NASSIR Posted October 21, 2006 State Department Iftar Honors Women Throughout Muslim History Under secretaries Hughes, Burns praise religious diversity, interfaith dialogue Washington – U.S. Under Secretary of State Karen Hughes honored the contributions of women to Islamic history during the State Department’s annual iftar October 18. The event corresponded with Lailat-ul-Qadr, the holiest night of Ramadan, marking the first revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad. “Tonight we remember and honor the many women throughout Islamic history who have led by example,†Hughes told the guests, who included Muslim women from academia, government and civil society. “As so many of you know, Islam granted legal status and protections to women long before many other cultures did. Women including Khadija, the Prophet Muhammad's wife, a successful businesswoman herself, and her daughter Fatima are examples of the rich heritage of leadership by Muslim women.†Hughes also recalled a story about Amara bin Al-Rahman, a woman jurist from the time of Muhammad. “She was described as a boundless ocean of knowledge and she shared her knowledge with a number of famous men,†the under secretary said. Hughes spoke about the United States’ multiconfessional traditions, saying: “The foundation of this nation, of our country, is built on respect for one another, from a belief in the dignity and the value of every single person. We believe all people, those of every faith, boys and girls, are equal and equally valuable. And it will take all of us to build communities in a world that is safer, respectful, and just and peaceful.†Under Secretary of State R. Nicholas Burns spoke of the value of interfaith dialogue as a means of achieving greater understanding and social harmony. “ome of the most powerful thinkers in the past century: Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., the Agha Khan, the Dalai Lama, very different people but they shared one critical trait in common. Their actions were strongly rooted in their own religious beliefs, but they learned and grew from the teachings of other religions and may it be so in our own country,†Burns said. “It's learning about each other and standing up for each other, by being voices of tolerance and understanding, it's then that we'll overcome the challenges of extremism and of those who seek to distort and exploit religion, any religion, for their own particular design,†he added. A transcript of remarks by Hughes and Burns is available on the State Department Web site. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nuune Posted October 21, 2006 Watch the video Cool video, also watch videos of the imaam and others in the State website Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
