Local Muslims seek simple, quiet life

Local News

Related Photos

CSS6A41.jpg

Discussion

COMMENTING ON STORIES:

Welcome to our story comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including the unpopular ones. We only ask that you keep your conversations clean, civil and on the topic of the story you are commenting on.

Coinciding with our websites redesign, we launched our new story comments feature through Disqus.

Disqus gives users the ability to log into our story comments feature so that they may be able to track their conversations, receive emails when their comments get a reply or to even have your comments update onto your Facebook or Twitter accounts.

For the time being, our story comments feature will continue to have the ability to post comments anonymously. We reserve the right to require registration in the future using your name and verified email address.

Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified at the newspaper’s discretion for a number of different reasons. Please follow our Online Rules of Conduct at all times.

RULES OF CONDUCT:

We reserve the right to remove comments that are unacceptable, to wit:

1. False and inacurate statements.
2. Personal attacks. Explicit name-calling.
3. Harassing, harmful, vulgar, obscene and defamatory language.
4. Threatening statements or statements that suggest violence.
5. Hate speech of any kind.
6. Intolerant comments on religion, race, age, gender, sexual preference or disabilities.
7. Accusations of criminal activity.
8. Content that is harmful to children and minors in any way.
9. References to any type of sexual activity and other private matters.
10. Random and inflammatory statements that are off topic.
11. Advertising of any kind.
12. Typing in all caps.

WE ENCOURAGE REASONABLE AND COURTEOUS COMMENTS THAT:

1. Create conversation on issues of interest and concern to fellow readers and local community members.
2. Express opinions and contrarian views.
3. Stimulate debate with respectful language.
4. Stay within the boundaries of these rules.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SUSPEND OR TERMINATE ACCESS FOR:

1. Violating any of these Online Rules of Conduct.
2. Deliberately disrupting discussions with repetitive messages, meaningless messages or spam.
3. Misrepresentation of identity or impersonating another user.

WE WELCOME:

1. Flagging violations of these rules that you observe to our attention.

MONITORING:

We monitor comments regularly Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Approval of comments outside of this time (including weekends) will be sporadic.

comments powered by Disqus

September 11, 2010

By Patricia Breakey Delhi news Bureau The Daily Star Sat Sep 11, 2010, 03:30 AM EDT

As the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks approached, opposition to the Muslim mosque and cultural center in New York City and threats by a Florida pastor to burn copies of the Quran led to national incidents of anti-Muslim sentiments.

Area Muslims say they have not experienced problems locally, but they did refer to past incidents of some residents' ongoing fear and misunderstanding.

Sheikh Abdul Kerim of the Osmanli Naksibendi Hakkani Sufi Order on Wheat Hill Road in Sidney Center said the consistent attack on Muslims through the media does not help.

"I have been living in this country 35 years as a Muslim," Kerim, 53, said Thursday. "A lot of the people living in this part of the world hadn't met Muslims until I came here."

Kerim said he bought his home and established his mosque one year before 9/11. He said he went into a local supermarket wearing his turban after the attacks, and the women at the cash registers walked away and wouldn't wait on him.

"It wasn't too pleasing, but I was expecting it," Kerim said.

Kerim said he is at the top of the list of people who abhor terrorism.

"People like the man in Florida are just full of hate," he said. "Everyone here comes from a different background. We are living as good people on the face of the earth, and we are completely running away from any kind of a fight or argument.

"Most of the local community accepted us, but some people try to provoke us. I tell everyone to just be kind and help everyone."

Kerim's home and mosque are located on a hilly farm where geese, sheep and donkeys roam. Cats wander in the courtyard, and people quietly come and go.

"We live a nice, comfortable, easy, simple life," Kerim said. "We don't want to bring problems."

Kerim acknowledges that his turban and mode of dress pique people's curiosity. He said he wears a green turban when he is in his community and a white turban when he travels.

He explained that the cloth that is wound into the turban is what will be used to wrap his body when he is buried.

"When we die, all worldly possessions are removed, and the naked body is wrapped in the cloth. I am always carrying my death clothes," Kerim said.

He said the other members of the community dress as they choose. The women all choose to wear the traditional garb; some of the men wear turbans, but many of the men dress in Americanized fashions, as do the children.

"We dress in loose-fitting clothing. It is very comfortable," he added.

Muslims don't eat pork or pork products, don't drink alcohol, don't smoke, don't use drugs and don't use anything to excess, including food, Kerim said. They also try to avoid watching television.

"We have a very healthy lifestyle," Kerim said. "We raise our own meat. We grow vegetables in the summer so we can avoid chemicals. We wake up an hour before sunrise to pray, and at sunset we gather to eat. We eat as a community, and our meal is open to everybody. We rarely go out after the sun is down."

