Tariq Ramadan at Helping Hand Fundraiser

By Adil James, TMO

Tariq Ramadan speaks at the HHRD fundraiser for Syria.

Romulus–March 23–Tariq Ramadan continued his speaking tour of Michigan this past Sunday night at the Helping Hand for Relief and Development fundraiser for Syria.

The fundraiser appeared to collect about $50,000 Sunday.

There were about 330 people who filled the convention center where the event was held.

Ramadan emphasized the importance of establishing some Muslim institutions that can give without regard to politics.  The subtext of his speech was that the tragedy unfolding in Syria has unintended and unforeseen consequences for all, but that we must help as much as we can despite that.  “In this room there are different opinions about what is happening” but it is still necessary to help.

Some organizations, Ramadan said, should not have a political agenda–they should just help.  He explained that in Syria, innocents are being killed everyday at a rate of 170 per day.  “Yes it is Islamic” to act without involvement in politics, he said.  Being professional, he explained, means sometimes having separation between our moral judgments and the actions we take to help other people. 

He emphasized, as in his recent speech profiled in TMO, that  assimilation into language, loyalty, and a nation’s laws should not mean casting aside one’s character and values, but that in order to properly contribute and maintain our integrity we must stand against abuses by our nations–and that that in itself is a very high form of loyalty.

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