CAIRO – Hundreds of people in the U.S. state of Hawaii have celebrated the island’s first Islam Day in recognition of the rich religious, scientific and cultural contribution of the Muslim world.
"It's a historic day. It’s long overdue,” Hakim Ouansafi, president of the Muslim Association of Hawaii, told the Honolulu Advertiser on Friday, September 25.
“It's a day of celebrating our commonality, a day of people of faith and no faith to get together and talk story."
Hundreds of people packed the McCoy Pavilion at Ala Moana Beach Park on Thursday to celebrate Hawaii's Islam Day.
"We expected 200 to 300, so we're very pleased with the turnout," said Ouansafi.
The Day featured entertainment activities, games for children, free food and a panel discussion on coexistence in a pluralistic society.
The Hawaii state legislature has passed a resolution to mark Islam Day in recognition of the rich religious, scientific and cultural contributions of the Muslim world.
Though adopted overwhelmingly, the resolution sparked debate across the island.
"A lot of people reacted out of fear and ignorance,” said Ouansafi.
“They’ve had a chance to reflect a little bit more and people are coming around."
Hawaii is home to a Muslim community of 3,000.
There are between six to seven million Muslims in the US.
Major step
Celebrating the day, Suha Khan was proud of being a Muslim.
"It's a very big step and a huge step in this society," said the 19-year-old graduate of Pearl City High School and student at Leeward Community College.
"It means that people recognize us as a religion and respect us.”
Khan, of Pakistani origin, said that celebrating the Islam Day in Hawaii makes her and her fellow Muslims feel they are part and parcel of American society.
“For me, it makes me very happy because as an American citizen, I love this country,” said the hijab-clad Muslim girl.
“It has given my parents and me opportunities we would not have in our home country. I respect this country very much."
Among celebrants of the Islam Day were Michael and Tami Ulanski.
Michael, who served two military tours in Iraq, reverted to Islam last April after reading the Qur’an for the first time to understand the nature of the conflict in Iraq.
"I started reading it and Chapter One, it just hit me,” he said.
“It grabbed me and everything about it made sense.
"It struck me as the right thing so I just kept at it and I kept studying it and reading it and decided after a month or two that that was the right thing for me."
Michael’s wife, Tami who is Catholic, says she attended the Islam Day to better understand Muslims as her husband did.
"I came to see what it's all about, what he feels so strongly about," she said.
"I don't know enough or am educated enough about it. It's an adjustment."
Source: IslamOnline
| Daily News | We Are On... |
