Islamabad: Majority of the Americans has incomplete knowledge of Islam and Muslims which is one of the main hurdles that create a gap between the Muslim world and the USA but in spite of negative propaganda an estimated thirty-thousand Americans convert into Islam every year.
These views were expressed by Marriam Ahmed who converted to Islam and working as Assistant Director Programs and Operations in the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University, America.
She was the guest speaker of a lecture titled “Islam and America Today: From 9/11 to Boston Bombings” organized by International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) at the female campus on Wednesday.
The lecture was attended by the Director of female campus Dr Zaitoon Begum, Chair Person Department of Politics and International Relations Dr Noor Fatima, large number of the students and by the husband of Marriam, Omar Ahmed , a human rights lawyer in the US.
Marriam Ahmed was of the view that Pakistan and America share constitutional and democratic values and stressed upon the need of bridging the gap, by introducing the common values of both countries which are not widely known on both sides and through disseminating the actual message of Islam.
She said that, “It is urgent for America to comprehend Islam, not only for the sake of its ideals like compassion, knowledge, peace, and interfaith harmony, but in order to achieve peace and understanding with the approximately 7 million American Muslims, 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide, and 57 Muslim states”.
She stressed that people in both the US and Pakistan, including in the government, media, academia, and public, must work to understand each other through interreligious and intercultural initiatives.
She also noted that Pakistani immigrants in the USA play vital role in its progress and serve as bridge builders between the two nations. While talking about IIUI, she said that university truly represents the true diversity of the global village and it can provide a platform for promotion of interfaith harmony in line with the best of the liberal education tradition and Islamic ideals and practices.
The lecture witnessed an interactive session of questions and answers, in which Marriam Ahmed and her husband Umar Ahmed answered important queries from the participant students.
Umar Ahmed said that inappropriate media portrayal of sensitive issues creates hurdles in the way of friendly relations between US and the Muslim world and urged the young students to contribute to the debate in a positive way through writing and using social media, and taking part in student exchanges.
Earlier, Dr Noor Fatima welcomed the distinguished guest and apprised the audience about the works and contributions of Marriam Ahmed in the field of interfaith harmony. Dr. Zaitoon Begum, in her vote of thanks appreciated the lecture and termed it a step towards bridging the gap between Muslim world and America.
At the end, followers were presented to distinguished guest on the behalf of the university.
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