Zaytuna College Sets Example in America

Mixing Qur'anic and Arabic studies with Greek, scholastic and Western sciences, America’s first Muslim college is setting a unique example as a Muslim version of the great American universities.

"I believe the liberal arts are key to understanding Islam," Mussab Abouabdalla, 19-year-old Muslim student who attends Zaytuna College, told The New York Times on Saturday, April 13.

"We need to understand our tradition trans-historically. When someone makes a lampooning of the Prophet Muhammad, why do we react with violence? Why don't we react with art and literature?"

http://www.onislam.net/english/news/americas/462218-zaytuna-college-a-american-islam.html

Call for inter-faith harmony

SPEAKERS from different religions and schools of thought at a universal peace conference Thursday stressed the need for bringing all religions closer in order to promote global peace and harmony.

They reiterated that Islam strongly stresses upon respecting the security and honor of all human beings especially the minorities, and those causing any harm to the minorities were violating the basic teachings of Islam.

The conference was held under the aegis of Interfaith Council for Peace and Harmony, chaired by Badshahi Nasjid Khateeb Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-5-170895-Call-for-inter-faith-harmony

Baku to host 2nd World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue

The 2nd World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue will be held in Baku on May 29 to June 1.

At the same time, being a member of both Islamic and European organizations Azerbaijan absorbs the values of both civilizations, thus enabling it to assume a role of genuine bridge, AzerTAc reports.

The Baku Forum addressed challenges of intercultural dialogue in its various aspects regarding conceptual frameworks, governance, policy and practice. It has tackled the barriers to dialogue and faced concretely how dialogue can best be pursued in diverse contexts. It provided an opportunity for sharing of good practices and the launch of new initiatives within this intercultural platform. 500 representatives from 102 countries from all continents, many international organization, NGOs, media representatives, scholars, experts and etc. participated in the Forum organized under the motto - "United Through Common Values, Enriched by Cultural Diversity".

http://news.az/articles/society/78805