Speaker Spotlight
Dr. Syed Rashid Naim
The ISB has more than 25 trained, certified volunteer speakers who represent
various professional, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. This month we are interviewing Dr. Syed Rashid Naim, a professor of political science at Georgia State University. Dr. Naim and his wife, Jelena, are founding members of the ISB.
Dr. Naim was born in Northern India, but has lived on every inhabitable continent on earth, with the exception of South America. He obtained his Ph.D. in political science from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Dr. Naim speaks Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, and even a little Arabic. He is an ardent proponent of long camping trips and the proud father of two sons and two daughters.
Speaker Spotlight: Dr. Naim, I appreciate the opportunity to catch up with you. I remember when we all sat around in your dining room and discussed opening a speakers bureau. Tell me when you first heard the idea.
Dr. Naim: Well, in 2001, Soumaya Khalifa had visited the ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) Convention in Chicago, where she visited the Islamic Networks Group booth. We conferred when she got back to Atlanta and the idea took off from there.
Speaker Spotlight: Every ISB speaker I've interviewed has said two things: The organization's growth has been phenomenal and they've learned so much through public speaking. What is your take?
Dr. Naim: The ISB has exceeded my
expectations, but the speed at which we've grown and the activities we've gotten
involved with have been a pleasant surprise. In terms of the intersection between university instruction and public speaking, I've been able to bring my experience answering difficult questions to bear when I do ISB presentations. Another thing that has crossed over from teaching to public speaking is the ability to step out of myself and view questions from the perspective of those asking.
Speaker Spotlight: You've spoken to so many different audiences: schools, churches, synagogues, civic organizations, law enforcement, student groups... Have you observed any trends in audience awareness of Islam?
Dr. Naim: When the ISB
started immediately, we almost invariably met people who knew almost nothing about Islam. That
has changed! In the years since our inception, we have gone back to organizations and
groups, which means we are now talking to people who know about Islam and Muslim
beliefs. The initial contact we established has provided a basis -- a framework-- for discussion.
Speaker Spotlight: So the ISB has contributed to this growing awareness about Islam and Muslims?
Dr. Naim: Absolutely, the ISB has played a vital role.
Speaker Spotlight: You've also observed the tangible results of civic engagement on all levels. Tell me why this type of engagement is so critical today.
Dr. Naim: Herein lies the challenge we face as a society that's becoming increasingly multireligious. There's a general lack of information about the communities that make up this society. For us who are living here, and our children's generation, it's so important to have an elementary understanding of the beliefs and values that Muslims bring to the table. Given the sometimes vicious falsehoods that are spread about Islam, I think the ISB's work becomes so important and vital to this process of civic engagement.
Speaker Spotlight: Dr. Naim, it's a pleasure speaking with you!
Dr. Naim: Thank you!
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ISB Calendar
April 1: Justice Dept. First Freedom Project Seminar
April 2: Sandy Creek High School, Christ Our Shepherd Youth Group
April 3: First Presbyterian Church Women's Group
April 4: Atlanta Reads King: A Commemorative Project of the National Black Arts Festival--Please see link under Featured Event.
April 10: Lutheran Church of the Redeemer
April 12: Muslim Inter-Scholastic Tournament
April 14: American Association of University Women
April 18: Dr. Weaver's class, Emory University
April 27: Community Christian Church
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| The Islamic Speakers Bureau (ISB) is a non-profit, apolitical educational organization that provides
certified Muslim speakers to promote awareness about Islam and Muslims.
The ISB is a local affiliate of the Islamic Networks Group (ING).
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Dear ISB Friends and Supporters,
In last month's issue, we featured a story about speaker training. As a result of our training, we are pleased to welcome several new members to the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta (ISB). Our speakers-in-training are Ibrahim, Mona, Rania, Reem, Saif, and Mohamed. These multitalented individuals will enhance our greatest resource--our
volunteer speakers.
We look forward to hearing from our new speakers as they join us in presenting to audiences all across metro Atlanta.
March has been a busy month for the ISB as you can see from the following overview of our activities. Each and every story featured in this month's newsletter underscores the importance of civic engagement at every level. The ISB is grateful for the partnerships that make these engagements possible.
We
thank you for your continued support, encouragement and contributions.
As always, please let us know if you have any suggestions on how we can
further our efforts.
Thank you,
Soumaya Khalifa
Executive Director
Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta |
National Council of Jewish Women Interfaith Event
On
Tuesday, March 25, the ISB joined the "Women of Vision" in sponsoring a table at the National
Council of Jewish Women's (NCJW) Annual Interfaith Luncheon. The ISB's
executive director, Soumaya Khalifa, was joined by ISB speakers, Huma
Faruqi, Slma
Shelbayah, Amin Tomeh, and Bassem Fakhoury. With over 700 in
attendance, the event brought together a diverse segment of the
Atlanta community. The theme of this year's gathering was 'Just War in
the 21st Century.' A panel presentation by Rabbi Donald Berlin, Rev. Dr. Mark Douglas, and Dr. Waleed El-Ansary illuminated shared perspectives on issues of
war and peace. The panel was moderated by Judy Marx of the American Jewish Committee, while Dr. Laurie Patton gave the closing remarks.
