An anti-war protester prays while she sits handcuffed by U.S. Park Police in Washington on March 26

By Tarik Hamdi, IOL Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON, March 27 (IslamOnline.net) - The U.S. government has been unable to find any Muslim American organization to issue a Fatwa, a religious ruling, ascribing legality to the war against Iraq. This failure is noteworthy in the face of the intimidating laws such as USA-PATRIOT Act, which can serve to blackmail non-compliant Muslims.

The Muslim American anger continues to simmer, although it has not boiled over into the streets because of the intimidating laws. The popular sentiment has yet to find expression in the Muslim American leadership.

According to reports, the representatives of major Muslim organizations have met and dispersed during last week without being able to craft a joint communiqué about Iraq.

Each organization is trying to tread its own path, although not to astray from each other but complete unanimity is still missing. A Muslim American likened the situation to the international Muslim organizations like the OIC that fail to agree anything while Baghdad or Palestine or Kashmir burn.

Prayers And Financial Support

The Muslim American Society (MAS) has asked imams, community leaders, and the entire Muslim community to observe March 27 as a day of fasting and a night of prayers for Allah to shower His Mercy and Peace on the entire world, and especially on the people of Iraq as they are going through these trying times.

MAS has also asked Muslims to make March 28 as a day of offering financial support for needy civilians, the Iraqi children and families affected by this war.

The American Muslim Council (AMC) and the American Muslim Alliance (AMA), two organizations working together to create a new unified entity, issued a statement at the advent of the U.S. war against Iraq, expressing hope that the war will be short and will not result in occupation of Iraq.

AMC and AMA asked that Arab and Muslim relief organizations should be given a significant and meaningful role in the relief and reconstruction effort.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group, said on March 19 that the impending attack on Iraq by the United States could result in long-term negative domestic and international consequences, even if the conflict unfolds as planned.

"As we approach the start of a war with Iraq, we should all pause to examine the potential negative and unintended consequences that may arise from even a quick and successful attack,” their statement said.

CAIR warned against an indefinite occupation of Iraq because it will fuel anti-American sentiment and would thereby hurt U..S image and interests in the Middle East around the world. “Such an occupation could quickly turn into a political and military quagmire.”

The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), issued a statement on March 18, saying that we “received with profound sadness the news of the impending war on Iraq. We reiterate our position, and that of the great majority of religious leaders and the international community that this war is not justified and is not in the interest of the United States, world peace and security, and the rule of law.”

"We ask the U.S. Administration and Congress, and all peace-loving people to do all they can to end this violence and minimize human suffering,” ISNA said.

“We express our grave concern about the expected fallout of this war, especially the loss of human life on all sides, the destruction of the infrastructure of Iraq, and chaos and instability that may follow,” it added.

Meanwhile, Muslims of Edmonton, Canada offered a lot of praise for the position of Prime Minister Jean Chretien and the Canadian government for not following the Americans into the war although they also made it plain that they do not support or even appreciate Saddam.

Dr. Yahya Basha, president of the American Muslim Council is worried that the conflict could trigger a repeat of the wave of anti-Muslim sentiment that swept the United States in the months after the September 11 attacks.

Virtually every Muslim-American organization of note has come out against this war, but Muslim turnout for the anti-war rallies that has convulsed U.S. cities has been notably lacking. Many attribute the Muslim absence due to fears of a backlash and the intimidating U.S. laws.

"I did not see any reason for this war," Dr. Mohammed Mazhar, president of the Islamic Center of Cheyenne, WY said. "I did not see any reason to hurry into it now. Even before it began I thought it was unjustified..."

Many Muslims are also concerned by a report appearing in the Arab News that Iraqi POWs are being fed pork-containing foods, forbidden according to Islam, by the U.S. military.