A Sunni and a Shi'a speaker called for dialogue between the two Islamic sects during the panel discussion, "Sunni-Shi'a Differences: Realities, Myths, and Challenges" in the McDowell formal lounge Feb. 22.
Imam Abo Fazel Nahidian from the Manassas Mosque, a Shi'a mosque in Virginia, and Sunni professor Sulayman Nyang from Howard University were the featured speakers of the event, which was sponsored by the Minaret of Freedom Institute and the American University Muslim Student Association.
The Minaret of Freedom is a D.C.-based think tank founded to refute misconceptions about Islam and advance the status of Muslim peoples, according to their mission statement.
Welcoming the audience with "peace and greetings," Nyang said the interfaith dialogue marked an important moment in history.
"Whenever history is made, it is made by a few people," Nyang said.
Nyang went on to discuss Islam against his background of growing up in a Sunni community in Africa, and then later working actively in the interfaith movement.
He said Muslims are a part of the American reality, and the Sunni-Shi'a divide will be problematic.
However, he said just as modernity forced Catholics and Protestants to talk to each other, the dialogue between Sunnis and Shi'as is inevitable. The Sunni and Shi'a sects have even more in common with each other than Catholics and Protestants do, he said.
Both Sunnis and Shi'as believe Allah is the only God and both use the Koran as their holy text. Differences lie in how the Koran is interpreted, according to Nyang
Nyang went on to ask why Americans put such great emphasis on the Sunni-Shi'a differences.
"Human beings will divide themselves along racial, ethnic and gender lines," he said. "The only division we haven't had is one based on height."
Hal Steinberg, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, appreciated the panel's insistence on interfaith dialogue from his perspective as a Jewish student.
"As Jews, we too have divisions, often unnecessary," he said. "It was interesting to see another religion deal with similar divisions."
On the other hand, Nahidian began his speech by addressing audience curiosity.
"Some of you are probably wondering, 'What's a Sunni? What's a Shi'a?'" Nahidian said.
He said people often incorrectly blame the actions of individual Muslims on the religion of Islam.
"As a Muslim, if I do something wrong, don't blame Islam. Blame me," he said.
Nahidian spelled out the goals of Muslims. A primary Islamic belief is that nothing is more almighty than Allah, he said.
"Knowledge is there, love is there, everything is there," he said.
Consequently, Nahidian said submission before Allah is essential in Islam. He pointed to the holiday of Ramadan as an example of submission before Allah, as "people become one under the banner of God."
Another aim of Muslims is to ensure the peace and harmony of heaven will be on earth, according to Nahidian.
Aleksandra Oheda, a sophomore in the School of International Service, said she enjoyed the overview of Islam the panel gave.
"I came because I don't know enough about the religion," she said. "I also really liked how they answered every question with two points of view."
She said she found the panel's emphasis on Islam in America especially interesting.
"The context is different here," Oheda said.
