c. 2006 Religion News Service

(UNDATED) A political earthquake struck America on Nov. 7, one felt across the country and even around the world. In a clean sweep, Democrats took control of both the House and Senate, regaining the majority after more than a decade of being in the minority.

One of those new Democrats is Keith Ellison, elected to the House from Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District. Not only is he the first African-American to be elected to the House from Minnesota, he is the first Muslim ever to be elected to Congress.

His election was heralded not only across America but across the Middle East as well. The New York Times said Ellison’s election was “front-page news in several of the Arab world’s largest newspapers and high in the lineup on television news programs.”

American Muslims are proud to have him in Congress. As campaign volunteer Adeeba Al-Zaman, who lives in Philadelphia but flew to Minneapolis to help his campaign, told The Times, “I think it has inspired American Muslims. The fact that he won will probably motivate other Muslims that we have a shot and we matter and we are a part of the fabric of this society and we should be engaged because we have a chance.”

I am extremely proud of him and could not be happier that he was elected. This is despite the fact that I live in Illinois, and he will represent Minnesota. I am a Republican; he is a Democrat. I am an American-born son of Egyptian immigrants; his ancestors have been here for several centuries. I was born into the faith of Islam; he converted at age 19 while in college. I am a physician; he is a lawyer.

There is almost nothing we have in common, but I still feel extremely close to him, because we have a bond that is stronger than all of these differences: our faith as Muslims.

“All believers are but brothers (and sisters),” the Quran says, and they are helpers and allies of one another. Thus, Ellison is my brother, and when I watched him give his victory speech, I felt the pride of one seeing his own brother getting elected to Congress.

Even though I know that his first and foremost responsibility will be to his own constituents in Minnesota, I still feel like he is representing me, as an American Muslim, in Congress.

This “brotherhood of the believers” explains why U.S. Muslims are so proud of Ellison, and why we care so much about what happens to Muslims across the world, even though we may not know them personally. The Prophet Muhammad was reported to have said that the believers are like one body; when one part is injured, the entire body feels its pain. At the same time, I have always believed this bond between Muslims the world over should never let Muslims feel indifferent to the suffering of others who are not Muslim.

I think Ellison understands this. In a telephone interview with The Times, Ellison was asked if he felt he was wearing a particular mantle, of representing Muslim interests. He replied: “I think a lot of Muslims feel highly vulnerable and feel that they are under a tremendous amount of scrutiny. I am going to do it from a standpoint of improving the quality of civil and human rights for all people in America.”

That should be the attitude of Muslims everywhere, and I hope and pray that Ellison will always remember this as he serves his district in Washington.

(Hesham A. Hassaballa is a Chicago physician and columnist for Beliefnet. His book, “The Beliefnet Guide to Islam,” was published by Doubleday. You can read his blog at http://www.drhassaballa.com.)

KRE END HASSABALLA

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