How exactly does a 14-year-old boy from New York City memorizing the Qur’an reflect the “important role Muslim-Americans play in helping to shape our society”? The US Consul General to the UAE, Paul R. Malik, doesn’t appear to have explained. It would be interesting to know which Muslim-Americans have played important roles in shaping our society — Omar Mateen? Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik? Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev? Mohammed Abdulazeez?
And how does Malik think that Adeen Shahzad’s memorization of the Qur’an will reflect the “important role Muslim-Americans play in helping to shape our society”? And how does he propose to prevent devout Muslims from heeding the Qur’an’s calls to wage war against and subjugate unbelievers? I know he is just mouthing sweet diplomatic nothings, but in this age of Obama, such is the stuff of which policy is made.
“US diplomat hails Quran awards winner from New York,” by Shafaat Shahbandari, Gulf News, June 26, 2016:
Dubai: The US Consul General to UAE, Paul R. Malik, has described an Muslim American boy’s success at the Dubai International Holy Quran Award (DIHQA) a reflection of the rich diversity of the United States and the important role Muslim-Americans play in helping to shape the country.
Fourteen-year-old Adeen Shahzad, an American Muslim of Pakistani origin mesmerised the audience at the 20th edition of DIHQA and was declared joint second on Saturday at the award’s closing ceremony.
Shahzad tied with Dagestan’s Bilal Abul Khaiqov for the Dh200,000 second prize, while Saudi Arabia’s Turki Bin Muqrin won the coveted Dh250,000 prize. All three were honoured by Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashi Al Maktoum at a glittering ceremony at Cultural and Scientific Association building in Al Mamzar.
Shaikh Ahmad also honoured Emirati Islamic scholar Shaikh Mohammad Ali Sultan Al Ulama with the Islamic Personality of the Year award.
In a statement to Gulf News following the ceremony, Malik said: “Adeen’s superb performance and second-place finish in Dubai’s International Holy Quran Competition is a remarkable feat. It is testament not only to his dedication and mental prowess, but also a reflection of the rich diversity of the United States and the important role Muslim-Americans play in helping to shape our society where numerous religions and ethnicities peacefully coexist.”
He added: “Adeen is from New York City, one of the country’s most diverse cities, where half the population speaks a language other than English at home, more than a third of the population is foreign-born, and where 200 languages are spoken.”
Shahzad, who memorised the Quran at the age of 10, said he was surprised to bag the second place.
“I am feeling great. I thought I did well but there were a lot of others who I thought had done better than me, so the second place came as a bit of surprise. The credit for this win should go to my parents, whose encouragement and support made this possible,” said Shahzad, who won an international competition in Kuwait last year….