It is a big relief that after several weeks of doing “hard labor” for the community, we are extended an invitation to travel to places we really long to visit.  This is not an R&R but, despite the attendant task of delivering a lecture during the trip, we have already conditioned our minds to enjoy the sojourn.
    
    The Center for Malay Civilization Studies invited the Center for Moderate Muslims (CMM) to be represented in the “Conference on Islamic Tradition and Malay Art Festival” on September 1-3, 2007 to be held in Pekanbaru, Riau Province, Indonesia.  The theme of the Forum is “Reorienting Islamic Movement, Culture and Radicalism”, with 200 participants coming from 10 ASEAN Countries as well as Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Russia.  I and Justice Saaduddin Alauya will represent the CMM in the Conference, and we are asked to speak on “The Future of Islamic Da’wah Through the Use of Words, not Sword” and “Education and the Shari’ah – Essential Keys to Reduce Radicalism,” respectively.

    Now, you know the main reasons why we are both happy with the long trip and the accompanying task of speaking in the Conference.  Both of us like traveling and both of us feel at home with our respective topics – I always go for “words, not sword” (as this Column indicates), and everybody knows that the forte of Justice Alauya is “Shari’ah” (he was the Jurisconsult or “Grand Mufti” for several years, and he handled successfully the celebrated Sarah Balabagan Case in the United Arab Emirates, among others)

    Regarding Islamic Da’wah through “words, not sword,” I always believe that we always have to abide by what Allah (swt) says in the Holy Qur’an, “Invite mankind, (O Muhammad) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Revelation and the Qur’an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better.  Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Knower of those who are guided” (Surah16:125).  Also, we have to distinguish “Islam” from “Muslim” all the time.  Why is this important?  It is because the more the non-Muslims become attracted or amazed with the beautiful teachings of Islam, the more the bad manners of some Muslims become glaring and they scare-off our non-Muslim brothers and sisters.  So we need to make them realize that as there are non-practicing Christians, whose acts run in sharp contrast to the teachings of Jesus Christ, there are also some individuals who proudly call themselves “Muslim” while not actually practicing what it means.  Many non-Muslims wrongly identify Islam as being simply “what Muslims do” and this is a big problem when we have non-practicing Muslims (especially those engaged in illegal drugs, CD piracy, pornography, etc…).

    From Pekanbaru, the CMM Team will go to Singapore for a series of meetings with Outstanding Religious and Professional Organizations in that very beautiful and clean country.  One important Muslim Group the CMM likes to have a good collaborative relationship with is the Muslim Ugama Islam Singapore (MUIS).  CMM also desires meetings with non-Muslim Organizations which are advocating Peaceful Co-existence in order to forge stronger Philippine-Singapore collaboration at all levels.  We have sought the help of the very cordial officials of the Singapore Embassy in Manila for these noble purposes.

    According to our hosts, the CMM gets invited to regularly join the Peace Advocates’ Forums worldwide because it has shown very active, effective, and successful Programs on the following:

a)    Propagating the values of Peaceful Co-existence, Tolerance and Moderation in dealing with everybody – Muslims and non-Muslims alike;
b)    Supporting Intrafaith and Interfaith Dialogue at all levels;
c)    Conducting Muslim Women Values Formation Seminars and Livelihood Training Programs;
d)    Involving the Muslim Youth in Livelihood Programs, Sports, Computer Literacy Programs, and Madrasah Education;
e)    Implementing Imam Training Programs nationwide;
f)    Sponsoring Free Day Care Educational Programs for Muslim Children (3-6 years old) in Metro Manila and Mindanao;
g)    Hosting Radio and Local TV Programs, and publishing the only Muslim Newsletter in the Philippines, “The Universal Message,” to reach out to all sectors of Philippine Society;
h)    Networking with other NGOs and International Organizations to distribute relief goods and food supplies to poor Muslims during the Ramadhan and when calamities happen – both natural and man-made;
i)    Recognizing the sterling performance of the Muslim Youth by sponsoring the nationwide search for the Annual “Ten Outstanding Muslim Youth (TOMY)” Awards;
j)    Sponsoring International and Local Conferences/Forums on Islamic Teachings and Mindanao Issues; and
k)    Granting Scholarships to qualified and deserving Muslim Youth in Metro Manila and Mindanao.

All told, it really pays to abide by the Islamic teachings of Tolerance, Peaceful Co-existence, and Moderation.  Join us in our cruise towards Peace.  We welcome everybody to the Club!