Interesting. Yet another page. This is getting ridiculous ~ nineteen halfway decent Web pages in the last few days.
I am unable to dismiss my impression that Sulayman may be one of my Josephs. By this I refer to Jacob's patience in waiting for God to return to him his beautiful son, who muslims recall as possessed of half of the beauty placed in humanity, betrayed by a conspiracy of all of his older brothers into becoming a ruler of Egypt.
Which of course is a fascinating story all by itself.
But from the beginning I have had an inkling of the sense that this young man, younger than half of my own sons, is someone with whom I have a direct spiritual connection. Time, and Time Alone, will inform me, but I am remiss to proceed without this possibility firmly in view.
Thus my regard of Sulayman begins by identifying him with myself, an American muslim who, at age twenty, is intensely idealistic, unrealistically optimistic, purely well intended, and hardly possessed of sufficient experience or understanding to make any kind of sensible choices at all.
With my breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding of Islam, the history of muslims from those with Moses through those who came after Muhammad, and the sciences of religious understanding, I can see the path that led Sulayman to the Virginia court in stark relief. His country ~ as in my case ~ has utterly betrayed him, but his affection remains with the people.
This, I am assured by his cousin, is merely observation, that is indeed who Sulayman is.
I may not even give utterance to what I think should be done with his attorneys, who he trusted. I am grateful that they are not in my hand.
So I shall unhesitatingly advocate John Lindh who is now Sulayman. He is innocent and should be freed. He is a blessing to America and to all Americans and a model for muslim youth to follow, avoiding the mistakes he was allowed to make. There is no evidence whatever, or even an allegation, that he bore ill will toward any of his countrymen.
This is how he will be portrayed by anyone faithful to the religion of Muhammad, by America's muslims of Muslim America. Who differs stands alone.