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Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf

Posted: October 29, 2010 11:31 AM

Remarks from the Huffington Post Game Changers celebration.

Thank you, Arianna. And thanks also to everyone at The Huffington Post.

It is indeed an honor to be part of the extraordinary group being recognized this evening.

I would like to take to take this opportunity to thank all those who have supported our efforts here in New York and around the world.

Thank you for joining the fight against mistrust and misunderstanding.

Thank you for having the courage to uphold the values on which this country was founded - life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

I especially want to thank Mayor Bloomberg -- a Game Changer himself -- for everything he has done to support Cordoba House at Park51 here in Manhattan.

But Cordoba House at Park51 is just one part of the larger Cordoba Movement.

The Cordoba Movement is a multi-national, multi-faith organization dedicated to tackling tough issues in a practical way in order to build bridges between Muslims, Jews, Christians, and people of goodwill from all cultures and faith traditions.

I founded the Cordoba Movement to help break the cycle of fear, mistrust, misunderstanding, and violence that threatens the peace and stability of the entire world. This misunderstanding is fueling the irrational fear of Islam that we are seeing in the United States and elsewhere in the West. And this, in turn is fueling the extremism and radicalism we see in some Islamic countries.

My father once told me a story about a time he asked his father, my grandfather, "What's the most important thing in life to you?" My grandfather responded, "It may be hard to believe but I care about you, and love you, more than I care about myself. That you are healthy and safe is more important to me than my own life."

Each of us wants more for our children then we want for ourselves. It is up to all of us to work together to help break the cycle of fear, mistrust, misunderstanding, and violence that threatens the peace and stability of the entire world.

Leaving the world a better place than we found it by reversing this downward spiral hatred and ignorance for our children and our grandchildren is truly the "Game Changer" that we all need to strive for.

Thank you again for your recognition of our work and the important efforts of all the game changers honored here tonight.

 
 
 
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Pyrum
03:55 PM on 11/03/2010
How come my comments keep getting scrubbed on this post?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Doug Sandlin
We See The World Not As It Is But As We Are
11:02 PM on 11/02/2010
Oh, and - Sufi (Muslim) rockers Junoon are not just any rock band.

They've sold over 30 Million albums, and to date, they're the biggest band out of South Asia (Pakistan/India) - ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_agUaE7Ffs

Peace to all.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Doug Sandlin
We See The World Not As It Is But As We Are
10:54 PM on 11/02/2010
Members of the world's leading Sufi Rock Band, Junoon (including American Christian member Brian McConnell) talk about Islam, extremism, and the unfortunate and inaccurate prejudices against Islam, in the U.S.:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNEGOlGfWQ8

Peace to all.
researcher
researcher
04:45 AM on 11/02/2010
the game changer is karma.

nothing can match it.

it will do its thing with no respect for any religion or nation.

it is natural law or might be stated as spiritual principles.

it took communism and chewed it up.

now it will take capitalism and do its thing to an economic system of profits over people.

did we really think we could create a system of profits over people and not pay the price of it.

the interesting thing religion and capitalism go together like ducks and water. go figure.
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07:47 PM on 11/01/2010
the Imam reaches out to us in peace and advocates understanding.

why do some meet him with intolerance and hatred?
11:12 PM on 11/01/2010
If he really wants peace, why not respect our sensitivities----especially given what has happened.
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persianadvocate
01:17 AM on 11/02/2010
Your sensitivities are unfounded and reflect an ignorant and simple mind, based wholly on your racist belief that 1.5 billion Muslims are one in the same. You must live somewhere far in the sticks if you're from the States.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Pyrum
11:14 PM on 11/01/2010
I'll agree he reaches out in peace, but understanding? That's a stretch.
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persianadvocate
01:17 AM on 11/02/2010
It would be a stretch for simpleminded people to understand that 1.5 billion Muslims are not all one in the same.
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HUFFPOST BLOGGER
Sharmine Narwani
06:46 PM on 11/01/2010
Quite extraordinary how so many HP posters are always whining about why Muslims don't work to show us a more "moderate" face of Islam. Then when someone like Imam Rauf steps forward and offers that, the very same posters do their damnedest to undermine the effort and slam every aspect of the religion.

There's an obsessiveness about it that rankles. Get a life, folks. Be happy.
02:35 PM on 11/01/2010
Peace be upon you, Brother. Bless you and thank you for your work.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
SGTDBK
you don't much look like a steer to me
01:41 PM on 11/01/2010
Probably the only universal message one can say.

"I hope my kids do better then I did..."
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Schweik
10:44 AM on 11/01/2010
The world would be better off without Shariah.
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GlennWatson
Two million fans
05:37 PM on 11/01/2010
Islam would be better of without it.
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persianadvocate
07:47 PM on 11/01/2010
Or Talmudic law, or the idea of creating a legal system on a set of imaginary beliefs.
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politicky
just follow the $$$
09:44 PM on 10/30/2010
Thank you for your work. :)
07:07 PM on 10/30/2010
Imam: I, for one, welcome you and hope that you will present a balanced view of Islam. Americans seem to be consumed with fear of Islam and need educating on just what Islam is about. Few have any concept of Islam beyond Al Qaeda and the Taliban. They need a balanced understanding and a realization that every religion has its violent episodes so the Taliban and Al Qaeda have their counterparts in Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism and Budhism.
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GlennWatson
Two million fans
12:17 AM on 11/01/2010
Islam is currently involved in violent conflicts with Atheism, Animism, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism.

