.”

Yours truly,

Mohammad Said



Thoughts to consider


Muslims from all over the world consider themselves as part of the “Ummah” or greater community – even though they are citizens of more than 55 different countries. All Muslims are part of the Ummah even though they are of different colors, cultures, ethnic backgrounds and the like. While part of the Ummah, Muslims support the laws of their own individual countries. About one out of every four people on this planet is Muslim. Despite differences in culture and religion it is possible to have a mutual respect and tolerance and work together towards a greater peace and prosperity to benefit everyone in this world. Such are the proclamations of the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad.

About Freedom
The people of the United States are an eclectic mix of cultures in a very young Republic established less than 250 years ago. We are a relatively young, mosaic society with people from all walks of life. Every four years the United States holds democratic elections that transfer presidential power in a peaceful manner. This is remarkable when a person looks all around the world and sees government upheaval, unrest, military plots, etc. President Abraham Lincoln said during the Gettysburg Address that we are a “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” The people of the United States have the ability to completely change the government through the election process every four years. Our Declaration of Independence was principally drafted by Thomas Jefferson, who became the third president of the United States. Mr. Jefferson owned a copy of the Quran and in it important passages were highlighted. Our first Muslim Congressman, Keith Ellison of Minnesota, swore his oath of office on that Quran. Our democracy is not alien to the Muslim world. The Prophet Muhammad continually consulted with his companions. That is democracy. Americans are also known for speaking their mind, which is our First Amendment right under our Constitution. This is also a great part of the Islamic philosophy and can be appreciated by the Muslim world. There is an example of this in Islamic history. Your Second Caliph Umar bin Al Khattab was addressing women’s issues to an audience. A woman stood up from the audience and spoke. She told him that he was incorrect about one of his statements. After taking a moment to reflect he admitted to the audience that he was indeed incorrect and that the woman was right. But there are so many examples in Islamic history of Freedom of Speech. In the United States we have this freedom as well as freedom of religion, assembly and many others. The history and fundamentals of the Islamic religion show tolerance, so it should anger and be alien to any member of the Islam to see anything other than compassion and acceptance. It is alien and foreign to the teachings and tenants of the religion to accept any people who commit violence against civilians, no matter their reasoning, in the name of God, or Islam. Those people seem to have strayed from the essence of Islam. Do you think those people who killed journalist Richard Perle while he was doing his work in Pakistan, who happened to be an American of Jewish faith, remembered this story? When the Prophet was sitting with his companions in Medina and a funeral procession passed by he stood out of respect. His companions asked him: “What are you doing, Prophet of God? This funeral is for a Jew.” The Prophet replied: “Does he not have a soul?”

About Women’s rights
Muslims consider the use or sale of opium or any intoxicant to be “haram” or a sin. The oppression of women is also “haram.” The Prophet and the Islamic religion and all of these teachings instruct that the education of men and women is obligatory. The first word of the Quran was “iqraa,” which means “read.” The Prophet said that whoever raises a female child with care and good conduct will lead him to paradise.

About Islamic Unity
The greatest Muslim reformer of the 19th century was Jamal-al-Din Afghani, who was born in 1838 in Asadabad of northeast Afghanistan on the border with what is now Pakistan. Before he died in 1897, he traveled the world to places like Mecca, Iran, Iraq, Jerusalem, Egypt, British India, London, Paris, Russia and Istanbul of the Ottoman Empire. He advocated pan-Islamic unity and was one of the founders of Islamic modernism. He has been described as “Less interested in theology than he was in organizing a Muslim response to Western pressure.”

To the Pakistanis:
Pakistan is a young nation. Yet in your history you have great minds like the philosopher, spiritual father and poet Muhammad Iqbal, and your founder Muhammad Ali Junnah. Another fascinating historical Pakistani figure was Muhammad Assad, who was of Jewish-Germany ethnicity. His birth name was Leopold Weiss. He was the son of an Orthodox rabbi from West Ukraine. At the age of 21 he became a correspondent for a famous magazine in Germany. He studied Arabic at Al-Azhar University in Cairo. He embraced Islam at the age of 26. He traveled all over Arabia with Bedouins and became a close friend of King Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia. Muhammad Assad traveled to British India, where he met with both Muhammad Iqbal (the philosopher and poet and spiritual father of modern Pakistan) and Muhammad Ginnah (the founder of Pakistan). Mr. Assad went on to assist in the drafting of the constitution of Pakistan, a constitution that emphasizes freedom and tolerance and brotherhood. He also wrote extraordinary books, among them “The Road to Mecca” and “The Principles of State of Government in Islam”, which many Muslims still regard as the most authoritative work on the political dimension of Islam.

