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You've heard us say, there is a group of terrorists attempting to hijack your religion.
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You have heard us before multiple audiences of different political stripes, refuse to bend to the
political pressure to call terrorism, Islamic extremism.
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We know, we know that I sold, though it claims the banner of Islam occupies no part of your
religion, and religion founded on peace.
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After I'm gone, as Secretary, I hope you will always regard your department of homeland security,
aligned in interest with you for peace, the safety of your family, and the protection of your
homeland.
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I hope you will always regard our new Office of Community Partnerships as your partner
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tonight, in this last and biggest opportunity I will have as your secretary of homeland security, to
address an audience this large, all at once. I want to take our conversation to a new level.
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A leader of this organization reminded me that we spend a lot of time telling young Muslims in this
country what you should not become
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a more effective message is to tell you that in this great country, what you can become.
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We must not simply curse the darkness, but offer a candle.
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Tonight, I will not look at this large group of Muslims before me through a homeland security lens.
Tonight, I will not talk about counterterrorism. Tonight, I will simply address you as who you are.
My fellow Americans.
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Tonight I speak especially to the young people in this audience, and to the parents worried about
your future.
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Many of the young people in this room worry that because of the current climate, your religion, your
skin color, and your attire.
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Because of that you will never win full acceptance in this country.
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I come before you tonight. To assure you this is not true. Your struggle for full acceptance in this
country is one you will win.
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How do I know this? Because my African American ancestors and I have traveled a similar road.
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I hear your stories of discrimination, vilification and of the efforts to tar you with the broad
brush of suspicion. I hear about the bullying and the physical attacks that Muslims are experiencing
nationwide. They are familiar to me. I recognize them. I look out on this room of American Muslims.
And I see myself I see a similar struggle that my African American ancestors have fought to win
acceptance in this country.
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realize it or not. Your story is the quintessential American story.
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Your story is an American story told over and over again, generation after generation of waves of
people who struggle for seek and will eventually win your share of the American dream.
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know the history of this country. And you will know that whether it's Catholic Americans, Jewish
Americans, Mormon Americans, Irish Americans, Italian Americans, Japanese Americans, African
Americans, Hispanic Americans, or Muslim Americans. This will be true.
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The arc of the American story is long. It is bumpy and uncertain, but it always bends toward a more
perfect union. Some of you are frustrated that you have been publicly denouncing violence.
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extremism for years, sometimes at your own peril, and have not been recognized for it. Some of you
are discouraged that you must continually point to the patriotism of American Muslims by pointing to
your military service to those American Muslims who have died in combat for your country.
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I have another story for you.
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It's about a black man named Charles S. Johnson, who lived in the segregated South years ago.
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Dr. Johnson was born in Virginia, in 1893, the son of an emancipated slave, Dr. Johnson fought in
combat in World War One became a prominent sociologist, and president of Fisk University in
Nashville, Tennessee, and a public champion for civil rights for the African American.
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Despite his academic degrees, his honorary degrees, his reputation, and his many achievements in
1949. Dr. Johnson was called to testify in Congress before the House UnAmerican Activities
Committee.
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Historians in this room know about the house on American Activities Committee. Part of its mission
was to ferret out communist in this country in the late 1940s and 50s. During the Red Scare
McCarthyism, and a great fear that communists were hiding among us.
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Some of that suspicion was focused on African Americans who dared publicly challenged the government
to deliver equal protection of the laws for all people.
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Dr. Johnson appeared before this committee and had to deny that he was a member of the Communist
Party and defend the patriotism of all African Americans.
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of this, he testified it's like asking if Tennesseans or Presbyterians or foreign born citizens or
American women or persons with freckles are loyal. As the prime example of the African Americans
patriotism. He noted that quote, in time of war, they have pleaded for combat service for the
supreme hazards of military service. They have offered and risked their lives freely for the country
even while bitterly resenting at times the conditions under which they were permitted to die in
honor.
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Charles Johnson died 60 years ago in 1956, just as the civil rights movement he champion was about
to take flight. At the time, Jim Crow still existed in the south, Charles Johnson knew nothing else
in the south. But one month before he died. Dr. Johnson wrote this about the segregated south in
which at the time, we were not allowed to vote, or live with travel with, eat with or marry, anyone
have the right race.
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Quote, it is expected that negros southerners, as a result of our limited status in the racial
system would be bitter, bitter, or hostile. Bitterness grows out of hopelessness, and there is no
hopelessness in the situation. Faith in the ultimate strength of the Democratic philosophy and code
of the nation has always been stronger than the impulse to despair.
