U.S. Muslims Support Obama, But Still Seek Change
While President Obama is in Cairo trying to win support from Muslims abroad, here at home he already has it: More than 80 percent of U.S. Muslims say they approve of the job he's doing.
When American Muslims speak about Obama, one word comes up over and over again: hope.
It's the key word for many, like Jawad Hussain, a Pakistani medical student at Georgetown University. He said he feels a personal connection to the president: "You know, the fact that his middle name is Hussein, which is my own last name."
"During the inauguration," Hussain says, "saying his middle name, when he was taking the oath, was uplifting to me as a Muslim."
But Hussain cautioned, "I don't know if that's going to play out into anything policy-wise or concrete."
Nationally, 85 percent of Muslims approve of Obama, according to a recent Gallup Poll — a higher approval rating than among any other religious group. Coincidentally, Hussain thinks he was polled by Gallup. He got a call about a month back asking for his opinion of the president.
"I said I approved," he said. "The country could have only gone up. I think his approval rating is inflated that way."
He added, "Any change would have been good — even if it was McCain, I think."
"It really doesn't take a lot at this point to win over Muslim-Americans," said Dalia Mogahed, director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies and a member of the president's advisory council on faith-based and neighborhood partnerships.
She added, "Muslim-American expectations of what political leaders will do for them or with them is not very high because of the past eight years, where they were completely shut out of the White House. They had no access to the president."
Obama has broad support among Muslims now, even though he had a rough start during the campaign. Some Muslims accused him of distancing himself from their community.
Malik Mujahid, founder of Muslim Democrats, said he thinks there's a difference between rhetoric and policy.
"If the question is asked by Gallup Poll about whether Muslims have been appointed in the position of significance in the Obama administration, answer[s] might be different," said the suburban Chicagoan.
Mujahid praised the president, but he's still hoping — yes, there's that word again — for more. He wants the president to reach out to the Muslim-American community.
"I think that engagement will give a far bigger message to the Muslim world that Muslims are not only in their countries, but they're found right here in America. And they're part of American society," Mujahid said.
As one imam bluntly put it, "It's great that the president is speaking from mosques overseas, but it would be even nicer if he spoke from a mosque in America."
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RENEE MONTAGNE, host:
This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.
STEVE INSKEEP, host:
And I'm Steve Inskeep. Through much of this morning, we're hearing President Obama's attempt to start all over again with the Muslim world. In a speech in Cairo today, the president admitted that he has to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam.
President BARACK OBAMA: But that same principle must apply to Muslim perceptions of America. Just as…
(Soundbite of applause)
Pres. Obama: Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire. The United States has been one of the greatest sources of progress that the world has ever known.
INSKEEP: The president also raised sensitive issues like democracy and the rights of women.
MONTAGNE: And while the president seeks Muslim support aboard, he already has it at home. More than 80 percent of U.S. Muslims approve of the job he's doing. NPR's Asma Khalid reports.
ASMA KHALID: When American Muslims speak about President Obama, one word comes up over and over again.
Mr. JAWAD HUSSAIN (Medical student, Georgetown University): Source of hope for Muslims.
KHALID: Hope. That's the key word for many, like Jawad Hussain. Hussain is strolling through the aisles of a Muslim supermarket in northern Virginia. It's a multipurpose butcher shop. Customers shop for prayer books and head scarves alongside (unintelligible).
Unidentified Man: (Unintelligible)
KHALID: Hussain is a Pakistani med student at Georgetown University. He feels a personal connection to the president.
Mr. HUSSAIN: You know, it's like his middle name is Hussein, which is my own last name. You know, it makes me kind of happy. During the inauguration, saying his middle name, when he was taking the oath, was uplifting to me as a Muslim. But I don't know that that is actually going to play out into anything policy-wise or concrete.
KHALID: Nationally, 85 percent of Muslims approve of President Obama, according to a recent Gallup Poll. That's huge, higher than any other religious group. Coincidentally, Hussain thinks he was polled by Gallup. He got a call about a month back asking for his opinion of the president.
Mr. HUSSAIN: I said I approved, because, I mean, the country only could've gone up. And so I think maybe his approval rating is kind of inflated that way, because, you know, anything from the previous administration - any change would've been good, even if it was McCain, think.
Ms. DALIA MOGAHED (Director, Gallup Center for Muslim Studies): It really doesn't take a lot at this point to win over Muslim-Americans.
KHALID: That's Dalia Mogahed. She directs Gallup Center for Muslim Studies. Mogahed's also a member of the president's advisory council on faith-based and neighborhood partnerships.
Ms. MOGAHED: Muslim-American expectations of what political leaders will do for them or with them is not very high because of the past eight years, where they were completely shut out of the White House. They had no access to the president.
KHALID: President Obama has broad support amongst Muslims now, but he had a rough start during the campaign. Some Muslims accused him of distancing himself from their community.
Malik Mujahid of suburban Chicago is the founder of Muslim Democrats, a group that campaigned for Mr. Obama. He thinks there's a difference between rhetoric and policy.
Mr. MALIK MUJAHID (Founder, Muslim Democrats): If the question is asked by Gallup Poll about whether Muslims have been appointed in the position of significance in the Obama administration, answer might be different.
KHALID: He praises the president, but he's still hoping - yes, there's that word again - for more. He wants the president to reach out to the American Muslim community.
Mr. MUJAHID: I think that engagement will give far bigger message to Muslim world that Muslims are not only in their countries, but that Muslims are found right here in America, and they're part of American society.
KHALID: As one imam bluntly I spoke with bluntly put it, it's great that the president's visited mosques overseas, but it would be even nicer if he visited a mosque in America.
Asma Khalid, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.
