Islam: A Religion of Peace

Islam: A Religion of Peace

Since our journey of discovery, our 20 Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Unitarian clergy and lay leaders have shared their experiences with more than 150 audiences, and we have hosted key individuals and institutional representatives from Israel and the West Bank who shared their knowledge. This year, we began a continuing series of facilitated interfaith conversations at area houses of worship, bringing the public together to discuss the core of their faith and to safely learn about the beliefs of others. Soon after our return in 2008, I met Kaleem, aka Khaja Kaleemuddin, a teacher, and began to hear about his mentor, Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, an Indian scholar and spiritual leader who has written dozens of books on the meaning of the Quran and the role of Islam in the world today. Kaleem always had examples of the Maulana's writing to hand out to all who were interested at our events, and to introduce people to his message. I read some of his articles and began to look carefully at his books. The message was both positive and vitally important to all of us, that Islam is a religion of peace and that terrorism and jihad are against the central principals enunciated in the Quran. It turned out that my friend Kaleem operates a distribution center for the writings and spiritual guidance of Maulana Wahiduddin Khan in the United States. It's right here in Bensalem, and is known as the Centre for Peace and Spirituality. Kaleem told me that the Maulana, an Indian term of honor equivalent to sheikh, would be visiting the United States and coming to Bucks County as a base for his travels in America. Kaleem arranged speaking engagements locally at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Philadelphia and at the Zubaida Foundation here in Yardley. These local presentations would supplement a major address at the national convention of the Islamic Society of North America in Rosemont, Ill., as well as speeches in Washington and New York City. I looked forward to seeing and hearing this extraordinary spiritual leader - who has received numerous awards from his own government and the international community - at Rev. Cliff Cutler's St. Paul's Church on June 18th. When I got there, I realized that Maulana Wahiduddin Khan traveled with his family and his primary disciple from New Delhi and that his children, (the Maulana is 85 years old), are all serious students of religion and politics with his granddaughters actively completing advanced degrees. After a brief introduction, Maulana Wahiduddin Khan began to speak in English while being recorded for a future video release. His words were simple