Cordoba Initiative

The 3rd Alternative – Book by Stephen Covey

admin — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:01:41 +0000

“In The 3rd Alternative, best-selling author Stephen Covey presents his groundbreaking strategies for fostering empathetic, synergistic communication. His prescriptions are compelling, easy to implement, and well documented with examples from his own life, high-stakes business negotiations, and international diplomacy. Anyone involved with interfaith dialogue, intercultural communication, or conflict resolution will find much to gain from this book.”

- Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf

Imam Feisal and Daisy Khan attend the 4th Annual Interfaith Dinner and Dialogue for US Religions Leaders

admin — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:52:12 +0000

Imam Feisal and Daisy Khan attend the 4th Annual Interfaith Dinner and Dialogue for US Religions Leaders at the United Nations, hosted by Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to the United States Erlan Idrissov.

Read more about this event here.

Imam Feisal Speaks at World Interfaith Harmony Week

admin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:16:18 +0000

“In this election year, let there be tolerance” – Op-Ed by Imam Feisal in the Minneapolis StarTribune

admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:17:08 +0000

In an op-ed in the Minneapolis StarTribune, Imam Feisal discusses the historical trend of religious suspicion experienced by successive waves of immigrants to the United States, which is now being felt by American Muslims as the most recent religious group to lay roots in the US. Imam Feisal maintains that the strength of the US political system lies in the founders’ understanding of the divisiveness of religion and their attempts to minimize those divisions by creating a political framework predicated on freedom of conscience. Further, Imam Feisal sees the American landscape as a agent of change and transformation within Islam, which will eventually create a unique American Islamic voice.

Read the full op-ed here.

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf Commends Appeal Courts Blocking Oklahoma Ban on Shariah Law

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:36:05 +0000

For Immediate Release
Susan Assadi, Gitenstein & Assadi PR
800 922 8792, susan@assadi.com

American Muslim Leader Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf Commends Appeal Courts Blocking Oklahoma Ban on Shariah Law

New York City –January 12, 2012 —The 10th circuit federal court of appeals ruled unconstitutional the Oklahoma amendment to ban Islamic Law. Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, Chairman Cordoba Initiative says “What a wonderful declaration for religious freedom in the US with the federal court of appeals recognizing that this amendment violated freedom of religion and violated the constitutional rights of Muslims who practice Shariah law.”

Imam Feisal continues “Shariah, Islamic Law, is generally and specifically compatible with the American Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and political system.” Imam Feisal has written extensively on this topic including this article Justiﬁcation and Theory of Sharia Law: How the American Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and Constitution are Consistent with Islamic Jurisprudence for the University of St. Thomas Law Journal in 2010.

This ruling on January 10th is a tribute to the protection provided to citizens by the First Amendment of the Constitution protecting Freedom of Religion. This process started with one individual calling for his civil and religious rights and challenging this amendment.

“I would like to express my sincerest congratulations to the Appeals Court and to the framers of the US Constitution for protecting our Freedom of Religion in the First Amendment. Recently we have heard many examples of bigotry and Islamophobic comments, this ruling is a reminder of the rights upheld in the US Constitution for all citizens,” adds Imam Feisal.

Cordoba Initiative points to another important example of combating global religious intolerance. In December the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was able to get their resolution 66/167 adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. This resolution aims to combat religious intolerance, and calls upon states to respect the rights of individuals to practice their religious faiths free from persecution, suspicion, hatred, and violence. “By adopting this measure, the UN demonstrates its commitment to social justice and its active role as a true, unifying global institution,” continues Imam Feisal.

“The ruling by the court of appeals in Oklahoma and the UN resolution are in sync with the mission and values of the Cordoba Initiative. Since 2004, the Cordoba Initiative has worked to build a multi-national, multi-faith community dedicated to improving understanding and building trust among people of all cultures and religions. The work of the Cordoba Initiative is fueled by the enthusiasm of individuals of diverse religious, cultural and national backgrounds and we strongly support the ruling of the 10th circuit to block the Oklahoma ban on Shariah law and the UN resolution 66/167 as a step toward a more just and peaceful world.”

Imam Feisal has written several articles on Shariah Law and a book Islam: A Sacred Law published in 2000 and has a new book Moving The Mountain, forthcoming in May 2012 from Free Press.

About Cordoba Initiative: Cordoba Initiative is an independent, multi-faith, and multi-national project whose objective is to heal the relationship between the Islamic world and America/the West. In this capacity, Imam Feisal and his organization provides innovative solutions to those areas where conflict between Islamic and Western communities undermines local and global security.

Imam Feisal speaks at IQRA Annual Dinner

admin — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:57:24 +0000

Imam Feisal spoke at the IQRA Annual Dinner. In his speech, Imam Feisal identified the primary and ultimate objective of an Islamic education as the protection and growth of the breath of God within every human being, saying,

“It is an unending journey. It is a journey that has a beginning, but has no end… This is the education… of the soul. An education which begins with the soul; an education which continues with the mind; an education of the heart; an education of the body.”

Imam Feisal also spoke about the interaction of Islam with other traditions, saying Islam is based on a philosophy that sought to accumulate and synthesize all kinds of knowledge. Imam calls on Muslims to amplify that message.

