Special Interfaith Service
for Tsunami Victims
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
An interfaith prayer vigil
for victims and survivors of the South Asian tsunami and
earthquake victims was held on January 6 at the St. Julie
Billiart Parish in San Jose, CA. Muslim, Christians, Jews,
Catholic, Hindu, Sikh and other groups joined together in
mutual concern and prayer for victims and survivors. Prayers,
chants and readings were offered in a spirit of solidarity
and concern for the victims and survivors. American Muslim
Voice Executive Director Samina Faheem Sundas and an Islamic
scholar Dr. Khalid Siddiqi represented the Muslim community
at the multi-religious and multi-ethnic special Inter-faith
service.
Glimpses
of the Interfaith services |
The AMV Executive Director
was honored to be co-mc of the service. Dr. Khalid Siddiqi,
who is also President of the Islamic Education & Information
Center, Newark CA, offered prayers with the recitation of
Holy Qur'an. He later translated the verses in English.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) was one
of the co-sponsors of the special service that was telecast
on local TV networks. Samina Faheem Sundas told the NBC
Channel 11 News that she was very proud that all the religious
and ethnic groups are coming together to help the tsunami
victims.
"But we do not need to wait for a natural disaster of this
magnitude to unite us in the spirit that we are seeing today,
I hope we can remember these feelings of compassion, concern,
kindness and unity everyday," she added. She went on to
say that "we are all human beings and we need to care about
only one race, the human race. That is the goal of the American
Muslim Voice to make the most beautiful diverse human wall
of support and strength for each other, one that cannot
be shaken."
The AMV's goal is to bridge the gap between all communities,
she concluded. The special interfaith service was hosted
by St. Julie Billiart Parish and sponsored by members of
various religious communities. Others who participated in
the prayers were: Fr. Saju Joseph from South India whose
hometown and neighboring areas were also affected by tsunami.
Babaji Mohinder Singh Bajwa, head of the Gurdwara Sahib,
Evergreen valley, San Jose. Fr. Dominic Joseph, Pastor for
the Syro-Malabar Christians of the SF Bay Area. Padit Balu
Shastri, a religious leader and teacher in the Bay Area.
Msgr. Eugene Boyle, a founding member of the Interfaith
Council of Santa Clara County. Ms. Diane Fisher, the director
of Jewish Relations Community Council and a member of Congregation
Shir Hadash, in Los Gatos. Rev. Carol Been of the Interfaith
Council of Santa Clara County. The service was followed
by a fundraiser to support rescue efforts in the tsunami-hit
areas.
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