Video
Twitter
Facebook
RSS Feed
New beginnings in Egypt?
FAITH IN ACTION
By Katherine Marshall
Two hands cradling a tender young plant provided the visual image for an ambitious conference last week in Alexandria, Egypt. The image aptly illustrated the underlying question: have the new beginnings that President Obama promised one year ago, in his speech to the world's Muslim communities at Cairo University, taken root? Not surprisingly, those of us who attended the conference heard a wide range of answers.
Rashad Hussain, special envoy of the U.S. President to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), waxed enthusiastic, with a long litany of changes in tone, paradigm, and approach that the Obama administration brings in its dealings with the Muslim world.
Several Arab voices, however -- for example Moroccan Mohamed Ben Saleh, representing the Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) -- were far more reserved in their judgments. In short, the shoots of excitement we witnessed a year ago are still alive, but there are plenty of doubts and a decided dampening of tone -- especially surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Ismail Serageldin, whow organized the conference and who directs Biblioteca Alexandrina, tried hard to move beyond the negatives by zeroing in on three critical topics that lend themselves especially well to positive action: education, science, and culture.
Religion found a central but not entirely easy place in the discussions. I moderated a lively session about why interfaith dialogue is needed, and why it is so difficult. Everyone had something to say, less about the merits or demerits of dialogue than about what they think is wrong.
Mustafa Ceric, Grand Mufti of Bosnia-Herzogovina commented, with some exasperation, that everyone has many complaints. What, he said, would have transpired if Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had said in his speech, "I have a complaint"? What we need instead, he said, are hopes and dreams.
The conference inluded a "dialogue" between Sheikh Ali Gomaa, Grand Mufti of Egypt, and William Vendley, Secretary General of Religions for Peace.
Evoking the promise of Obama's Cairo speech, the Sheikh admitted that turning hope into reality is not easy, but there is solid ground for mercy and peace to grow. Of over 6,000 verses in the Qur'an, he said, only 300 are related to legal matters; 97 percent are about moral excellence. Bill Vendley focused on similar themes: we need to learn together, to value together, and to act together.
Women's roles in Muslim societies were at the forefront in the Alexandria discussions and the Sheikh was challenged to comment. He tried to draw the line between what the essence of religion dictates (equal yet complementary roles), and what he termed bad customs and traditions in some Muslim societies. Interestingly, he reported a recent review he undertook of Muslim history which found over 90 women heads of state, judges, and ministers. The implication: culture, not religion, is the obstacle.
Ismail Serageldin opened the final session with an improbable joke that carried a pointed message. A man consults his doctor because he fears that his wife is going deaf. The doctor counsels the husband to check carefully. So he goes home and stands behind his wife. He asks, loudly, "What's for dinner?" No response. He moves closer. "What's for dinner?" No response. He comes a few feet from her and shouts "What's for dinner?" Responds the wife: "For the third time, spaghetti."
In the dialogue between the U.S. and Muslim societies, it's not always easy to tell who is not listening to whom. There's a common sense that "others" simply do not get and appreciate our message. Maybe that's why the same things are said over and over again.
To get beyond the complaints and to rekindle the "new beginning", the Alexandria message is that we have to sharpen our own hearing at the same time that we move forward and act (not just talk) on the open and demanding fronts of education, science, and culture.
Katherine Marshall is a senior fellow at Georgetown's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, a Visiting Professor, and Executive Director of the World Faiths Development Dialogue.
By Katherine Marshall |
June 22, 2010; 10:27 AM ET
| Category:
Faith in Action
Save & Share:
Previous: Soccer and the soul |
Next: Religious freedom to exclude
Posted by: shaheed-yahudi | June 28, 2010 1:02 AM
Report Offensive Comment
"K A F i R"
"K A F i R"
"Kafir" "Kafir"
W H A T -- AN -- U G U L Y -- W O R D(s)!
"S A T A N i C -- V E R S U S"
Yes? Or NO?
Posted by: shaheed-yahudi | June 27, 2010 10:23 PM
Report Offensive Comment
...
