Dialogue Guided by Beautiful Energies
By S. Zakiya Islam, Encounter Other Faiths participant from the Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Mosque and Fellowship
 Sister Maria Hornung, Coordinator of Interfaith Education at the Interfaith Center, set the tone for the Encounter Other Faiths series when she greeted me very comfortably with the Muslim greeting of Assalam alaikum (“Peace be upon you”) at the first meeting of a five part adult interfaith seminar I was participating in. In that moment, she personified the expanded consciousness that results from years of encountering people of other faiths.
Comparative religion has been a lifelong interest for me. However, coming to this country and confronting the misinformation about Islam and Muslims brought a whole new tilt to that interest. In trying to make the school environment more bearable for my sons, I embarked on a mission of educating the school staff about my faith. The post 9/11 climate brought in another layer to these endeavors and interfaith dialogue became a passion for me. In looking for opportunities for this I feel blessed to have met many people of other faiths who have had a particular radiance emanating from them.
My experience at each meeting of the Encountering Other Faiths series led by Sr. Maria and rabbinical student intern Sandy Rubenstein, had its own particular flavor. The first session was at the mosque I attend, where my role was more of a host with an objective to make others feel comfortable. The pain of a life time of being the “other” has made me particularly sensitive to the feelings of alien discomfort one can undergo in an unfamiliar environment. Some of the other meetings were more of a learning experience for me - such as the opportunity I had to go inside a synagogue. The magnificent Torah scrolls were ones that I had seen only in pictures before! The meeting at the Baha’i Center included a slide show that delineated the various Christian denominations. It was another insight as to how varied and numerous the different Christian denominations are.
I see interfaith dialogues as a collection of beautiful energies initiated by people with hallowed energies. In today’s world we aware that there may be individuals from each faith whose interest is to convert the “other” to the see how their own particular brand of religion is the best. However, the beauty of these dialogues is when we feel the subtle changes—the beginning of shifting world views—and when we see more commonalities than differences. In the context of the current climate, I have found it is more the rule than an exception to see our mainstream brothers and sisters surprised to discover that Islam shares their values despite what the media and any interested groups are representing them to be. This transformation is a piece of the reward that evolves from being engaged in interreligious dialogues guided by an expanded consciousness, as were the ones in the five-part series of Encountering Other Faiths.
To learn about opportunities to participate in Encountering Other Faiths or other interfaith dialogue series, check out the adult education fall offerings.
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