12/17/15: Interfaith Leaders Attend Press Conference at IHW, Expressing Solidarity With Muslim Community Against Rise of Islamophobia!

Join us for Friday Prayer at 12:30pm-

this week's theme by Imam Elahi: "Interfaith Conference at IHW Demonstrated the Power of Human Compassion, Cooperation and Consciousness!"

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Interfaith Leaders Attended a Press Conference at Islamic House of Wisdom, Expressed their Solidarity With Muslim Community Against Recent Rise of Islamophobia!

Reflection Written By Rev. David Kasbow-

Earlier Today, December 17, 2015- In light of the recent proposal by presidential candidate Donald Trump to keep Muslims from coming into the country we of the religious community knew that we could not but support our Muslim friends.  It was for this reason that Rev Edwin Rowe and I went to visit Imam Elahi after Jumu'a prayer last Friday.  In our discussion we felt the need to call the faith community together to speak out in friendship with our Muslim friends and speak out against the injustice of the proposal.  Together we planned a press conference for Thursday, Dec. 17th.   

The response was almost overwhelming. Christian pastors from a host of denominations came, Rabbis came, civic and social leaders came.  Some who spoke were Rev. Lawrence Glass, President of the Council of Baptist Pastors Detroit and Vicinity, Rev. Greg Larson of Rochester Hills United Methodist Church, Fr. Gregory Shalhoub of the Basilica of St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church, Rabbi Daniel Schwartz of Temple Shir Shalom and many more.   One pastor even made the three hour drive from Ohio to support the event.

Imam Mohammad Elahi began with a statement emphasizing that Muslims have been harmed most by ISIS.  He proclaimed ISIS has hijacked Islam for their own political agenda.  Rev. Edwin Rowe, director of Detroit Metro Interfaith Center for Worker Justice, began by denouncing presidential candidate Donald Trump for his plan as unjust,insensitive and just plain bigoted.   Other speakers gave their support to the Muslim community. 

This support was manifested by the clergy at the conclusion of the event by the signing of a declaration of unity between Muslims,Christians and Jews, written by Imam Elahi and myself.  It read in part, "We, Christians, Muslims and Jews come together to declare that though our beliefs vary, the universal religious values we share,kindness, sacrifice for the greater good, belief in spirit and one Creator of us all, brings us together as brothers andsisters, the Children of Abraham and Adam."

Some of the speakers Included: 

Rev. Lawrence Glass, President Council of Baptist Pastors Detroit and Vicinity

Rabbi Daniel Schwartz of Temple Shir Shalom
Rev. Fran Hayes of Littlefield Presbyterian Church

Fr. George Shalhoub of the Basilica of St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church

Rev Gregory Roberts, Faith Based Liaison for Wayne County

Rev. Greg Larson of Rochester Hills United Methodist Church

Rev. Jeffrey Baker of St. Paul African Methodist Church

Steve Spreitzer, Michigan Round table for Diversity and Inclusion

Dawud Walid of Council of American-Islamic Relations

Rev. David Kasbow, American Clergy Leadership Conference

Rev. Edwin Rowe, Detroit Metro Interfaith Center for Worker Justice

Rashida H. Tlaib former member of the Michigan House of Representatives
Fatina Abdrabboh, the Director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee's (ADC) Michigan office

Religious leaders in metro Detroit call for unity

Detroit Free Press- By Naraj Warikoo

Gathering at a mosque in Dearborn Heights, faith leaders condemned hate and division. 

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Interfaith Community-Building Meeting

Post Shared by Imam Elahi-

" I wish Donald Trump was in this meeting! He could learn from these Christian religious leaders, what are the real problems in our country? 

Drugs, alcohol, out of wedlock kids, poverty, crimes, child abuse, domestic violence, racism, and total collapse of family in many neighborhoods! 

Mr. Trump forgot the real problems and misleads people by saying Islam is the problem. In reality Islam is the solution. Of course Islam of peace and justice not Islam of isis!!

Following the invitation and leadership of Rev. Greg Roberts, The Director of Wayne County Faith Based and Community Engagement, the clergy community met at Focus Hope in Detroit. 
Rev. Greg Roberts asked the religious leaders to identify 10 positive male figures from each place of worship to connect with many of our boys and young men in our community, who far too often, don't have a father or other positive male role models that are active in their lives. 
It was a pleasure to see our old friend, honorable Congressman John Conyers there!
Time for us Muslims to get more involved. We can't keep saying poor us, we should take more responsibility and maximize our contributions especially to those kids who never met their fathers!  We must remove the walls and build bridges. 
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Celebrating the Birth of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Jan. 1, 2015

Only a limited amount of tickets left- Tickets will be available after Friday prayer!

 Stop by the IHW office to pick-up your tickets!

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Isbouh Commemoration Service in Memory of the late, Hajja Siham Ali Hamade Wehbe

This Sunday,
 Dec. 20th at 3:00pm

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