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I believe that too. I believe that because Charles S Johnson was my grandfather.
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He died a second class citizen, in fact, an in law.
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But he had faith in this country.
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Perhaps he imagined the unimaginable in 1956, that his own grandson would one day become the person
in charge of the homeland security for this entire nation. Or even more incredible that I would
serve in the cabinet of a black president. This is something
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this is something as recently as 10 years ago, I thought would never happen in my lifetime.
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The house on American Activities Committee was abolished many years ago. I'm told it used to hold
its hearings in room 311 of the cannon house office building on Capitol Hill in Washington. This is
the same room in which the house Homeland Security Committee holds its hearings today. There
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for 67 years ago, my grandfather likely testified in that hearing room to defend his patriotism. Now
his grandson testifies in the same room to explain what the US government is doing to defend our
nation.
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This is the promise and the wonder of this country.
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follow the example of many people in this room, the leaders of this organization and become full
participants in our great democratic society. Continue to progress toward a more perfect union,
Aspire, Excel, contribute, engage, and vote.
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channel your energy in a way such that Muslim Americans to become recognized as a full part of the
fabric of this diverse society, like others who have done before you.
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This is your moment of opportunity
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for role models and inspiration. You can look to Muslims who are already shining examples of great
Americans
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was not just a hero. He was a great American,
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Delilah Mohammed, who last month brought home from the Olympics. The gold medal for the 400 meter
hurdles, is a great American
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Captain Humayun Khan, who gave his life for our country in Iraq is an American hero,
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his gold star mother, and his gold star father,
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who carries a copy of the US Constitution in his pocket.
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Our American heroes
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like those who came before you, do not lose hope. Do not despair. Have faith in the code of this
nation, we will continue on the path toward a more perfect union. If you know American history, take
comfort in learning from it.
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Yes, it is frustrating to listen to those who foment fear, suspicion and intolerance, who don't know
the mistakes of history, and are in the midst of repeating them have faith that the character of the
American people as a whole is such that in the end, in the end, we will choose not to drink this
brand of soiled milk.
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Ladies and gentlemen, fellow Americans, public officials in this country are often reluctant to ask
the public we serve for your help.
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On behalf of myself and the President, I asked for your help. hear this message and share it with
others in your communities. Light a candle show others the promise and the wonder of this country.
Thank you for listening.
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We have our brothers and sisters in the military and the Department of Defense to help me introduce
our next speakers. You know we live in interesting times. This presidential election has redefined
social norms in America. Things that were only said behind closed doors one year ago, are now set
out in the open on TV, on radio without any source of embarrassment or any sense of remorse. The
Islamophobia has taken an uptick dramatically in the last 12 months. Organizations like esna and
care and mass and economic and M power and others have been fighting back against this Islamophobia.
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00:14:59
But who would have known that the undoing of the islamophobes the undoing of all this hateful
rhetoric would come from a beautiful, humble, genuine, modest couple speaking at the Democratic
National Convention. Ladies and gentlemen, my next speakers are visited and asila han antico Zola
graduated from Punjab University and Oriental College in Pakistan.
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00:15:23
She has a postgraduate degree in Persian literature has an uncle is also a graduate from Punjab
University, University Law School and Harvard Law School. And they are the parents of three
children, including Captain Hillman Han, whom he unfortunately lost in Iraq. Ladies and gentlemen,
please help me to welcome our next speakers.
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You're all my children, and I feel very close to you.
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00:16:05
Because you have shown me lots of love and respect. May Allah bless us all.
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May Allah give you a power to fight against yourself. Bring all the goodness of your heart out and
give to others. You will receive more. Look at me I'm big example for this. Thank you very much. I
love you all. Thank you.
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00:16:35
Bismillah R Rahman Rahim Assalamu alaykum
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today I want to ask three favors.
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through you.
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I want to reach 1.6 billion Muslims.
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We are at crossroads today in history.
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00:17:20
And my creator and our Allah is witness that I asked you, isn't it because the majority of Muslims
have been silent against the menace of this smear of terrorism on Islam. I asked you today to stand
up.
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Stand up in the name of your Creator, to clean that smear of violence from the name of Islam. And
through you I ask 1.6 billion Muslims that have been quiet today. No more. No more. No more.
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It ended today.
