Tag Archives: Islam

Laurie Wohl’s Birds of Longing: Exile and Memory

An Art Exhibition March 14th – May 2nd
Artist Reception with Laurie on Thursday, March 31st | 5:30pm

This project interweaves Muslim, Jewish, and Christian poetry and spiritual texts from the period of convivencia (co-existence) in Spain (8th-15th centuries), and from modern Middle Eastern poets, particularly Palestinian and Israeli.

Emphasis is on the common themes and striking parallels between Arabic and Hebrew texts, similarly rich in their poetry of spiritual love, an extensive poetry of exile, and poetry of nostalgia for Andalusia.

The project contains Wohl’s weavings, as well as an audio component which consists of readings in English, Arabic, and Hebrew that are interwoven to create a soundscape illustrating the commonality of the Middle Eastern languages.

Wohl will be at the JCC on March 31st as part of an interfaith panel discussion.

Meet a Muslim

Please join us for the next Meet a Muslim Community Conversation. The purpose of the event is to build relationships and foster understanding through casual, honest conversation. No presentations, no lectures. Bring your questions and let’s talk.

Hands Around the Mosque

Love is the only force capable of uniting a divided nation

We Muslims, Arabs and South Asians are honored and grateful to our fellow Americans from diverse communities and faiths for standing with us in this climate of hate and division. Let us send a profound and sacred message of our unity to the world as we reaffirm our commitment to stand by and support each other. Please join us for an interfaith/inter‐community gathering and move “From fear to friendship”

Dinner will be served after sunset prayer. (The event may be outside; dress warmly)

Please register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hands-around-the-mosque-tickets-21279871669

To serve you better please RSVP saminasundas@gmail.com or asghazali2011@gmail.com

Download a flyer: Hands Around The Mosque

For more information please visit www.amuslimvoice.org or call Samina Sundas 650‐387‐1994

ING Panel : Combating the Cancer of Extremism

Register at Eventbrite

Panelists:

Eli Taub: After a long career at Kaiser Permanente as a pediatrician, Eli retired and is now an active member in many Jewish organizations. He served on the Santa Clara County’s Human Relations Commission and has helped plan the County Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony. Eli attended the University of Michigan and received his M.D. at the University of Chicago. He and his wife have two grown children and three granddaughters. Eli represents the Jewish religion.

Henry Millstein: Henry holds a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies, with a focus on Jewish-Christian relations, from UC Berkeley and the Graduate Theological Union,  and has taught humanities and history of religion at Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, and the Graduate Theological Union. He worked for 16 years in language and cultural preservation with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs in Oregon, where he participated in their traditional religious life. His interfaith experience also includes involvement with Jewish and Buddhist communities. Henry represents the Christian religion.

Maha ElGenaidi: Maha is the founder of ING and author of training handbooks on outreach for American Muslims as well as training seminars for public institutions on developing cultural competency with the American Muslim community. She has an M.A. in religious studies from Stanford University and received her bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from the American University in Cairo. Maha has been recognized with numerous awards, including the “Civil Rights Leadership Award” from the California Association of Human Relations Organizations and “Citizen of the Year Award” from the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. Maha represents the Muslim religion.

Meet a Muslim: Questions and Answers

Please join us for our 4th Meet a Muslim Community Conversation. The purpose of the event is to build relationships and foster understanding through casual, honest conversation. No presentations, no lectures. Bring your questions and let’s talk.

Moina Shaiq ,a Muslim resident of Fremont for the past 33 years, a mother of four and an active member of our community.

MoinaShaiqBring any question that you might have, they will try to answer to the best of their ability. Know that they won’t be offended by any question.

  • Are women oppressed in Islam?
  • How do Muslims practice their faith?
  • How does Islam view other religions?
  • What is Sharia law?
  • What is the Islamic view of terrorism?
  • What factors contributed to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism?

Understanding Islam: Buddhist-Muslim Dialogue

On a daily basis, we read and hear conflicting information about Muslims and Islam in the media.  Muslim culture often isn’t very well understood and there are many misconceptions about it.

To help sort out fact from fiction, please join the Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale on Sunday, January 31, 2016 for a unique opportunity to increase our understanding about the Islamic faith, tradition, and practice, past and present and Muslim culture.

