Council for the Parliament of World Religions Conference

WCMIR President Dr. Hamid Abdul Hai and member Sister Noor-Malika attended the global conference of the Council for the Parliament of World Religions, held in Melbourne, Australia during the first week of December 2009.  Below Sister Noor Malika reflects upon her experiences sharing it with Dr. Hai, who in response shares one of his experiences on the journey to faith:

Assalaamu Alaykum,
Dear brother Hamid,

I pray this greeting finds you in the best of iman.

The Parliament in Melbourne was indeed a life-changing experience for me. This was the first time I traveled outside of the United States in my entire life. The main experience for me was surprising in that I was drawn deeper into Islam. Before I left for Melbourne I kept recalling the hadith of Umar where Jibrael came to teach the companions their religion.  I came home with the desire to find an Alim with whom to study.

I felt uncertain how to arrange a time to meet with you in Melbourne so you could share your stories of dealing with situations of hatred towards Islam. This theme did present itself to me at the Parliament in interesting ways. In one of the workshops on Appreciative Inquiry, the last question for our group asked how we had dealt with a situation of bigotry, or, an issue of bigotry we were still dealing  with. A Zoroastrian brother who had lived in Egypt shared his confusion over how he perceives Islam to be a violent religion of suicide bombers. When he finished speaking I shared ayats on committing suicide [4:29] and taking the life of another [5:32]. The brother thanked me and when the workshop was over he asked to speak with me. He told me he has shared this same story with two other Muslims who did not counter his statements with Qur’an; the man cried as he expressed his gratitude for clearing up this misimpression of Islam. The same situation
happened with a Hindu woman I sat next to during one break. In the end, she brought over her husband to take a picture of the two of us because she was so happy to clear up her confusion of Islam in these matters.  The difficult situation is when I encounter someone who seems to want nothing more than to reinforce the reasons of their hatred and I did have one such encounter in Melbourne. I was attending a reception by a Buddhist organization a member of our local Parliament group Chairs.  A woman had been drinking wine and her voice escalated as she reaffirmed how much she fears Muslim women all covered up. When I tried to engage her in a conversation, she just reiterated what she had already said and assured me she had Muslim friends. At a certain point the only left to do is to walk away and say, “peace,” which is what I did in this situation.

A final story perfectly illustrates my trip to Melbourne. I had an over hour-long  bus ride into the city each day. One day I began speaking with an Italian-Australian woman in her mid-70s sitting next to me. Her sister, who was not conversant in English, sat across from us. As we wound our way towards City Center, we spoke of many things. I asked if she had ever spoken to a Muslim before and she said, no, she hadn’t. We rode the bus to the end of the line and found we were walking in the same direction, so the two Italian women and I continued on for four blocks. When we reached the place we were parting ways I asked if I could hug her as I felt we were sisters. As we stood on the street corner, we both cried and then I felt a tap on my shoulder. The sister was saying, “me, hug, too,” and we expanded our hug to include her. I asked them to tell their friends they have learned Islam is a religion of peace and we parted ways. Two days later as I was riding the bus back to my home-stay, I felt someone tapping my hands; there before were the two Italian sisters, each beaming at seeing me again.

The husband of the woman (Ruya) I stayed with was in India, which was the reason she was able to host me. Her father-in-law is a local imam and would not come to the Parliament because he thought, “all the profits are going to the Christians.”  Ruya  was interested in interfaith work but felt she could not attend a gathering where she would not be able to try and convert all to Islam.  How to deal with this type of question is where I would like to increase my ability to answer Islamically. I would be grateful for your insights on this. I do know the Qur’an says Allah Ta'ala could have made us one people, but he didn’t so that we can “come to know one another” [49:13; 5:48]. How do I respond to someone’s desire to convert everyone? Even as a convert I do not feel this need. I can truly say Islam is the best religion for me; Allah guided me into Islam, it is clear. How can I know what religion is best for another?