The members of the Muslim community work in the area businesses or own their own businesses.

Hans Hass, 40, of Sidney Center, said he has been a Muslim for 13 years. He is a carpenter and has been affiliated with the center since 2002. Hass said he had been searching for a spiritual life and joined the Muslims because "I saw someone who was living a different kind of life that made sense. This is something that changes your life.

"We are a spiritual order. This is our center. Everyone works outside, and we are very involved in the local community. I am a member of the fire department and the captain of the emergency medical squad."

Hass said the Muslims farm the land and cooperate with all the area farmers.

"We have really good relations with local community, but things are still different for us," he said. "People fear what they don't know. In a lot of the things we do, we rely on each other. We are living a life closer to the earth."

Kevin Greene, 29, of Sidney Center, worked at Countryside Care Center in Delhi in maintenance and as a nurse's aide.

Greene said he was raised as a Roman Catholic but he became disillusioned when he was not finding the spiritual life for which he was searching.

"I just happened to be invited to one of the sheikh's meetings," Greene said. "He made it clear how religions are connected to history. He was someone who lived the way he believed.

"This is a simpler life. Paradise is not going to happen through worldly things, so we are not competing for those things; we are just trying to do our best for other people. We go out of our way to show kindness and build relationships."

Greene, who wears a turban, said he had an incident where people in a pickup truck chased his car and forced him off the road. He said when he called 911 for help, he was berated for calling the emergency line when he told them he was a Muslim, and he said he thought the attack was anti-Muslim.

Kerim said the community has to endure harassment from people who drive by late at night, blowing car horns and throwing garbage on the lawn.

Kerim said the state police and FBI have made repeated appearances at the Muslim center, often after people have reported alleged incidents. He said he always invites them to go anywhere on the property they wish because he has nothing to hide.

Denny Vlantis, 31, of Sidney Center, has been a Muslim for seven years. He purchased the Sidney Center General Store after he joined the group but has since sold the business and now works on a farm in Norwich.

"People boycotted the store," Vlantis said. "There were rumors I was building bombs and hiding the bomb-making equipment in video games."

"We have been here 10 years, and there has never been any illegal incidents, no arguments or fights," Kerim said.

Kerim said one of his dreams since coming to America from Turkey in his early 20s was to establish a Muslim cemetery. He said he realized the need for Muslim cemeteries when his brother died shortly after they arrived. He said he was alone and didn't know where to bury his body, so he took him back to their homeland.

The Muslim center has begun a cemetery on the hillside behind the mosque.

"We are a community and we are here to stay," Kerim said. "Now our members can stay here forever."

Other area Muslims said they have concerns about anti-Muslim attitudes because of the recent national events.

State University College at Oneonta professor Dr. Fida Mohammad said he is often invited by local organizations to talk about being a Muslim.

"This is a very educated community," Mohammad said Wednesday. "But in the beginning there was hostility; I could feel the animosity."

Mohammad, who is one of the founders of the college's criminology department, said he was visited by the FBI.

"They came to me as if I was involved in something," Mohammad said. "They were on a fishing expedition, but I can say proudly that I am a law-abiding citizen."

He said SUNY Oneonta President Nancy Kleniewski has done a lot for diversity since she took over leadership of the college. Mohammad said he received little or no support before her arrival.

"Before Dr. Kleniewski came, I was on the margin, suspect for no reason," Mohammad said. "She is doing everything to support me."

Mohammad said he has concerns based on the current national atmosphere, with some politicians whipping up fear and hatred of Muslims. He said he has warned that his family should be careful. He said his wife wears traditional Muslim garments and is sometimes questioned about her style of dress.

"I never felt threatened following 9/11, but the current demagoguery by certain political officials is dangerous," Mohammad said. "They are getting political mileage and celebrity, and they don't care about the human consequences."

Mohammad said he watches four satellite channels of news programs aired in the Middle East, and he is concerned about the coverage of the Florida pastor who has plans to burn the Quran because it is stirring hatred.

"The rhetoric is very dangerous," he said.

Ghazi Abdullah, 63, of Cherry Valley, said he is Muslim, but added that he is not a religious man.

"I have never had any problem," Abdullah said Thursday. "People ask questions, but we are all Americans. It's one nation."

Abdullah said Muslims believe in Christianity and Judaism.

"Our religion teaches us to respect other religions," Abdullah said. "I am a good citizen, and I would never do anything to anyone."

Residents of the Islamsberg community in Hancock were contacted for comment, but the public relations representative did not return a call.

Patricia Breakey can be reached at 865-5175 or at patriciabreakey@yahoo.com.