American Imam tells Nilai UC students to open their minds and hearts to their fellow man.
Born in Syria and now a naturalised American, Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat has been spreading the message of peace and goodwill through his sermons and work with Civilizations Exhange and Cooperation Foundation (CECF) for decades. Imam Bashar is the President and founder of CECF.
In his talk to Nilai University College (Nilai UC)students, which was entitled 'Islam and Interfaith in America', Imam Bashir spoke of the many issues confronting Muslims in America today and how initiatives were being taken by various governmental agencies to promote a better understanding of Islam and Muslims. For instance, he said that the State Department and White House had hosted Iftah during the month of Ramadan.
He says problems associated with cultural and religious misunderstandings can be resolved if everyone made a concerted effort to better understand their peers. He asked them to talk to students from other backgrounds and to visit their places of worship. He proudly showed photos of trips to mosques, synagogues and churches for students of all backgrounds in the United States of America.
He was particularly proud of the fact that he was the first and to date only Muslim cleric invited to speak at the Diocesan Convention in New York in November last year. He believes that by reaching out to people of different faiths will result in better understanding and reduce the incidence of conflict. "When people miss the point is the moment you have conflict," stressed Imam Bashir. "Since making that speech in New York, I have been welcomed back and people from Catholic organisations recognise me."
Nilai UC regularly invites guest speakers to its campus with the intention of exposing the student populace to a wide array of ideas and influences. This is in line with its 'Enrichment for Life' philosophy which aims to produce well-rounded graduates who will be a boon to society. Imam Bashir's visit was made possible with the help of the US Embassy..