Our local group, the Southern California Committee for a Parliament of the World's Religions, were told by Helen Spector that we are the main contenders to host the 2014 Parliament. We just have to show Chicago we can do the job. One of the co-chairs of our group and I were discussing the possibility and she feels we do not have enough members capable of unfolding such an event to take this on. I came home thinking of things to begin doing in order to submit our proposal to Chicago in March, but will have to see what our committee decides when we have our annual retreat at the end of January. 

Insh'allah, I would be most grateful for any insights and guidance you can share on the topics I have mentioned.

Toward the One, united with all,
Sister Noor-Malika

My Dear Sister Noor-Malika,

May Allah SWT bless you with all the benefits of Iman and the bliss of knowing and loving Him.

It was so nice to hear from you about your experiences during the Parliament and your stay in Melbourne.I know we were both so busy that we could not get together to talk.

I will tell you a brief story about changing someone's heart. Once, during a 3 day planning meeting in Chicago before the Capetown Parliament (about 1997), I went to the large hall looking for a place to sit. As I walked around, I saw a man (a Zoroastrian priest) who had his back to me, talking to a local Christian member about how bad the Muslims were. How they wiped out the Zoroastrian religion in Persia when they conquered it, and how the Turks used to take young boys from Eastern Europe and make them Janissaries, converting them to Islam  ..etc. (As you know, it is a rule in interfaith meetings, not to talk negatively about any religious group). When I heard this, I knew that my work was cut out for me.

So, I conceived love for this man in my heart and prayed that Allah SWT give me the strength to deal with him lovingly. I circled around and came to that table from the front of that man, and asked him if I could sit there. The seat was empty. Each table had 10 people at it, I sat next to him and was as kind and loving as I could be, for the next 3 days, always doing him honor and running to get coffee for him etc. He was diabetic, and when he came to know that I was a doctor he had many questions about diet and meds and other related subjects which I always answered in great detail. The next day i got him medication samples from my office.....etc.

On the third day, I arrived to see him arguing with another local Christian about how the American government was killing children by putting an embargo over Iraq, and did not care only because the Children were MUSLIMS, and how the embrgo must be lifted at once. He was very strongly advocating a Muslim cause !

The issue raised by your host, Sister Ruya, was that she would only go if she could convert people. Actually when we are friendly and loving as Muslims (as you did with the Italian sisters) we are softening peoples' hearts which is a prelude to future possible conversion. Further, the loving dealings remove Islamophobia which is the most harmful distraction against Islam and Muslims. I am sure you remember many stories of Rasulullah SAW where he was just being kind and forgiving and loving to people, not actually preaching Islam at all, and subsequently they converted to Islam. Lastly, as Muslims, it is our duty to be loving towards all of Creation, and try to be RAHMAH as our Prophet SAW was rahmah to the world.

Just exude love and sincerely feel it towrds all, especially those who express hatred. Sometimes it helps even to say : I love you, my sister, and of course always feel it strongly in one's own heart. Forgiveness and love are what Islam is all about.

May Allah SWT bless us all, and give us the Iman and the Istiqamah (perseverence) to keep doing His loving work to our last breath. Aameen.

Your brother,

(Dr) Hamid Abdul Hai.
President, WCMIR

Dr. Nyang Recognized by Rumi Forum

WCMIR Vice President (USA), Dr. Sulayman Nyang, was honored and recognized by the Washington, DC based Rumi Forum (www.Rumiforum.org). The forum gave awards to him in recognition of his active involvement in, and  contributions to the interfaith activities.  Dr. Nyang has been promoting interfaith dialogue and participating in the Interfaith Conferences in North America and especially in Metropolitan Area of Washington, DC. for more than two decades.

On January 8, 2009, Dr. Nyang was invited by the Rumi  forum to deliver a lecture on Sufism, Islam and the American Dream. He also gave the Imam Al-Qazzali lecture at Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois near Chicago addressing the question of the Muslim presence in the United States of America. The lecture was well received and the article was published in their campus newspaper.