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My Allah is witness it ended today. It ended today. The smear from the name of Islam the smear of
violence is ended today. Today 1.6 billion reject the violence and inshallah we will be standing
tall, standing
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in front of our Allah and say that we took the lead. We were silent, but no more.
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Requests request is we live in the democracy of the United States. And the first principle of living
in a democracy is participation. There are Muslims in this audience from all corners of the United
States. When you get back, please get back be part of the process of the democracy so that your
voice will be heard. This generation all of us, our
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00:19:33
banner bearer of the message of Islam, message, universal message of Islam, which is peace. Please
do justice, to your status to your position in this generation and participate regardless of issues
where you stand, but participate register vote. Let your voice be heard. So that tomorrow, our
future generation, our children don't have to hear this ugly political rhetoric that we have heard
enough it ended today. It ended today.
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We are brothers protectors in all faith and especially to our immigrant newly arriving brothers and
sisters. Why the government has to take care of them. Why we cannot make it our mission.
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That each family that comes in to this country, each Muslim family, each refugee family will be
accepted by the community by the Muslims. And I cite the example of the little town that we live.
Any Muslim immigrant family that comes, we adopt them as our family. We go to school with their
children to register them. We are their caretakers, we go to grocery stores with them, we go to
register them for medical services. I appeal to all people in attendance, all Muslims in attendance
and through you to all community in united states that adopt a new immigrant family, be their
mentor, and be their caretaker, and be their brother and sister in time of need. May Allah bless
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you. Thank you.
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00:21:15
So much brothers and sisters. As you all know,
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we are celebrating the 53 years of Islamic work in North America, through MSA and through Islam.
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In this last five decades, every single day, we strive
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00:22:04
to get the message across to tell our fellow Americans what we are doing a few weeks back until
crystal Han and Sister ghazala Khan in seven minutes, what we were unable to do in 50 years.
uncultured Han and anti ghazala Khan were able to get that message his message across in seven
minutes. These amazing individuals have been a blessing to the American Muslim community.
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00:22:19
She stood over there for seven minutes in silence. She became the voice of millions of Americans.
And she gave the voice to millions of Americans. She showed
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00:22:47
what a dignified woman stands for. So this evening, I want to confess that this beautiful couple
have inspired millions of Americans. And this extraordinary couple inspired ordinary individuals
like myself to carry the Constitution of this great country. This is the
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00:23:04
night we are recognizing this community of Muslims and people of other faiths who have gathered
under this roof. Together, we are recognizing Uncle
00:23:05 -->
00:23:25
and Auntie masala Han. So Islamic Society of North America in recognition of their strategic and
most timely contributions towards the improvement of the image of Islam and Muslims in America. This
award is presented to cazalla and
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00:23:45
outstanding ambassadors of Islam 53rd annual Esma convent convention, September 3 2016, Chicago,
Illinois. So on your behalf, I present this award to this amazing couple. So please join me with a
very loud tag below that.
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00:24:35
I'm joined over here from the members of the US Armed Forces and people from the Department of
Defense, these honorable men and women defend our democracy, our nation, our rights. So please join
me in giving a round of applause to this wonderful brothers and sisters from the Muslim community.
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00:24:50
And then God bless her family up to you for serving our great nation. Thank you
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00:25:51
Wow, amazing, strong woman can say more with her silence than other people can say with their words.
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00:26:23
Our next speaker is the is the president as well as ease. He's been with us now for well over a
decade he served as the vice president under human measured. He served on the Executive Council
before that. He's currently based in Dallas. He is the senior national director of Islamic Relief
USA, the largest Muslim charity in the United States. He's also very active locally in Dallas where
he serves in various capacities with many massage and Islamic organizations. Ladies and gentlemen,
the President of esna authorizes
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00:26:32
hamdulillah
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00:26:36
hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen
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00:26:54
wa Salatu was Salam ala l mursaleen. Emmanuel Mata Ki Seidel, Mahajan Nabina, Muhammad sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam while Allah He was heavy he Athena 13
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00:27:01
major brothers and sisters My dear friends, my dear children salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa
barakato.
00:27:02 -->
00:27:05
On behalf of Islamic Society of North America,
00:27:07 -->
00:27:11
I want to express my deepest thanks and gratitude to each one of you.
00:27:13 -->
00:27:16
I'm immensely grateful to our Creator, Allah subhanho wa Taala.
00:27:17 -->
00:27:27
for giving me this opportunity to serve this very important and very amazing Islamic organization,
the Islamic Society of North America.
