MABDA Report 16/1/2011

“World Interfaith and Harmony Week” Round the Corner

While certain parts of the world are undergoing chaotic actions and are in turmoil, efforts to support the “The World interfaith and Harmony Week”, which will be taking place in two weeks time, are still strong. Perhaps it will be an awakening call to the world to live in peace and harmony.

For the love of God – or good – support World Interfaith Harmony Week – An article by Tony Blair and HRH Prince Ghazi

“Next month, believers of all religions, and non-believers, are being asked to open their hearts to each other.”

“All over the world there is a struggle taking place within and about religion. Sometimes it results merely in harsh or prejudicial words. Too often it erupts in violence and acts of shocking extremism. The essence of the struggle is this: are people of religious faith prepared to regard those of a different faith with respect and dignity, and yes, even love; or do they rather regard them as enemies? Are they "open" to the other or "closed"? Do they want to live in harmony with those different from themselves?”

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URI Helps Launch World Interfaith Harmony Week

“URI (United Religions Initiative), the world's largest grassroots interfaith organization, has issued a new tool card to help launch the first annual United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week, February 1-7 2011.

First proposed by H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan, the week was established by the UN General Assembly in October 2010 in recognition of the importance of “mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue” to peace. URI, a global network founded on the principle of enduring interfaith cooperation for peace and justice, endorsed the resolution in a letter to King Abdullah in December and has called on its 500 member organizations to join in the inaugural observance this year.

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Muslims and Christians still Thrive to Enrich Interfaith Dialogue

Mosque and Church Groups Work Together to Help Hungry in Haiti

“A number of religious groups in the Twin Cities and beyond are renewing their efforts to help aid Haiti in light of the first anniversary of the earthquake that divested the impoverished country.

Members of the Ja'afari Islamic Center and the Brooklyn Park Methodist Church will hold a joint volunteer event on Wednesday to pack food for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.”

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Muslims Build Inter-faith Relationships

“On a fairly regular basis, the Muslim Association of Canada's Calgary chapter has organized events to help open the dialogue between people of different faiths.”

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Milestones in the Struggle against Islamophobia

The U.S. Supreme Court and Islam

“The United States Supreme Court honors Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, as a source of law and justice alongside Moses, Solomon, and Confucius. He is depicted in the Courtroom Frieze among the great law-givers of mankind.”

“At this critical time in America’s relationship with the Muslim world, it is important to recognize this work of art as a symbol of the friendship America’s founding fathers had with Islam, as reflected in the Treaty of Friendship.”

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Sweden Looks to Combat Islamophobia

“The suicide bombing in Stockholm risks resulting in suspicions being cast against hundreds of thousands of Swedish Muslims” Sweden’s integration minister Erik Ullenhag wrote I a debate article in the Dagens Nyheter (DN) newspaper.

He argued that it is unacceptable to blame an entire group for one person’s actions.

“We who believe in the Swedish values of openness and tolerance have a responsibility to fight the Islamophobia and prejudice which can follow in the wake of terror.”

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