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Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, January/February 2007, pages 56-57 Muslim-American Activism Building Bridges: A Conference in Ames, Iowa on Islam in America
INTERNATIONAL, state, and local leaders met Oct. 27 at Iowa State University (ISU) in Ames for a day-long conference titled “Building Bridges: Islam in America.” Dr. Rajmah Hussein, ambassador of Malaysia to the United States, traveled from Washington, DC to Ames for the conference. With some 30 years’ experience in the Malaysian foreign service, she has served in five Malaysian embassies abroad, and as ambassador in Paris, Geneva, and Vienna. Ambassador Hussein told the Washington Report of her support of the continuing Iowa Sister States relationship with Terengganu, Malaysia, and her interest in taking this opportunity to talk to Iowans about Islam Hadari and Islam’s role in the modern world. Islam Hadari is an initiative of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the ambassador explained. “In the light of what has happened in the past few years, with Islam [having been] associated with terrorism and comments made against Islam, it is very important that people understand each other,” she stated. Badawi, who earned a degree in Islamic Studies from the University of Malaysia in 1964, led the National Front coalition to a landslide victory in the 2004 parliamentary elections while calling for modern and progressive Islamic rule and reform. The ambassador held out Malaysia as a model for good community relations, pointing out that her country is a multi-racial, multi-religious parliamentary democracy. “In Malaysia, you have a church next to a mosque next to a temple, and we live peacefully together. Of course there are frictions now and then, but you make an effort to overcome the friction,” Ambassador Hussein said. The conference began with an inspirational panel discussion focused on the question, “How did faith shape my life?” ISU’s Dr. Stephen Aigner, chair of the Ames Interfaith Council, moderated the discussion; representing Christianity was Dr. Janet Heinicke, Emeritus, Simpson College; Dr. Allan Scult, Emeritus, Drake University, represented Judaism; and Robert Schiers of the Darul Arqum Islamic Center of Ames represented Islam. Imam Ibrahim Dremali of the Islamic Center of Des Moines led a question-and-answer session on Islamic prayer. Dr. Kenneth Atkinson of the University of Northern Iowa led a workshop titled “Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad: Overcoming Intolerance among Monotheists.” Forrest Harms, executive director of the Des Moines Area Religious Council, discussed the programs sponsored by the council in a presentation titled “Building Bridges in Greater Des Moines.” Michael Wakefield of Lutheran Services of Iowa addressed issues related to individual, family, and community self-sufficiency in a presentation titled “Barnabus Uplift: Building Sufficient Sustainable Livelihoods.” Dr. Nathaniel Wade of ISU presented a paper titled “The Psychology of Forgiveness.” Evening events included dinner and a celebration of Malaysian culture at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center. The highlight of the evening was Ambassador Hussain’s presentation on Islam Hadari. “Islam is a religion of peace,” the diplomat stated. She went on to explain that Islam Hadari represents a comprehensive approach adopted by Malaysia referring to the idea that Islam, one of the world’s oldest major religions, can exist in a modern world peacefully. “Islam abhors terrorism,” Ambassador Hussein emphasized, adding that “Malaysia calls for an understanding of the root causes of terrorism.” Her country has shown by example a long-term approach to solving social problems, she told her audience. Recalling the economic imbalances which developed in Malaysia and led to riots in 1969, she noted that the government addressed the problems. “Doors must remain open, and policies must be balanced,” she said. The conference was the latest event in an ongoing initiative spanning more than four decades of coordinated cooperative efforts between Iowans and Malaysians. Working with political and educational leaders in Iowa, Bill Aossey, founder of Midamar Corporation, a leading producer of Halal foods, facilitated the formal establishment of the sister state relationship between Iowa and Terengganu in 1987. Dr. Janet Heinicke and Jalel Aossey traveled to the Malaysian state several times to consolidate support for the relationship. Other distinguished guests at the dinner included Cyndi Chen, appointed by Gov. Tom Vilsack as the first administrator for the Division on the Status of Iowans of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage; State Senators Nancy Boettger (R) of Harlan and Larry McKibben (R) of Marshalltown; the Hon. Robert Anderson, former lieutenant governor of Iowa; and Kathy Hill of the Iowa Department of Economic Development. Also attending was Sana Akili, former ISU lecturer in marketing and former chair of the Ames Interfaith Council, now an international program specialist with the U.S. Department of Commerce. The ISU Association of Malaysian Students performed the Lion Dance and presented a fashion show featuring traditional and contemporary Malaysian dress. The conference was sponsored by the Iowa Sister States program and the Terengganu, Malaysia Country Committee, and was co-sponsored by the Ames Interfaith Council. —Michael Gillespie |
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