Honorary Ph.D. Awarded to Dr. Ataullah Siddiqui

The University of Gloucestershire, U. K. has awarded Dr. Ataullah Siddiqui an Honorary PhD in recognition of his interfaith work. Over the last twenty-five years he has been involved in a number of inter-faith initiatives, especially Christian-Muslim relations. He was the founder member of the Leicester Council of Faiths, established in 1986, and initiated Hindu-Muslim and Sikh-Muslim dialogue groups during 2003 – 2005 in Leicester. He led the Inter-Faith project for twenty-two years and headed the "Islam in Europe" unit from 1996-2004 at the Islamic Foundation. In December 2006 the Queen invited him and his wife to Buckingham Palace in recognition of his "exceptional contribution to British society."

Dr. Abduljalil Sajid at the 3rd World Congress of Imams & Rabais

Imam Dr. Abduljalil Sajid, President, WCMIR-Europe attended the 3rd World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace at UNESCO, Paris, from 15-17 December 2008.- He presented a paper on the "Sacredness of Peace," and was a keynote speaker at the opening meeting. He also chaired a working group meeting. He is an Executive Committee member of Imams and Rabbis Congress.

WCMIR Leadership Conferences in Chicago

About 50 Muslim interfaith leaders, workers and activists came together at a daylong event including speeches from distinguished scholars, presentations of various interfaith efforts, and open discussion regarding interfaith work. The event was co-hosted by WCMIR and the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC).

                            

Dr. Ataullah Siddiqui, founding member of WCMIR, Director of Markfield Institute of Higher Education, Leicester, U. K. , President of Christian-Muslim Forum in England was the chief guest and the keynote speaker.

Dr. Shakir Moiddudin, Chair, Interfaith Committee of the CIOGC, inaugurated the conference. Dr. Irfan Ahmad Khan, founding President of WCMIR elaborated on the question, ―Why do we want to do the interfaith work?‖ Dr. Ataullah Siddiqui delivered his first key-note lecture on "Goals, Motives, and Mechanics of Dialogue."

The next two sessions were focused on various interfaith efforts. Sister Ayesha Mustafa, Editor-in-Chief of The Muslim Journal, spoke on the Focolare Movement, Chicago area interfaith leader and Council of the Parliament of World Religions‘ trustee, Sister Mazhar Ahmad, focused on Muslim-Buddhist dialogue, COIGC representative, Sister Ronda Loutfi, talked about Muslim-Catholic dialogue, Niagara Foundation trustee, Brother Hakan Berberoglu, explained the nature of interfaith work by the members of the foundation, and Brother Faiz Ahmad outlined the nature of Muslim-Methodist dialogue. Dr. Ahmad Murad gave a powerpoint presentation on ―Salient Features of Christianity in the West.‖

In the next session, Dr. Abdul Malik Mujahid, Chairman CIOGC and President Sound Vision, spoke on "Developing Working Relationships," Mr. Azam Nizamuddin, Co-Chair, CIOGC Interfaith Committee, talked about, "Islam‘s Built-in Theology of Pluralism." Brother Kyle Ismail introduced the work of IMAN and the Smart Act, Sister Lina Jamoul introduced United Power, Brother Ausaf Farooqui explained about the activities of the Just Peace in the Middle East Coalition, and Sister Aisheh Said spoke on "From Dialogue to Engagement for Common Good."

Dr. Hamid Abdul Hai, chaired the last session in which two major presentations were given. Dr. Inamul Haq of Elmhurst College spoke on common mistakes Muslims make in interfaith work. Dr. Ataullah Siddiqui gave his last keynote on challenges of interfaith work. The participants then broke out in small groups to deliberate about various solutions.

WCMIR Leadership Conferences in Las Vegas

More than twenty-five Muslim American leaders involved in interfaith work assembled in Las Vega for three days from August 22, 2008 to focus on their vision, experience and the future work in the area of interfaith. This was the first time such a meeting took place in the US where the practitioners of interfaith shared with each other their perspectives and stories.