00:27:29 -->
00:27:44
I'm grateful to all my colleagues at the modulus at the Executive Council. I'm indebted to the staff
of Islamic Society of North America, for their dedication for their hard work for their commitment
to Islamic work in North America
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00:28:08
is the Association of Muslim organizations and individuals that provides a common platform for
presenting Islam, supporting Muslim communities, developing educational, social and outreach
programs, and fostering good relations with other religious communities, and civic and service
organizations.
00:28:09 -->
00:29:07
During this last two days, we were blessed to have so many guests who came and share their thoughts
and shared their wisdom with all of us. We were very blessed to have Senator Dick Durbin, one of the
senior most senators and representing this great state of Illinois. He was our keynote speaker at
the inaugural session where we were very blessed to have the Archbishop Joseph Cupid to spend last
evening with the leadership of Islamic Society of North America. I'm very honored to welcome our
very own Zaki bergeon ji from the White House. Rashad Hussain, from the Department of Justice,
Arsalan Suleiman from State Department. We are very honored to have today, Reverend Jesse Jackson,
00:29:07 -->
00:29:10
among us, of course.
00:29:16 -->
00:29:20
We are very honored to have again Mr. Kessel Khan and
00:29:22 -->
00:29:46
so many members representing the different branches of administration, our law enforcement and
people serving our nation. We were very honored to have the Secretary of the Department of Homeland
Security, Mr. Jay Johnson, and other members of the administration. My resident sisters.
00:29:48 -->
00:29:50
This year's election campaign
00:29:51 -->
00:29:58
has been one of the most polarizing campaign that we have seen in recent times.
00:30:00 -->
00:30:24
Very sad. And it is very unfortunate that in this great nation of ours, people who are aspiring for
the highest office are making insensitive, reckless comments not only against Muslims, but against
minorities, against hardworking individuals, people who strive to do good every single day.
00:30:25 -->
00:31:27
I know these comments can be very disheartening, very disappointing. And it might be very painful.
But I appeal to each one of you that you counter this irresponsible, insensitive, reckless
statements. by committing yourself to democracy, I urge each one of you to register to vote. And on
that election day, we should do our best to make sure that American Muslims 100% contribute and
participate in elections. I know Islam is a religious nonprofit organization. We don't endorse any
political party or any political candidate. But I sincerely urge you, I trust your wisdom. I trust
that you will pick the right person to serve our nation for next four years. But the most important
00:31:27 -->
00:32:28
message that we have been given since the beginning of this year, as for each one of you, to vote,
people before us, especially our African American brothers and sisters, made immense amount of
sacrifices, so that people who would come later on, people like you and me, would be able to enjoy
the blessings of democracy, and we will be able to participate in elections and vote. Once Dr. King
said, We must not be a segregated nation, but an integrated one. We must not be a nation and slave
to sin of racial discrimination, but a nation where all people are free majerus ancestors. While we
talk about the challenges that we see over here, in our own backyard, I just want to draw your
00:32:28 -->
00:32:31
attention for a minute or two.
00:32:32 -->
00:32:41
to urge you to do your part for our brothers and sisters in CEDIA last year exactly at this time,
00:32:43 -->
00:33:47
we saw that images of Ireland could be at the shores of Turkey and that picture that image change
the hearts of 1000s and 1000s of people. As a result, many European nations opened up their doors to
welcome the Syrian refugees. Exactly after one year, we saw this picture of Omron who was pulled out
of rubble. And his life picture, again, is reminding us that there are millions of Syrian children
who are suffering every single day, Omron became the symbol of those millions of children who are
urging us to do something to help our brothers and sisters and cdao. My job as ancestors, I
mentioned this in my hotbar. I mentioned this in the luncheon today, that each one of us should do
00:33:47 -->
00:34:01
our part to ensure that in our lifetime, we will see an independent, free sovereign Palestinian
nation that has been suffering for last
00:34:04 -->
00:35:00
operation should come to an end. And by just chanting slogans, or by just protesting, the change is
not going to come. Each one of us should do our part. If we have contacts, if we have relationships,
if we know people who can make a difference. This is the time for all of us to rise and go above and
beyond and do our part. This is the need of the hour. This is the need of the hour. I have seen with
my own eyes, the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Philistine I can very proudly say that I
have spent and traveled more in the Holy Land than most of the Palestinians because I was able to go
to every nook and corner of this holy land and it is imperative on all of us to
00:35:00 -->
00:35:11
See this injustice comes to an end. We also lend our support to our brothers and sisters in Kashmir,
who are suffering for the past two months.
