I am a civil servant, a husband and father. I am a Muslim and proud of it. Since the Sept 11 attacks in New York and Washington, it has become difficult to explain my faith and perspective to many non-Muslim friends.

The events have hardened the attitudes of non-Muslims who forget that many world events after World War II were shaped by America and Britain.

These two nations make it their 'sacred duty' to impose their beliefs (ideals if you like) on the world.

But then Palestinians lost their nationhood by the very creation of Israel in 1948 on their soil.

Question: Can't the Jews establish a Jewish state in the Mojave Desert or Alaska instead of driving Palestinians away from their homes?

The Kashmir Muslims lost their right to decide on whether to join India or Pakistan in 1947 when the Hindu Maharaja acceded to Indian rule, conveniently neglecting to consult the population who are overwhelmingly Muslim to this day.

Bosnia today is but a patchwork of territories where the Muslims are forced to share their state with Serb terrorists.

America and its allies merely formed a court to try the Serb murderers which till today has yet to capture Radavan Karadzic, the ex-leader of the Bosnian Serb rebels.

Question: What do you call the undeclared war on Afghanistan? Is it against Al-Qaeda terrorists or an unexpected opportunity to get rid of the Taliban regime?

Few now remember that Israelis allowed and watched Muslim blood flow when Christian militiamen slaughtered Palestinian in camps of Sabra and Shatilla in Lebanon in 1982.

The average man says, "Muslim dead, so what?" And the world expects the ordinary Muslim family to mourn for the Sept 11 victims? The Muslims all over the world have been in mourning for over 60 years.

The pain worsened when Jewish armies occupied Jerusalem in 1967. But, I do not see Israel's Ariel Sharon being hunted down by American troops.

Islamophobia is well underway even in our own country. But I would still want to be known as a Muslim in birth and in death.