Islamic Ethical Princples and Globalization: A Path to Partnership Between America and the Islamic World

Opening remarks by Mustapha Tlili
Tuesday February 27. 2007 New York, N.Y.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentleman, thank you for honoring us with your presence. We are gathered here to celebrate an exceptional individual, an exceptional Muslim-American (or American Muslim, the verdict is out)—Mr. Farooq Kathwari.

Before I introduce our speaker and guest of honor, allow me to recognize among us here: the Ambassador of Morocco to the United States, His Excellency Mr. Aziz Mekouar; the Ambassador of Egypt to the United Nations, His Excellency Mr. Maged Abdelaziz; the Ambassador of Nigeria to the United Nations, His Excellency Mr. Aminu Inu Bashir Wali; the Ambassador of Singapore to the United Nations, His Excellency Mr. Vanu Gopala Menon; and the Deputy Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations, Mr. Kerim Uras. They represent five major countries that form part of the global Muslim community, spanning the world, from Southeast Asia to Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and Europe.

 

The Muslim community in the United States is as diverse as the larger global Muslim community. Muslim Americans come from countries as varied as Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan, Senegal and Yemen, most of them well-educated, all of them seeking opportunity in a land that offers one condition for all—a citizenship pact, nothing else. This is a lesson for Europeans to reflect on as they address the issue of Muslim communities in their midst. In vivid contrast to the situation in Europe, according to all indicators—economic, social, and perhaps soon, political, as they increase their participation in the American political system through voting and running for public office—Muslim Americans are doing very well, better, in fact, than the average American. This is demonstrated by Paul Barrett in his recent book, American Islam, from which I now quote,

In New York, Muslims are typecast as cab drivers; in Detroit, as owners of grocery stores and gas stations. The overall economic reality is very different. Surveys show that the majority of American Muslims are employed in technical, white-collar, and professional fields. These include information technology, corporate management, medicine, and education. An astounding 59 percent of Muslim adults in the United States have college degrees. That compares with only 27 percent of all American adults. Four out of five Muslim workers earn at least twenty-five thousand dollars a year; more than half earn fifty thousand or more. A 2004 survey by a University of Kentucky researcher found that median family income among Muslims is sixty thousand dollars a year; the national median is fifty thousand. Most Muslims own stock or mutual funds, either directly or through retirement plans. Four out of five are registered to vote.¹

Farooq Kathwari is a symbol of the success of the citizenship pact and of the American dream. He came from his native Kashmir to the United States—to New York University, in fact—in his early 20s, driven by the urge to learn and build.

 

The pursuit of knowledge is a cardinal Islamic virtue advocated by the Prophet as an obligation for every Muslim. Building—whether it be a major American corporation, such as Ethan Allen, social welfare organizations such as Refugees International, Freedom House, and the Kashmir Study Group, or participating in the building of the country to which he belongs, to make it better and more responsive to the needs of all of its citizens, such as through his membership in the Council on Foreign Relations—this is what Farooq Kathwari does, all the while illuminating other cardinal Islamic virtues—honesty, fairness, and the pursuit of justice. Here too allow me to remind you that the Prophet of Islam, before the prophecy, was a trader and was known as Mohammed El-Amin, Mohammed the trustworthy.

 

Today learning and building occur in a globalized world. Do the ethical principles of honesty, fairness, justice, and other norms shared by Islam and the other major world religions still apply? Farooq Kathwari will address these issues. But before I give him the floor, let me share with you a story about what a fast learner he was when, in his early 20s, he first came to the United States. What I’m about to tell you we owe to the sleuthing of a NYU student detective who dug up this story revealing the truth about Farooq…

 

When Farooq Kathwari first came to this country, he was barely 20 years old. In those early days he went to a restaurant and ordered some tea. When the order arrived, the hot water came in a cup and a tea bag came separately. In Kashmir Farooq always had his tea from loose leaf, so he wasn’t sure what to do. He started to tear open the tea bag to pour the leaves into the hot water, but was stopped by  the waiter, who explained that all one needed to do was put the entire tea bag into the water to make the cup of tea. Farooq was impressed. When it came time to add a little sugar, he confidently, and without hesitation, threw the sugar bag in as well!

 

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentleman, now we know the truth about Farooq! It is now my great pleasure to present to you Mr. Farooq Kathwari.    

 

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