Dear President Obama,
Humbly allowing myself to congratulate you on your sustained, balanced and multi-dimensional approach and methodology towards the accomplishment of ‘change we can believe in’, I, an Arab Muslim concerned with the Arabs, am writing this open letter – as I previously wrote to you on occasion of your historic victory and on your taking over as 44th President of the United States of America about our hopes, wishes and aspirations towards you in pursuit of the change which we have been shown and committed – in reply as well as with some kind submissions in the specific contexts of your landmark speech in Cairo in which you addressed the Muslim world and, in the context of your recent message to us in this holy month of Ramadan. Since your efforts at building the much awaited bridge between Islam and the West – particularly between USA and the Muslim world – are apparently honest and sincere, I am bound to have a firm belief in your success.
Today global community is marking its own day of peace which, in my unassuming opinion, deserves also to be marked by putting on our concerns towards the world peace. Mr. President, referring to your solemnly momentous pledge towards disarmament, I would like to emphasise the instantaneous need of essential implementations attached with it. When the current circumstances of our daily situations are showing unmistakable signs of the grave threat of nuclear war, Arab world, in any case, cannot be detached from this invertible delirium of global catastrophe, and is also on verge of arms race, which inevitably negates and bypasses the possibility of peace and stability. Being under tremendous pressure of instability, conflict and trauma, the Muslims of the region are in the unavoidable position of evading their conviction and reliance on democratic detections. The reason behind my urge to communicate with you is the pertinence of taking along with me the voices of our masses that are still under-privileged and marginalized from mainstream society for no faults of them. Mr. President, I on behalf of those strata of our civilization, kindly urge upon you to ensure that peace settlements and negotiations are given primacy so that our future generations cannot be compelled to live under existential threats. Your firm commitments and unflinching vow would certainly brighten the local prospects. Israel’s quest for nuclear armaments denies peace in the region and I am hopeful that you would try your best to avert the crisis.
Rightly expressing and echoing the culture of Islam and its holistic principles in your Cairo speech, for which I must appreciate your in-depth understanding and touchy comprehension, you put the universal lessons of Islam as it is no more than truth that Islam, in its generic sense, bestows peace and advocates for love, tolerance and compassion. The recent radical movements in the Islamic world, which have grown out from the confusing debates within and beyond the confines of religion, and its applicability in daily spheres to suit the pragmatic visions of social habitation in a larger world, have constructed constraints in being in simultaneity with the mainstream orientations. Mr. President, Islam as our religion calls for ensuring our liberty and to defend it, which we cannot strive to achieve when the very land of Islam has been robbed in reality and snatched from us for ages, particularly after 1948, and when the gross violation of our human rights, freedom and natural justice has instilled in our youths an unguarded and uncontrolled sense of loss and pain, forcing them to turn to still more dangerous radicalism. Engaging youths in the efforts to bring peace and stability in the region can be the most welcome step as without their participation no efforts will yield fruitful results. Youths are believed to be the future pillars of a nation and society who can turn events to their own and finally to humanity’s upliftment. Empowering them by giving them platforms to organize and act in the interests of present concerns will undoubtedly give a brilliant and bright insight into the future. We should firmly hold them on the right path to their eventual destiny of progress and prosperity and then we can easily claim to the victories we are now aspiring for. Your youthful guidance to this commitment to the youths is the most needed prerequisite for our future development course. To whatever extent your predecessors have made the retrogressive imprints on us, we are, as always, hopeful that your words will be matched by some practical actions.

The discursive practices, which brand radical Islam and fundamentalist overtures as larger Islamic phenomena, have been unduly critical because of their preemptive positions on the Islamic discourse of modernity. In spite of the contesting rivalries in terms of compatibility and incompatibility with the modern principles of a society, the Islamic thought, throughout times, has been trying to negotiate, adapt and even compromise with the modernity to help Muslims mingle with the rest of the world. The feelings alienation have certainly reduced among Muslims, which, I am sure, with your inclusive global agenda, would become a thing of the Past in coming days. Can a Muslims not internalize the merits and advantages of Western capitalism and democracy with all its values after debating within their own confines? Of course it can, and with your sound leadership of the world, it will. Who can challenge the teachings and lessons learnt from such great men of the previous century as Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi! They inspired the generations and instilled the faith that universality in conduct would bring forth the universality of brotherhood, which in the end would destroy the enmity and ill will among humans.

Commending your efforts towards the democracy promotion in the Arab world to the best of my knowledge, wisdom and sanity, I think that without unshakeable endeavours and negotiating performance, we cannot erect this palace of democracy which Abraham Lincoln advocated for in his Gettysburg speech. Mr. President, without ensuring the basic and pertinent needs of individualism, education, economic independence, human rights and the natural liberty, our advocacy for democracy will be utterly meaningless and futile. I fully concur with the fact that we would not be able to fully accept the principles of democracy unless we give up our contradictory position on it. For this, formulation of such policies and programmes which can benefit the masses is very crucial as only this can the trust and confidence in the very variables which a modern society wishes to assemble into it. For example, implementation of UN charter in its essence in our region can be an enthusiastic sign. The targets of ‘development’ and ‘human security’ can rightly be attained as much by inward introspection as by respecting the sovereignty of nation states. Therefore, the most important step needed is to help the region grow its own seeds of development after the numerous trails and errors in designing the contours of its future. Your support and encouragement would prove unparalleled.