Maybe you guys should take a look inside your own hearts.
07:14 AM on 11/01/2010
Glenn - Judaism is involved in a violent conflict with Palestinians. Chrstians have aided and abetted them in this. Both believe god gave the land to the Jews and the Christians believe the second coming will occur when the Jews rebuild the temple the Romans tore down two thousand years ago. In 1949, Muslims fled from their homes in what is now India and went North. It was to save their lives and many didn't make it. They were slaughtered on trains as they rode them North. Hindus slaughtered them. Not long ago Christians were killing Muslims and driving them off the land. NATO intervened. Roman Catholics and Protestants indulged in wars which lasted for decades. They only ended because it was finally realized neither side could win and the cost was horrific. Right now the Pope et al are looking at the public peeking into the inside secret disgusting way in which the RC church covered up the abuses - sexual and physical and mental - of children. It was for the good of the church that it wasn't revealed. police, governments and familiesdidn't act. Sometimes governments cooperated. So please don't tell me of the wars some Muslims have engaged in recently. The Taliban was armed by the United States and I honestly don't hear much of governmental outrage re Muslims in Saudi Arabia or the Emirates. Gosh no. They have oil. Maybe Christians should look in their own hearts re Cordoba House and realize it is bigotry to
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Schweik
12:14 PM on 11/01/2010
Fanned GlennWatson.
Thanks for being truthful.
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AbuHamza
05:16 PM on 10/30/2010
I forgot to mention that my father also told me the same thing; that if he had only one wish it would be for me to become more successful than him. That's kind of cool because both of them, your father and mine, come from Egypt. And both of us are Americans who love and appreciate the United States.
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AbuHamza
05:11 PM on 10/30/2010
Thank you for your wise words and refreshing thoughts Imam. I especially like the part about how much we would like our children to be even more successful and happier than ourselves. We will only leave a better world for our sons and daughters if voices of reason are more heard and emphasized than fear-mongering and divisiveness! Peace...
11:28 AM on 10/30/2010
Is anyone going to ask the Imam about homosexuality and |slam? You all seem to be critical of Christians about it...
12:52 PM on 10/30/2010
You must be a right-wing to ask this questions ? don't worry he said before to journalist that he doesn't object to it and the questions of homosexuality should be debated within society
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Pyrum
01:12 AM on 10/31/2010
Could you please provide a link? I searched, but I could not find any evidence of this interview.
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postyntts
01:31 PM on 10/30/2010
Ahhh, but it is the Christianists who are critical of homosexuality. Forever focusing on what other people do and who other people love rather than doing your part to make this a better world.
Deucejack
Stop expecting others to fix your problems.
10:48 AM on 10/30/2010
We don't need education about Islam. I don't see anyone of you mormon bashers demanding that people be educated about the Mormon faith.

No... what we need is for Islamic terrorist to stop killing in the name of Islam.
05:41 AM on 10/31/2010
Well Deuce - I know a lot about the Mormons. They come to my door with monotonous regualrity. Mormonism and its founder are relative recent adjuncts to religion and so it is easy to know a lot of facts about Joseph Smith. And it is easy to learn about the racism of Mormonism until fairly recently. I know a lot less about Mohammed. But I have to say a significant thing to me is the fact that the Koran is not written in King James English as the Book of Mormon is and Islam does welcome people of all races. Islam, like Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity and Hinduism, has differing interpretations of the Koran and beliefs re what Mohammed (pbuh) said and did. Islam cheriches learning and inquiry. It has given the world such things as algebra and algorith (Arabic words) and universities. I am willing to have you tell me what Mormonism has done for the world and if, Mormons, prior to joining the union, felt Moslems who had four wives were right or should they have had as many wives as they wanted. Moslem terrorists are to be abhorred and are abhorred by Muslims. Do you abhor what america has done to Muslims? I mean I was shocked and awed by the unwarranted American attck on Baghdad.
Deucejack
Stop expecting others to fix your problems.
01:36 PM on 10/31/2010
"Islam cheriches learning and inquiry."

LMAO... ROTFLMAO... Classic!!!
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SGTDBK
you don't much look like a steer to me
01:22 PM on 11/01/2010
pinki-The first thing which stuck out in my mind is the Koran can't be interrupted by any other language then Arabic. I believe this to be utterly false, because if it was true it would demerate all of translations between every language for all time. You can't say one language is the true language and the rest can't understand its meaning.

As far as giving the world algebra this is false. The concept of "0" and algebra itself is a Hindu conception but was relayed to the West via Islam.

As far as cherishing knowledge-I do accept the fact Islamic culture did a fabolous job of preserving knowledge from the Greeks as there Western counterparts were struggling through their "dark ages."

I'm not quite sure as to the physical products Mormon's have contributed to society but it doesn't mean they are wrong about their religion. (I myself am Agnostic so the record is straight).

To say we attacked Baghdad because they have Muslims is inherantly wrong. Iraq wars have absolutely nothing to do with religion. To elude to or blame the wars as "religious" is irresponsible and takes away from the criminal invasion which took place.
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Doug Sandlin
We See The World Not As It Is But As We Are
07:07 PM on 11/01/2010
We all agree there -- Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

The only ones who don't feel that way, are the extremists themselves.

Peace to all.