In the name of the Almighty God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
2005 CAMP-Charlotte Statements
Swearing on the Quran
Letter to the Editor- Charlotte Observer
Remembering Auschwitz
Swearing on the Quran
In recent days there has been controversy surrounding Muslim
requests to swear upon the Quran instead of the Bible. Should not
freedom of religion allow an individual to take an oath upon the
scripture he reveres? The idea of taking an oath is aimed at
encouraging an individual to tell the truth. What method is more
effective than swearing upon one's holy book?
Recently there has been concern amongst some conservatives that
America is becoming a multi-religious, ethnic and cultural society.
These individuals view these forces as a threat to their tradition
and a challenge that they must overcome. This is a dangerous belief
and contradicts the culture of freedom and tolerance that this
country was founded upon.
America is and has always been a society of diversity - diversity of
thought, culture, religion and race. It is a country that has drawn
strength and definition from these qualities and in the process has
earned the admiration of the world.
In America, each individual has the freedom to live life according
to their will and the rights that they have been granted by the
constitution. Freedom of religion is perhaps the most sacred of
these liberties. It should uphold the right of an individual to
take an oath upon their religious text. The constitution was not
drafted to promote a specific ideology but to ensure the freedom of
all ideologies.
Letter to the Editor- Charlotte Observer (Tuesday- March 22nd, 2005)
It is with great disappointment that individuals and organizations in Charlotte
continue to divide efforts to help those in need. Rev. Livingston had the
opportunity on Sunday to reverse the Central Church of God’s decision for no
longer supporting the Charlotte Rescue Mission as he did with the other
ministries. In addition to issuing an apology to those of the Catholic faith,
an apology should have been issued to the entire Charlotte community including
the Muslims.
The religion of Islam instructs mankind to help those in need regardless of
their faith. Three Muslim students serving meals at the Charlotte Rescue
Mission, a Christian based organization, were cited as the reason the Central
Church of God would no longer support their mission that offers residential care
for people fighting drugs and alcohol. We are in unfortunate times when a
leading Christian based organization in our community believes it is only
appropriate to support ministries that help those in need as long as people with
different religious ideologies are not involved.
As Muslims we believe that helping others is not confined to those of the same
faith, but rather is a responsibility that all of mankind needs to shoulder for
the greater benefit of our community.
Shaun Ahmad – President
Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals - Charlotte
Phone - 704.277.8943
Email - shaun222@gmail.com
Rose Hamid – President
Muslim Women of the Carolinas
Phone - 704.578.0481
Email - rhamid@carolina.rr.com
Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals (CAMP) Charlotte Chapter Statement on Remembering Auschwitz
Sixty years ago today, on January 27 1945, the Russian army arrived at the Auschwitz death camp in Poland. There, the Red army learned of unadulterated evil that haunts the world to this date. They discovered an institution of genocide that was responsible for the murders of over one million people.
How Nazi Germany was able to develop such a hateful disposition towards their fellow man and demonize others is an important question that must not go unanswered. Today, Auschwitz is more than the world’s largest graveyard where the ashes of 1.1 million people lay but it is a symbol of one of the most brutal transgressions committed.
Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it; and therefore we must study the horror that occurred at Auschwitz. We must not forget the use of poison gas to kill unsuspecting victims gathered in shower rooms, the ovens used to convert bodies into ashes, nor the Nazi executioners who slay children too young to work.
The Holocaust did not begin with Nazi death camps but with racist attitudes, feelings of cultural superiority, and abhorrence of dissimilar people. From this environment came an ideology of hate that eventually spiraled into wickedness.
We are all bonded by the unity of humanity, and even one life taken is a crime against the sacredness of life itself. We commemorate this day to those who lost their lives at Auschwitz.
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CAMP
Council for the Advancement of
Muslim Professionals