AMWA invited to speak at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

June 2007

         An unexpected call to Dr. Hassan one evening by Deacon Meg Fielding, inviting her to come and speak to a group of Deacons and Pastors on their Annual Retreat title “Exploring Islam”, gave  some of us our first opportunity to make presentations at an Interfaith event.

             Deacon Meg, represented the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, A Congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She was very precise about what she and the others wanted us to talk about. Her email listed the topics that interested them, Islam , the place of women in Islam, family issues, growing up as a Muslim in the American culture and lastly a discussion about the differences between the Sunnis and the Shias. Her email ended “Quite an ambitious program but I think a wonderful first step towards understanding Islam”

    Shahana Hayder gave a presentation on the life of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) and the circumstances during which Islam (Qur'an) was revealed and spread.

    A group of Muslim Youth were also present. They shared their experiences growing up a Muslims un America.

    The panel & audiences broke for lunch. Deacon Meg Fielding addressed our dietary concerns and everyone was attentive to our wishes.

    After lunch a small presentation on Women in Islam who given by Dr. Hassan, after which a panel of four Muslim women fielded questions from the audience. 

    Salem Mikdadi gave a historical presentation on the rise of the Shia school of thought and the origin of the schism in Islam. Imam Hassanain Rajabali spoke eloquently about the Imams in the Shia sects and of the stressed on the commonality not only between Shia & Sunnis but among all Abrahamic faiths.

    The speakers and panelists did a wonderful job in conveying to the audience what the true spirit of Islam was, and how as Muslims we were obliged, indeed mandated to live by that spirit. I think that the audience felt that very strongly. It was a remarkable interfaith event and one that I will remember for a long time.