Islamberg: A Culture Within A Culture A Close-Unit Community Based On Family By Deborah J. Stever For the past 20+ years Islamberg has been a growing village in the back woods of Roods Creek halfway between Deposit and Hancock. Rumors have abounded and have shrouded the community with suspicion and distrust. Who are these people that are a culture within a culture-a people whose religion dominates every area of their lives? They wear different clothing, follow strange customs, and worship in an unfamiliar way. Should we be afraid of them and shun them or be willing to call them neighbors and friends? Is Islamberg a compound tainted by terrorists or a just a community of extended families? After articles appeared in the Washington Post, Fox News, and other major media publications suggesting that the potential for terrorist activity might not be just a rumor, the residents of Islamberg said they felt it was time to speak out publicly to their neighbors. "Islam is not about blowing up innocent men and women," Mohamed Hasib Adbul-Haqq, Islamberg's Public Relations Director, asserted. "We are people. We are humans- humanitarians." Haqq's daughter Sheereen Begum spoke passionately about "Hand to Hands", a Muslim humanitarian organization that goes into the trenches to help people in dire poverty, the abused, the homeless, anyone who is in need of help. She and the other ladies of her community recently walked with the Breast Cancer Survivors at a rally in Binghamton. They have often been involved in support programs for the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, and the American Diabetes Association. They went to do relief work for Hurricane Katrina victims and also to Pakistan after the earthquake devastation. They were involved with the 911 recovery efforts and the list is endless. "It is our duty as Muslims to help, so you go and help," Begum said. "We have been fortunate to be able to do that." Part of that helping was also to help their own families. Haqq said that he grew up in NYC during the turmoil and racism of the '60's. He explained that Islam and Sheikh Syed Mubarik Ali Shah Gilani changed his life. The ladies at the interview had similar stories. Muslims believe that Jesus was the second to last messenger from God, the Prophet Muhammad was the last. It is their belief that Prophet Muhammad brought God's final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message and a summing-up of all that has gone before, which was revealed to him through the angel Gabriel. "Our Sheikh Gilani is a direct descendent of The Holy Last Messenger and therefore endued with special powers," Haqq said. Haqq said Gilani lives out what he believes and has helped his followers do the same by setting the example. It was Gilani's idea to form the Muslim communes and those who follow him obviously adore him. "He is our amazing grace," Haqq declared. On the Islamberg web page there is a message from Gilani. He encourages his followers to openly denounce all acts of terrorism, injustice, and oppression and teaches them "to join hands with our brethren and neighbors in removing societal ills, poverty, and fulfilling the needs of our brethren" who are described as "those who believe in the God of Moses, Abraham, Noah, David and Jesus the son of Saint Mary." Although Muslims revere Jesus and look for His second coming, they do not believe he was the Son of God or that He died on the cross for mankind. Gilani refers to this as "lies and falsehood against the Almighty and Jesus son of Mary." "Jesus very dear to us," Haqq said. "We give a lot of reverence to him. We believe in the virgin birth and the second coming. We are not in opposition to Christianity." Though doctrines differ, Gilani instructs both his followers and the Christians to concentrate on their common ground in the 10 Commandments "in order to save mankind from the most horrible disasters, incurable diseases and all kinds of social and moral ills." "One of our main purposes in coming here (to Islamberg) is to get our children away from the drugs, gangs, and peer pressure," Haqq said. "We brought them here to give them a chance. The American dream has been realized here for us!" "It's based on family," Begum said. It's also based on a new life out of the city. Haqq and the others told stories of seeing bears, raccoons, even rattlesnakes. The ladies are working on gardens and learning to enjoy the fruits of their earthy labors. They love the peacefulness of the country, the lush greenness of the area, and the opportunity to see the stars at night and to teach their children to live according to the precepts of Islam. It is a community of brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. "We share everything," Attiyah Haqq said. The ladies laugh as they tell stories of shared meals, supplies, and of course all the news. It's a close-knit community, they all agree. The community keeps track of each member. If someone is in need or sick they are cared for. Children are watched over by all the adults and older teens. Older people are cared for. "If we don't see someone in the course of our day, we go check on them," she said. "We're one big extended family." Khadijah Rauf said she came from a family of 15. She has 14 children of her own. She was not raised in a Muslim home, but said her mother told her she was not surprised when Rauf converted to Islam. She said when she researched her ancestry she learned that her roots extend back to an ancestor who came from Africa. He was