Muslim neighbors share experiences in Robbinsdale panel discussion

 

By Boa Lee - Sun Newspapers

(Created: Wednesday, July 2, 2008 3:46 PM CDT)

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No question was faux pas last week when Northwest Neighbors for Peace and the Robbinsdale United Church of Christ hosted a discussion at the church with a panel of six Muslims ranging in age from teens to seniors.

 

 

Organizers said the June 26 event was meant to foster better understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims.

 

"There are so many beautiful things I see in our cultures," said panelist Arafat El-Bakri of Coon Rapids.

 

 

El-Bakri, his wife and two daughters openly shared their experiences of being Muslim - both in the U.S. and when they lived abroad in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

 

 

Panelists also included Allan Butler of Coon Rapids, who converted to Islam 11 years ago, and Rasheed Bilal of Brooklyn Park, who has practiced Islam for the past 30 years.

 

 

"Islam is not just a religion, it's a way of life," El-Bakri said.

 

 

In a response to a question about terrorism, panelists said Islam teaches that "to kill one person is like killing all of humanity, but to save one person is like helping all of humanity," and to commit an act of terrorism would go against their faith.

 

 

El-Bakri's wife, Adrianna Sutherland, who was raised Catholic, said the majority of Muslims are peaceful people who believe their purpose in life is to please God and help others.

 

 

Muslims have faced greater scrutiny since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

 

 

The U.S. Census Bureau does not track religion, so there is no information about the size of the country's Muslim population. But the nation's largest civil liberties group for Muslims, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, estimates there are 1.2 billion Muslims worldwide - approximately 7 million of whom reside in the U.S.

 

 

CAIR says Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the nation, due mainly to immigration and those converting.

 

 

After terrorism, attendees of the Robbinsdale panel discussion were next most curious about why Muslim women must cover themselves, a practice that fulfills the Hijab, or a requirement they be modest.

 

 

Sutherland said wearing long sleeves and dresses and using headscarves assures that men and women who are not related can have conversations on an intellectual level.

 

 

In the privacy of her home, Sutherland said she can be less covered up.

 

 

"If I do my hair nice, of course I want my husband to notice," she said.

 

 

While Sutherland's daughters did not address their experiences with dress, the two explained the challenges they've confronted at school since moving back to the U.S. with their parents in 2004.

 

 

Both were born in the U.S. but raised mainly in the Middle East.

 

 

Alia, 19, a senior at the University of Minnesota, said she has had to take midterms during Muslim holidays and must be careful about scheduling classes around Muslim prayer times. Muslims pray five times daily.

 

 

And younger sister, Senna, 17, an upcoming senior at Coon Rapids High School, said the most difficult adjustment was getting used to going to a new school in the U.S. after eight years of schooling abroad.

 

 

"I was nervous at first that people might think I am weird," she said.

 

 

But Senna said most students have been respectful, albeit shy, about asking her about her religion.

 

 

"To a great extent, we are no different from you and we need to focus on our similarities," Bilal said. "Among Muslims, there are different viewpoints and, like you, we are shaped by our experiences."

 

 

The discussion was the last of a two-part series in the Twin Cities area. A presentation June 12 also provided information about Islam.

 

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