 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
| CURRENT ISSUE: November 19, 2007 VOL. 45, NO. 20 • Oakland, CA |
|
| Islamic Studies Center dedicated at
Graduate Theological Union |
Theologian Hans Kung often emphasized that there will never be peace in
the world unless there is peace among religions. Maboob Khan, a Sufi Muslim
and imam at Oakland’s Masjid Al-Iman Mosque, brought that conviction
into the spotlight during Nov. 5 ceremonies marking the dedication of
the new Center for Islamic Studies at the Graduate Theological Union in
Berkeley.
Khan emphasized the need for dialogue in both interfaith (different religions)
and intrafaith (same faith, different points of view) settings.
Five years in the making, the center hopes to build an academic base to
help scholars and students of every faith understand Islam as a living
world religion, and to tap into the common moral ground that exists within
all of humanity, said Holy Cross Sister Marianne Farina, professor at
the GTU’s Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology and a faculty
member at the new center. She wrote her dissertation at Boston College
on the moral teachings of Thomas Aquinas, a 13th Catholic theologian,
and Hamid al-Ghazali, a 12th Century Muslim scholar.
As part of the dedication festivities, a panel of Muslim scholars discussed
the importance of mutual understanding.
“As a Sufi Muslim, I must sit down and listen to people instead
of preaching,” said Khan. But dialogue cannot begin until politics
are removed from the conversation, he emphasized, citing the differences
between contemporary Sunnis and Shiites and the necessity of bringing
them together to celebrate instead of warring against one another.
Ameena Jandali, a founding member of the Islamic Networks Group in San
Jose, spoke about the group’s goal to break down Muslim stereotypes.
Referring to the Qur’an, Islam’s Holy Book of teachings, Jandali
said Muslims believe that “diversity of religions is part of creation.
It is God’s will.”
She said Muslims also believe that no nation is superior to another. God
created different nations and people so that they can understand one another,
she said. “If we looked and believed the same, we would be a boring
people. Diversity is essential for our growth.”
In her concluding remarks, she emphasized that tolerance is the keynote
of Islam, but that within some elements of Islam today that virtue “has
been lost in immaturity and politics.”
Another speaker, Ali Sheikholeslami, a founder of the Islamic Cultural
Center of Northern California, located in Oakland, likened the various
perspectives of world religions to “the reflection of lights on
different kinds of walls.”
The bottom line for both interfaith and intrafaith dialogue, he said,
is learning how to come to the common good together so that people can
unite to take on the problems of poverty, global warming, racism and social
injustice.
The new Center for Islamic Studies is offering introductory and advanced
classes in Islamic history, theology, philosophy, culture, arts and religious
practice. It is also sponsoring conferences, workshops and research projects
to build bridges of understanding across religions and cultures and to
foster scholarly exchange.
In addition to Sister Marianne Farina, the faculty includes Munir Jiwa,
assistant professor of Islamic Studies at GTU and founding director of
the center, and Ibrahim Abdurrahman Farajaje, professor of cultural studies/Islamic
studies at Starr King School for the Ministry.