                   

The meeting was inaugurated by Dr. Bashir Chowdhry, chairman of the board of trustees of the Islamic Society of Nevada and concluded by Brother Khalid Khan, president of the society. Among those present were, Dr. Sulayman Nyang, Dr. Irfan Ahmed Khan, Dr. Abidullah Ghazi, Dr. Iftekhar Hai, Dr. Ahmadullah Siddiqi, Dr. Aslam Abdullah, Dr. Aleem Siddiqi, Dr. Hamid Abdul Hai, Sister Tasnima Fernandez,, Sister Noor Malika Chishti, Sister Jehan Stanzai, Sister Sherrel Johnson, Imam Ali Siddiqi, Dr. Muhammad Shafiq, Sister Noura Amatullah, Brother Azam Nizamuddin , Dr. Zahid Bukhari and Dr. Mustapha Kuku.

The major outcome of the three-day conference was the formation of the U. S. Chapter of the World Council of Muslims for interfaith relations (WCMIR). The Council already exists at the international level. Dr. Abidullah Ghazi was elected as the President of the WCMIR – USA. Dr. Ghazi, in consultation with the conference participants and other available WCMIR members, will form the full executive board of the WCMIR – USA. The conference was jointly hosted by the Islamic Society of Nevada and WCMIR. The participants agreed on the following.

1. Interfaith is rooted in Islamic traditions.
2. Interfaith work does not mean giving legitimacy to all ideas. Rather, it means the acknowledgement of the existence of all.
3. Interfaith from an Islamic traditions means that everyone deserves the respect and the right to express one's viewpoint without any fear.
4. Interfaith does not mean that Muslims are negating the foundation of their faith.
5. A distinction must be maintained between interfaith work and interfaith dialogue.
6. Interfaith dialogue is more an intellectual exercise to understand the divergence that exists among people of faiths, while interfaith work means devoting the resources for the upliftment of the condition of people of all faiths.
7. Those involved in interfaith must have knowledge of their own faith traditions.
8. The interfaith practitioners must follow the Quranic methodology to practice it.
9. Interfaith dialogue or work does not mean that people should have a unified approach.

The Las Vegas interfaith community attended a banquet dinner given in honor of the visiting Muslim delegates. Some 80 prominent city leaders were present including several judges and interfaith leaders. Speaking on the occasion, the interfaith leader Gard Jameson said that promoting the cause of God is the foundation of interfaith work. Maria Castillo Couch, the mayoral representative for the Council of Interfaith Community talked about various projects that the city's interfaith community is involved in helping the poor and the needy. Dr. Sulayman Nyang, in his keynote address, presented a historical analysis of the interfaith work in the U. S. and outlined the major factors to be considered for effective interfaith relations.

The newly formed WCIMR - USA would focus on publishing literature on interfaith and would offer workshops and training to those who are interested in interfaith activities.

Other WCMIR Activities

• Brother Said Abdallh took charge of the day-to-day operations of WCMIR-Africa. He writes from WCMIR-Africa office in Kenya that five peace building and train-ing workshops were held, three in the Kenyan northern towns of Isiolo, Wajir and Mandera, one in Bosasso, Somalia (Puntland) and another in Hargeisa Somali-land. 28 peace clubs were formed and about 900 peace club members received the message of peace and ethics education. Locally we participated in meetings with Kenya Alliance for the Advancement of Children KAACR and other bodies during the aftermath of the December 27th post election crisis in Kenya. The meet-ings were in response to the crisis where 1000 people lost their lives and about 300 000 mostly women and children were displaced. In May 2008 we helped or-ganize and participated in the third GNRC Forum that took place in Hiroshima, Japan. From Africa we man-aged to facilitate about 20 participants who attended the Forum and from Kenya we chaperoned one youth by the name Mohammed Said Hani to the Forum. The Forum emphasized the need for humility and coopera-tion among people of faith and had three thematic con-cerns namely the imperative to end violence against children, ensure that no child lives in poverty and pro-tect the earth. The Third Forum brought together a broader partnership of international organizations, representatives of government, academia, the NGO world, media, business, and others with a shared com-mitment to children and young people.