I'll be talking on a panel about my experiences as a second generations Muslim Canadian, under the heading: "From Integration to Contribution". M and I were discussing yesterday, and he made a good point (which I think I'll steal for my talk) that Contribution, in some ways, has to come before real integration comes. Until you care about the society to contribute to it, you haven't truly integrated. I think he's right.
The other thing that comes to mind when I think of Integration is the following Quranic verse:
"O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another..." (49:13)
It doesn't say to ignore one another. Integration is a basic concept in Islam.
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9 comments:
Great to hear that you'll be representing, Noha.
bit-tawfiq!
JAK, K! Are you coming this weekend? I know M is...
I know you'll do well, Noha. (I'm not coming - last minute change of plans :( - make sure you give your mom a special salaam from me - I was looking forward to seeing her (and you, my kindred spirit in the blogosphere)).
Can't say that I'll be there ... sorry. I'm in TO this weekend. Still, I'll second Sajda and say that I know you'll do well!
JAK K and Saj,
Alhamdulillah, things went well yesterday. I caught the tail end of one of Dr. Tariq Ramadan's lectures before my talk started, and it was EXCELLENT, and got me in the right frame of mind for what I wanted to say. Dr. Yaser Haddara, and Br. Altaf Hussein, the two other speakers on my panel, did a wonderful job with the topic and really rounded it out. I think all three of us brought different perspectives to it, which hopefully made it more interesting for the audience...
Salamo Alykom Sister Noha,
I wanted to applaude you on a wonderful presentation you gave at ISNA.. Mashallah wondeful speaker :)
Being a first generation, I wanted to get your prespective to solve some of the mysteries I think of, of second generations in Canada and what my kids will probably experience.
Quite frankly I am not sure how I reached your blog. I have been killing myself thinking how I reached it one day last week. When I attended your presentation, I said I have heard this name before, now I know where :D Funny!!
Nariman Nasef.
haha! That's totally hilarious! JAK for the compliment Sr. Nariman.
SA again Noha,
I was always hoping to kind of interview a second generation :) As I mentioned, lots of mysteries in my mind about various issues. And the analyzing person in me cannot stop thinking in this ...
Would you mind I open few questions with you, you as being a second generation - asked by a first generation ;) ?
One can never stop wondering about this world, do we ?!!
Nariman
Salaams Nora,
Not at all. Ask away (here, or if you'd like, leave me your email here and I'll email you...)
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