Ismael Nass and Aisha Morgan from the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Islamic Networks Group (ING) and Abbot Jian Hu Shifu of the Zen Center will engage in a conversation to promote a greater appreciation and understanding of each other’s religion and traditions and their relationship to one another.

Ismael Nass is a lifelong student of Islamic Theology and Jurisprudence. Aisha Morgan is the Principal of the Islamic School at the Islamic Society of Santa Rosa. Both are longtime speakers with Islamic Networks Group.

Islamic Networks Group (ING) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to counter prejudice and discrimination against American Muslims by teaching about their traditions and contributions in the context of America’s history and cultural diversity, while building relations between American Muslims and other groups.

Location:        Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale

Date:               Sunday, January 31, 2016

Time:              2:00 – 4:30 pm

1:45pm (Check-in)

Muslims of America Condemn Terrorism

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Muslims of America Condemn Terrorism

This statement appeared today in The San Jose Mercury News. A similar version appeared earlier in the San Francisco Chronicle. We support our Muslim brothers and sisters and their efforts to be heard.

There has been a rash of terror attacks most recently in Paris and San Bernardino. Several of these attacks have been carried out by people acting seemingly in the name of our faith, Islam.

As American Muslims we condemn these attacks. The killing of innocent people is abhorrent, barbaric and an affront to our faith. No cause justifies violence and terrorism against innocent civilians.

We strongly condemn ISIS and all of their claims. Most importantly, we completely reject their assertion that they are carrying out a holy war sanctioned by our holy book, the Quran. Despite claiming to act in the name of our faith, they do not represent us, nor do they speak for us. These terrorists do not represent the views of the overwhelming majority of the 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide, more than a fifth of the world’s population.

American Muslims are part of the fabric of this country.We contribute to our society in a variety of ways as accountants, architects, doctors, economists, engineers, entrepreneurs, lawyers, nurses, students and teachers.We run businesses and we serve in the armed forces, the National Guard and the police.We are your neighbors, coworkers and friends in this great land of ours.We cherish the freedoms and liberties that are enshrined in the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We dearly love our country and do everything in our power to make it strong and keep it safe.

Sponsored by:
Council of American Islamic Relations, Bay Area chapter (CAIR), Islamic Center of Zahra, Pleasanton (ICZ), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Islamic Network Group, San Jose (ING), Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), Muslim Community Association, Santa Clara (MCA), Muslim Community Center Eastbay, Pleasanton (MCC Eastbay), SABA Islamic Center, San Jose, San Ramon Valley Islamic Center (SRVIC), Shura Council of Southern California, South Bay Islamic Association, San Jose (SBIA), United Muslims of America-Interfaith Alliance, South San Francisco

Eid Festival (Celebration of Muslim Holidays)

A special opportunity to learn how Muslims celebrate their holidays.

All great religions encourage its followers to love their neighbors.But to love our neighbors, “we must know our neighbors.”

Three panelists from Islam, Christianity and Judaism will share how they celebrate their holidays, followed by Q & A and table sharing to encourage dialog and to learn about each other’s holiday traditions.

There will be a free gourmet Pakistani lunch, desserts from around the world, Mehndi (Henna) and bangles for girls. Photo booth/Ethnic clothes for you to play dress up, and Nasheed (Spiritual singing) Kids would share their favorite parts of Eid.

Register at www.eventbrite.com. search for Eid Festival (Celebration of Muslim Holidays)

Donations will be greatly appreciated. You can pay via paypal at www.amuslimvoice.org, or write a check payable to AMV Foundation and mail it to 120 Park Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306.

“A holiday to build ‘a beloved community'”
(coverage of last year’s Eid Festival in Palo Alto Weekly- see page 13)
http://www.paloaltoonline.com/morguepdf/2014/2014_11_21.paw.section1.pdf

Stand Together in Solidarity

Join the Muslim Community Association, South Bay Islamic Association, Evergreen Islamic Center, Blossom Valley Muslim Community Center and many Bay Area Mosques for a solidarity event with the Victims’ families of the San Bernardino Shooting.