..
.
...................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ./
...................... . . . . . . . / . . . . . . /
...................... . . ./ . . . / . . . / . . / . . . . . . . . . /
...................... . . / . . . . . . . / . . . . . / . . . . . . /
...................... , ---------------------- . . . ... . ,.-,
.................... / . . . . . . ` --- . . . . . . \ . __ . / . |
.................. [ . by . K . A . F . i . R .... _|_ . . .|
.................... \ . . . . . . , --- . . . . . . / . . . . .\ . |
...................... `----------------------- . . .. ....`.-`
.
.
.
.
....................... ,--------------------,
................... ,' . . . . . . . . . . . . . .'|
................ ,' . K . a . a . b . a . '# | . . .Good Bye
............ ,' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . '# # | . . . . Idols
.......... :---------------------- '# # # |
.......... | # # # # # # # # # | # # # |
.......... | # # # # # # # # # | # # # |
.......... | #ALLAH-aKBAR#| # # # |
.......... | # [ البيت المعمو ر] # |[ الكعبة].|
.......... | # # # # # # # # # | # # # |
.......... | # # # # # # # # # | # # # |
.......... | # # # # # # # # # | # # # |
.......... |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| \_\_\_\
.
..
...
Credits To "jj" http://onwapo.com
Posted by: shaheed-yahudi | June 27, 2010 7:33 PM
Report Offensive Comment
oooppss
"NOt MADE iN AMERICA" [Religions/Churchs] means any or every "JUDEO-ABE-JEWS/CHRISTIANS/MORMONS.." or "JUDEO-ABE-ISLAMIS/SUFFi.." or "JUDEO-VEDiC-HINDU/BUDDHISTS" et al.
Note: All Judeo-ABE Infixys-Books (Chumash/Bible, Koran/Koran, Geeta/Gita, Kangyur/Tangyurs" ...) R' "NOt-MADE-iN-AMERICA". All Are IMPORTED Here! They should all be treated or labeled/classified as "INFERiOR" To The "AMERi-SECULAR-STATE"!!
Note again: AMERiCA Needs to Establish, within Home Land Security" a "U.S. RELiGIOUS-POLICE". And since they bigotly say that we R' 'Non-Believers' (of Their G-Ds, Allah's, Ishvara's...) THEN
Treat Each/Every Registered Immam, Rabbi, Preacher, Father... as "NON-SECULAR-AMERICANS", NOt as 'Non-Believer's.
Posted by: shaheed-yahudi | June 27, 2010 3:47 PM
Report Offensive Comment
LAWYERS IN EGYPT [QUIETLY] CALL FOR "ARABIAN NIGHTS" TO BE BANNED"? Please see:
"..Pakistan will monitor seven major websites, including Google and Yahoo, to block anti-Islamic links and content.." Please see:
ISLAMi Brotherhood Is a SATANIC VERSUS Promoter and Christians Are Naive if they thing they can ever be an "EQUAL" on any Islami-Majority Landa. False Hopes give rise to Bad-Times!
U N i T E D -- S T A T E S should Give All, Every & Any; NOt Made In America's (RELIGION(s) SYSTEM(s)) a warning that "TAX EXEMPTION Privileges will be phased out in the United States Of America three to 4 years. IT's About TiME!
NGO(s) will Have to Compete Justly like Non NGO! And Religio Corporations will also have to compete Justly like non Tax Exempt NGO's. "FOR PROFiT" is The New Game! No more for Prophet Special Treatment.
By 2014/15 ALL CHURCH(s) Should finally Start Paying Uncle-SAM & Aunt-LiBERTY their Share of Income/Tithes/Charity/Donations (Profits) via Every, Any & All Registered CORPORATION as CHURCH(s). This way Religious & Secular Entity's will be Transparent. & Do to 'Competing For (G-D) Market-Share, Will surely Die or MERGE with other [Humble Houses] aye?
