Posted on 11/07/2009 10:21:56 AM PST by LA Woman3
KILLEEN — Sgt. Fahad Kamal attended prayer services at the Islamic Community of Greater Killeen on Friday just as he has frequently since arriving at Fort Hood seven months ago.
This day, though, the 26-year-old medic, who served in Afghanistan from January 2007 to April 2008, wore his uniform. This day, the devout Muslim from Houston was seeking to strike a far different image than that of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, who is accused of shooting 43 people at Fort Hood on Thursday.
Kamal said he had come to the mosque from a gloomy base, where "soldiers aren't really talking about the shootings because we're trying to move on."
He said his first reaction to the news of shootings was "angry embarrassment," and his concerns echoed those of others in the Central Texas Muslim community, who arrived at services in a somber mood.
"I hope people don't make themselves believe that religion has anything to do with what happened," Kamal said.
Kamal is one of about 40 members of Killeen's close-knit Muslim community. When he arrived to pray at the one-story red brick mosque just off Texas 195 on Fort Hood Street, he and dozens of others quietly dodged a crowd of reporters on the otherwise calm stretch of road.
The 40-minute prayer service included a moment of silence and a passionate condemnation of the shootings from Dr. Manzoor Farooqi, president of the mosque, who called the action a "shameless attack."
Farooqi, who has led the mosque for 12 years, said that he knew Hasan from Ramadan observances but that he had not known him very well.
"When I saw him on television, I thought, 'I can't believe he'd do such a stupid thing,' to be frank," Farooqi said.
"The shootings are devastating and tragic," said Danquah Osman, who is treasurer of the mosque and a liaison between the mosque and Fort Hood. Osman, who has lived in Killeen since 1976, said he served in the Army as a first sergeant for 22 years.
"We're supposed to care for each other in the military," Osman said. "Those victims could have been my sons."
Abdulkarim Hulwe, 45, a retired Army veteran who said he talked to Hasan frequently, said Hasan struck him as a devout but quiet Muslim who tended to go to work early and sometimes prayed at the mosque before work. He said he last saw Hasan at 6:15 a.m. Thursday.
"He just appeared to be an outstanding soldier. He ... always seemed to be on his best behavior," Hulwe said.
As Austin Imam Islam Mossaad said Thursday, when news of the shooting spread, Muslims in Central Texas all hoped that the gunman did not share their faith. But when members of Killeen's Islamic community learned that Hasan had been among them for prayers at Ramadan a couple of months ago, they said it deepened their anxiety that his actions could have a lasting effect on their peace-loving community.
"Islam promotes peace and equality, and violence has nothing to do with that," Kamal said. "I hope that people won't start stereotyping, since that's what people tend to do."
jsanders@statesman.com; 445-3630
Editor's Note: We have disabled commenting on this story because of repeated abuse of our commenting policy related to the Ft. Hood shooting.
btrl
What more do you want from them?
I think the doctor should be assuring YOU that he is not like this man. Otherwise I see no point in saying anything to him.
Exactly!
As Austin Imam Islam Mossaad said Thursday, when news of the shooting spread, Muslims in Central Texas all hoped that the gunman did not share their faith (why would they even think that? Aren't they stereotyping?). But when members of Killeen's Islamic community learned that Hasan had been among them for prayers at Ramadan a couple of months ago, they said it deepened their anxiety that his actions could have a lasting effect on their peace-loving community.
"Islam promotes peace and equality, and violence has nothing to do with that," Kamal said. "I hope that people won't start stereotyping, since that's what people tend to do."
I think that’s exactly what he did in this article. They allowed pictures to be taken inside the prayer service. They were interviewed. They condemned the act. Dr. Farooqi earned my respect years ago and needs to do nothing more to keep it.
I just find it odd that you’d reassure him. I mean, if a member of a Christian congregation does something awful do you go up to a parishoner or the priest/paster/reverend and say, “I know you’re not like that.”?
Maybe so, but if the reaction from the community is anything like what I’ve seen here, he may appreciate a kind word. You know....Do unto others and all that.
Now where have I heard that before?..... “... is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life.”
Oh, I remember. The movie The Manchurian Candidate!
I’m curious: why are defending these people?
When they shoot us, they’re victims and it’s our fault.
When we shoot them, we’re just showing how evil and intolerant we are.
The Islamic community has done very, very little to try to stem the tide the violence Muslims perpetrate against their neighbors. When an incident like this happens, they always defend themselves by pointing to US foreign policy.
The truth is no nation has done more for Muslims. Is ANYONE really upset that Saddam is gone?
Is anyone in Afghanistan upset that the Taliban is out of power?
These people engaged in torture and hostility and other “war crimes” against their neighbors.
Also - note that they really do find acceptance and tolerance here in the US. This story is about a guy who EVERYONE KNEW had sympathy for the 9-11 terrorists. EVERYONE KNEW that he was posting sympathy for terrorist causes on the internet. And yet, NO ONE said or did anything about it.
Meanwhile, Rush Limbaugh is halted from owning a football team because of some made up quotes attributed to him.
It’s the ultimate double standard.
What more do I want from them? How about tolerance: real tolerance. How about a little understanding? How about a little kindness, decency and respect?
Why are you taking up for these people? I haven’t done anything to them and yet many either want to kill me or have sympathy for those who do.
And you sit here acting like you have the moral high ground?
Because "these people" didn't shoot anybody, and you're still blaming them for it. Is it any wonder that they're nervous about the reaction, when you and others are already so amply justifying their fears?
I'm not going to mince words with you, FRiend. You're doing what that Nazis did: hold an entire group of people responsible for something, on account of their religion.
For all the folks yelling about the health care plan, the real danger to the Republic lies in attitudes like yours.
You can count me out of that.
Who doubts that when push comes to shove these “good” Muslims would kill any non-Muslim American they can.
Hey dummy, he’s listed on the Homeland Security document as a participant of the transition team. It’s idiots like you who try to minimize the impact of terrorists and their supporters.
Before you call names it’d help if you knew what you are talking about. Clearly, you don’t, so I shall let it pass.
Sorry. Very bad week.
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