In this video, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf explores the question, “Who should we take as our spiritual companions?” and highlights the profound impact that our associations have on our spiritual growth.
Imam Feisal on CNN’s Connect the World with Becky Anderson
On September 10, 2021, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf went on CNN’s Connect the World with Becky Anderson to speak about the apology offered by Jonathan Greenblatt of the Anti-Defamation League over his former opposition to the Cordoba House project in lower Manhattan. Imam Feisal explains that he accepts Mr. Greenblatt’s apology and agrees with him that a place like Cordoba House could have helped the U.S. heal from the wounds of September 11, foster better connections between members of America’s interfaith communities, and decrease Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and other conflicts. Watch the conversation below!
Palestine and Israel: A Time for Reasoning and Action
In this video, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf addresses the current conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which has already resulted in thousands of deaths and untold destruction.
Imam Feisal begins by reading an article by Israeli writer Haggai Matar and draws connections between the current conflict and the process of rebuilding Germany and Japan after World War II. Imam Feisal calls for the development of a similar plan that would invest in the security and prosperity of Gaza as the most effective means of securing peace and urges us all to promote and pray for peace. Watch below!
Interview with Imam Feisal in The Mainichi
Imam Feisal was interviewed for the Japanese newspaper, The Mainichi, about the ongoing work to promote interfaith understanding, even years after the controversy surrounding the lower Manhattan Cordoba House project.
“At the time, nobody complained about it. But the following summer, as the midterm elections approached, it snowballed. It became a very hot issue.” Imam Feisal recalls during the interview.
READ THE INTERVIEW (ENGLISH TRANSLATION – PDF)
Click here to read the interview (in Japanese).
A Welcome Apology: Response to Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL
In an op-ed on CNN Opinion (published on September 4th 2021), Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, issued a welcome apology to the Muslim community for opposing the establishment of Cordoba House, the proposed multi-faith community center in lower Manhattan.
Jonathan’s apology deserves applause and gratitude. As the Executive and Spiritual Director of Cordoba House, I have experienced first-hand the dehumanizing effects of racism and injustice on our community and its crippling effects on social inclusion.
Ten years later, we continue to battle radical attitudes and hatred that have shamefully plagued our nation and our dream of the envisioned project remains unrealized. Despite the setback, we remain steadfast in our commitment to energize a multitude of believers around the vision of Cordoba House that was imagined by Imam Feisal Rauf more than 20 years ago – as a multi-religious center for worship, cultural and intellectual exchange.
In response to Jonathan’s op-ed, it is now our conviction at Cordoba House that the Jewish, Muslim, and other communities of faith need to engage in a sincere and honest process of self-examination, purification, and pursuit of social justice for all. And just like in Teshuvah, true repentance (Tawbah Nusooha) in Islam is not just an individual effort at self-examination and purification but also a collective effort by the community at large. The Quran states: “Surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their inner selves” (13:11).
The 20th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks is a moment of reminder of the importance of such an engagement. We owe it to our country and to the global community to strive together and pave the way for a more compassionate and enlightened human community.
Warmly,
Naz Ahmed Georgas,
Executive and Spiritual Director