Muslims in US don’t feel threatened: stand-up comedian Aman Ali

Mumbai: What is common between a

comedian

and a mosque? Hardly anything. One thrives on making people laugh with his wit, while the other is a house of God. Yet New York City-based

stand-up

comedian and storyteller Aman Ali’s fascination for mosques and tales around his visits to these holy places are part of a rich repertoire he loves to share with anyone who care to listen. It, therefore, made sense when 33-year-old Ali, during a recent trip here, visited Mahim Dargah, which is a revered Sufi saint’s shrine with fabled history.

A young American whose parents are from Hyderabad, Ali shot to fame after he co-created the social media phenomenon 30 Mosques in 30 Days, the 25,000 mile road trip he and his photographer friend undertook to all 50 states in the US, visiting one mosque in a town every day during Ramzan. The documentary told fascinating stories about

Muslims

in America. “Unlike what we see in the media, Muslims in America don’t feel threatened,” said Ali. “A few years ago, I visited the biggest mosque in New York City and blogged about it. People liked my description so much that I later decided to visit 30 mosques in 30 days of Ramzan in all 50 states of America,” recalled Ali.

His visit to America’s first mosque (established in 1902) in the town of Ross in North Dakota is among stories he relishes sharing. The mosque, said Ali, is in the middle of nowhere on rolling hills and symbolizes the inclusiveness in American society. Its caretaker. Laila, a 92-year-old lady of[MW1] Lebanese-Syrian origins, told Ali and his friend that neither the mosque nor Muslims of Ross had faced any threat. “That’s America, my friends,” he declared. “Are you first an American or a Muslim,” asked Mahim Dargah’s managing trustee, Sohail Khandwani. “First I am a human being. I am a proud Muslim and proud American. I am proud of my Indian roots too,” replied the storyteller who globe-trots telling stories. “I don’t berate people and cultures. I celebrate them,” he declared.

At a different venue in the city, Ali spoke about his early days in Ohio. Basketball legend Hakeem Olajuwon was his childhood hero whom he always wanted to meet but missed the opportunity a dozen times. In 2012, he was at the Haj with his mother. “I saw a tall pilgrim standing a few feet away from me. I thought Allah had answered my prayers and helped realise my dream to meet my hero, Hakeem, at the holiest shrine. I went up to him and cried with joy and excitement, only to find that he was a lookalike,” he said, making the audience laugh loudly. He finally met Olajuwan in England, where the former champ now lives.

American President Donald

Trump

could not have escaped the discussion, and since Ali is independent, before commenting on him he clarified that his views did not reflect the official US position as “I have to go back to America”.

“I returned from Toronto to JFK Airport in New York, where I saw thousands protesting against Trump’s order banning citizens from some Muslim-dominated countries. They were shouting ‘We are all Muslims’,” said Ali, a former reporter with Reuters. Ali once worked in a restaurant where a customer once, pointing to an item on the menu card, asked Ali if it was spicy. “No mam, it’s not spicy. It is water,” he replied.