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Lodi Islamic community member Nawaz Shah has been willing to answer questions about issues stemming from the arrest of local Muslim men. (Angelina Gervasi/News-Sentinel)
Lodi teen shares thoughts on arrests of 5 local men
On Wednesday, 19-year-old Nawaz Shah visited the Lodi Muslim Mosque, which has been a daily custom for years, for a moment of prayer and concentration.
While inside, he got a call on his cell phone from a friend who wanted to meet for a game of basketball.
He decided to take the call outside, out of respect for those still in deep contemplation and prayer -- his father always taught him to respect others.
That's when Shah stepped out of the stillness and into the limelight.
He found himself immediately bombarded by reporters asking him if he knew anything about local Muslim men arrested this week on federal charges.
"They asked me if I was scared," said Shah. "I told them you're only scared if you have something to hide. My life has always been an open book."
At the tender age of 19, Shah represents a younger generation of Muslim men living in Lodi who have adapted to the openness of American culture without seeming to have sacrificed the values instilled in them by their elders.
Clad in T-shirt, jeans and sneakers, Shah looks like any typical Lodi teen. But beneath the surface is a cultural identity rooted in family tradition and respect for one's neighbors and an inability to comprehend how the words "Islam" and "terrorism" have become inseparable in the minds of some Americans.
The outspoken Lodi teenager expressed his frustration Wednesday at the recent interference of reporters in the lives of innocent Muslims, who feel they have to defend their religion in their own hometown.
In an interview Thursday, Shah shared his feelings about Lodi's recent brush with notoriety and the effect he's seen it have on fellow Muslims.
"For the media to barge in at the mosque, it was kind of disrespectful," Shah said. "(The mosque) is sort of like another home to us -- you're supposed to feel safe.
"Nobody would like it if anybody barged into their church."
Members of the press have been planted outside the mosque's doorstep this week, hoping to learn more about the five men arrested on federal charges. Two were charged with lying to federal agents about their involvement with an al-Qaida training camp. Three more, including Imam Shabbir Ahmed, were later arrested for violating the terms of their visas.
A number of older members of the Muslim community have withheld comments on the arrests as well as their reaction to the news. But Shah, without ignoring the seriousness of the situation, remained open and honest about his experiences.
Shah said he knew some of the suspects from around town or through the mosque. Umer Hayat, suspected of helping finance a terrorist group, for example, was just the local ice cream man. Another person in custody he knew, Imam Shabbir Ahmet, remains a man of decency in his eyes.
"They're the kind of people who always cared about other people," Shah said of the mosque members. "Part of our religion is always taking care of your neighbors. That's what it's all about."
He hopes the hype and controversy will all blow over, and that people will come to see Lodi Muslims for what, he says, they really are -- quiet and respectful people who view America as their home.
"We've lived in Lodi I don't know how many years now. Our families and friends are in America," Shah said earnestly. "We're not bad people at all."
Born in Pakistan, Shah moved with his family to Lodi when he was seven years old. The third of four children, Shah went attended Lodi Middle School and graduated from Lodi High School in 2003.
His father, Azhar, works at that Pacific Coast Producers and encourages his children to continue their education. His mother, Nargas, makes sure the kids rise early every day for school.
"They wanted us to get well-educated," Shah said, folding his hands together in front of him.
The 19-year-old is currently studying business and corporate law at San Joaquin Delta College, and hopes to eventually run his own business. He hasn't, however, ruled out the possibility of someday holding public office or working in a leadership position.
Being in the spotlight would not be completely foreign to Shah, who was honorary mayor of Lodi for a day in 2003 at the ripe old age of 17. Shah also won the title "Youth of the Year," awarded by the Lodi Boys and Girls Club.
Councilwoman Susan Hitchcock said she could see the Lodi teenager making a natural transition into city politics some time in the future.
"He definitely has leadership skills and he does command a presence that others are willing to listen to," said Hitchcock, who remembered Shah as a student during her time as Vice Principal of Lodi Middle School. "He also has good common sense."
Another advantage of entering politics would be helping dispel people's fear of an unknown culture, he said.
"When people really get to know you, about your culture, that's when the stereotypes will stop," Shah added.
Despite the fact that some local residents, in response to the recent events, have shouted curses while driving past the mosque on Poplar Street, Shah still believes in the overall spirit of community in Lodi.
Classifying Lodi as a community that generally takes care of its own, Shah said his only hope now is to see the city come through all this with that same sense of humanity intact.
"Wherever you go, there is going to be a little prejudice and racism. You can't help that," said Shah, "but we're trying hard to make sure our neighbors are OK."
Contact reporter Sara Cardine at sarac@lodinews.com.
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