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Editor: The recent 10th annual Ramadan Iftar, held at the Passaic County Islamic Center in Paterson, chose volunteerism as its theme. The main prayer room was filled to capacity by a mixture of so many dignitaries and lay people ranging from Gov. Jon S. Corzine to elected officials, judges and lawyers, leaders from so many religious churches and other faiths, as well as numerous Muslim-American community leaders.

Curiously, absent from the positive media coverage of the event is the legal limbo of Imam Muhammad Qatanani, who, since 1996, has been the spiritual leader of the Paterson-based Passaic County Islamic Center, ICPC.

While many deserving accolades were showered upon the imam for his significant contributions to interfaith dialogue, good citizenship and political participation, it was obvious the imam was perhaps counting his days both as the imam of the Islamic center and as a legal resident in the United States.

The imam's legal status is being challenged by the immigration authorities; despite solid support from the community and from so many elected and public officials, his application for permanent residency has not been granted.

There is no greater issue for our community to rally behind than its demand that the government grant our imam his permanent legal status.

Doubtless, since his arrival into the United States, the imam has, with the help of able and dedicated mosque leaders and volunteers, succeeded to position the mosque, the community and indeed the religion of Islam at center stage. His untiring involvement in interfaith dialogue and advocacy for political participation has earned him the rightful position as an ambassador of peace.

He was the first Muslim leader to officiate the opening of the New Jersey General Assembly.

We do hope the responsible parties will without further delay grant the imam the legal right to stay in the United States.

He is precisely the type of religious and community leader we earnestly need to foster respect for religious and ethnic diversity.

Aref Assaf, president, American Arab Forum, Paterson
 

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Herald News

Corzine urges respect for Muslims
Thursday, September 28, 2006

By SUZANNE TRAVERS
HERALD NEWS


PATERSON -- Using the greeting "Ramadan Mubarak," or "Blessed Ramadan," the Muslim holy month, Gov. Jon S. Corzine told an interfaith audience Wednesday night that they should work together to promote increased participation and respect for Muslims in American society.

"There's an absolute common history that we have as human beings and we have to live that way, make policy that way, and operate that way," Corzine said, before more than 200 elected officials, clergy, and community leaders who attended an iftar, or break-fast, dinner at the Islamic Center of Passaic County.

The American Muslim Union, a nonprofit Totowa-based organization, has held the dinner for the past nine years to foster better understanding between various ethnic cultures in New Jersey, Sohail Mohammed, a Clifton attorney and the union's general counsel, said before the dinner.

Mohammed said the goal of the gathering was to have people from different backgrounds sit at the same table to share food, have dialogue and learn about each other.

"It's an event for a meeting of the minds and heart," he said.

Passaic County Democratic Party leader John Currie, Paterson Roman Catholic Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli, Haledon Mayor Ken Pengitore, North Haledon police Chief Joseph Ferrante, Prospect Park police Chief Frank Franco, were among those who attended.

The dinner buffet featured a mix of Middle Eastern and other cuisines: shish kebab placed next to baked ziti on the table. Muslims present broke their fast in the traditional manner, by eating dates.

Speakers touched on this year's theme of volunteerism and offered explanations of their faiths.

American Muslim Union president Mohamed Younes explained the significance of the Muslim holy month, which marks the period when Allah revealed the first verses of the Quran, the holy book of Islam, to the Prophet Mohammad. Muslims observe the month by fasting from dawn to dusk, prayer, and have increased engagement in good deeds and acts of charity.

Meanwhile, Serratelli said he wished to echo the apology statement of Pope Benedict XVI in his recent meeting with Muslim ambassadors.

"I want you to know that we have a deep profound respect for our Muslim brothers and sisters," he said. "Seated at the same table this evening we share more than the same food before us. We share friendship and companionship and the shared values of our faith traditions. One such common value common to all of us is charity."

Earlier this month, the pope outraged Muslims around the world by quoting an obscure medieval text that characterized some of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as "evil and inhuman."

This year Ramadan began on Sunday and lasts through Oct. 23, ending with the holiday Eid-ul-fitr.

The mission of the American Muslim Union, officials of the organization said, was to serve the Muslim community through education and partnership with other groups. Attendance at the union's annual dinner has continued to grow since 1999.

Reach Suzanne Travers at 973-569-7167 or travers@northjersey.com.



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AP Story by Wayne Parry

NJ Muslims, Christians pledge better ties
9/27/2006, 7:50 p.m. ET
By WAYNE PARRY
The Associated Press


PATERSON, N.J. (AP) — Amid worldwide tensions between Muslims and Christians, leaders of both faiths pledged Wednesday night to work together for better understanding in New Jersey.

The American Muslim Union invited leaders of Christian denominations to its annual Ramadan dinner at one of the state's most influential mosques, hoping to ease tensions and strengthen ties.

The dinner came amid renewed tension following a speech by Pope Benedict XVI that angered Muslims when he quoted a 14th century Byzantine emperor who questioned Islam's contributions to civilization. The speech, for which the pontiff has expressed regret, touched off violence in several countries.

Bishop Arthur Serratelli of Paterson stressed the common ground that both religions share.

"I want you to know we have a deep, powerful respect for our Muslim brothers and sisters," he said. "You worship the one God, merciful and almighty, creator of heaven and Earth."

Imam Mohamed Qatanani, spiritual leader of The Islamic Center of Passaic County, where the dinner was held, said his congregation went out of its way to open its doors to others and reach out to other faiths, particularly after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

"I look at this responsibility to build bridges between people of all religions — Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims," he said. "The good understanding of each other will make the world a more peaceful" place.

Gov. Jon Corzine also pledged to make Muslims feel fully included and accepted as an integral part of New Jersey.

"I am here to send a message — that the people of New Jersey admire the role and contributions of the Muslim community to our society," he said. "We are all children of Abraham. There is absolutely common heritage that we all have as human beings. We need to live that way and we need to make policy that way."

Mohammed Younes, president of the American Muslim Union and an elder in Paterson's Muslim community, said interfaith dialogue is essential today.


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