Understanding Islam
Launched by Jones Knowledge Group
By Catharine Robinson
Washington, DC
(Left):
Dr Akbar Ahmed and Mr Arif Zaffar Mansuri speak at
launch of Understanding Islam. (Right): Dr Ahmed and
Mr Mansuri with Jones Knowledge Team |
Each day, Americans in every
walk of life and of every occupation interact in some way
with the world of Islam. Each of these interactions is an
opportunity to build a bridge of understanding and cooperation
between two of the world’s most complex and dynamic
civilizations: Islam and the West. Unfortunately, many of
these opportunities are approached from a perspective of
ignorance, intolerance, prejudice and hate. A new program,
entitled Understanding Islam, written by an esteemed
team of Islamic scholars and produced by Jones Knowledge
Group, hopes to give Americans and others an informed perspective
from which to work with the Muslim world.
Leading the scholars who wrote the program’s content
was Ambassador Akbar Ahmed. Ahmed has made it his life’s
work to remedy this “clash of civilizations”
by preaching tolerance and educating both Muslims and Americans
alike about the value of patience and understanding. Many
of the misperceptions Americans have about Islam come from
simply not knowing the facts about the nature of Islam,
the complexity of Muslim societies, and the many values
we have in common.
Having just joined Dr. Ahmed’s office at American
University this fall, I was at first overwhelmed by the
enormity of his task. I realized that what Dr. Ahmed was
doing was attempting to change the world: not through force,
power or coercion, but through knowledge. Like many of his
students and colleagues, I was soon inspired by his persistence
and motivation. For decades he has been working to change
ignorance into curiosity and intolerance into understanding.
Understanding Islam: An Introduction was launched
at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on October
11. The online course, created by the Denver-based Jones
Knowledge Group, is a valuable resource to all who want
to know more about Islam. It is designed to teach a basic
knowledge of the history, diversity, laws, sects and traditions
of Islam to the average person. It is not designed for scholars,
experts, or academics. Rather, it makes knowledge of Islam
accessible to businessmen, politicians, policemen, schoolteachers,
soldiers, or any other person who simply desires to know
more.
The diversity of the audience at the launch exemplified
the broad appeal of the course. Every seat in the house
was filled with a diverse mix of Muslim leaders, television
and radio broadcasters, representatives from the FBI, the
Department of Homeland Security and the Army, members of
Congress, and a good number of interested American public.
At its release, Ahmed spoke about the importance of dialogue.
“The chasm has grown, and the temperature is rising…
if we fail to generate dialogue, we are hurtling toward
a confrontation.” Mr. Arif Zaffar Mansuri, a widely
respected activist for the Muslim community and the owner
of the Pakistan Link, was also on the panel. Under Mr. Mansuri’s
guidance, the Pakistan Link has become an active participant
in encouraging dialogue and understanding between Islam
and the West.
Arif
Zaffar Mansuri speaks at the
National Press Club in Washington, DC |
“There are grave misperceptions,”
Mr. Mansuri remarked, “so we must engage intelligently.”
Jacqui Fogg, the creator of the program, also spoke about
how she came to be interested in learning about Islam. A
middle-school teacher, she was angered and upset after 9/11.
Like many Americans she felt a deep resentment towards those
who had planned the attacks — an ambiguous enemy few
knew much about at the time. One day in class her misdirected
hatred and ignorance was revealed when she accused one of
her Muslim students of being a terrorist. After seeing the
hurt that the comment caused the boy, Jackie became determined
to learn more about Islam so that such an incident would
never again take place. She wanted to stop being part of
the problem, and start being part of the solution. Now she
is proud to say that she is the creator of the Understanding
Islam program, a program that she hopes will help other
people like her approach their interactions with the Muslim
world from a basis of knowledge and informed respect.
The program consists of six units. Each unit consists of
an overview of the topic, followed by a brief quiz to help
the learner identify which points he or she knows and which
he or she needs to go over again. The final unit provides
a summary by giving several real-life scenarios. This program
is to be the first in the Jones Cultural Diversity Series,
designed to teach equal appreciation and respect for many
of the world’s diverse cultures.
Concluding the launch event, one of the co-writers of the
program, Frankie Martin, spoke about his experiences with
interfaith dialogue. He had just finished touring many countries
in the Muslim world with Ahmed while researching for Ahmed’s
latest book, Journey Into Islam. While interviewing
Muslims in India, Pakistan, and the Middle East, Frankie
asked, “What, in your view, is the currently the biggest
threat to Islam?” The large majority responded, “The
perception of Islam in America.” Hailey Woldt, a student
at Georgetown University, also traveled with Ahmed and assisted
in writing the content for the Understanding Islam.
She finished the event by emphasizing that it has never
been more important for Americans to show that understanding
and respect is something America values, too.
As a student, I often feel frustrated with how little many
Americans — even Americans in positions of power —
know about Islam. Understanding Islam is an accessible,
informative tool for teaching people about the history and
origins of the Islamic faith. It is especially relevant
because the relationship between the diverse world of Islam
and that of the West is one of the most volatile issues
in world politics today. Only mutual understanding and knowledge
of other cultures and perspectives can “lower the
temperature” of the escalating world conflict and
avoid a clash between these two great civilizations.
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