An assertion of Islamic power and presence

Muslims often love to assert their religious distinctiveness and cultural uniqueness, particularly in non-Muslim lands, as a matter of pride and religious disposition. A recent controversy in Dearborn Heights, Mich.—home to one of the largest Muslim populations in the United States—vividly illustrates this trend.

On Sept. 3, the Dearborn Heights Police Department (DHPD) posted a digital mock-up of a new police patch on its Facebook page, featuring “Dearborn Heights Police” in both English and Arabic. The patch was presented as an optional addition to officers’ uniforms to honor the city’s diverse community, particularly its significant Middle Eastern and North African population (39% as of 2023, with neighboring Dearborn at 55%). It was touted as the first U.S. police patch to feature Arabic script. However, the announcement ignited a firestorm, escalating tensions around cultural representation, religious identity, and community integration in a city with a substantial Arab American population.

The backlash was swift. On Sept. 5, Mayor Bill Bazzi clarified that the patch wasn’t an official prototype but an idea under internal discussion that lacked proper review. He emphasized that it shouldn’t have been publicized. Consequently, the DHPD removed the Facebook post, which had already disabled comments due to intense reactions. The City Council chairman criticized the rollout as “deeply flawed,” pointing to a lack of transparency and consultation with the city council, officers, or the public. The controversy revealed deep divisions over how cultural diversity is expressed in secular America.

What does this incident reveal about Muslim assertions of identity in the United States?

Muslims take pride in publicly emphasizing their religious and cultural distinctiveness, especially in non-Muslim lands. In Dearborn and its neighboring cities, this takes the form of a desire to mark the region as distinctively Muslim. Beyond the numerous mosques available for worship, Muslims insist on praying outside, even blocking streets, to visibly assert Islamic presence. Loudspeakers broadcasting the adhan (call to prayer), despite fixed prayer times, serve as declarations of Islamic hegemony. The Arabic police patch in Dearborn Heights exemplifies this trend. Initially proposed by a senior officer to commemorate Ramadan for only one month, the initiative was expanded by Muslim Chief Ahmed Haidar into a year-round optional patch without full departmental consensus. This prompted concerns about segregation within the department and potential safety risks, including threats following the announcement.

Many Muslims, particularly within the Arab American community, praised the patch as a symbol of inclusion and cultural pride, claiming it fosters respect and shared commitment to service. Progressives and liberals unsurprisingly echoed this sentiment, viewing the patch as a celebration of diversity that aligns with pluralistic values and counters anti-Muslim sentiment.

However, these arguments overlook the deeper implications. The patch represents another instance of Muslims in America asserting what they perceive as a superior Islamic and Arab identity within a non-Muslim society. It isn’t merely a gesture of inclusion but a declaration of cultural dominance, an imposition rather than a community-driven initiative.

Islam isn’t only a religion but also a cultural and nationalistic force. Wherever Muslims reside, whether cultural or devout, they take pride in publicly declaring Islamic hegemony. Historically, Islam’s prophet advanced his religion through wars against other communities. Today, Muslims assert their presence by emphasizing their unique cultural traits and religious superiority. An Arabic patch on police uniforms serves as another declaration of Islamic distinctiveness, because Arabic is viewed as the unique language of Islam as the language of the Quran. While many Muslims fled countries governed by Islam and its Sharia for the freedoms of the West, many still pine for Sharia’s superiority, reinforcing their Islamic identity among non-Muslims. Though the patch wasn’t mandatory, its emergence promotes a religious and cultural shift toward Islam and Arab identity, prioritizing one group over others.

This initiative created division within the police department itself, exposing officers to risks and threats. The DHPOA noted that altering the Ramadan-specific intent made officers feel segregated. Non-Arab and non-Muslim officers may question why they should wear a patch that doesn’t reflect their identity. Furthermore, the prioritization of Arabic over other languages, such as Spanish or Chinese, raises questions about equitable representation, given the absence of comparable populations in Dearborn Heights. If diversity is the goal, some may wonder, why not include patches for other groups, such as Hindus, Buddhists, or even the LGBTQ community? This reflects the patch’s roots in Muslim pride and Islamic origins. The flawed rollout further highlights these problematic issues.

The Dearborn Heights Arabic police patch controversy reflects broader debates about cultural integration, religious identity, and secular principles in America, particularly in areas with significant Muslim populations. Many Americans are rightly concerned about the assertive display of Islamic identity in non-Muslim spaces, often unchallenged by liberals. While supportive opinions emphasize inclusion and cultural pride, they overlook procedural missteps and officer concerns.

Without resorting to anti-Muslim rhetoric seen in some online reactions, we must call for reasoned discourse. The patch controversy underscores the need for transparent, rational dialogue to pursue a cohesive national identity rooted in shared American values, without Islam and Arabic taking over any other.