OVERVIEW
During four Fridays in Lent, we will have a series of presentations by the Islamic Networks Group, a non-profit organization with affiliates around the country that are pursuing peace, and countering all forms of bigotry, through education and interfaith engagement while working within the framework of the First Amendment’s protection of religious freedom and pluralism.
WHEN & WHERE
The forum series will be held on four consecutive Fridays, starting March 17 and ending April 7. Meetings will be at 10:00am in the St. Thomas Library. The duration will be 60 minutes, plus time for questions.
COVERED TOPICS
March 17: Getting to Know American Muslims and Their Faith
This presentation begins with basic terminology and the demographics of Muslims in the United States and the world, describes the major beliefs and practices of Islam, including major Muslim holidays, and expands on the faith’s principal theological teachings, including its relation to Judaism and Christianity. It also addresses common misconceptions about Islam and Muslims.
March 24: Muslim Contributions to Civilization
Muslims have had a major and creative impact on world civilization. Particularly during the medieval Golden Age of Islam, Muslims in many lands made major contributions in diverse fields, including art, architecture, music, mathematics, medicine, astronomy, and even cuisine, clothing, and furniture. This presentation shows how the Muslim world has related to, influenced, and interacted with other cultures from its beginning.
March 31: A History of Muslims in America
Most Americans are unaware of the long history of Muslims in the United States. This presentation remedies that lack, depicting the substantial, documented presence of Muslims among enslaved Africans in the Americas, describing both the successive waves of immigration that have brought Muslims to our country from the 19th century on and the rediscovery of Islam among African Americans in the 20th century, and highlighting notable American Muslims today.
April 7: Muslim Women Beyond the Stereotypes
The role of Muslim women and Islam’s view of women is one of the most widely misunderstood and misrepresented aspects of the religion and its practitioners. This presentation describes Qur’anic and prophetic teachings about the role and responsibilities of Muslim women, including the different roles that women play in Muslim life. It also includes a description of notable Muslim women from the founding of Islam through the present and information about contemporary American Muslim women.
