10 Years After 9/11, Local Muslims Reach Out to Community

Before Sept. 11, 2001, Maysa Albarcha, a Ballwin resident, always thought of herself as no different from any other American.

“I always thought I was just like everybody else,” Albarcha said. “I went to McDonalds, shopped, had nice cars. I was living the American dream.”

Albarcha, a St. Louis-native Muslim, said 9/11 changed her life and made her more aware of her religion. Other Muslims from Manchester's share Albarcha's feelings.

“We had to work very hard so people would hear our side of the story,” said Dr. Ghazala Hayat, a spokesperson for the mosque. “We had to become better Muslims so people knew what Islam really was all about.”

Albarcha said she remembers hearing about the New York attacks on the radio on her way to drop off her daughter at school. Albarcha was listening to Z107.7, so at first she thought it was a joke—a cruel one.

“I really thought it was a joke, because they usually have joking guys in the morning,” Albarcha said. “I was like, ‘That’s not funny, why are they saying that?’ Then it went on, and I flipped to another channel, and they were saying the same thing. I figured out it wasn’t a joke right a way.”

Soon after Albarcha realized it was true, she said she couldn’t believe it. Albarcha said she prayed it was not a Muslim involved in the attacks.

“I thought, like every other Muslim in St. Louis and in the world, ‘Please, I hope it’s not a Muslim,’ Albarcha said. “You knew the repercussions would come against us if it was someone who was Muslim.”

Facing Discrimination

Hayat, director of the neuromuscular division at Saint Louis University's School of Medicine, said after the attacks, St. Louis Muslims faced some discrimination in their daily lives, most of which came in the form of dirty look or uneducated comments.

“Someone called my house after 9/11 and told my daughter to go back to her country,” Hayat said. “Back where? She was born here.”

However, Hayat said she saw more support than discrimination from non-Muslims.

“We had so many people defend us, coming to to talk to us, wanting to learn more about Islam,” Hayat said.

Albarcha, an interior designer and full-time mother of four, said she countered discrimination by trying to become a better Muslim.

“I became more aware of who I was,” Albarcha said. “Everywhere I went I had to be even nicer, even more considerate of others. All my public behavior had to change because of the fact I was outwardly Muslim. If you don’t change that aspect of you, people will assume everything that you do that’s negative is because you are Muslim.”

Making a Positive Change

Through her mosque, Dar-ul Islam, in Manchester, Albarcha became involved with the Islamic Speakers Bureau, a group that gives lectures and presentations on Islam. She began touring St. Louis speaking in colleges, high schools, middle schools, retirement homes and to anyone who wanted to understand more about Islam.

At times, Albarcha was met with ignorance, or as she calls it, “less educated questions.”

“One man got up after the lecture, and the first thing he asked me was, ‘Now how are you related to Saddam Hussein?’ I was just like, ‘We are distant cousins, let’s just keep it at that,’ Albarcha said laughing.

Albarcha said when she is met with ignorance she smiles and always tries to compose herself. After 9/11 she said, she cannot risk giving America, and the world, a bad impression about Muslims.

“Even before 9/11, we were part of this society and we were an active part in bringing a better United States of America,” Albarcha said. ”After 9/11, we are trying even harder to bring about a country that is going to be good and fair to everybody.”

Coming Together For 9/11 Victims

Faizan Syed, a member of the Manchester mosque's congregation, recently spoke at a prayer session to his fellow Muslims, asking them to attend a special event in remembrance of 9/11.

Syed, executive director of the Council on Islamic American Relations, spoke of his organization’s upcoming 9/11 Day of Service Rally in St. Louis. The rally, in partnership with the United Way, will gather volunteers to pick up small and large trash items along city streets, paint stone murals, assist senior residents with modest home repairs, and beautify the grounds of schools.

Syed hopes to recruit at least 500 Muslims for this day to show Americans the Muslim community was united with the rest of the country.

Afterwards, Syed said, there would be an organized interfaith rally on the Gateway Arch’s grounds to honor the 9/11 victims and show Muslim solidarity to them.

“We have seen now there is a growing fear of Islam in this country,” Syed said. “We want to show what Islam really is all about. We want that on this 10th anniversary (of 9/11) for Americans know who we are as a community. If we don’t show them who we are, who is going to show them who we are? If we don’t take a stand, who will take a stand?”

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