Watch Imam Feisal’s full speech below, or on the IQRA Foundation web site.

Peaceful Pilgrimage to Jerusalem: A Step Toward Reconciliation

admin — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:45:33 +0000

In an interview with Haaretz, Imam Feisal discussed the role that a peaceful pilgrimage to Jerusalem would have in reconciling Muslims and Jews in the Holy Land. Citing the Hajj as a time in which Muslims traditionally put aside conflicts to pray together and interact with each other in a positive way, Imam Feisal suggested that allowing Muslims to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem would likewise encourage peace, saying,

“The pilgrimage to Mecca has always been an occasion for Muslims to get to know Muslims from other parts of the world, …If Muslims could come here [to Jerusalem], you could create some activity on the sidelines between Muslims and Jews.”

Furthermore, Imam Feisal pointed out that the real conflict is not between Muslims and Jews, but between moderates and extremists. Imam Feisal went on to say that while extremists make the most noise, the real power of faith lies in the hands of moderates, who hold the key to future peace.

Read the full article here.

Support the Cordoba Initiative!

admin — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:54:32 +0000

December 2011

Dear Friend,

We have experienced many trials and tribulations in the past year and a half as we work to build bridges of mutual respect, understanding, and communication between the Muslim world and the West.

We ask you to assist the Cordoba Initiative, one of the leading voices promoting moderate Islam and dialogue among faiths, in this critical period. Your financial support is vital to our continued success.

Even in our most challenging moments, those of us at the Cordoba Initiative never doubted that – with your help – we would succeed in our mission. Mobilizing moderates of all faiths to support peace, human rights and democracy over the world has not been easy, but we have achieved some remarkable advances we would like to share with you.

In March, we cosponsored a rally with Rabbi Marc Schneier and over 100 interfaith organizations. Today, I am Muslim, Too attracted more than 500 people of all faiths to Times Square in New York City to denounce the hearings set up by Congressman Peter King to investigate radicalization in the American Muslim community.

As we marked the 10^th anniversary of 9/11, interfaith collaboration took on a special significance. We organized one of the most widely publicized commemorative services in New York City, In Good Faith, Stories of Hope and Resilience, with the American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA). More than 300 people of all faiths gathered for an evening of remembrance, where Russell Simmons presented 9/11 families of the three Abrahamic traditions with an artistic representation of peace and patience.

In October, we supported ASMA’s third global Women’s Islamic Initiative on Spirituality and Equality (WISE) conference Muslim Women Leaders at the Frontlines of Change in Istanbul, Turkey. Nearly 200 Muslim women from 45 countries shared best practices for promoting women’s rights from an Islamic perspective. Speakers included women activists who ignited the Arab Spring in Egypt, as well as leaders of non-violent activism in Tunisia, Libya and Syria.

The promotion of democracy in the Muslim world has never been more critical. The Arab Spring has shown us the region’s desire for democracy but has also threatened to open rifts in society between opposing political currents. We are currently adding our analysis to this debate with the Shariah Index Project. Soon we will be releasing a book and an index, which will provide a blueprint for how democracy is compatible with Islamic law and how the ideals of good governance and social justice in both the Islamic and Western traditions complement each other.

To counter the rising tide of Islamophobia, we launched the Cordoba Initiative’s Speaking Tour. Over six months, we spread the message of pluralism, tolerance and compassion in over two-dozen cities from Seattle to South Carolina. And in December, I will give the keynote address at the Peace Pilgrimage Conference in Jerusalem, a gathering of Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders dedicated to peace between Israel and Palestine.

In addition, the dream for the proposed Cordoba House, a multi-faith community center, is very much alive. Cordoba House will foster peace and understanding among people of different backgrounds and faiths. We believe a center that promotes integration and moderation will develop solutions against political and religious extremism and hatred, be it Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, or any other type of bigotry.

However, we need your help. Cordoba Initiative is a small organization and is in critical need of funding from like-minded individuals like you. Please consider making a gift of any size to support our important work. Together, we are making progress in spreading democracy, defusing hate and violence, expanding the rights of all peoples and promoting interfaith dialogue. We would be honored to have you join us.

If you would prefer to make your contribution via check, please make your check payable to:

The Cordoba Initiative at 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 248, New York, NY 10115.

The Cordoba Initiative is a 501(C)(3) Nonprofit Organization.

Please accept our warmest wishes during this holiday season.

Sincerely,

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf

Chairman and Founder, Cordoba Initiative

The Optimistic Muslim – American Muslims Equal American Islam

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 01:43:56 +0000

Imam Feisal spoke with Dr. David Liepert of WebTalkRadio about the best way forward for the American Muslim community and how America’s Muslims provide a positive role in America and around the world. Imam Feisal also spoke about his upcoming book, Moving the Mountain.

Click here to hear the conversation.

Imam Feisal addresses Oakland University

admin — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:16:40 +0000

On November 16, Imam Feisal lectured at Oakland University, speaking about the relationship between Muslims and the United States, which has been strained by mutual misunderstanding. Imam Feisal also commented on Oakland University’s recent programs and events, which have focused on Middle Eastern and Islamic issues. After the talk, Imam Feisal remained to answer questions from the audience.

Read more about the event here.