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US University Holds “Islam Awareness Week” (Cornell)
Islam Online ^ | February 4, 2005 | Islam Online

Posted on 02/04/2005 6:58:03 PM PST by Land_of_Lincoln_John

WASHINGTON, February 4 (IslamOnline.net) – Cornell University is to open Islam Awareness Week 2005 with an event entitled “an American Woman’s Jihad” to give non-Muslims and community members opportunity know more about Islam.

The event, due on February 11, comes at a critical time facing Islam worldwide, as many non-Muslims mistakenly believe the Arabic word of Jihad refers solely to a holy war of aggression and violence led by “extremists”.

It would open with a widely-acclaimed National Geographic documentary film “Inside Makkah,” in Hollis E. Cornell Auditorium, Goldwin Smith Hall, according to Cornell Chronicle newspaper of the university Thursday, February 3.

The one-hour film follows three Muslims on their pilgrimage to the Al-Masjid Al-Haram mosque in Makkah, called the Sacred Mosque by Muslims.

Spiritual Journey

Following the screening, Fidelma O’Leary, an Irish-American woman and revert to Islam who was one of the pilgrims featured in the film, would talk about her own spiritual journey to Islam.

O’Leary, an associate professor of biology at St. Edward's University, Austin, Texas, will describe her struggle to live as an American Muslim and an academic in modern-day society and how she has coped with her Irish Catholic family’s lack of acceptance of her Muslim beliefs.

She is a co-founder of the Freedom of Faith Foundation, an educational organization that seeks to create a tolerant society where all people can practice their faiths.

The event was thus chosen to shed light on the concept of “jihad,” which most Muslims interpret as an internal spiritual journey involving personal sacrifice, said Wasif Syed, a Ph.D. student in applied physics at Cornell, an organizer of the event.

Many press reports and non Muslims mistakenly consider Jihad a statement of holy assault on foreigners or people of other faiths by what they call “Muslim extremists”.

Women Image

The event is further expected to give a true image of women in Islam, challenging claims of persecution in the west.

With her blond hair, green eyes and Western upbringing, O’Leary, “defies the image” many people have of Muslim women, said Syed.

And “the film takes you into the heartland of Saudi Arabia, to Makkah, and shows you images you don't see on Western television,” he added.

The documentary makers obtained special permission to film at Makkah's Sacred Mosque and the holy “Ka’abah” central to the site.

The black, cube-shaped stone structure is said to have been built as a shrine nearly 4,000 years ago by Prophet Abraham.

Muslims believe that their monotheistic religion had its beginnings at that site. They pray in its direction five times daily and, as Muslims, have a duty to visit it at least once in their lifetimes, Syed explained.

The site is the largest pilgrimage destination in the world and it attracted 2.5 million people this year. Many are overcome with emotion when they reach it because of its religious significance, he added.

Now in its second year, Islam Awareness Week is sponsored by the Muslim Educational and Cultural Association (MECA), a student group, and the Near Eastern Studies Department at Cornell.

It has broad campus support, reflected in the list of attendees, which will include guest of honor Susan Murphy, vice president for student and academic services.

“I am delighted that the Muslim students at Cornell have decided to put on a week of talks, speakers and events related to Islam Awareness Week,” noted Shawkat Toorawa, assistant professor, Near Eastern studies and adviser to MECA.

“Now, perhaps more than ever, the public deserves to learn about Islamic civilization.”


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: New York; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: academia; cityofevil; cornell; diversityeducation; highereducation; islam; ithaca; ivyleague; jihadinamerica; muslims; muslimwomen
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A poster of the February 11 event.

O’Leary will describe her struggle to live as an American Muslim and an academic in modern-day society.

1 posted on 02/04/2005 6:58:03 PM PST by Land_of_Lincoln_John
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

Islam Awareness Week


I'm aware of Islam and it is my enemy.


