CAIR-PA In The News: Muslim youth forum stresses responsibility
The Philadelphia Tribune
October 10, 2009
The CAIR-PA Philadelphia Chapter launched a Muslim youth leadership program with an inaugural conference September 27. About 20 students, ranging from eighth to 12th graders, attended the forum, which placed a heavy emphasis on civil rights advocacy.
Panelists included Angus Love, executive director of the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project; Carlene Neal, regional director for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission; and Mary Catherine Roper, a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union.
Presenters from the Muslim Student Association and Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals also provided commentary.
“It’s essentially geared for the next wave of workers, activists and those people that are going to be involved in those community service works,” said Q. Amin Nathari, executive director,
Nathari thought it was critical that the youths be well advised of their rights and responsibilities.
“It’s never too early and you’re never too young to start becoming aware of that your responsibilities are. First of all, what your rights are, and then once you become aware of those rights, you have to understand that along with every right, there’s always a responsibility and the responsibility is mutual and that you have a great obligation, more than self-interest,” he said.
“You have an obligation to advocate for those that are discriminated against, disfranchised or less fortunate in a society.”
He said the students were responsive to the panels and offered their own feedback. He noted it was often a struggle to capture the attentions of young minds given all the other lures.
“Everybody said they were enlightened and encouraged and learned so much. It really made them aware of not just the challenges that await, but also the opportunities,” he said.
“[A] Society that focuses so much on career that promotes the acquisition of wealth and all those other things, [but] it’s still a noble endeavor to embark upon a career path that helps people in the process.”
Nathari cited the presidency of Barack Obama as being a selling point.
“On the national level, we have President Obama, who began his work as a community organizer,” he said.
“That’s in and of itself enough to give young people encouragement that the sky’s the limit and that you don’t have to be limited or relegated to a career that’s just in sports or entertainment, which is most of the things that our young people tend to gravitate to.”
The next conference is slated to be held in December and will focus on media relations. For more information, e-mail info@philadelphia.cair.com.
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Focus Article: Islam, Israel and the United States
By Sheikh Ali Gomaa
America and the West have been victims of violent extremists acting in the name of Islam, the tragic events of 9/11 being only the most egregious of their attacks. Western officials and commentators are consumed by the question, “Where are the moderates?” Many, seeing only the extremism perpetuated by a radical few, despair of finding progressive and peaceful partners of standing in the Muslim world.
However, reconciling Islam with modernity has been an imperative for Muslims before it became a preoccupation for the West. In particular, the process dates back to the 19th century, when what became known as the Islamic reform movement was born in Al Azhar University in Cairo, Islam’s premiere institution of learning.
At the Dar al Iftaa, Egypt’s supreme body for Islamic legal edicts over which I preside, we wrestle constantly with the issue of applying Islam to the modern world. We issue thousands of fatwas — or authoritative legal edicts — for example affirming the right of women to dignity, education and employment, and to hold political office, and condemning violence against them. We have upheld the right of freedom of conscience, and of freedom of expression within the bounds of common decency. We have promoted the common ground that exists between Islam, Christianity and Judaism. We have underscored that governance must be based on justice and popular sovereignty. We are committed to human liberty within the bounds of Islamic law. Nonetheless, we must make more tangible progress on these and other issues. Read more…
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World Commentary
