Fayzaan Virk, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
On 5 November 2024, Donald Trump won back the presidency in a historic comeback victory. He dealt a blow to the opposing Democratic party, winning several swing states, including Michigan and my home state of Wisconsin. One of the key issues for the Democrats in these states was convincing Muslim and Arab Americans to vote for them given Kamala’s stance on the war in Gaza. Trump even won the Arab-majority city of Dearborn, Michigan, which was decisive in his win over Michigan as a whole.
This begs the question: now that Trump will be president again, what does that mean for Muslims, both in America and around the world? How can President-Elect Trump and the world ensure peace in rising threats in the Middle East in which all involved parties claim to be victims or claim to be oppressed by the other?
Islamophobic tendencies
Donald Trump has a long history of being criticised for his Islamophobic comments. He has appointed men with ties to anti-Muslim groups to his cabinet, such as Sebastian Gorka, John Bolton, and Mike Pompeo. In the past, he has tweeted and retweeted claims about Muslims being terrorists, a problem for the USA and UK, and an existential threat to democracy at large. Trump has often used “Muslims” and “radical terrorists” as if they are synonymous. (“86 Times Donald Trump or Promoted Islamophobia”, www.medium.com)
Most notably, Trump was criticised for his immigration ban. It was an executive order that banned all immigration from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen for 90 days and immigration from Syria permanently. The ban was criticised as a “license to discriminate” since it completely banned immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. (“A License to Discriminate: Trump’s Muslim & Refugee Ban”, www.amnesty.org.uk)
While it was pushed as a national security issue, many of the people banned from entering were asylum-seeking refugees who were fleeing war and violence and simply couldn’t return home. Given how much of Trump’s campaign focused on curtailing immigration and putting America first, he could reintroduce or expand this policy.
Ties with Muslim countries and stance on Palestine
During his first term, for foreign policy, Trump strengthened ties with some Muslim countries. He strengthened alliances with the UAE and Saudi Arabia. He brokered deals like the Abraham Accords, which normalised relations between Israel and several Arab countries in an attempt to stabilise the region. He also drastically reduced the number of US troops in Afghanistan, helping to end that war. However, the geopolitical scene in the Middle East is dramatically different now than it was four years ago when Trump left office. The ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza has caused heightened tensions. The crises have further escalated with Israel invading Lebanon. The entire region seems to be on the brink of war, and the USA as one of Israel’s key allies has the greatest power to promote peace and justice.
While Trump has been unwavering in his support of Israel, he has also promised to end the war. (“Trump Demonized Muslims. He’s Winning Some of Them Over”, www.rollingstone.com) I hope whatever end he brings about is just for the Palestinians and creates a long-lasting peace, but it should be noted that Trump rarely considered Palestinian interests during his first term. He abandoned them by rejecting their claim to Jerusalem when he recognised it as the capital of Israel by moving the American embassy there from Tel-Aviv. He abandoned the two-state solution by not making it a part of the Abraham Accords. (“What Trump’s Win Means for the Middle East, Ukraine, and China”, www.bbc.co.uk) Trump has promised to end the war and bring peace, but it’s difficult to say if the peace will truly solve the underlying root cause of the conflict: the lack of a homeland for the Palestinians.
Promises made about immigration
Aside from ending the war, Trump has promised many other things on the campaign trail. The 2024 Republican Party Platform promises to deport every illegal alien, and names “Hamas terrorists” as one group of immigrants destroying our country (“2024 Republican Party Platform”, www.presidency.ucsb.edu). While national defense should be a priority, it is dangerous to use this type of language when talking about refugees and asylum seekers. Trump also promised in a campaign rally in Iowa last year that he would ban all migrants from Gaza to prevent terrorists from infiltrating our country. (“Trump vows to expand Muslim ban and bar Gaza refugees if he wins presidency”, www.theguardian.com) His ban would also prevent those fleeing the war from finding shelter in the USA.
What does all this mean for Muslims?
So what does a second Trump term mean for Muslims? It is hard to say. He has promised to end the war in Gaza. He has built relationships with Muslims throughout the campaign. And he has also softened his rhetoric as the election drew closer. But his actions are also cause for concern. His immigration policies seem to be targeted against Muslims. He has a history of siding with Israel and ignoring Palestinians. During his victory speech, Trump promised to unite all Americans. There appear to be two different versions of Trump, one who wants to unite Americans, including Muslims, and one who demonises Muslims and their interest to satisfy his core voters. I sincerely hope that we have just elected the former.
So, with this uncertainty about what the future holds, what should we do? A hadith best answers this question: Hazrat Anasra narrated “Allah’s Messengersa said ‘Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is oppressed.’ People asked ‘O Allah’s Messengersa! It is alright to help him if he is oppressed, but how do we help him if he is an oppressor?’ The Prophetsa said ‘By preventing him from oppressing others.’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2444)
What does it mean to help the oppressor? Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said in his Friday Sermon on 13 October 2023:
“If the Muslims unite and are one, they will have a strong and impactful voice. Otherwise, the Muslim governments would be responsible for the deaths of innocent Muslims. Always keep the saying of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa in mind – and this should be borne in mind by the major powers as well – that we must help both the oppressor and the oppressed. We must understand the importance of this injunction […] May Allah guide the Muslim powers so that they may unite in order to establish true justice. May the major world powers of the world also be granted right-mindedness so that instead of taking the world towards destruction, they try to save it. They should not make it their objective to simply fulfill their Selfish desires. They should always remember that if and when there is destruction, the major powers too will not be safe from it.” (Friday Sermon, 13 October 2023, “Muhammadsa: The Great Exemplar”, www.alhakam.org)
Let all world governments take heed of this advice to establish peace and justice throughout the world.