Dr. Muhammad Shafiq, executive director of the Brian and Jean Hickey Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York, will be sharing his wisdom with Indianapolis at the Indiana Council on World Affairs (ICWA) Distinguished Speakers Program on Oct. 20.
ICWA is the local chapter of the World Affairs Council Of America, which “exists to make sure people know about the world and are educated about issues that are important to U.S. foreign policy and that affect policy in the United States,” said Larry Cimino, vice president for programs at ICWA.
Cimino is the one who extends invitations to speakers for the organization’s dinner program, which brings national speakers to the Hoosier state each month September through May. Cimino said he has had several requests for speakers addressing various aspects of Islam, which is one reason he invited Shafiq for this month’s event.
Cimino said the topic is particularly relevant given recent attempts by Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to close off Indiana to Syrian refugees, and calls from some politicians for an all-out ban on Muslim immigration to the U.S.
“It certainly has to do with some of the hardline perspectives that have been espoused by certain (political) candidates,” he said.
Cimino said he chose Shafiq for his “ability to bring people together to talk about different religions and to foster understanding and tolerance.”
“I think he’ll be able to put Islam in perspective,” Cimino said, adding the discussion will “give people a chance to ask difficult questions.”
In addition to leading the Hickey Center, Shafiq teaches courses on world religions, including a course on the civil rights movement; he has led leadership training workshops in America and at least seven other countries; and he has organized a series of symposiums, the most recent of which brought 150 scholars from around the world to present their work. The focus of his address in Indianapolis will be “Historic and Political Streams of Islam: Intra-faith and inter-faith challenges and opportunities.”
Shafiq said he aims to share a Muslim perspective on the history of Islam, the division between the Shia and Sunni, the reasons behind the creation of ISIS and the tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
“There’s a lot of confusion, a lot of misunderstanding about Muslims in America. Americans are pretty divided,” Shafiq said. “When you look deeply, especially at what is happening in the Middle East, that’s also very challenging for Americans to understand.”
Shafiq said he will address times throughout history when Christians, Jews and Muslims have successfully worked together in interfaith cooperation, as well as current roadblocks to interfaith dialogue and cooperation.
“The contemporary crisis is, to some extent, that Muslims have lost interfaith cooperation. Why they lost it and what happened, I will also be elaborating on that.”
Among the barriers to interfaith dialogue, Shafiq says, is political turmoil.
“People are caught up in hunger, exploitation of the poor, and other issues … There needs to be political reform in the area of social justice, and I think that will pave the way for interfaith dialogue,” he said.
Shafiq will also touch on extremism, both where he thinks it stems from and ways in which it can be addressed.
“Extremism is part of human existence in all societies, ethnicities, cultures and religions, from the very beginning of human life,” he said. “To handle extremism, you need economic justice. When people are hungry and their rights are violated, that’s when they take the law into their own hands.”
Cimino said attendees at Shafiq’s address can come for a reception and dinner before the speech, but they’re also welcome to come only for the talk.
“We encourage people to come if they’re interested in the topic, but more generally if they’re interested in what goes on around the world and the impact it has on policy.”
For more information about ICWA and its programs, visit indianaworld.org.