Muslim. "There's a book in a museum in Manhattan that tells about it," she said. Five of her siblings also became Muslim. Rauf said she began a career as a nurse, then started teaching. She said although she was raised Christian, her mother raised her children very much in accordance with the principals and teachings of Islam, and she is doing the same. "I thank God that my children are still here, and will carry on," she said. She laughed when she told how the media proclaimed that the Islamberg residents were terrorists. Rauf said some of her boys' friends called and asked if they were terrorists. Then they asked her sons to come and play basketball on the "blue court" by Firemen's Park. "Anyone who has taken the time to get to know us knows we're not terrorists," she said. She said her children enjoy playing basketball, football, video games, going swimming, and all the normal activities-just like other kids. "We are a peaceful people," Haqq said. "Islam is a religion of peace. For centuries Muslims, Jews, and Christians have been living together in peace for generations. We try to find a way to come together for the better good." But can there be radical Muslims or those with terrorist roots entering the community? Possibly. "We don't do background checks," Haqq explained. "You can go anywhere in Islam and you find family." If someone comes to the community and gives the proper Islamic greeting, "As-salaamu-alaikum", which means "peace be unto you", they are invited in. There is no background check. "There are certain things we afford to people that are Muslim," Haqq explained. "We're reformers, but we don't let criminals stay here. We are not going to let them destroy what we are about. We will actually tell them to leave. We will tell them 'we're here for you', but we are not going to allow them to make up their own Islam." He also explained that some of the worst people that came through their doors have become some their best people because of the reforming power of love from their Sheikh Gilani. "That's the saddest thing," Begum said. "They are attributing people to us, and sometimes it's not necessarily it, we are open, we let them come, but it makes a connection in the media." "Islamberg is not a closed community," Haqq said. "Maybe we didn't reach out as much as we could have to our neighbors in the past but when you are attacked all the time, sometimes you get a little leery," he said. "This is not a compound or a camp, it just happens to be some houses off the road." He admitted that rumors of gunshots were true, but explained that there is a hunting club that comes each year and sights in their guns to prepare for hunting season. He also explained that the Muslim Boy Scouts of America also has had camp at Islamberg. They have a gun safety segment in their curriculum, he said. He also explained that the boys practice on squirrels and other pests. The infamous bus that the media has touted as the target for terrorist training is just a bus that the kids have thrown stones at. The mothers smiled when the stones were mentioned. No matter how hard they try not to, little boys have to throw stones. The Muslim boys are allowed to throw them at the old bus. The "guardhouse" is really just an information booth, Haqq explained. On this day the "guard" was armed with a phone and the little shack boasted of no high-tech equipment. The road into the community of about 40 families is rutted and dusty. Trailers and houses of various ages and descriptions sit in close proximity to each other forming an intricate and intertwining maze that continued farther into the woods up the rutted, steep incline. Without his instruction anyone from outside entering the community could get lost quite quickly. The meal served in Begum's home was delicious. Each of the ladies contributed to the meal's ingredients and its preparation. The food was plentiful and graciously served. Last year the people from Islamberg reached out to their flood devastated neighbors in Deposit. On the last Sunday in June this year they came back to join the celebration of survival and recovery. Slowly but surely some of the barriers are breaking down. Jeff and Julie Hempstead's girls made friends with some of Islamberg's girls last year and have kept up the friendship. They have visited each other's homes and spent time singing and "doing" hair and makeup. Farouk Haqq and Duane Garrigan discovered a common bond. Haqq and Garrigan are both soldiers and both fought in the Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Haqq was in the Air Force; Garrigan was in the Army National Guard. Garrigan said he enjoyed his conversation with Haqq. "He asked if I had joined the VA yet," Garrigan said, "And I said no but I am planning to join Deposit's. He asked if they would take him. I told him to stop down." The Muslim samosas, a potato or meat filled "hot pocket" and the spicy rice dish were a big hit at Sunday's dinner. "Maybe we could come and do a cooking class," Saeeda Jabbar said. Begum said the Islamberg community is also working on a relationship with the neighboring Hancock community as well. Can the distrust be laid aside? Only time will tell. Not all of Islamberg's neighbors are so quick to lay aside their feelings. But for now, the door has been opened and a hand of friendship has been extended. Instead of the covert spying that some of the larger news media reporters have been doing, Haqq extends an invitation to ask questions and see what Islamberg is really all about. | 
