Northern Michigan University (NMU) Health & Nutrition Professor Mohey Mowafy (above left) of Marquette introduced Imam Hassan Qazwini (center) to an eager audience of mostly Christians for a living room chat.
Rev. Warren Geier (right) of Bethany Lutheran Church in Ishpeming, MI was among several Lutheran pastors on hand.
Imam Qazwini answered a wide range of questions including the murder of many of his family members in Iraq, the War in Iraq, hunting, interfaith environment projects and common perceptions and misconceptions between religions. (Photos by Greg Peterson)
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Imam Hassan Qazwini: Humans are selfish and dont treat the environment with justice - its the responsibility of all humans and all religions to respect the environment
The Michigan Earth Keeper Initiative has always promoted interfaith connections - and America's top Muslim Imam brought just that message to Marquette, MI
Talk by Imam Hassan Qazwini, head of the Islamic Center of America on Oct. 22, 2008 at the Lutheran Campus Ministry (LCM) Lothlórien House in Marquette, Michigan
Northern Michigan University (NMU) Health & Nutrition Professor Mohey Mowafy of Marquette introduced Imam Hassan Qazwini:
Verbatim comments by Imam Hassan Qazwini:
In the Quran God says:
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Thahara alfasadu feealbarri waalbahri bima kasabat aydee alnnasiliyutheeqahum baAAda allathee AAamiloolaAAallahum yarjiAAoona. Quran (Ar-Rum: verse 41)
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Quran (Ar-Rum: verse 41) translated:
Corruption (Mischief) has appeared on land and sea because of (the meed) that the hands of men have earned, that (Allah) may give them a taste of some of their deeds: in order that they may turn back (from Evil). Quran (Ar-Rum: verse 41)
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Corruption has appeared on the sea and on the land due to what the man did - or what the man does.
Meaning that God created this very beautiful, splendid planet. And he gave it to us as a gift. But he asked us not to corrupt it, not to ruin it, not to destroy it. Use it for our benefit.
Did you know that in this country, we only form five percent of the worlds population, but we consume 25 percent of the worlds energy. What does this mean? This means that I am taking my own share - yet I am taking the share of five other people in this world. I am using my own share plus the share that belongs to five other people - I am consuming.
It means that I am stepping over my limits. And I am doing such injustice to the environment. Why? Simply because I am selfish. I want to enjoy myself. I dont care about the environment. I dont care about others and I want to use everything for my own benefit only.
Artwork by Esteban Barahona of San José, Costa Rica and courtesy Wikipedia
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I always remind my friend - I say many of you love hunting. How many of you hunt?
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Answering the Imams question - news reporter Greg Peterson says I am growing my beard (for deer season) right now.
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Imam Hassan Qazwini continues:
Hunting is a hobby that many people love to do.
In Islam, my religion, two people can hunt only.
A hunter - meaning whose career is hunting, someone who makes a living out of hunting.
And the second one: A man who is wandering the desert or the woods. And he got so hungry, and he could not find anything to eat, he went and he hunted something. He ate. Thats fine.
Photo by Greg Peterson
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But for someone to do it as a hobby - its prohibited (in Islam).
Why?
Because God allowed me, permitted me as a human being, he gave me the right to take the life of an innocent animal only when I need it. When I need to fill my stomach. When I am hungry. Or when I need to make a living because I have to make a living.
But for me to go out and enjoy myself with the cost of killing an innocent animal - God says: Here your freedom is over. You can not take the life of an innocent animal simply because you wanted to enjoy yourself. Simply because you wanted to have some fun.
But obviously, you may tell me: I am not going to waste it. I will take it.
I know, but what was my incentive when I hunted this animal. My incentive was to enjoy myself not because I was hungry.
My point that I am trying to say is this: That God want this equilibrium to be kept and to be preserved.
We Muslims refrain from eating so many kind of fish - the kind of fish that does not have scale on the skin - we cannot eat. Why?
Because we know that if we are allowed to eat everything in the ocean then the balance the equilibrium in the ocean will be upset.
