US Muslims See Hope in Obama

IslamOnline.net has interviewed several Muslims, including community leaders, on what issues should top the agenda of President Obama and the domestic and international implications of his election.

Ibrahim Ramey, Director of Muslims American Society, Virginia

Barack Obama was my first choice and the first choice of 90 percent of Muslims living in the US.

We supported him because he is an agent of change.

It is a major opportunity for American Muslims to advance themselves for equal opportunities under the law.

Muslim should capitalize on this opportunity and should now better organize themselves to get their voices heard and recognized.

Obama will help do away with the negative image of Muslims inside the US and in the whole world.

Obama will help resolve the lingering conflicts of Palestine and Afghanistan and will soon end the Iraq war.

He will create economic growth and stability in the US and will restore the country’s security and confidence.

Burhan Afridi, 45, realtor, Virginia

Obama is a breath of fresh air for all of Americans.

I voted for him because I had got fed up with the suffocating economic situation and worsening US relations with Muslim countries.

The whole world took a sigh of relief on the election of Obama as a president.

We don’t want wars any more. Obama has already pledged to withdraw US troops from Iraq. We expect him not to attack Syria and Pakistan.

The biggest challenge for Obama will be the economic revival in the US.

The economy is already in shamble and a free-fall. However, we expect Obama will, at least, help release the people their house foreclosures.

Ahmad Ali, 54, realtor, Maryland

Barack Obama is a new hope for us. He is young, energetic and has the ability to deliver on his promises.

He has changed the stereotypes and will be changing the world. He is the icon of peace and beacon of hope.

We not only voted for him but campaigned for him, because he was the only man that could lead this great nation of the United States.

The biggest challenge the new president will face is that of economic recession in America and its impacts on the rest of the world. Obama will deliver to a greater extent to ease the economic burden over the people but it will not be an overnight task. It may take many months and even years. But we will have to wait until the confidence of foreign investors is restored in US economy and the new set-up.

Another big challenge for him will be tackling the war on terror. President George Bush could not solve this problem during the last seven years. But we think President-elect Obama has the charisma and insight to look into the roots of the-never-ending terrorism and resolve it in a democratic and aggressive fashion.

As Obama himself has said that he believes in dialogue, so we expect him to resolve the stand-offs with the Muslim world through dialogue and peace efforts.

He should help solve the conflict between Israel and Palestine on priority basis, as this has been the mother of all other conflicts in the Middle East.

Similarly, Obama should also work with Muslims communities to do away with the negative image of Muslims and Islamophobia.

Kamal Nawash, President of Free Muslims Coalition, Washington DC

Obama was never my choice and I didn’t vote for him. But I do think that he may deliver something good, at least in the short term.

Psychologically, things will move positively for the Americans. People wanted change and it is very much there now. Financially too the situation will improve to some extent but no big expectations.

Winning the war on terror and doing away with the economic recessions will be the two biggest challenges for Obama to cope with.

Americans have not much to get from him, as he is poised to raise taxes and post liberal judges in the Supreme Court who may legalize gay and lesbian marriages.

It will be unwise for Muslim countries to keep high expectations from Obama, unless they themselves take some solid steps.

Muslim countries should first correct themselves by discouraging the trends of terrorism and extremism. Unless they change themselves, they should not look for a one-sided change from Washington.

Obama in his first speech has made it clear to the Muslim world [not naming directly] that if you want to fight us, the US will defeat you. He says if Palestinians stop the use of violence, they can get a lot during the regime of Barack Obama. If not, they have nothing good to get.

Muslim communities inside the US and the larger Muslim world have got an opportunity to foster good relations with this new energetic and optimistic president.

Ayesha, 38, teacher in an Islamic school in Maryland

Obama is such a man that was liked by all equally. Even school kids wished to visit the polling stations. He is like a moving soul.

I think he can change America, and it has changed already. It changed the time he was announced the new president.

He has a Muslim background, and he can better understand Muslims and their issues.

He is pro-dialogue and I am sure in his term the conflicts in Muslim countries would come to an end.

Muslim countries should take the first step and should denounce all sorts of terrorism and terrorist acts.

I am sure he will not opt for a military solution when he has leaders from the Muslim world available for negotiations.

We expect that during Obama tenure as president, respect for minorities will increase and it will emerge in the form of a really true and new America.


Samina F.  Sundas, Founding Executive Director, American Muslims Voice

We congratulate President-elect Barack Obama. We, the American Muslims, voted him en block.

I think, we will be on our way to build a better world if our new president will follow his own dreams of inclusion, mutual respect and peace as he so often spoke about it during the past twenty two months.

I do believe we can achieve his dream of a peaceful and harmonious world if all of us dedicate ourselves to build that world for the sake of our next generation.

His foreign policies should be fair, even-handed and in the best interest of America.

As for the so called "war on terror and Islam" it should be the war against 'terrorists' without marginalizing Muslims and Islam.