00:35:13 -->
00:35:55
More than 200 young boys and girls are blinded, because pellets are short in their eyes. This form
of violence, this form of injustice should come to an end, magic resin sisters, Burma, and Rohingya
Muslims are our brothers and sisters, in faith and in humanity. And I know they don't have large
numbers over here. Each one of us should do our part to represent their cause. My jersey ancestors
in our own backyard, here in the city of Chicago, in last one year 2200
00:35:56 -->
00:36:45
incidents of shooting, we have seen racial discrimination, where people are getting discriminated
and are becoming victims of hate and bigotry, we need to do our part, each one of us should offer
their hand and their support to ensure that this great nation of ours is free from all forms of
discrimination from all forms of bigotry, and hate. My jersey ancestors, once a wise man said, Only
those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. In conclusion, I want to remind myself and
to you with this words where Allah subhanho wa Taala is reminding us where he says, For the
00:36:47 -->
00:37:36
divine, Then which of the Blessings of your Lord bill you bought gin and mengenai and this great
nation of ours, we enjoy so many blessings, so many boundaries of Allah subhanho wa Taala. So we
need to express our gratitude towards our Creator for the mercies and for the bounties that he has
bestowed upon all of us. My dear brothers and sisters, Islamic Society of North America is your
organization. For the past 53 years, this organization is working tirelessly to serve the American
Muslim community. And last one year, this organization has been to more than 100 cities across
America, taking our programs, taking our events, taking our spiritual conferences, taking our
00:37:36 -->
00:38:32
education forums, taking our interfaith and government forums, taking our youth camps, taking over
matrimonial events to serve the American Muslim community. So tonight, I urge you, and I appeal to
you, and I urge each and every individual, young and old brother and sister to strengthen the hands
of his now support the important work of his now become a member of esna and ensure that this
organization will continue to serve American Muslim diverse polar for another 50 100 500 years. My
job isn't sisters, I will conclude since we are in the Land of Lincoln. I will conclude my message
with this very famous quote from Abraham Lincoln who said, I like to see a man proud of the place in
00:38:32 -->
00:38:43
which he lives. I like to see a man live so his place will be proud of him. Much brothers and
sisters, no matter what you do. ISNA is working for you, just
00:38:44 -->
00:38:56
for your viewers for your support. Please, please continue to support the important work of Islamic
Society of North America, which is our common law. hiren salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah.
00:39:04 -->
00:39:49
Muhammad Ali, Elia hammock. May Allah have mercy on you? You know what I love the most about
Muhammad Ali. This man would look you dead in the eye with a straight face and a smile and tell you
that everything that you believed was absolutely wrong. He would challenge every social norm that he
thought was unjust. And yet by the end of it, you couldn't help but love him. Nonetheless, very few
people have that talent. May Allah bless you, Muhammad Ali. My next speaker is also no stranger to
controversy. He's the current resident scholar at Memphis Islamic Center. He's the Associate
Professor of Religious Studies at Rhodes College in Memphis. He's the Dean of Academic Affairs of
00:39:49 -->
00:40:00
another Institute. I speak of none other than Of course, Chef. Yes. He is a prolific commentator on
political issues, which is very
00:40:00 -->
00:40:23
germane to our time, he started off his career as a chemical engineer. But then he had a change of
heart. He went to the Islamic University of Medina in Saudi Arabia, where he got his bachelor's and
Hadid studies, and he got his master's in Islamic theology. He then decided that he didn't have
enough degrees. So he went to Yale and he got his PhD in Islamic Studies. But more important than
any of that.
00:40:24 -->
00:40:49
More important than anything that I've just said. Yes, it is our only speaker today that has his own
barbecue sauce, named after him. If you go to Tom's barbecue in Memphis, Tennessee, and asked for y
q sauce, yes. accardi sauce will bring you this special sauce. It's a Dacey barbecue sauce and it's
kind of on the spicy side, but it is delicious. Ladies and gentlemen, Chef. Yes.
00:40:56 -->
00:40:58
Salam Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu.
