WCMIR’s USA Board Puts Forward Interfaith Work Recommendations

Chicago, March 21, 2009: The executive committee of World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations, WCMIR, met for the second time during March at the residence of its international chairman, Dr. Hamid Hai, to discuss its agenda for the newly established chapter in USA.

Dr. Hamid Hai emphasized the importance of the US chapter and expressed his confidence in the leadership of Dr. Abidullah Ghazi who was elected its chairman in a Las Vegas convention in August 2008. The committee discussed various options and strategies to develop the future agenda of WCMIR. Reports from three international chapters were read and it was decided that an international conference will be held in the nation’s capitol during January 2010.

Later in the evening at IQRA’s headquarters an open meeting was held with the members of WCMIR USA Board and other prominent community leaders.

Dr. Zahid Bokhari, a prominent scholar and professor at Georgetown University congratulated IQRA’ International for supporting WCMIR efforts. He talked about the present global situation of interfaith work and encouraged WCMIR to take a lead in defining the role of WCMIR and coordinating the efforts of various interfaith groups. This role would be exemplified in the projects WCMIR takes on, such as interacting with social groups and participating in welfare projects, according to Dr. Irfan Ahmed Khan.

Dr. Aslam Abdullah, a well-known journalist and the director of the Nevada Islamic Society advised WCMIR to not affiliate itself with the power brokers of the Muslim world and should adopt an independent strategy reflecting our own position in living in a free and democratic society.

Dr Ahmedullah Siddiqi, a professor of mass communication, gave the history of WCMIR and encouraged that the community should be mobilized to achieve its goals. Dr. Abidullah Ghazi, the president of WCMIR USA, presented his vision of the structure and working of WCMIR.

Mr. Rajaullah Quraishi, an active community leader, pointed out that many goals of WCMIR overlap with other Muslim faith groups, therefore there is a need for coordination and cooperation.

Dr. Marcia Hermanson, professor of Islamic Studies at Loyola University and the vice-president of WCMIR USA, briefed the seminar on the international efforts of WCMIR in promoting interfaith work.

Commenting on Dr. Ghazi’s paper to respect all people’s faith and ideologies she warned to distinguish between faiths based communities and ideologies; not every ideology we need to respect, but every faith we must.

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