#IstandwithAhmed

Recently, there have been a number of trending stories on Twitter linked to Muslims or the Muslim world:

#PrayforMakkah (Crane tragedy)

#SyrianRefugeeCrisis

#Aylan #Syrianchild

#neverforget911

#Malala

#Isis

These trending stories are about praying, donating, accommodating, remembering, and so on. A common denominator of tragedies is they unite people of conscious, but as time passes, people forget or move on, and then another tragedy arises and the cycle repeats itself. This is the world we live in, but sometimes a tragedy brings not just a silver lining, but brings together “people and leaders of conscious” who (normally) may not have a reason to come together.

What does the US president, CEO of Facebook, former first lady, Twitter, MIT, senior of Nasa officials, and other profile (non-Muslims) have in common?

Ahmed Mohamed, a 14-year-old ninth-grader from Texas, who built a homemade clock that his teacher mistook for a bomb.

From the Dallas Morning News:

“Ahmed… he loves robotics and tinkering with gadgets, decided to build a clock by linking a circuit board, a power supply and a digital clock display together inside a pencil case. He thought he might impress some teachers by bringing the clock to school.”

He was arrested, finger-printed, but eventually let go. But, that just starts the story on Tweeter:

President Barack Obama:

“Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great.”

Mark Zuckerberg (CEO of Facebook):

“Having the skill and ambition to build something cool should lead to applause, not arrest. The future belongs to people like Ahmed... Ahmed, if you ever want to come to Facebook, I’d love to meet you. Keep building.”

Hillary Clinton (former first lady, wife of Bill Clinton, and US secretary of state):

“Assumptions and fear don't keep us safe—they hold us back. Ahmed, stay curious and keep building.”

Still wondering what real estate mogul-cum-US presidential candidate Donald Trump will say about Ahmed?

There are many takeaway lessons from #Istandwithahmed, here are some initial observations:

This is about a Muslim and Islam for those with closed minds, as the Irving Texas Mayor Beth Van Duyne, where the school is located, to date, has yet to apologize and has only defended the process on security. You can do both, Beth, as many lessons from the corporate world and global leaders. Don’t just pander to voters, leadership is about doing what’s right and not necessarily popular.

(I have not yet read about of his teacher who “reported him” or reactions from his classmates about this chain of events. Is righting a wrong prohibited?)

It, as in the arrest, probably would not have happened if he was a “white or black” boy. It probably would not have happened if he was a Jewish or Catholic boy, but may be a Sikh boy (mistake turban). What does this say? How far do we (Muslim) still have to go in selected Western countries?

This is about an imaginative boy curiously interested in science to build something “cool”. He is NOT viewed by Obama, Zuckerberg, Clinton and others as a barcode label of Muslim or Islam, but as contributor and competitor for America to continue to reinvent itself and stay ahead (or is it catch up) to China, Japan, South Korea, etc.

Kids like Ahmed are the DNA for a knowledge-based economy, which is so desperately needed in the 57 Muslim countries.

Over time, it will be the Ahmeds that will change the perception of Muslims and Islam in the West as the antidote to extremist groups and lone-wolf acts. But, they will contribute not by inter-faith dialogues, rallies, letter-campaigns, etc., but by conduct: what they create, build and how it will contribute to their country’s wellbeing. 

This may be just the spark for Muslim youth to look at the sciences, beyond academics and as entrepreneurs, as someone (Ahmed) has created a soft path. It may be an opportunity for visionary venture capitalists or angel investors to look at funding opportunities for people like Ahmed, and its not corporate social responsibility. I have heard some crowdfunding platform have raised money for a college scholarship fund for Ahmed.

What does Ahmed tell his siblings and cousin? This may also encourage Muslim parents to take their horse blinders off and encourage their kids beyond the traditional (sought after) profession of being a physician.

I did not see, read or hear from prominent leaders from Muslim countries about Ahmed, but may be they have said similar comments to Obama and Clinton and I missed their tweets.  

It would be interesting to see if the Islamic Development Bank Prizes for Science and Technology considers Ahmed’s project.

What if Ahmed was from Malaysia, India, Turkey, UAE, Egypt, etc., and studying in America on a student visa, what would be reaction from the above people with tweets and leaders of Muslim countries? Would the due process also protect visa students? It may just be an academic point at this stage.

Conclusion

Another Muslim teenager, Malala Yousafzai, an education activist shot in the head by the Taliban, raised the profile of the plight on girl’s education in Pakistan, and was the youngest person to receive the Noble Peace Prize.

Ahmed Mohamed’s arrest and outpouring of support shows people who matter, from Obama to Zuckerberg to Clinton, look beyond skin colour, religion, and name.

Ahmed is about invention and building period. He happens to be a Muslim is a “by the way”.

By the way, we at Zilzar also offered him an opportunity to come intern with us, but difficult to compete with offers from NASA, MIT, etc.

What are your takeaway thoughts from #istandwithahmed? – September 22, 2015.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.