Convention 2004

Theme: 2004: Unity in Diversity

Date: 05/28/04 - 05/30/04

Venue: Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington D.C.

Program Summary: 

In these sessions eminent Muslim writers and thinkers eloquently and effectively expressed their views about the Islamic renaissance and Muslim unity. Muslims from different nationalities assembled but the sight of unity stirred and inspired everyone. Besides a galaxy of scholars the participation of Iranian Nobel Laureate Shereen Abedi and Dr. Syed Hossein Nasr made the occasion rich and memorable. The inaugural session started on Friday May 28, 2004. It was introductory session, in which the aims and objectives of the UMAA and convention were highlighted.

On Saturday May 29, 2004 the first session was held. UMAA president Dr. Paveiz Shah inaugurated the session. He in detail, spoke about the mission and purpose of UMAA and shed light on the need of the convention. In this session the speeches of Shirin Ebadi, Dr. Hasnain Walji, Syed Mohammed Musawi and Dr. Robert Crane were highly applauded. The speakers expressed their views on the topics such as Unity in Diversity and Islamic concept of Justice. In the first session the speakers laid emphasis on the need of interfaith dialogue and the need of co-existence. They said the source of all Abrahamic religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam is one and the same. In the name of religion we should not create divisions, discords and dissensions. Unity in Diversity was discussed in the light of twofold expression. External unity and Internal unity. The former means unity between Semitic faiths and Internal unity means the unity amongst Muslims. The speakers like Dr. Robert Crane discussed the Islamic concept of Justice and regarded Islam stressing much on social, economic and political justice.

The second session started at 2:00pm on Saturday May 29, 2004. Eminent Muslim scholar Dr. Ghassan Elcheikhali was the moderator. Dr. Syed Moustafa Qazwini spoke on the subject of Ahlul-Bayt's Islam, Not Militancy. He said that Islam is the religion of peace and not of militancy or terrorism. Sister Najjah Bazzy spoke on the topic "A Muslim Woman: Life and Role in the West". She was quite eloquent and impressive. Besides discussing the status and place of women in Islam, she shed light on the life of American Muslim women and persuaded them to live the life of the Muslims and not to be influenced by the values and culture which is un-Islamic. There was a special symposium on Iraq. Its topic was "Iraq - Present and Future". Ali Qazwini was its Moderator. Dr. John P Howe spoke on the subject "Project Hope, Iraq". He said that he was specially asked by the government to visit Iraq and see the situation regarding the health problems of the Iraqi people. He gave a detailed presentation of his visit to Iraq and his welfare mission. Then an Iraqi scholar Dr. Laithe Kuba made an eloquent speech about the political situation of Iraq. He condemned the previous tyrannical regime of Saddam Hossein but also criticized some of the policies of the USA government. During Q&A session Dr Masood Mirza said that he was arrested in Iraq with his family by the Saddam regime and his release was a miracle.  Professor Maqsood Jafri an eminent speaker, scholar and author from Pakistan said that the Shias must participate in politics wherever they are. He further said that Islam ordains us to maintain peace and moderation. He strongly condemned extremism and terrorism in the name of religion.

On Sunday May 30, 2004 in the first session Professor Azizah al- Hibri and Imam Mohamed Elahi spoke on the post September 11 situation and building bridges of interfaith understanding. The second session was moderated by Hassan Abbas, a brilliant young scholar at Harvard Law School. He presented his views about the need of such conventions. Alex Kronemer on the topic The Heritage of the Prophet- And the Term Reformation of Islamic Thought in West expressed his views. Dr. Majid Naini - an Iranian scholar of Persian literature beautifully and passionately spoke on the Rumi's concept of love. He said that Rumi was a mystic who spread the sweet fragrance of love. Rumi was a sincere devotee of Islam. Dr. Naini said Islam is the religion of Love, not of hatred. The key note speaker of this session was eminent Iranian scholar Dr. Syed Hossein Nasr. He emphasized the need of preservation of Islamic values and culture. He encouraged the Muslim Youth to defend their religion on cultural and academic levels. He presented the idea of the Islamization of English language. He stressed the importance of writing in English about Islam so that like Urdu, Persian and Arabic we should enrich English language with Islamic ideas and ideology. Dr. Mohammed Mahallati permanent representative of Islamic Republic of Iran at the United Nations stressed in his speech that Islam is the religion of moderation and peace. It has nothing to do with extremism and terrorism. Muslims are the victims of state terrorism in different countries by non-Muslims. He strongly rejected extremism in religion. Sunni religious and Sufi personality Shaykh Hisham Kabbani spoke on the subject "Extremism is inconsistent with Islam". In his speech he said that let the Muslims be united and sectarianism be discouraged.

In the banquet session Dr. Syed Hossein Nasr was the keynote speaker. In one hour speech he discussed the Muslim history and Islamic academic movements. He said that AlMawardi impressed the West as a political thinker. Al-Ghazali left historical traces on the mystical views of the West. Averroes introduced Aristotelian rational movement. And Ibu Muskoya enriched the jurisprudence and legal matters.

Besides these main sessions, there were fourteen workshops including Youth, Women and Ulema Workshops. Nearly forty eminent scholars and clerics participated in these workshops. Imam Sayed Moustafa al-Qazwini, Nawab Agha, Mark Habana, Dr. Mohammad Mafi, Harun Abdullah, Nazish Agha, Iqbal Naqvi, Narjis Sheikh, Dr. Abida Jafri, Dr. Sakhawat Hussain Sandralvi, Syed Zaheer-ul- Hassan, Ihtisham Abidi, Professor Maqsood Jafri, Syed Afzal Shah, Syed Ihtisham Naqvi, Nasir Shamsi, Jaweed Hussain, Dr. Manzoor Rizvi, Dr. Iqbal Jafri and Dr. Zafar Jafri, Dr Ghassan Elcheirchali, Dr Amir Jabbini expressed their views in different workshops.

Documentary films about Islam and Muslims were also shown. Book exhibitions were arranged by the publishers on Islam.

Overall the convention was a great success and left lasting impressions. Nearly about three thousand people participated. An Islamic magazine known as UMAA quarterly was introduced at the 2nd annual convention. Both Dr. Ghassan chief editor and Professor Maqsood Jafri editor of the magazine on the editorial page presented the mission and the vision of UMAA. The magazine was largely distributed and was highly admired by the participants of the convention.