2 posted on 02/04/2005 6:59:37 PM PST by LoudRepublicangirl (loudrepublicangirl)
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

city of evil ping


3 posted on 02/04/2005 7:00:34 PM PST by cyborg
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

It would open with a widely-acclaimed National Geographic documentary film “Inside Makkah


Inside Makkah sounds like Islamic porn.


4 posted on 02/04/2005 7:00:52 PM PST by LoudRepublicangirl (loudrepublicangirl)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John
And “the film ... shows you images you don't see on Western television...”

You mean, images like

THIS!!!


5 posted on 02/04/2005 7:01:01 PM PST by Old Sarge (In for a penny, in for a pound, saddlin' up and Baghdad-bound!)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John
O’Leary will describe her struggle to live as an American Muslim and an academic in modern-day society.

O'Leary should move to Saudi Arabia. I'm sure she will find tolerance and acceptance there.
BTW, aren't liberal academics and American muslims the same creatures?
6 posted on 02/04/2005 7:02:08 PM PST by indcons (Destroy liberalism to destroy communism, socialism, and wahabbism)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John
"Fidelma O’Leary, an Irish-American woman and revert to Islam..."

Did they mean "convert"? Freudian slip??

7 posted on 02/04/2005 7:02:10 PM PST by LibFreeOrDie (A Freep a day keeps the liberals away.)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John
Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
What kind of a leftie hoot-nanny is this?
8 posted on 02/04/2005 7:03:06 PM PST by silent_jonny
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To: LoudRepublicangirl

All we need to know about TROP, we learned on 9/11!


9 posted on 02/04/2005 7:03:33 PM PST by sheik yerbouty
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John
What more do you need to know?


10 posted on 02/04/2005 7:03:55 PM PST by Shortwave (Supporting Bush was a duty one owed to the fallen. Now, it is an honor.)
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To: LibFreeOrDie

Some Irish are just born stupid.......sigh......


11 posted on 02/04/2005 7:04:01 PM PST by B.O. Plenty (Liberalism is a terminal disease.......)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

When you're a target of Islam, Every week is Islam Awareness Week


12 posted on 02/04/2005 7:04:50 PM PST by xm177e2 (Stalinists, Maoists, Ba'athists, Pacifists: Why are they always on the same side?)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

And for the 247th consecutive week, Osama bin Landen won the award.....


13 posted on 02/04/2005 7:06:03 PM PST by Always Right
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

can you imagine the ww2 generation stopping work in the factories for a "hitler awareness week"?


14 posted on 02/04/2005 7:06:21 PM PST by ken21 (most news today is either stupid or evil.)
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To: B.O. Plenty

Or drunk.


15 posted on 02/04/2005 7:06:50 PM PST by Shortwave (Supporting Bush was a duty one owed to the fallen. Now, it is an honor.)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John
I wonder if O'leary has experienced the fine art of female circumcision, practiced in the wonderful muslim way, with a piece of broken glass?
16 posted on 02/04/2005 7:06:57 PM PST by exnavy (lead, follow or get out of the way)
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To: Shortwave

Everything I need to know about Islam I learned on 9-11.


17 posted on 02/04/2005 7:07:43 PM PST by JusPasenThru (http://giinthesky.blogspot.com/)
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To: LibFreeOrDie
Did they mean "convert"? Freudian slip??

Not a Freudian slip. Muslims believe everyone is "born" a Muslim, but some (Christians, Jews, Hindus etc.) are led astray at birth.

Hence the term, "revert."

18 posted on 02/04/2005 7:08:16 PM PST by Land_of_Lincoln_John
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To: JusPasenThru

'NUFF SAID!


19 posted on 02/04/2005 7:08:30 PM PST by Shortwave (Supporting Bush was a duty one owed to the fallen. Now, it is an honor.)
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To: xm177e2

I just stole that from you. Thanks.


20 posted on 02/04/2005 7:09:16 PM PST by ButThreeLeftsDo (When you're a target of Islam, every week is Islam Awareness Week.)
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