Tremendous gratitude to the local Pax Christi group for hosting me as speaker during their monthly meeting Nov. 10.
In prepared comments I spoke about the the Hajj, the pilgrimage to the holy city Mecca that I was blessed to make in 2001. This year’s Hajj is due to begin on Monday, so I was expanding on my previous day’s talk during our monthly meeting of the Interfaith Clergy Committee of the Jewish Community Relations Council.
For Pax Christi I also brought along copies of my various translations of the Quran. Members were able to study them as we perused some of the verses, and I addressed some common questions of folks who may have few or no relationships with Muslims or little working knowledge of Islam.
I also shared how the Quran sounds to many of us in our Muslim American community, through a CD featuring the sonorous Arabic recitation by Imam Rasul Madyun, one or our outstanding young imams who we unexpectedly lost to Crohn’s disease. Along with English translation, the verses (Quran 17:23-25) prescribed kindness to parents.
Thanks again to David Pena and Pax Christi for letting me visit with longtime friends, such as Beth Cioffoletti and Tom Burroughs, and make new ones.
As usual I learned a lot — this time about this Catholic peace movement whose sentiments I overwhelmingly share.
More scenes:
— C.B. Hanif
I am happy to learn of your visit with Pax Christi members, and of your union with that organization in the desire for peaceful relations among all people.
Thank you for your efforts to increase unity among God’s children.