Muslim Organizations Express Concerns About Trump Administration’s Frivolous Lawsuits and Refusal to Initiate a Smooth Transition of Power to President-Elect Biden
Muslim grassroots organizations like ISNA and Emgage say the American people have spoken — it’s time for the incumbent President to accept the results for the sake of the nation.
The national political stalemate as President Trump insists he won the Presidential election has resulted in a chorus of disapproval from multiple Mulsim organizations calling on the President to do the right thing.
Following the announcement of President-elect Joe Biden’s projected win, Muslim leaders rightly joined world leaders in congratulating The Democratic ticket says Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) Former President Azhar Azeez.
Former ISNA President Azhar Azeez / Image courtesy of the Daily Herald “In any functional democracy, the voters are supreme and they have already given their verdict,” he said. “President-Elect Joe Biden has won both electoral votes as well as popular votes. President Trump, as an outgoing president, should gracefully concede and accept his defeat in the recently concluded Presidential elections.”Azeez believes President Trump will eventually have to concede and allow for a “smooth transition of power” to the Biden Administration.
Emgage CEO Wael Alzayat is both frustrated and concerned about the lasting damage to democracy resulting from the obstructive behavior of the Trump Administration.
Emgage CEO Wael Alzayat “When the president spreads falsehood repeatedly and traffics in so many lies and inaccuracies, and when he refuses to recognize the results of an election and when he is utilizing these lawsuits, supposedly to fundraise, to pay off his campaign debt, that is playing a big role in misleading people. Leadership matters, good leadership matters,” he says. “He’s not serving the American public, including his supporters. There will now be a good segment of the population that will always believe that this election was stolen.”In the immediate aftermath of the election, American Muslims and minority groups celebrated the election result seeing it as a chance to “heal” from the past four years of rhetoric they believed intensified hate and marginalized Muslims and other minorities.
The U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) Secretary General Oussama Jammal said: “We congratulate Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on their election as the next President and Vice President of the United States. We especially appreciate President-Elect Biden’s call for healing and unity, his condemnation of racism and bigotry, and his promise to foster a more inclusive America.”
The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) says it wants those who supported Trump to be included in the healing process. Salam Al-Marayati, MPAC President, said, “This presidential election was a defining moment for America, a decision between pluralism and nationalism, between inclusion and ghettoization. We agree with President-elect Biden that it is a time to heal and reunite, but we must understand the 50 percent that feels disenfranchised for economic and social factors. We celebrate the election of the first woman to be our Vice President, and honor her background as a person of color of South Asian descent.”
DC-based Poligon Education Fund is a non-partisan advocacy group that mainly focuses on engaging with American Muslims and making sure they have the necessary tools to exercise their constitutional rights — including voting.
Poligon’s Policy and Advocacy Manager, Johanna Mustafa, explained the next steps in this historic election.
“Now, with where the election is moving, I think our biggest priority as it was two weeks ago is to count every vote and make sure that we have just as fair results,” she said. “Moving forward in 2021, we will continue to engage with the Muslim community to make sure that they have the tools to hold their elected officials accountable to be able to advocate on issues that matter to them and impact them.”
Azhar Azeez offers prayers of hope for the future. “I pray for our nation to come together and unite all its citizens, wherein justice and opportunity exist for all. May our newly elected leaders act with resolve and compassion for the sick, the weak, the marginalized, and for everyone in society.”
He also congratulated the 50-some American Muslims that were elected to local, state and federal offices.
