By Iftekhar A. Hai

The United States of America is a land of opportunities where people of different religions and diverse ethnic backgrounds live together. American Muslims have a chance of cultivating a better understanding, not only with the majority of the Christian population, but also with other religious communities. Hence, it is important for Muslims to be involved in the interfaith activities, locally, nationally, and internationally. Such participation in global interfaith initiatives dispels the notion that Islam and Muslims are not synonymous with new initiatives and new ideas of global peace and harmony, the essence of the interfaith movement currently gripping the Americas, Europe and the Indo-Pak subcontinent.

Iftekhar A. Hai (third from right)at the Cochin interfaith meeting

Indeed, tolerance, kindness, respect, and cooperation are divine Islamic principles that permeated the life, words and actions of Prophet Mohammed (pbuh), especially in his dealings with Jews and Christians. This tolerance is expressed clearly in several verses of the Quran.

United Religions Initiative

Rev. William Swing, the Episcopal Bishop of California and a resident of San Francisco, initiated the United Religions Initiative (URI) whose sole aim was to promote enduring interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence, and to create a culture of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beings.

The idea of URI came to his mind when he was called by the White House to host an international ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. “If nations can work together and agree on international principles why can’t religions work together”? thought Bishop Swing. This led to his rapport with religious leaders of all backgrounds and denominations on all the continents. He discovered that there is a great deal of support for a “United Religions Initiative,” and this resulted in his enlisting leaders from every religion on the Board of Directors of the URI. Three international religious conferences were held at the Stanford University in the years 1997, 1998 and 1999 and areas of common interest were identified.

Three hundred religious leaders were invited from all over the world, together with leaders from the most powerful and most influential institutions: government, labor, industry, education, arts and communications, media, science and medicine, international intergovernmental organizations and organizations of civil society. Thanks to the joint efforts of all such people, the Preamble, Purpose and Principles of the Charter of World’s Religions were chalked out. We spent hours, sometimes weeks, arguing about one sentence – to correctly translate the meaning and purpose for all of God’s creation.

The United Religions Initiative (URI)

Since June 1996 thousands of people have shared their visions and worked together to create the URI. It is an organization for global good, rooted in shared spiritual values. People from many different cultures and perspectives have worked to create an organization that is inclusive, non-hierarchical and decentralized, one that enhances cooperation, autonomy and individual opportunity. This co-creative work offered by people of many cultures has produced a unique organization composed of self-organizing groups which operate locally and are connected globally. The URI’s Charter has been spoken into being by a myriad of voices from around the world. Its essential spirit, values and vision are expressed in the Preamble, Purpose and Principles. Taken together, they inspire, ground and guide all URI activities.

United Muslims of America

We have been involved in the growing interfaith movement in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Waheed Siddiqee, Shafi Refai and Iftekhar A. Hai attend and participate on behalf of UMA’s Interfaith Committee and comment on the issues from the Islamic perspective. Iftekhar A. Hai devotes full time to these activities and attends all the meetings. Presently, UMA is member of the San Francisco Interfaith Council, United Religions Initiative, Northern California Interreligious Council, Interfaith Alliance of California, Interfaith Witness for Peace in the Middle East, Interfaith Witness for Homeless, California Council of Churches, International Commission on Healing, Ecumenical Peace Initiative, etc.

UMA is also member of a international organization like the Parliament of World’s Religions, World Fellowship of Interreligious Council (India).

We at the UMA urge you to look at the growing interfaith movement from the perspective that the Qur’an has been revealed not only to the Muslims but to all of humanity.

UMA in World Religious Conference

  The World Federation of Inter-religious Conference (WFIRC) held its fourth annual interfaith meeting in Cochin, India, which was also attended by the UMA.The conference remained in session for five days starting from January 22, 2000. The program was hosted by the Christian community.  The participants came from Europe, Asia, South-East Asia, and the USA. 

UMA’s participation in the Parliament of World’s Religion in Cape Town, South Africa created an opportunity to present papers on the inter-religious gathering in Cochin.  “Hope in Harmony” was the theme of this religious gathering which was intensely debated for three days.