We respect Pakistan and your mosaic history. I reach out to you and ask you to follow your Pakistani principles for the purpose of achieving peace and harmony. I ask you to embrace the idea of a coalition government in which all of your people can participate. We will support the travel of highly educated Americans of Pakistani background to help improve Pakistan’s educational system, especially the Madrassah.

Shariah law is not applicable to non-Muslims. The most important part of the Shariah is the collection of taxes, known as Zakat. Zakat will be used to eliminate poverty. Pakistan will not need to look for any handouts.

To Indonesians and Malaysians
I have great regard for Indonesia and lived there for a few years of my life. I was impressed with the hospitality and kindness of the people. Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population. It is important to note that no foreign Muslim soldier ever stepped foot in Indonesia or Malaysia. The Indonesians embraced Islam entirely on their own through commerce and goodwill. This commerce and goodwill was through traders who came from southern Arabia including Yemen and Oman. This is an example of how things can be done peacefully and through care and should be an example for all Muslims in this world. Communication and understanding is a greater means of change than hostility. The real struggle (Jihad) is the one inside us like the Prophet Mohammed stated upon returning from a battle. He said that they left the minor Jihad and came to the major Jihad. The companions of the Prophet knew the minor Jihad must be the battle so they asked him what the major Jihad must be. He said that it was the Jihad within themselves: The struggle against temptation and Satan because Satan is the true enemy of the human being since the creation.

The Malaysian people are a good example of a nation living in harmony. Malaysia’s three main ethnic groups live in relative peace: Malays, Chinese and Indians. Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity also functions within the confines of this country.

To Iran
We have great respect for Iran and the diversity within Iran’s borders. We know that Iran has a mosaic of ethnicities: Persians, Arabs, Kurds, Azeris, Jews, Assyrians and many others. We applaud that diversity.

On my name
I am proud of my name middle name, Hussein. It reminds me of honorable men such as one who is revered among Shiite Muslims named Hussein bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. He resisted tyranny and the monarchs who sought to enslave and corrupt the values and teachings of Islam. He died rather than swear allegiance to the tyrannical King Yazid. Mr. Hussein bin Ali demonstrated the great courage, valor and faith of Iranians and other Muslims.

On nuclear weapons
Let us now discuss a pressing subject that has taken center stage and is a major obstacle: the pursuit of nuclear weapons. The goal of the United States -- and I believe the goal of the world -- should be a “Nuclear Free Globe.” I favor making the entire Middle East, all countries therein, a biological, chemical and nuclear free zone. We have to strengthen the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) so it can better deal with this mammoth task ahead of it. The United States and other nations have made huge strides in technology including nuclear power. We are ready to assist other nations to acquire nuclear power for peaceful purposes. Everyone has the right to develop technology that can assist their people. Technology should not be withheld from countries trying to increase the prosperity of their citizens.

On Turkey
Turkey has a great tolerance for minorities. In 1492, when the Jews and Muslims in Spain were expelled, they found refuse in the Ottoman Empire, which was headquartered in Turkey I learned a great deal when I decided to visit Turkey and speak to their parliament on my recent trip to Europe. We applaud Turkey’s contribution to prosperity and peace in the Middle East. We support your efforts of trying to join the European Union.

In opposition to the oppression of Muslims
The United States supports freedom and condemns all oppression. We have defended oppressed Muslims. That was demonstrated in Kosovo and Bosnia. America will always fight against injustice. Joe Biden, my Vice President, was instrumental as a Senator in jump starting NATO’s involvement to free the Muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo.

On our opposition to slavery
The world knows the tragic history of slavery in the United States. Some of the slaves were Muslim. I am also aware of the grave tragedy of the colonization of Africa by European nations. The borders that the colonial powers created have split up many tribes. The same tribe can be found in multiple countries, not by choice but by force. This is an unfortunate happening and cannot be undone. But at least we can try to make a lasting peace between brothers in this region. Places like Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, Chad, etc. can live peacefully together as was intended.

On Saudi Arabia
Our first contact with Saudi Arabia was through President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He met with King Abdul Aziz on a ship at the Suez Canal during World War II. King Abdul Aziz was very anxious to have good relations with the United States. The United States fought to free people from the Nazis. It has now been more than 50 years of mutual cooperation with Saudi Arabia. If Saudi Arabia decides to create a Silicon Valley in the Middle East we would be happy to cooperate with our cutting edge technologies. We have much to share.

