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Seminary
school gives moderate Muslims voice
For
many people, the term “Muslim” conjures
thoughts of extremism and violence, but
the recent actions of two young leaders
in the Islamic community are providing
the much-needed voice of moderate Muslims
and, quite frankly, it’s long overdue.
According to an article in the June 18 issue of the New York Times, Sheik Hamza
Yusuf and Imam Zaid Shakir have been giving sold-out lectures on values often
ignored by both the media and extremist Muslims and are forming the first Islamic
seminary, the Zaytuna Institute, in the United States
Luckily, it’s located here in California.
Both men are challenging the prevailing attitudes preached in mosques and by
radical Islamic clerics, teaching students that tolerance and piety are not
mutually exclusive values and that American and Islamic morals are not necessarily
different.
Many Muslims feel torn between their religious beliefs and the ideals preached
in American culture. The discrepancies between the values taught in mosques
and those shown in Western media are huge.
While a few extreme leaders in Islam encourage violence and hatred toward other
religions and races, Muslims in the United States are living in a country founded
on the ideal of tolerance of diversity.
As Islam teaches humility, the media preaches the value of materialism and
vanity.
For many young Muslims these differences have been a source of enormous moral
quandary. The new Islamic seminary may be the necessary haven for Muslims who
follow their faith, yet wish to engage with American culture.
The actions of both Yusuf and Shakir deserve tremendous accolades, not only
for the service they are providing for Muslims living in the United States,
but also those outside the Islamic community.
Too often radical Muslims preaching the virtues of hate and violence are shown
in the media without a portrayal of peaceful, moderate Muslims. Because of
the negative portrayal and narrow scope of Islam shown on television and in
newspapers, many Americans have become less accepting of the Islamic faith.
The Zaytuna Institute will not only be a source of spirituality, but one of
tolerance and acceptance and, hopefully, the origin of a new understanding
of Islamic culture and beliefs for Americans.
As violence in Iraq claims more U.S. soldiers and the hateful preaching of
Islamic outliers continue, it has become increasingly more important that a
new understanding of Islam and its values are understood and are introduced
to the American conscious.
Many Americans feel the volatile situation in the Middle East is due to the
fundamental values of Islam and a voice for moderate Islamic values is, now
more than ever, necessary.
Hopefully the Zaytuna Institute will not only provide Muslims in the United
States with a place of spiritual relief, but will also provide those outside
Islam with a new tolerance of the Islamic faith and, ultimately, greater understanding
and respect for Islam. We cannot begin to have a truly deep respect for someone
or something without an understanding of it.
This new Islamic seminary may be the genesis of a new understanding of Islam
and result in a greater respect for a religion whose practices and values remain
a mystery to many.
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