Many discussions amongst St. Louis area Muslims tend to gravitate towards expressing dissatisfaction with the limited intellectual activity that our community is exposed to in local traditional Islamic institutions. It could be a result of the fairly small size (and limited diversity) amongst area Muslims, but that is no consolation for many of us who are eager to live in a more interesting, and intellectually challenging life community.
This posting introduces to you a little project that I (Khaled Hamid) have been working on. It has the 'pompous' name of Islamic Cultural Revival & Advancement, or ICRA. ICRA sounds like the Arabic word for Read/Recite, which is the first word revealed in the Quran and a part of first 5 verses that enjoins believers to learn, and reminds them that they need to use the gift God endowed humans with, the ability to write.
I intend to try putting together a series of lectures on topics relevant to the Muslim community, but are not 'religious teaching' lectures.READ in the name of thy Sustainer, who has created;
created man out of a germ-cell!
Read - for thy Sustainer is the Most Bountiful One;
who has taught [man] the use of the pen;
taught man what he did not know!(Quran, Chapter 96:1-5)
Topics range from 'Can Islam coexist with Democracy?' to 'Religious foundations of Early Islamic Scientists', and including topics such as by Women's Rights in Muslim Communities, Media and Islam, Minority treatment in Muslim Countries over the Centuries, etc.
My hope it to be able to arrange for local and visiting academics (Muslims and non-Muslims) to conduct lectures once every one or two months in a public hall that is not a part of any of the local religious institutions.
I also hope that the topics with be interesting and intellectually stimulating (and even provocative). And I hope the discussions -- that will be a important part of those lectures -- will be respectful; but free from censorship, self-imposed or external.
The lectures will be open to the public, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. The format will be flexible and includes traditional lectures followed by Q&A session, debate formats, 'Pro and Anti' panel presentations followed by moderated open discussion session, and small group discussions, depending on the topic. I believe the topics and depth will generally be of high quality, yet should be amenable to a 14-16 year old to follow. So, all family members will be welcome. Lecture will assume no significant previous knowledge of Islam, and as such will be also equally useful to non-Muslims audience.
ICRA 'group' is currently has a membership of one - myself only - with consultancy advice for Dr. Hayrettin Yucesoy, Assistant Professor of History at SLU, and the kind support from ANSAR, a new St. Louis grass root activism and community service group.
No fund-raising is requested. All I hope for is that you please consider attending events, morally supporting the effort, and spreading the word around.
This may the beginning of something really good. But if it does not get as huge as I hope for it, I think getting together with others that respect reason, freedom of expression, critical thinking and free discussions could simply be fun.
Khaled