On the Gulf States
We extend our friendship to the other Gulf States like Kuwait. Remember that we helped end the occupation of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein. We also have great cooperation with Bahrain, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen and Qatar. Qatar has tremendous power through their news media of Al Jazeera: Arabic and English. Al Jazeera provided news coverage for the first time to the Arab and Muslim world of our political system. Al Jazeera covered our Democratic and Republican political conventions minute by minute and step by step. We also applaud the news coverage provided by Al Arabiya of Dubai. We hope that our American media will include more coverage of important Arab and Muslim issues.

On Syria, Jordan and Lebanon
Syria, Jordan and Lebanon used to be one country called Bilad el Sham. During World War I, Sharif el Mecca’s children sided with the Allied Powers against the Axis Powers. Instead they were betrayed and the countries we now know today were created. Because of that connection and close history you are brethren. We encourage you to have open borders with each other and economic cooperation, uplift each other.

On Iraq
I was among the first to oppose the invasion of Iraq. I argued that there were no weapons of mass destruction and I was proven to be true. Regardless, the United States has a presence in Iraq. It is important that Americans and Iraqis are safe when we withdraw from Iraq. Iraq used to be a center of education, science, rich history, medicine, religion and archeology. Iraq will return to its former status with time and help. We have no intention of leaving military bases in Iraq or having an embassy that is the equivalent of a fortress. It will be like any other embassy in the Middle East. I am asking the Muslim countries of the world to voluntarily contribute their personnel to help the Iraqi army when we withdraw our troops. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will approach some of those countries, particularly countries that do not border Iraq. This will all be done through the United Nations. Once we withdraw from Iraq completely and our embassy is downsized I believe that the Iraqi people will have full confidence that we are not occupying their country. Economic cooperation will take place and Iraq will be a successful nation again. This is not the first time Iraq has had to overcome adversity. Baghdad at one time was ransacked by the Mongol Empire but survived and even prospered. Iraq will do this again.

On Palestine and Israel
Palestine and Israel present a complex issue. It is well known the United States believes in a two state solution. Both sides need to compromise and make hard choices. The Israelis absolutely must freeze any further settlements and the walls that are being built around Jerusalem. We understand Israel has difficulty controlling their citizens and the illegal settlements. If Israel needs help from the international community, then we must assist in providing resources. Israel must remove their checkpoints from the West Bank and surrounding Gaza and cease their unnecessary embargo -- as promised long ago. Israel must also allow Palestinians who wish to work in Israel to have better economic opportunities with fewer restrictions.

At the same time the Palestinian organizations in the West Bank and Gaza must give a written pledge that they will cease all hostilities against both civilian and military targets. In exchange the Israeli military must pledge to cease targeting people for assassination or arrest. The objective is to a “cooling period” for a set period of time, perhaps a couple of years, to build trust. With this cooling period, then we can revisit other issues that are contested by both parties and come to a peaceful resolution. It will be imperative that neither party overreacts to isolated hostile acts and to remember that isolated hostile acts do not represent the Palestinians or the Israelis as a whole. We cannot have a war break out every time there is a terrible act done. Each side must deal with their people accordingly and not break the pledges under any circumstances. Jerusalem is the heart of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. It has deep meaning and historical connections to these religions and a peaceful resolution benefits to everyone.

On Somalia
Somalia has been embroiled in an internal civil war for over twenty years. Recent attention has been drawn to this nation by the ongoing piracy centered there. The Prophet Mohammad directed Muslims to defend against the illegal taking of property. Resolving the Somalia crisis is one area where Muslim nations, particularly the Arab League, can inject themselves into bringing change to that nation. The Quran states clearly that such acts or piracy require Muslim to use force, if necessary, to restore law and order.

On Egypt
Egypt remains the leader of the Arab world and has 5000 years of civilization. It is had the oldest Muslim university, Al Azhar. For over 1000 years this university has provided wisdom to the Muslim world. It is from the historical teachings of this university that the Muslim world must return to its peaceful roots.

On the First Lady’s hosting of Trans-Mediterranean Crisis Conference
(What follows is a concept you might find worth considering)
The First Lady, my wife, will be hosting a conference in North Africa called the Trans-Mediterranean Crisis Conference. It will commemorate and focus on the thousands who have died trying to cross the Mediterranean in search of better lives and ways to end poverty and hunger. Many lives are lost trying to cross from the Sub-Sahara to Europe. My wife will probably host the conference in Libya because Libya is so greatly affected by the vast migration of individuals trying to cross the Mediterranean. This conference will be historic and be open for only the First Ladies of the affected countries; those whom people are fleeing and those whom people are literally dying to journey to. During and after your holy month of Ramadan we are inviting Muslim countries to contribute their Zakat or prescribed charity to a fund designated to help create opportunities in these countries where hunger and poverty is so prevalent. Surely there is no better place for your charity than to encourage the building of communities and helping the hungry and affected.