While Imam Muhammed Masood of the Islamic Center of New England in Sharon, MA (see below for background) has a good number of loyal supporters, not everyone is a fan. I'm struck by the disconnect that exists between what his supporters claim about him and what other sources reveal. His fans say that he is "kind and humble," " a man of justice," and "highly respected by the interfaith community." Other sources are not so positive. Let's look at a few areas where there's a disconnect between the "kind and humble" Masood, and the other Masood.
MA Degree from Boston University - First, there's the issue of Masood's educational background and when he received his Master's degree in Economic Policy from Boston University. Masood's biography at the ICNE (posted online until December 2006, online version no longer available) said that he attended Boston University from 1988 to 1991. It states that he had a MA degreee in Economics from BU, but doesn't indicate when the degree was awarded. According to a March 28, 2005 MAS e-mail publicizing an Islamic Society of Boston lecture in Cambridge, Masood had both a Master's degree in Economics from the University of Punjab and a Masters degree in Economics from BU. According to Lane Lambert, Patriot Ledger reporter, Masood was awarded a MA degree from BU in September 2005. But he did not have his degree in March 2005. On his ICNE biography, there was no mention at all of a MA Economics from the University of Punjab. Hard to know which degrees he really has.
Relationship with Hafiz Saeed - Masood is the brother of Hafiz Saeed, founder of notorious Pakistani terrorist groups Lashkar-e-Toiba (LET) and Jamat al Daawa. Saeed has other family members here in Masschusetts too, another brother (Imam Hafiz Mahmood Hamid of the Islamic Society of Greater Lowell) and a brother-in-law (Imam Abdul Hannan, Islamic Society of Greater Lowell, arrested with Masod back in Nov 2006). It is remarkable and bizarre that close relatives of LeT's Hafiz Saeed all ended up in mosques in Masaschusetts. Not to mention Masood's son-in-law who was deported back to Pakistan in May 2006. (Who brought them all here? Why was Massachusetts a desirable place to come to?) While Indian and Pakistani newspapers are closely following this family story, Boston media are so far not particularly interested. Neither is the Sharon Interfaith clergy organization. Masood talked about his relationship with his brother Hafiz Saeed at an interfaith meeting in January 2006, stating that "I am not my brother." He said that he has denounced terrorist violence and he could not remember the last time they had spoke. "It was a long time ago." Yet in this Kashmir Herald article about Saeed from July 2002, the author states:
"Two of the Professor's brothers live in the United States. One runs an Islamic centre (Masood) while the other is pursuing his Ph.D studies in an American university. Both remain in constant touch with him."
So which is it? Are brothers Masood and Hafiz In constant communication or do they never speak to each other?
Respect for Other Faiths - This is the most troubling topic to raise. Masood is widely praised by the Sharon interfaith community for his Christian-Jewish-Muslim dialogue and outreach. Some of his staunchest supporters from the beginning of his troubles have been Christians and Jews, who have written letters in his support, signed a petition and raised money for Masood and his family. Yet several anecdotes have been reported to me that indicate a profound disrespect for non-Muslims.
In one reported episode, a child of a mixed marriage (Jewish mother, Muslim father) was told by Masood (his teacher) that the child should disown his mother or he would not go to heaven. The child was attending school at the mosque. The parents were furious, they pulled the child out of the school and later moved away. In another reported episode, Masood was officiating at a burial. As the casket was being lowered into the ground by non-Muslim graveyard workers, Masood allegedly shouted "Don't let the kufars (infidels) touch the casket!" In a third episode from the early 1990's, a groundbreaking ceremony was held in Sharon at the site of the new Islamic Center. The ICNE invited their neighbors, various clergy, and the Jewish Rabbi of Sharon to the ground breaking ceremony. Some of the ICNE leadership (allegedly Salafists including Masood) said that they should not have invited the Jewish rabbi, and that they needed to "cleanse the center," rendered impure because of the Rabbi's presence. (Shades of ISB's Walid Fitaihi here.)
I am told that there were witnesses to these incidents. Given Masood's connection to his brother Hafiz Saeed, ICNE Muslims are understandably afraid to speak out against Masood. Many have cousins in Pakistan. I believe that these claims are true, I have no reason to think that they are false. Perhaps reporters from the Boston Globe, Herald or Patriot Ledger can investigate these reported episodes. If these reports are true, then Imam Masood is not as respectful of non-Muslims as his supporters think. Perhaps he's had a change of heart since the time when these episodes took place.
So which is the real Imam Muhammed Masood?
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