The Dangers of Islam: The Imam

Chapter 6

     "You sold out Brother Dawood's innocence for your family's safety," Ruben shook his head in disbelief. 

     "I had to make sure that this mosque survives and that my family remained safe. The FBI made it very clear what will happen to my family and this congregation if I openly side with Dawood," Nedim whispered with his face in his hands. He couldn't face his congregation. He had tossed all of his own values aside to ensure the safety of his congregation and family. Had the FBI set Dawood up? With the way Agent Farmer threatened Nedim, he was positive that there was something sinister going on behind the scenes of Dawood's investigation. 

     "You know, Brother Dawood told me about a time when he was in Afghanistan and the local imam had to stand up to the Taliban. The Taliban were forcing him not to give information about their informants in the city. The imam believed that the soldiers could stabilize the region and let their children study and grow in peace. Dawood managed to get the ringleader. Nabbed him when he was sleeping, saving the lives of all that were in that village,  but not before they tortured and crucified the old imam. Dawood brought him down from the planks himself. He asked why he would put is life on the line for villagers who rarely prayed. Do you know what that imam said, Nedim?" Ruben asked, anger evident in his usually kind eyes. Nedim said nothing, knowing full well what Ruben was going to say.

     "Being a leader is never easy. You have to live by example and you speak for the persecuted because YOU are their representative. If you can't do that, you have no business being an imam. That's what he said," Ruben whispered before leaving the young imam to his thoughts. Dawood had shared that story with Nedim years ago when they first met. The young soldier wanted to change the worldwide view of Muslims, but now was being used as a scapegoat for the real culprits. What did I do? I became no different than the ones accusing him and for what? For my family's safety? To appease my community? A leader is a representative of their community, so what kind of community am I even representing?

     Nedim looked up from his desk as a piece of paper was placed in front of him. In front of him stood a young man, nearly mid-twenties, with blonde hair and green eyes. Nedim had never seen the man at the mosque before and wondered who he was. He glanced at the piece of paper in front of him and noticed that it was a makeshift pay stub for $2000. Nedim looked at the name of the employer and was surprised to see that it was listed as Dawood Khan. 

     "Can I help you?" Nedim asked the young man cautiously. 

     "My name's Hosea. I go to the synagogue down the street. Why aren't you guys defending Mr. Khan? There's literally no evidence against him except that he had a gun in his hand and was at the park. This is the South. That could have been anyone there," Hosea asked in confusion.

     "I-," Nedim began and looked at the man in confusion. Why would this young Jewish man hold any sympathies for Dawood, let alone defend him? "I'm sorry, who are you?"

     "About two years ago, I lost my job and I was talking about it at a diner with my girlfriend. Mr. Khan heard me say that I'd have to sell my great-grandma's ring to make ends meet. I was going to propose with it and it was important to me because it was the only thing she managed to keep during the Holocaust. Mr. Khan didn't ask me about the ring. He didn't ask if I was Muslim or not. He simply gave me a job to fix up stuff around his house. Said he didn't have a lot of money but he'd pay me what he could to make help ends meet. This was the first check he gave me. I watched him teach his daughter to pray for good in the world. I broke bread with them. He came to my cousins bar mitzvah. Now you tell me if that sounds like a terrorist to you, " Hosea whispered with a frown.

     "We're just trying to figure things out," Nedim began and stood up. 

     "There's nothing to really figure out. The government says they found stuff, like bomb stuff, in Mr. Khan's house. I'd be the first to testify on his character but they aren't even giving him a trial or telling us if he's alive. That's a load of crap. I helped around that house for a couple years. The only thing sinister about that place was the little lollipop ghost his daughter made in class for Halloween. They were the nicest people I have ever met and y'all threw them under the bus," Hosea scolded while shaking his head. 

     "Excuse me, Imam Nedim. Are you busy?" Amara called out and glanced at Hosea before shaking her head. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you had company."

     "Ma'am, you're fine. I'm heading out. I said what I had to say," Hosea explained before dipping his head in greeting. 

     "Sister Amara, I-," Nedim began, but was interrupted by the usually demure woman. 

     "Imam Nedim, I do not wish to interrupt you, but I know that if I do not say what I want to right now, I probably never will. I quit, Imam Nedim. I want no part of a mosque that could not side with one of it's physical founders. Brother Dawood was raised here. He placed bricks for the foundation of the minaret himself and we let him down. That's not the kind of mosque I want my children to be raised in. If someone like Brother Dawood, a decorated soldier and overall nice guy, can be subjected to this type of horror and hate, what chance do any of us have? I'm sorry, Imam Nedim, but I'm done," Amara said simply and placed her resignation on Nedim's desk.

     Nedim sat back down on his chair with a huff. He did what he had to in order to survive, but it was apparent that this incident had fractured his congregation beyond any repair. What had he done?