rabia terri harris

Rabia Terri Harris

RABIA TERRI HARRIS, Coordinator of the Muslim Peace Fellowship . MPF

was founded to Permit isolated Muslims with a deep personal commitment

to nonviolence and harmony to locate each other and exchange views �

Search out Muslim individuals and groups already involved in peace and

justice work and make their efforts more visible in the larger

community and the media Help such individuals and groups coordinate at

the national level � Provide training in nonviolent conflict

resolution for jama`ahs in our endangered inner cities Target local

situations that could respond to trained intervention by concerned

Muslim peacemakers � Organize Muslim humanitarian aid for threatened

communities worldwide Formulate Islamic positions in support of human

rights, unity in diversity, and upright and ethical political action �

Communicate with Muslims and non-Muslims about the essentially Islamic

character of such positions Give moral support to our daily pursuit of

tawhid. http://www.mpfweb.org/

Mpf@forusa.org

Rabia Harris Rabia Terri Harris - "Nonviolence is Jihad: Thoughts on

the Evolution of Resistance". Contrary to popular stereotypes, Islam

has centuries-old traditions of religious and cultural tolerance, and

large but mainly unheralded movements that engage in nonviolent

resistance. Islamic tolerance and nonviolence are rooted in religious

principles. Islamic nonviolent resistance is related to other

nonviolent struggles in the world, and the FOR, the Muslim Peace

Fellowship, and other religious peace fellowships fit into the overall

struggles for peace and justice. She is a Muslim woman peace activist

within the Islamic community and in interfaith work. She has a vision

for future work toward a more peaceful world. Rabia has been a member

of the editorial staff of FOR since 1993, currently serving as Interim

Editor of FOR's bimonthly magazine, Fellowship

. In 1994 she founded, and now serves as the Executive Director of,

the Muslim Peace Fellowship, an influential forum for progressive

Islamic thought. She is co-originator of Peace Warriors:

Muslim-Christian Conflict Transformation Workshops, a joint project of

MPF and the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America. Rabia serves as

a hospital chaplain assisting the families of children with terminal

illnesses, regardless of religion, and is a member of the Jerrahi

Order, a three-hundred-year-old Muslim religious society headquartered

in Istanbul.

The Muslim Peace Fellowship (Ansar as-Salam) is a gathering of peace

and justice-oriented Muslims of all backgrounds who are dedicated to

making the beauty of Islam evident in the world.

We believe:

Personal example is the only convincing argument for the truth of any

religion. Since the particular business of Muslims is to emulate the

model of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who was

sent as "a mercy to the worlds," our main concern must be to learn and

teach the integrity and kindness that were his chief characteristics.

And since the Creator of the Universe asks us, at the beginning of

every act, to call to mind His benevolence and compassion, we know

that these qualities must be the primary hallmark of any full

realization of Islam.

We are consciously devoting ourselves to work towards that

realization.

Our objectives:

* To work against injustice and for peace in ourselves, our

families, our communities, and our world.

* To encourage a greater commitment to peace on behalf of all

Muslims.

* To explore and deepen our understanding of Islamic teachings about

peace and nonviolence.

* To expose the falsehood of the popular stereotype that Islam is a

religion that teaches terrorism and violence.

To reach out to people of other religious traditions in an effort

to create mutual understanding, tolerance, and respect.

* To work together with all people to keep open the Straight Path

and to bring about a more just and peaceful community and world.

Membership:

The Muslim Peace Fellowship is open to Muslims of any culture and

tradition who share our beliefs, agree with our purpose, and wish to

join us- insha'Allah-to achieve our goals, guided by the Holy Qur'an

and the teachings of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

Muslim Peace Fellowship, Rabia Harris, Coordinator

(coordinator@mpfweb.org)

The Muslim Peace Fellowship is part of the Fellowship of

Reconciliation network

Copyright � 2004 Muslim Peace Fellowship. All rights reserved.