Maha Elgenaidi’s Speech at Interfaith Gathering for Peace

By Maha Elgenaidi, Executive Director.

This speech was delivered at the Interfaith Gathering for Peace on August 27th, 2017 at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. You can watch a video of her speech here.

As we come together to celebrate our diversity and build relationships of peace and love across all that might divide us, I am reminded of the teachings of the Scriptures of my faith, Islam, that can help guide us along that path. For Muslims, concern with equality in diversity is not a new issue; in his last sermon, the Prophet Muhammad stated emphatically:

‘All humankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action.’ The Qur’an, which we believe to be God’s definitive word to humankind, sees diversity as positive, as part of God’s plan; it represents God as saying, ‘O humankind, We have created you male and female, and appointed you races and tribes, that you may know one another.’ (49:13)
 
Diversity, in fact, is a sign that leads us to God: ‘And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colors: verily in that are Signs for those who know.’ (30:22)
 
That these are not merely empty words for the Muslim community is shown by the Constitution of Medina, drawn up by Muhammad for the world’s first Muslim polity. The Constitution explicitly guarantees the right of non-Muslims to practice their religion freely and to govern themselves according to the laws of their faith. This continues to be the mainstream view of Muslims down to the present day; despite the unIslamic intolerance of ISIS and other extremist groups, a recent Pew Research poll of Muslims worldwide found that an overwhelming majority believed it a good thing that non-Muslims in their countries could worship freely. The vision of Islam is an inclusive vision, calling for respect for human diversity.
 
And so I want to close with a poem which is a reworking of a famous quote by the Protestant pastor Martin Niemoeller, who spent seven years in concentration camps for his opposition to Hitler:
 
First they came for the Muslims, and I spoke out—
Because they are my brothers and sisters.
 
Then they came for the undocumented and I spoke out—
Because they are my brothers and sisters.
 
Then they came for the Blacks, and I spoke out—
Because they are my brothers and sisters.
 
Then they came for the Jews, and I spoke out—
Because they are my brothers and sisters.
 
Then they came for me—and they all spoke out for me.

Thank you.