00:40:59 -->
00:41:45
hemmed in now salatu salam ala rasulillah. It's such a pleasure and honor to be here at Islam. Allah
a little while ago, people come up to me to take selfies and take pictures. I passed by in the
hallway and there was hisilicon with Auntie lazada and I went up to them. I said, People come to
take selfies with me, but I need to take a selfie with you. And I'm humbled. I took one with them.
years from now, when historians and political analysts are going to analyze the strange rise and
eventual fall of Donald Trump. When they're going to discuss how he lost resoundingly in the
November 2016 election. They'll say that the turning point in his popularity, the beginning of the
00:41:45 -->
00:41:56
nosedive that caused him to disappear from public life was the powerful and emotional speech by
hisilicon. Along with the dignified silence of Kazakhstan.
00:41:58 -->
00:41:59
Mr. Trump,
00:42:00 -->
00:42:26
Mr. Trump attempted to derive an Islamophobic sphere smear from anti Rosada silence. But I swear by
Allah, her dignified silence on that Democratic Convention stage, and her calm demeanor was far more
eloquent and powerful and poignant and profound, that then it compared to anything that Donald Trump
has ever uttered with his mouth.
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And
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the message that all of us learned on that day was very clear. America, never underestimate the
power of our uncles and Auntie's Mashallah to Baraka law.
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00:43:34
And, you know, speaking of Trump and unfortunately, I have to speak of Trump, he's on our minds.
He's in our nightmares for the last year. Speaking of Trump, last month, over 50 Senior republicans
published a letter in the New York Times asking their fellow Americans not to support their own
party's candidate. Imagine that senior republicans are saying don't support Trump. But you know, I
have to be honest here. The Republicans only have themselves to blame for the last few years. They
were the ones campaigning relentlessly against Obama against immigration against people of other
faiths against people of other colors for years. They did everything they could to be racist and
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00:44:25
xenophobic, without actually becoming racist and xenophobic. And the result was that they succeeded
beyond their wildest dreams. They riled up the masses, they fomented hatred to such an extent that
even mainstream Republicans seem to too meek and too passive, to fulfill the mob crazed rhetoric
that they themselves had spawned, and in that environment, and turd Donald Trump being the shrewd,
bombastic businessman that he is clearly understood that he could offend the Republican Party by
playing their own game and bettering it. He rode the republican wave to the max, and he verbalized
what mainstream Republicans could not, quite literally, the Republican Party and the far right,
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00:44:50
created the very Frankenstein in Donald Trump that is now destroying them. I have a message for all
republicans and especially the far right. You claim you want to take your country back. You claim
you want to make America great again. Well, perhaps you should start by taking your own party back
from the radicals and bigots like Donald Trump who have hijacked it.
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00:44:53
And yes,
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00:45:00
while there's a lot that can be said, about the sharp right turn that they're putting
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00:45:48
publicans have taken? Let us be fair as a law commands us to be fair. And let us be just even
against those who we like or don't like. The fact of the matter is that there's quite a lot of blame
to go around. And the democrats as well have their fair share. This is President Barack Obama's last
year in office. And we all remember I remember the hope and the excitement that we felt when he was
elected to the highest office in the world. It made us feel so, so optimistic, so passionate, and I
can't help but recall how excited and happy I was when the very first bill that President Obama
signed was the executive order to shut down Guantanamo Bay. Well,
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eight years have gone by, and Guantanamo Bay remains open as we speak. For many of us, Guantanamo
has become symbolic of the stalemate of politics of the fact that names and faces might change, but
policies rarely do. You know, I'm appreciative that we have the Secretary of the Department of
Homeland Security here, but facts are facts. In the last eight years, the Patriot Act has been
renewed on supervised wiretaps and government surveillance has increased. The entrapment of dozens,
dozens of young, innocent men and women via the FBI is evil entrapment program has increased, the
situation in the Middle East has spiraled out of control. And worst of all, the immoral, unethical,
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00:46:52
counterproductive tactic of drone strikes, which has caused untold civilian deaths has increased
more than 10 fold.
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00:47:43
Last month's issue of the Atlantic, which is one of the most mainstream magazines in this country,
it's been published for 160 years, last month's issue of the Atlantic had a cover story that
highlighted the fact that after 15 years after 911, we have spent over $1 trillion on this supposed
war on terror. And yet the magazine concluded far from making our country safer, we are actually
less safe than we were 15 years ago. The fact of the matter is that the threat of Islamic radicals
overtaking the country, or even of terrorist plots has been highly exaggerated to the point of
ludicrousness, statistically speaking, more Americans die from furniture accidents than from radical
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00:48:20
jihadist attacks. And yes, of course, we criticize even one radical jihadist attacks. But we don't
spend a trillion dollars trying to correct furniture. We don't invade Sweden, demanding that IKEA
start producing furniture according to our standards, we have to be realistic in our response to the
threat. Never forget that we here in America are far more likely to be killed by a lone angry white
Christian mass shooter, or even by a rogue policeman who pulls us over for a traffic violation than
by radical jihadists.
