At this time of heightened bigotry, there has been a rise in events hosted by Muslims that are designed to help dispel misconceptions and bring Muslims and non-Muslims together. One New Hampshire man, Robert Azzi, has begun a series of “Ask a Muslim Anything” events, which he has been leading at community centers, churches, and town halls across New Hampshire. The events give him the chance to teach people about his faith and reach out to neighbors, but the positive response he’s received from these events also give him a sense of hope. He says: “It reinforces in me that these are really good people… You know, the haters aren’t here. The haters don’t come out. This is a Muslim town hall. I’ve never used that line before, but that’s what it is.”
Between Swimming and S’mores, Muslim Campers Build Bonds and Learn
For 55 years, Muslim children have been coming to Muslim Youth Camp in Northern California, the country’s oldest Muslim summer camp. In addition to the normal American summer camp activities—swimming, sing-alongs, roasting s’mores, and playing sports—campers attend classes designed to help them grow in their faith, build a sense of community, and, at a time of heightened anti-Muslim sentiment, learn how to deal with and respond to bigotry. According to Amira Quraishi, daughter of the camp’s late founder, Marghoob Quraishi, “My father, he saw Islam as a force for good, equality, social justice and pursuing knowledge… He saw that these were new Muslims in a new country and they needed to try to figure out how they were going to be Muslim in America… The way my dad described it is that he just started walking and then after 20 years looked back and noticed people were coming with him.”
Stephan Said: “After Charlottesville, Richmond Can Be Love’s Victory”
Read this thoughtful piece by musician and activist, Stephan Said, in which he argues that, rather than just fighting against hatred, racism, and violence, we must instead make it clear what we are fighting for: “a world that includes all of us.”
Reacting to Charlottesville: What You Can Do
If the events in Charlottesville this past weekend have you rattled, here are some concrete, positive actions you can take to support inclusivity, local Charlottesville businesses, call out hate, and more. Click below for a comprehensive list!
Is There a Religious Way to Be Angry?
In our current political, social, and cultural climate in the United States, it can feel like outrages and injustice are coming at us from every side, be it an unjust new law, a rally in support of racism and hatred, or even simply national discourse that diminishes groups of people and calls into question whether or not they are a legitimate part of US society. If you care about social justice, it can be easy to feel angry at these events. Anger is a natural emotion, but what is the right way to be angry? Is there a way to express the emotion that honors our religious faiths? Read this piece below for an interfaith perspective on anger, and the importance of channeling the emotion toward action.
