Dana Aljubouri: Sept. 11 through the eyes of a young Muslim

By Dana Aljubouri and Sheridan Block

I was 11 when I found out about 9/11,” said Dana Aljubouri.

Dana is 12 years old. She now lives in Jacksonville, Florida, but she was born in Iraq. She came to the US as a 1-year-old refugee. She is Muslim. All these factors in her life and aspects of her identity gave her a unique perspective to the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

She sat at her desk and listened attentively as her sixth grade teacher shared his own memories and experiences of that tragic day. He talked about how close he was to the buildings when the planes struck. He remembered his friend who was stuck in one of the towers as it collapsed.

Hearing about the suffering of so many people that day broke Dana’s heart. But what shocked and confused her the most was finding out that the attackers were also Muslim.

“I was speechless because I am a Muslim,” said Dana. She couldn’t believe the men who were responsible for such horrible attacks shared the same faith as her. “I was raised by a Muslim family who taught me to build bridges and spread love and peace.”

Her mind was racing as she left the classroom that day. When she got home, she spent hours researching and learning more about the attacks. Her biggest wish that winter holiday was for her family to take a trip to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City and pay respects to the victims.

Much to her joy, that wish was granted earlier this year. The family drove from Florida to New York in January. While everyone was excited for the trip, there was also a somber mood as the family spent some time in deep conversation about the attacks, the victims and the importance of peace building.

Dana’s parents have always taught her the importance of compassion and treating others with respect. While living in Iraq, Dana’s father worked for an American company as a consultant. His goal was to help build a bridge between American and Iraqi cultures. Her mother is an activist and leader in Florida’s refugee and interfaith communities.

As the family took a cab to the memorial, they stopped to get roses to leave behind at the memorial, Dana recalled. The first thing that caught her attention was all the names inscribed in the bronze walls that surrounded the memorial’s waterfall pools — 2,977 to be exact. There was one name that caught her eye. It was the name of a pregnant woman who died that day.

“When I saw that, I froze,” she said. “A woman who was about to be a mom died with her child that was not even born to see the world.”

The family walked around the memorial. They stopped, prayed and read Surah Al Fatiha, the first chapter of the Quran and a prayer for guidance and mercy. A blessing for those who lost their lives. As she looked around, Dana noticed the other people at the memorial. They cried and remembered their loved ones.

“For a second, I felt that I needed to tell these people who were in pain that, ‘I am Muslim and I am against these actions and I have sympathy for all of you,’” she said.

After Sept. 11, then-President George W. Bush gave a speech to the Islamic Center in Washington, DC.

“The face of terror is not the true face of Islam,” he said. “That’s not what Islam is about. Islam is peace. These terrorists don’t represent peace. They represent evil and war.”

Despite these statements, American attitudes and perceptions of Islam and Muslims have increasingly become hostile. Even as the US Muslim population has grown over the last two decades, or more Muslim voices are being elevated in the public scene, many Americans still don’t know much about their Muslim neighbors.

A study by the Pew Research Center found that while many Americans have negative views toward Muslims and Islam, 53 percent admit they don’t personally know anyone who is Muslim. Yet Americans who are not Muslim and who personally know someone who is Muslim are more likely to have a positive view of Muslims and are less likely to believe that Islam encourages violence, the research said.

“It is really hard to be misrepresented by people who share a specific layer of your identity,” said Dana, who is an American citizen.

As a Muslim youth and the daughter of a Muslim family, Dana has taken it upon herself to educate her community about her faith. She aims to be a good role model in her class, school, community and the world, she said.

Today, she is fulfilling those duties. Dana is the youngest refugee activist in Florida. She started traveling to Florida’s capitol building in Tallahassee to share her story with legislators at just 10 years old, hoping to help them understand more about the experiences of refugees.

The 9/11 Memorial and Museum website reminds us that terrorist attacks evoke strong emotions and questions in all of us; but it’s important to emphasize hope by withholding judgment and welcoming each other with compassion instead.

“Terrorism exposes us to the worst in people,” the website states. “But we often hear stories of wonderful, compassionate and heroic deeds that occur during or after such an attack. Shock and sadness can bring people — families, friends and strangers alike — together in a unique way.”

As we grieve for those who lost their lives and support those who lost their loved ones 20 years ago, let’s remember to come together in unity and love.

Darkness can’t drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate can’t drive out hate; only love can do that.

Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of WeaveTales and its employees.

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