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00:48:23
Mr. President,
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00:49:08
we elected you on the Promise of Hope on the promise of change. Many of us believed in that promise,
many of us believed when you said, Yes, we can. I'm sorry to tell you eight years down the line that
instead of hope many of us feel even more despair, instead of change the status quo remains or
perhaps has even gotten worse. But not all hope is lost. Mr. President, you still have a few months
left in office. And I know that I speak on behalf of millions of people around the world, when I say
that you can still leave a positive legacy, you can still leave a positive legacy of your
presidency, you can still leave a positive legacy in the books of history, but you're gonna have to
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00:49:31
do some very, very simple promises that you yourselves campaigned on. Mr. President closed down
Guantanamo Bay. Mr. President scaled down and back the drone strikes, Mr. President helped the
Syrian refugees support the rights of the Palestinian people to live in dignity and freedom, like
the rest of humanity.
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00:50:00
Our scholars mentioned that when it comes to political power and stability, a love values justice
even more than he valued faith. And that is why a just society even if it doesn't have faith, will
be blessed in this world with strength and might and a Muslim society that doesn't have justice will
not be blessed with that power. And there's no doubt and I say this as the critic. There's no doubt
that our country overall
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00:50:46
has many strengths and freedoms, the freedom to criticize, even as I stand on this stage, and we
appreciate those freedoms, American Muslims, if you ever feel that the situation is too depressing,
all you need to do is to look over the pond and see the European scene. We thank Allah that we have
freedoms far better than our Muslim brothers and sisters in Europe. I'm still trying to digest the
burqini ban coming from France, this burqini Brian ban, the same country that in its ruling said
that the burqini and I quote, is liable to offend the religious convictions or non convict
convictions of some people and quote, the same country that insisted on the right to offend other
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00:51:32
religions that insisted on the right to offend profits itself, offended by the modesty of a Muslim
woman. And another point must be made here in any other context. Brothers and sisters, if a group of
men surrounded a woman and forced her to take her clothes off, they will be labeled as delinquent
bullies and rowdy hooligans, I have a message for the French politicians and police simply because
you wield power, simply because you have the law behind you simply because you're wearing police
suits. It makes you know less of a bunch of hooligans and rowdy thugs, when you surround the lady
and force her to take her own clothes off. Shame on you, shame on you, shame on you, and your
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00:52:18
hypocrisy and your shallow claims of being Vanguards of liberty and equality and fraternity. But you
know what? Enough of grumbling and complaining that has this time in its place enough of the
islamophobes our religion tells us that we should be thankful and appreciative for our blessings.
And the Quran mentions that the two greatest blessings that any society has under the altar Amma
whom in June in human health food so that we are not hungry and safety so that we're not worried
about civil war. And then hamdulillah Al Hamdulillah. American Muslims have by and large by and
large, these two are far better than all other lens. Here we are in the best 10 days of the year and
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00:53:00
the 10 days of doing a good job as the pilgrims are gathered in out of fat in Mecca and mitten was
dead if up here we are in these blessing 10 days. And I remind myself and all of you that let us
think of the plight of Muslims around the world. Look at our brothers and sisters in Syria. Look at
their plight in Kashmir. See what is happening in Myanmar, in so many Muslim lands, our brother and
go to sleep at night worried about bombs, and they wake up in the morning worried about where to get
their food. So at hamdulillah from Al Hamdulillah. We thank Allah for all the blessings he has given
us. And I strongly disagree with the sentiment that some people have that they're always complaining
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00:53:47
about the times that we live in. Recently, I heard somebody moan and say that this is the worst time
to be a Muslim in America. I disagree. In fact, I believe this is the best time to be a Muslim in
America. There's never been a better time. Do you know why? It goes back to the theme of this
convention, navigating challenges and seizing opportunities. We are facing colossal challenges,
unprecedented challenges. And it is a struggle navigating our way through those challenges. It's a
struggle to always try to find opportunities in the problems around us. These days, we are
constantly having to struggle to maintain our faith, to struggle to express our faith to struggle to
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00:54:28
defend our faith. In fact, it is a never ending struggle to overcome the xenophobia and
Islamophobia. But in that struggle, we feel a renewed passion for our faith, a renewed commitment to
our cause on Earth, in that struggle is our continuous attachment to our Lord, our Prophet, our
book, our message, our call, in that struggle, we find meaning and purpose in our life. And you know
what brothers and sisters? I've been using English way too long, because Arabic has a word for
struggle. And the Quran has a word for struggle. Do you know what that word is?
