US mosque uses Iftars to build interfaith understanding
Regional-USA, Religion, 10/19/2006

Islamic centers across the United States view Ramadan iftars as an opportunity to reach out to non-Muslims and build bridges of understanding through interfaith dialogue. The Muslim Community Center (MCC) in Silver Spring, Maryland, holds several interfaith iftars during the month to introduce Christians, Jews and other community members to the practices of Islam.

"We have always had to do interfaith in America. That's nothing new for America. We've had to do it from the time we set foot in America, having been born here or come from another country," said MCC member Tiye Mulazim at an October 17 iftar honoring guests from the US State Department.

"We've always had to do interfaith because... Islam is not the majority religion here. So we had to learn to get along with people because we live in America every single day," she said.

The iftar with State Department officials followed a similar event at MCC with teachers and administrators from area schools and came days before another iftar with members of neighborhood churches and synagogues.

Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat, who periodically delivers sermons at the MCC mosque, said the event was "a wonderful example that people want to talk," and he said the center should hold more of them. "We have to extend invitations to others, and they will come. If we invite Treasury Department officials, they will come. If we invite Justice Department officials, they will come. There's a lot of misunderstanding going on, and unless we invite them, they'll not see that we're in the A+ category."

MCC President Mohammed Babah spoke of the freedoms Muslim Americans enjoy and said it is their responsibility to share their experiences not only with other Americans but also with Muslims around the world.



Guests, including Imam Mutee Mulazim (left), enjoy a buffet dinner after breaking the fast and saying prayers. (State Dept/Ken White)
"We here, as Muslims, have more freedom than Muslims in Islamic countries," he said. "Now they hear about what our government is doing, some of which they don't like. Who is better to go over there and tell them, 'Listen, this is the reality when you come to the ordinary people in America.'"

He pointed out that the American people, who hold a broad array of opinions, do not necessarily agree with official government policies. He said Muslim Americans must explain this to their fellow Muslims elsewhere, telling them, "The regular American understands you. They have your brothers and sisters living among them, and they do things together."

Mulazim, who recently participated in a State Department-sponsored trip to Indonesia and the Philippines, said Muslims in other countries are often concerned about relations between Muslim and non-Muslim Americans.

"They were very concerned about that. 'What's happened since 9/11? Can you practice your religion? How are people receiving you?' And we let them know that for the most part, people receive us very well," she said.

Mulazim said the people she met were most interested in America's diversity. She said Indonesians were fascinated to meet an African-American Muslim woman. "I felt like Michael Jackson or somebody. Everywhere I went, the people were just flocking to me and asking questions," she said.

She said people were also surprised to see that she does not resemble the images they see in American-made television shows and movies. "I don't know if they thought I was going to wear a little short skirt or what, but they were really surprised when they saw me, like, 'Oh, you look like us!' And yes, we do all look the same," she said.

Mulazim said the best part of the program she participated in was that she was encouraged to speak her mind about life as a Muslim-American woman. "And this is exactly what we did. We let them know that we were not briefed as to what to say and what not to say, that we could express ourselves and we did," she said.

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