At the Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS) in Redmond, community leaders make it a point to bring in speakers of diverse perspectives, cultures and faiths.
MAPS founder Hyder Ali said this is so people can learn from the speakers.
The latest speaker event MAPS hosted was April 24 and featured Ebrahim Rasool, a South African ambassador who is also the founder of the World for All Foundation, an organization whose goal is to create a world that is inclusive, integrated and accepting of difference.
Ali said another reason they brought him in is because Rasool is an anti-apartheid activist and since race is currently such a big conversation in the United States — from the shootings of unarmed black men such as Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Walter Scott, to the unrest and protests their deaths have sparked throughout the country — it was relevant to have Rasool come speak.
Ali said South Africa had a long-running race conflict with apartheid — a system of racial segregation spanning 1948-94, enforced through legislation by the country’s National Party — but they have now moved past this.
“(Rasool) was at the forefront of South Africa’s peaceful transition from apartheid to a modern, multicultural state,” Ali said.
He said this applies to MAPS because the local Muslim community is multiracial with a strong immigrant population, adding that their members represent about 35 different countries. In addition to learning how MAPS members could better get along among themselves, Ali said hearing Rasool speak could help them learn how to better get along with and contribute to society as a whole.
AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY
Rasool’s message was one of inclusiveness and he advised attendees to approach conflict with the mindset of finding a win-win solution that would benefit all parties involved.
Ali said this was what Nelson Mandela — South Africa’s first black president — did, making sure the country’s white population was not excluded in South Africa’s post-apartheid society.
Rasool also gave examples, saying that in South Africa, there are 11 official languages and that their national anthem contains five languages and is a combination of a liberation hymn and the last apartheid anthem.
“We are probably the one country that has been able to find ways in which to affirm every religion,” he said in his speech. “Our bill of rights says all religions are equal. Some people argued with Nelson Mandela and said, ‘No. Our Christians are 80 percent of the population.’ And Nelson Mandela said, ‘It is not the number of people who follow a religion. It is the equal value of God.'”
Rasool also discussed the significance of last weekend to his fellow countrymen.
“This weekend is a weekend when South Africans come together to celebrate 21 years since the end of apartheid,” Rasool said during his speech. “Twenty-one years ago, Nelson Mandela became the president of a free and democratic South Africa. Twenty-one years ago, we ushered in democracy, freedom and human rights for South Africa.”
Rasool highlighted some of the benefits South Africans now enjoy, such as a guaranteed government pension for those older than 60, guaranteed child support for minors so they don’t have to work to support their families and guaranteed treatment for anyone who has had a medical emergency.
STILL PROGRESS TO BE MADE
Despite these strides, Rasool also admitted during his speech that things are not perfect. He said in the last few days, there have been some “worrying signs of xenophobia” as South African blacks have been turned against refugees from other African countries because there is a “competition for scarce resources.”
He said they have to examine the issue to see if this is a sign of regression or whether this is something that can be managed.
During his talk, Rasool also discussed how it is important to separate principles of a system from people. Just because a person disagrees with a set of ideas, does not mean they have to dislike the person presenting them.
A SUCCESSFUL EVENT WITH MORE TO COME
Last week’s event with Rasool also included a question-and-answer portion and Ali said things went really well as people would not leave. The event was scheduled to end around 8:30-8:45 p.m., but it lasted until about 10 p.m., he said.
More than 200 people attended the event — about a quarter of which were from outside of the MAPS community and Muslim faith.
“It exceeded our expectations,” Ali said about the attendance, adding that it was one of the best events MAPS has ever held. “It was well received.”
Ali said they also received a positive endorsement from Rasool. He said the diverse group that attended the event, as well as the diverse population in Redmond, is what Rasool envisions for today’s society.
Ali said their goal at MAPS is to bring in speakers — whether they are from the world of religion, politics, academics or elsewhere — two to three times a year. He said they also work to get speakers who are not from the Muslim community to bring broader perspectives to their members.
Currently, Ali said, they are planning to have one more speaker in 2015, most likely at the end of the year, but this will depend on people’s schedules and other logistical details.
