interfaith NBTS event

Last Sunday I attended an interfaith event at New Brunswick Theological Seminary. I joined Brother David Fricke and others to give Muslim perspective on Prayer.

As a Muslim chaplain at Rutgers, I was asked to lead the Muslim prayer before breaking bread and explain the prayer's significance. The President of NBTS, Gregg Mast, Associate Director for Jewish Campus Life, Rabbi Esther Reed, and Director of Muslim Chaplaincy Rutgers Un., David Fricke played a critical role in developing a mutual understanding with leaders from other faith communities.

The people were very friendly and welcoming. The discussion revolved around prayer - personal experiences and sacred text. It was a very interesting evening for me. I kept thinking to myself, we (people) can work it all out. We have so many people rooting for peace and harmony. We have so many people doing charitable work. We all endorse family values and morality. We are all those who worship ONE God and serve Him by serving humanity.

Yet, how do we explain a world in crisis - a world drowning in war, poverty, illiteracy, drought, famine, and diseases?

Let us not continue the blame game. Let us not repeat the mistakes of those before us. Rather, let us come together and plant the seed of peace, compassion, love, mutual respect and understanding.

Why fight in the name of God when He ordered us to live in peace?


The group decided to close the event with a single lit candle and time for silent prayer.

http://www.nbts.edu