Mr. President, the Israel- Arab conflict predominantly Israel- Palestine conflict has become an unstoppable symbol of creating hurdles in the path of progress and development, more so because of the non-compromising strands of behavior both the parties display. This dispute is utmost cause for instability in the region. The result is unending suffering, millions of unauthorized deaths, deserted homes, vanishing childhood, pain, agony, trauma, which still indicate a continuous pattern. To put an end to this sorrowful ruthlessness, a just and peaceful settlement of disputes – honoring the terms and condition of all related international treaties and resolutions, protecting human rights, and enforcing international laws – is an absolute requirement only which has the potential to positively bury the conflict. Due to the genealogical problem of this conflict which lies in the heart of the developed nations, it is now their duty and responsibility to peacefully end this conflict which has for long been paving a way for the complete stagnation in evolution of political and economic institutions. Combined with the Cold War, this conflict has had a devastating effect on the psyche of the Arab world and the broader Islamic world. The Cold War is over but this conflict is not. Mr. President, the people of our regions have high hopes on you as your pledges and commitments have depicted a force to address the pathetic human situation. This can be seen in your decision to move out from Iraq. We wish the same decisions in Afghanistan where in the name of war on terrorism, gross violations of human concerns are being actuated.

Mr. President, I would like to focus on the contribution made by the civil society, particularly NGOs, in bringing about change and development. The role of governments in the world is an essential role, but governments must seriously consider the role of non-governmental organizations, and provide them with resources and support needed to enhance their work. The non-governmental organizations are active in all areas of society ranging from the area of health, environmental protection, education and the delivery of humanitarian assistance, to securing and protecting the civil and political rights. And these organizations have played a key role in the political and social changes in the recent decades, and continue to exert immense influence. However, the organizations that defend human rights and democratic principles and their practices compose a small fraction of the NGO community, yet, the contribution of these organizations has become crucial in addressing domestic and international challenges, since those organizations strongly defend freedom, human dignity and rights and democracy development in many countries. As change cannot happen without involving the common masses which the NGOs do, we should formulate a plan to engage as many NGOs as possible to serve the basic goals of our development agenda compatible with the UN Millennium Goals. I fully admire your encouragement and support to NGOs and other civil society organisations which make me very idealist and optimist in my hope for your prolonging interest in furthering the cause of peace, stability, democracy and development. Given the crucial roles the NGOs have played since decades to help masses in different living spectrums, and given their potential to interact with masses without any vested interest we request you to extend your help and support for these organizations from which very extensive progress would be achieved. These visions and achievements make us ask you for more powers and support, as well as from governments and intergovernmental organizations for the non-governmental organizations and for the establishment of more of such organizations in order to carry out the desired functions in this regard.

Establishment of Peace requires efforts for peacekeeping and peace building, comprehensive and sustainable development, strengthen and deepen democracy and human rights, the fight against poverty, hungry and unemployment and women and youth participation, and here comes the role of a non-governmental organization. In this humane endeavour to serve the society with the noblest of causes, we propose for an NGO to be termed on your name “Obama Foundation on Co Existence, Development & Culture”. Prima facie this may sound as an exaggeration to others, but the goodwill and respect which your name has earned and still commands in our region is something on which we can together capitalize on in pursuit of our aims, goals, wishes and aspirations. Involving people and engaging them in multifarious peace and development projects would be the sole targets of this organisation which could be under direct control of the team selected by you and which I believe, would certainly add to our efforts of peacemaking in the region. An organization bears and represents the dreams and hopes of our children, our mothers and our young people, ends decades of mistrust and frustration, and enhances them to realize that they are part of an interdependent global community, dedicated to justice, good will and human dignity. Representing the interests of all economic and social classes, in particular women and young people who are the key for any sustained changes, and stimulating people to participate and assume their responsibilities, the Obama Foundation will try to adopt local and international programs in all areas that contribute to the promotion of the principles of democracy and human rights, the participation of women and young people in order to improve their communities, and cooperation among people and cultures around the world. It will endeavour to spread the values of tolerance and coexistence inherited long ago and pledge to continue efforts in building peace and promoting trust and peaceful coexistence in a world torn apart by conflict destroying its structural core, where development programs are frozen as hundreds of thousands of innocent people have been displaced and many others have lost their lives. Finally it will attempt to address the challenges facing the world via sustainable development programs to eradicate poverty and hunger and to achieve the rest of the Millennium Development Goals.

I would like to affirm with your due permission, Mr. President, that the elemental categories of growth, development, peace, and stability – whether just as concepts or as happenings – cannot be pursued without their holistically universal appliance which requires the pursuer to ensure that these phenomena are distributed and approached on all the levels and fronts on which we, humans perform our daily activities. Mr. President, it is high time when your unimpeachable conviction of ‘Yes We Can’ and your indomitable declaration that ‘Everything is Possible in America’ should be applied meticulously to the whole world which really, under your able guidance and wonderful leadership, can, in the words of Martin Luther King, ‘have a dream’ of growing on matchless pride of realizing human rights, equalizing the humanity, and freeing the economic will. If anything America can, and if anything is possible in America, it should be made clear to the world that it also can, and everything is possible in the world. And this task requires unity, Mr. President. We united can certainly be able to ride the tides of depression and repression our world has recently gone through. In the last but not the least, I wish you every success and I renew my thanks to you for congratulating us on the occasion of holy month of Ramadan.