Posted by: shaheed-yahudi | June 27, 2010 3:35 PM
Report Offensive Comment
It's unbelievable to me that we see again and again articles such as this without the author daring to say (or being smart enought to realize) what is obvious: the heart of the problem is religion itself, which divides people, provides justification for bigotry and hatred, and is the greatest single cause of murder in human history.
Posted by: bpai_99 | June 25, 2010 7:10 PM
Report Offensive Comment
What the "Muslim states" need to focus on is not what the US is doing, but rather what they are doing. The persecution of non-Muslims in majority Muslim countries is pervasive and disgusting. And, despite Katherine's wishful thinking about it being a problem of culture, not religion, I am truly sorry but I have read the Quran and the biography of the Muslim prophet Muhammed and the religion plays a predominant role in many of the problems in the Muslim world, including the oppression of women and non-Muslims. The fact of the matter is that the religion is the single most important factor in the cultures of the Muslim countries. It is through the prism of their religion that they see the world and their roles in it. Not until the Muslim world can be introspective and self-critical can any progress be made. The whole discussion of the dialogue between the US and the Muslim world is irrelevant as long as the Muslim world continues to live, and want to live, according to the dictates of a seventh-century tribal leader whose example is one that should be avoided and not admired. The Egyptians should be discussing the treatment of the Copts in their country, not their perspective on US policy toward the so-called Muslim world. Same goes for the treatment of Christians, Jews, Bahais, Buddhists, atheists, Hindus, and any other non-Muslims in Muslim majority states.
Posted by: rentianxiang | June 25, 2010 1:14 PM
Report Offensive Comment
F I F A - W O R L D - C U P - 2 0 1 0:
.
. Avidazane Germany, YA VOLE! Sun.May.27.10
..
...
.......... .. _ , ........ , _
......... .'@.. /~~~\ ..@'.
........ / /~~~\.___/~~~\ \
...... |@\___/USA\___/@|
...... |@/......\USA/......\@|
........ \ \___/ ~~~\___/ /
..........'.@...\___/...@.'
............. ` ". " ."." ." `
.................... |..|
.................... |..|
.................. / )..|___
.................. \...|..|..|..|
.................... \.........|
...................... \......./
...
..
.
....................... GOoooooAaaaaaaLL !!! U. S. A.!
. GOooooooooooAaaaaaaaaaaaLLL !!! U. S. A.!
....................... GOoooooAaaaaaaLL !!! U. S. A.!
. GOooooooooooAaaaaaaaaaaaLLL !!! U. S. A.!
.
. Credits to "jj" @ http://onwapo.com
.
Posted by: shaheed-yahudi | June 24, 2010 5:28 PM
Report Offensive Comment
F I F A - W O R L D - C U P - 2 0 1 0:
.
. Good Riddance ALGERiA!
..
...
............ _ , ... .. ... , _
......... .'@.. / ~~~ \ ..@'.
....... / /.~~~\____/~~~\ \
...... |@\___/USA\___/@|
...... |@/......\USA/......\@|
....... \ \___/ ~~~ \___/ /
..........'.@..\____/..@.'
............. ` ". " ."." ." `
.................... |..|
.................... |..|
.................. / )..|___
.................. \...|..|..|..|
.................... \.........|
...................... \......./
...
..
.
....................... GOoooooAaaaaaaLL !!! U. S. A.!
. GOooooooooooAaaaaaaaaaaaLLL !!! U. S. A.!
.
Credits to "jj" @ http://onwapo.com
.
Posted by: shaheed-yahudi | June 23, 2010 5:12 AM
Report Offensive Comment
"In the dialogue between the U.S. and Muslim societies, it's not always easy to tell who is not listening to whom."
- Katherine Marshall
*******************************************
- Perhaps better not to try to talk to or address the whole "Muslim world". Better to try to "talk" to governments of Muslim majority states and Muslim NGOs focussing on education and science in these states. A sectoral or niched approach is more practical and focussed.
- Funds available or allocated for education and science is a whole different matter and the greatest challenge.
Posted by: Jihadist | June 22, 2010 2:33 PM
Report Offensive Comment
The comments to this entry are closed.
Y E S -- W E -- C A N!