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Etz Chaim Delegation Participates in Continuing Education
The ISB hosted a Chavurah, or an adult Jewish study group, on Sunday, March 16 at the Islamic Community Center of Atlanta (ICCA) in Fayetteville. The members of the group attend Etz Chaim Synagogue in Marietta.
Huma Faruqi and Soumaya Khalifa delivered the popular Islam 101 presentation, which features an introduction to Islam and Muslims. The evening's events also included dinner and a lively question-and-answer session.
Everyone in attendance appreciated the opportunity to learn about similarities between the Jewish and Muslim faiths. A member of the group expressed, "We have so much in common and we need to know each other and work together."
The ISB expresses its gratitude to the ICCA board for the use of their facility and thanks volunteers, Yosra and Hamzah.
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ISB Presents to Veterans of Foreign Wars
On Monday, March 24, Soumaya Khalifa presented to approximately fifty members of Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW). An international organization with over 2 million members worldwide, the VFW fosters patriotism by sponsoring a variety of events, with a focus on veterans' pride and community service.
The presentation provided an opportunity for interaction between audience members and the invited speaker. Many veterans shared their stories of travel in the Muslim world, while several participants noted that they were veterans of three wars: World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The ISB would like to extend its gratitude to the gentlemen of VFW for their warmth and friendship.
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Music in the Sacred Texts: Agnes Scott College
The ISB delivered a special presentation to Agnes Scott students on Tuesday, March 18. The presentation examined sacred music within an Islamic context. Beginning with an overview of Islam and Muslims, Soumaya Khalifa introduced the students to Muslim ritual prayer, Qur'anic recitation, and invocation (dhikr). Sheikh Khalid Ibrahim also attended the presentation, reciting a selection from the Qur'an and performing the Muslim call to prayer, or adhan.
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ISB Delivers Special Presentations at Emory University
Continuing a series of presentations to Dr. John Weaver's freshman class, ISB speakers visited Emory University twice in March. On Thursday, March 6, Amin Tomeh spoke about Muslim Prayer, with a focus on ritual prayer, or salat. In addition, the presentation also included information about other forms of Muslim worship and supplication. Mr. Tomeh also introduced the students to the art of Qur'an recital.
On Thursday, March 27, Huma Faruqi visited Dr. Weaver's class to present Women in Islam. The students viewed a slide presentation, followed by an in-depth question-and-answer session. The Women in Islam presentation, one of a number of special presentations, provides an overview of women and gender in Islamic theology, law, and history.
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Islamophobia Workshop at Georgia Institute of Technology
On Thursday, February 28, Soumaya Khalifa teamed up with Chris Burke, President of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, North Georgia Chapter (CAIR-NGA), to conduct a workshop on Islamophobia at GA Tech. This presentation was one in a series of Islamic Awareness events held on campus. The Muslim Students Association (MSA) hosted the seminar.
The presentation covered the definition, historical roots, and current manifestations of Islamophobia. Reflecting the ISB's philosophy of proactive intervention, audience members were asked to generate solutions for dealing with Islamophobia.
A consensus was reached that the best way to counter Islamophobia and other forms of prejudice is through education. Georgia Tech's student newspaper, Technique, covered the event. For the full story, please visit the Useful Links section.
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ISB Presentations at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer
At the invitation of the Bible Study group, Soumaya Khalifa presented Women in Islam on Thursday, March 27. This was the second in a series of presentations to the group. The first presentation in the series, Islam 101, was delivered by the ISB's Hina Hosain.
Speaker and audience members alike enjoyed the lively dialogue that utilized every minute of the 90-minute presentation. As one of the Bible Study members commented, "I am so appreciative of your insights and frankness...you spoke to our hearts and I treasure our honest dialogue." The ISB thanks Lutheran Church of the Redeemer's Bible Study Group and Pastor Samuelson for their hospitality.
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GSU & UGA Islam Awareness Events
At the invitation of the Muslim Students Associations at Georgia State University and University of Georgia, ISB speakers visited both campuses in February and March.
Slma Shelbayah and Emad Hamid presented Islam 101 to approximately twenty people at Georgia State University, and Dr. Syed Rashid Naim addressed about thirty participants at the University of Georgia. The latter presentation was a special combination of Islam 101 and Women in Islam.
Both presentations featured an opportunity for audience input and dialogue with the speakers. Questions ranged from issues in Islamic theology to the role of Muslim women in the early modern Muslim world.
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