By Fatima Kermali
On December 8th, 2024, Muslims4Peace (MFP) hosted its 18th annual interfaith conference celebrating the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The event brought together a diverse audience of approximately 400 people and featured a distinguished array of speakers comprising of the following panelists:
Rep. Ilhan Omar, Hajj Hassanain Rajabali, Sami Shaban, Dr. Mehdi Husaini, Jeremy McLellan, and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman.
After the recitation and translation of the Holy Qur’an, Dr. Mehdi Husaini discussed the importance of diverse leadership, namely the youth, in Prophet Muhammad’s mission of social reform. He interestingly noted that it was the youth that first flocked towards his mission. Dr. Hussaini further narrated the five habits the Prophet stated he would never leave so long as he was alive: “To sit on the ground eating with slaves, to ride on a pony without a saddle, to milk a goat with my own hands, to wear coarse, woolen clothes, and to greet children in such a way that it may become a habit for those who come after me.” He encouraged everyone to be exemplary ambassadors of the Prophet, as people will know him by the actions of his followers.
Thereafter, Dr Zaki Sadiq was awarded the MFP Award for Young Leader in Philanthropy. He spoke on empowering communities and inspiring generations. He emphasized that the goal in life lies beyond material wealth; it is about attaining all the attributes to becoming a good Muslim and an upstanding individual. The message he wanted the youth to take away is to work hard and return to their communities because a community shapes a person into who they are and enriches those who follow them.
Next on the podium was Rev. Robert Moore with a plethora of distinguished roles. He reiterated Jesus’s mission which he said was for us “to be people who are working to free the oppressed, the poor, and the suffering peoples who are our sisters and brothers.”
The second award was then given to Syed Meesam Razvi for Leadership with Ethics, Morals, and Values. He reflected upon the timeless principles of leadership. Syed Razvi mentioned that first it is crucial to lead with purpose and compassion as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did. Second, was to lead with integrity and steadfastness as Imam Ali (as) did. Third, to lead with courage and sacrifice as Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammed (P) did. He wisely mentioned that leadership is not about how many people serve you, it is about how many people you serve. A leader like the prophet leads with vision and heart. He reminded us to be accessible to people and focused on the collective good.
After Syed Razvi gave his powerful message, comic relief and entertainment was provided by Jeremy McLellan, a rising star in the world of stand-up comedy. He focused on the attitude Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had towards children and encouraged the emulation of the Prophet’s legacy in the West.
The third award was then presented to Sami Shaban for Leadership with Ethics, Morals, and Values. He shared insights on various topics relevant to the Muslim community. Having lost 37 members of his family in Palestine, he understood what it meant to lose everything, yet still believe God is good. Brother Sami declared that human beings have the power to make change. He ultimately stated that if you see something wrong, change it with your hands, your mind, your heart, and your words, because the work you do will leave a global impact.
Hajji Hassanain Rajabali then came to the podium to talk on the themes of hope and divine mercy. He began by acknowledging the injustices and oppressions that exist in the world today then pivoted to God and justice. He emphasized that God gave man the ability and free will to establish justice on Earth. He continued to lecture that God created us due to His mercy and to ensure we never lose hope in the mercy of God. In turn, he pointed out that to receive this continued mercy we must be united. The enemies’ tactics of conquer and divide and not knowing how to handle the enemy is what has caused us disunity. Brother Rajabali declared that the Holy Prophet was a unifying force sent as a mercy and a role model. He mentioned the need to have dialogue with each other and talk about improving ourselves by way of calling one another to the way of the Lord and having accountability for our actions. He remarked that God created people for Paradise and a person has to work hard to go to hell. Hajji Rajabali said that the struggle should be to reach the highest stations of paradise. He spread the message to never stop doing good, never stop voicing good, and never lose the high moral standards.
Thereafter, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman expressed her gratitude to Muslims4Peace for organizing the event and welcomed Congresswoman Ilhan Omar to her constituency, Rep. Ilhan Omar, delivered a message of hope and resilience. She began with the concept of peace and the role it has in Islam. However, she noted that peace is often not found in the lands where Muslims reside. She continued to boldly state that peace cannot be just in words but it has to also be in deeds. Congresswoman Omar elucidated in regards to addressing oppression with the heart, that for her, it meant to show up. She explained, “The best dawa you can give as a Muslim is living your true values so that people can see that you don’t have to tell them what a Muslim is like, but they are able to see you when you bring a gift to the new neighbor who moves in … the heart part is about us changing the hearts and the minds of people to truly understand who and what we are; but most importantly, that when we say we are for peace that our actions show what peacefulness can be.”
Undoubtedly, Muslims4Peace continues to be a leading organization promoting interfaith dialogue, social justice, and community engagement. This year’s conference was a testament to their commitment to these values.