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00:55:00
Do you know what the word for struggle in the Quran and in the Arabic language is? It's a taboo
word. It's a word that has been hijacked by a small minority within our own faith and criminalized
and sensationalized by the by the outsiders of our faith. But I don't care about those two extremes,
because the word is a Quranic word. It is a noble word. It is a pure word. It is a blessing word
despite the extremism of the radicals.
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00:55:49
And the smear campaigns of the bigots. It is a word that has been praised by our Lord and our
Prophet and our religion. So I for one, ask Allah to make me of those who do not fear the criticism
of the critic, and who do not care what others speak as I speak the truth. So I will speak my mind.
The reason why I love being Muslim in this difficult day and age is because I must constantly engage
in jihad. There I said it, I said it, let me say it again, because I must constantly engage in
jihad. In fact, Fox News wire you get ready for your 10 second quotation. In fact, I stand before
you today, Fox News, are you are you filming? I stand before you today. And I say in front of the
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00:56:03
largest gathering of Muslims in North America, I openly brazenly unabashedly called for a struggle,
a jihad, and I asked all of you to join me in an American Muslim Jihad
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00:57:00
will be well, for sure. It's not going to be the pseudo jihad, the false Jihad of violence and
bloodshed of ISIS and Al Qaeda. That's that's not jihad. That's chaos that's fitna. That's facade.
That's evil. That's not jihad. That Jihad that I am calling you to be a part of, is a Quranic jihad,
based upon the prophetic methodology, our Jihad that I want all of us to join. Are you listening
Donald Trump, Sean Hannity take notes, our jihad, are you listening islamophobes will be to respond
to your evil with good, our Jihad will be to speak the truth, even if you lie, our job will be to
behave with dignity, in the face of your crudeness, our Jihad will be to counter your ignorance with
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00:57:46
education. Our Jihad will be to respond to your bigotry, your hatred, your Islamophobia with love,
kindness and compassion. Our Jihad will be to stand for justice to fight alongside the oppressed, to
preach the truth to power is especially to preach the truth to tyrannical power, because our Prophet
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that that is the greatest jihad, our Jihad brothers and sisters
will be in attempting to make America great again, by being true witnesses of a law on this earth.
And by demonstrating to the world who our beloved Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was the
Rahmatullah mean, are you going to join me in this noble Jihad?
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00:57:52
Let me let me let me take it up one level, then they'll conclude.
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00:58:38
They don't like the word jihad, we have to reclaim it back because that's our word. And it's a noble
word. There's another phrase they don't like. There's another phrase that has also been hijacked by
the extremists of within our own faith, and the islamophobes outside, but we mainstream American
Muslims have to reclaim the phrase because it is a Quranic and an Islamic phrase. And that is the
phrase that we say, when we're happy when we're excited, we praise Allah subhana wa Tada. And we
announced to the world that nothing is more important, more holy, more grandiose, more beloved to me
than my Creator. And we say, from the depths of our hearts, Allahu Akbar, that beer is supposed to
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00:59:25
inspire courage, not fear. It's supposed to inspire nobility and virtue, not injustice. And so we
have to reclaim that phrase, because it is a Quranic phrase. So when I asked you, are you going to
join this American jihad, I want you to respond with a tech beam that is going to be heard from
shining east to shining West with a tech B that will shape the halls of this very convention center
with a tech bill that will send a loud message to all the islamophobes and bigots that we are not
scared to be who we are that we are not scared to claim that we have no loyalty and no fear of being
Muslims who want to worship our Lord and be a part of this country. Will you join me in this Jihad?
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00:59:31
Louder, louder, louder, louder. You can do better than this type of
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00:59:37
one last time and I went the halls to shake
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00:59:59
this weekend on American history TV on c span three. We're live Saturday morning at eight Eastern
from the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.
01:00:00 -->
01:00:12
With the opening ceremony beginning at 10 speakers include President Barack Obama and museum
director Lonnie Bunch. What's most important is every exhibition in this museum has a goal.
