My journey from Needham High School in Massachusetts to 2019 is a surprising one, to say the least. My ignorance turned to curiosity which in-turn led to a love of knowledge and humanity. I described my path and lived experience yesterday with the bright students of @moravianacademy in Pennsylvania. The students provided a range of questions on freedom of religion, international politics, interfaith dialogue, Islamophobia, and US national identity. The individuals and communities represented in that room are the future cross-cultural navigators of the USA. I believe my home country is in good hands. May God watch over us all.
I had the privilege yesterday of conversing with some Turkish Muslim scholars about the history and state of Christian-Muslim relations. As we were sipping on our Turkish tea and nibbling over a plate of fresh treats, an imam pointed his finger over to a beautiful and huge copy of the Qur'an, which rested open on an easel. The imam said, "Look at what page the Qur'an is open to. I just noticed it." He then read out loud the following verse: "... when Jesus perceived unbelief on [the disciples'] part, he said: 'Who will be my helper in God's way?' The disciples then responded: 'We are helpers of God. We believe in God and bear witness that we are submitting to his will'" (Qur'an 3:52). With a big smile on his radiant face, the imam said, "The page is open for a reason." “The Qur'an is referring to you," he said. "You are a helper. You are the bridge between our faiths." The holy spirit swept across the room. It was one of those rare moments in time when the stars felt like they were aligned. It was meant to be.
*New Book Connects Vision of Prophet Muhammad and Founding Fathers* by Amy McCaig (Senior Media Relations Specialist at Rice University). Photo by Jeff Fitlow.
What did Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, think about freedom of religion and women’s rights? Did the likes of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson imagine Muslims as future citizens of the United States? What is it really like to be a follower of the Islamic faith in the U.S.? A new, first-of-its-kind book from a Rice University sociologist answers these questions and more. “Islam in America: Exploring the Issues” (ABC-CLIO, 219 pages, $40) takes an honest and positive look at the Islamic faith and its followers living in the U.S. Craig Considine, a sociology lecturer at Rice and the book’s author, challenges the “clash of civilizations” theory by dispelling common misconceptions about Muhammad, the Islamic tradition and American Muslims. He focuses instead on the “dialogue among civilizations” to show the historical and present-day connections between the “Muslim world” and the U.S. “First and foremost, this book tries to synthesize American values and Islamic values,” Considine said. “It’s unfortunate that there are people in the U.S. who view Islamic values and civilization as polar opposites of our own, and it’s also not really true.” The book examines the rich diversity of Muslims living throughout the country — including Arab, European, Latin, African and Asian followers — and separates fact from fiction regarding Islamic traditions. Considine also tackles more controversial issues in the book, diving into apostasy, jihad, sharia and Islamophobia. “The entirety of the ummah, or the world’s Muslim population, is represented in the United States, a country that provides freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of conscience and equal rights as outlined in the U.S. Constitution,” Considine said. “Many people may be surprised to hear it, but Muhammad worked to protect these same human rights over 1,000 years before the United States even existed.”
“The ink of the scholar is more sacred than the blood of the martyr.” I came across this saying of Muhammad, the prophet, when I began my studies in 2005. In those early days I learned about the importance that he placed on ilm, the Arabic term for KNOWLEDGE. I still imagine Muhammad as a young man traveling on various caravan routes & interacting/speaking with a diverse range of people, all to incorporate their various perspectives into his worldview. I will be speaking in a few weeks on the importance of ilm & fostering environments of learning at @respect_gs in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The talk will also explore sociological concepts like empowerment, religious pluralism, & DEUCE. I hope to see you at this important event.