Therefor - not only my well-being - the well-being of the environment will be in danger.
Photo by Greg Peterson
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So the bottom line is - that Islam is one of the religions that emphasizes protecting the environment.
You can use from the environment as much as you need - not as much as you enjoy.
You can use the environment as much as you need - not as much as you enjoy.
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Related Links:
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Mosque photo courtesy the Islamic Center of America website
Imam Hassan Qazwini, head of the Islamic Center of America
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Critic of Imam Hassan Qazwini:
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Quran and the environment:
http://www.blogtoplist.com/religion/blogdetails-17864-3.html
http://theislamicscience.blogspot.com/2007/04/man-and-pollution.html
http://Quran.al-islam.com/Targama/DispTargam.asp?nType=1&nSora=30&nAya=41&nSeg=1&l=eng&t=eng
http://www.Quranexplorer.com/?gclid=CISVuKeYw5YCFSMeDQodMnDFKw
http://uniqueislam.com/MAN%20AND%20POLLUTION.htm
http://www.islamforall.net/qur%27an.htm
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/Qur'an/scislam.html
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Saddam Hussein:
http://www.answers.com/topic/saddam-hussein
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/02/georgebush.usa
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1175491
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg7vwicPx98
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Imam Hassan Qazwini taped NPR interview May 12, 2005 on opening of new Islamic Center of America Mosque in Dearborn - the largest in the U.S.
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Wikipedia Islam, Quran & Allah related artwork by Esteban Barahona of San José, Costa Rica:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Allah-eser2.png
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Esteban.barahona
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:IslamSymbolAllah.PNG
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Dcp7323-Edirne-Eski_Camii_Allah.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Allah
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Allah-eser2.png
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Quran photos new & old:
http://www.bornrich.org/entry/13th-century-quran-sold-for-a-world-record-at-christies
http://foreninger.uio.no/mss/bilder/quran%20001.jpg
http://foreninger.uio.no/mss/bilder/quran%20002.jpg
http://foreninger.uio.no/mss/bilder/quran%20004.jpg
http://foreninger.uio.no/mss/bilder/quran%20006.jpg
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Mohammad photos on the University of North Florida website:
http://www.unf.edu/classes/freshmancore/core1images/muhammad-westernimage.jpg
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Prophet Muhammad & Other Islamic Prophets on Wikipedia:
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Wikipedia article on Karbala, Iraq:
Wikipedia article on "People from Karbala" (Iraq):
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Muslim 99 names for God: Al-Wadud isThe Loving One:
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Articles about Muslims & Quran: Muslims believe there are five superior messengers - Mohamad, Jesus, Moses, Noah and Abraham:
http://www.shiatv.net/search_result.php?search_id=Blessing
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Imam Hassan Qazwini NPR interview May 12, 2005 on opening of new Islamic Center of America Mosque in Dearborn - the largest in the U.S. (Recording of NPR interview)
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Photo courtesy NMU website
Mohey Mowafy
NMU Health & Nutrition Professor
906-249-9133 (hm)
906-227-2366 (wk)
Professor of Health, Physical Education and Recreation
201C Physical Education Instructional Facility
Began teaching at NMU in 1976
mmowafy@nmu.edu
NMU Health & Nutrition Professor Mohey Mowafy is member of speakers bureau with talks on biodiversity:
Mohey Mowafy, a 63-year-old Northern Michigan University professor, brought 32 students to the Democratic Party rally with former Pres. Bill Clinton & an effort to recruit Rudy Giuliani into presidential bid:
Meet NMU Professors:
NMU Presidents Council & Prof. Mohey Mowafy:
Northern Michigan University Professor Mohey Mowafy on health and nutrion:
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Lutheran Campus Ministry - Marquette, MI
http://www.nmulutherans.org
Rev. Jon Magnuson, founder & executive director of the non-profit Cedar Tree Institute, welcomes Imam Hassan Qazwini to the Lutheran Campus Ministry house in Marquette, MI.
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