The Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta (ISB) welcomes a new course for relations between U.S. and Muslim communities as set out in President Obama’s landmark speech in Cairo Thursday. The tone and focus of the visit and speech is a breath of fresh air and gives promise to the vision and mission of the ISB’s work for the last 8 years.

The president has eloquently acknowledged the long history and contributions of Muslims abroad and in the U.S. then offered a new beiginning “based on mutual interest and mutual respect, and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap and share common principles, principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings,” the president said.

This is exactly that vision that has propelled much of the work of the ISB, an affiliate of Islamic Networks Group.

Those efforts aim to counter stereotypes and prejudice that have long born their bitter fruits, both to those who hold them, and to those that are a victim of them. It is also part of ISB’s core belief that is also reflected in Obama’s policy, that mutual understanding and respect brought about through dialogue and discourse can help promote peace and solve conflicts.

As the President emphasizes, “There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other, to learn from each other, to respect one another, and to seek common ground. As the Holy Quran tells us, Be conscious of God and speak always the truth.” It is telling that he emphasizes the importance in our dialogue that we include a truthful expression of the concerns we have with each other, rather than letting them fester within.

ISB appreciates the long missing recognition from our leader that will hopefully inform discussions that have for so long focused only on the negative, that – as he said, “the relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of coexistence and co-operation.”

It is to shed light on this hidden history that inspires ISB speakers to deliver presentations on “Islamic Contributions to Civilization.”

But the President’s history lesson did not end there; he acknowledged too “that Islam has always been a part of America's story. The first nation to recognize my country was Morocco. In signing the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, our second President John Adams wrote, ‘The United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims.’ And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States. They have fought in our wars, served in government, stood for civil rights, started businesses, taught at our Universities, excelled in our sports arenas, won Nobel Prizes, built our tallest building, and lit the Olympic Torch. And when the first Muslim-American was recently elected to Congress, he took the oath to defend our Constitution using the same Holy Koran that one of our Founding Fathers – Thomas Jefferson – kept in his personal library.

This is the very story of Muslim history in America that ISB speakers relate many times a year when they deliver presentations on “Root of Muslims in the U.S.”

ISB hails President Obama’s emphasis on freedom of religion that has made this country from its founding a beacon of hope for the religiously oppressed. He is right in pointing out that at the same time it is incumbent upon Muslims to practice this same religious freedom and respect which is foundational in ISB’s interfaith work as based on the Qur’an’s principles or religious pluralism.

His call for equality for women balanced by his acknowledgement that women do not have to make the same choices as men to be equal, and his reference to the historical precedence of women heads of state in four Muslim-majority countries reflects the message of ISB’s popular presentation on “Women in Islam.”

The President puts forth the notion that ISB has long worked towards, that putting aside our differences and emphasizing our commonalities is the only way forward: “So long as our relationship is defined by our differences,” he said, “we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, those who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. And this cycle of suspicion and discord must end."

ISB hails his statement that emphasizes our commonalities and humanity: “... let there be no doubt, Islam is a part of America. And I believe that America holds within her the truth that regardless of race, religion, or station in life, all of us share common aspirations: to live in peace and security, to get an education and to work with dignity, to love our families, our communities, and our God. These things we share. This is the hope of all humanity.”

ISB members welcome this new era of dialogue, respect, and new relationship between all of the world’s people.

( Atlanta – May 21, 2009) A metro-Atlanta based Muslim outreach group has condemned an alleged terrorist plot targeting to bomb a Jewish temple and community center in New York , while shooting down U.S. military planes.

“We utterly deplore this heinous and horrific plot which contradicts Islamic teachings,” said Soumaya Khalifa, Executive Director of the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta (ISB). “We call on people of all backgrounds to engage in dialogue and building bridges across communities, rather than resorting to violence. This is how our diverse nation can move forward."

ISB also congratulates local and national law enforcement agencies for their success in thwarting the alleged plot to bomb two Jewish institutions and shoot missiles at military planes.

Harming places of worship of any religious group is strictly prohibited in Islam, and the Qur’an specifically mentions the duty to safeguard all houses of worship including synagogues (Qur’an, 22:40).

ISB, a group affiliated with Islamic Networks Group (ING), points out that no political grievances can legitimize actions that are condemned by Islam; those that claim Islamic teachings to justify their immoral violent actions are committing a dual crime of attempting to harm others and acting in the name of a religion that they are misrepresenting.

ISB joins ING in reminding the media and government officials that the actions of a few should not be used to stereotype or promote fear and prejudice towards an entire community.

ISB is an apolitical, non partisan educational organization and a local affiliate of ING (Islamic Networks Group), the leading outreach institution providing education about Islam and Muslim culture since 1993, with affiliates both nationally and in England . More information about the ISB can be found at: http://www.isbatlanta.org

Contact person:
Soumaya Khalifa, Executive Director of Islamic Speakers Bureau-Atlanta. (678) 523 5080 , email: dirisbatl@yahoo.com