For Sitara Magazine
By Khalida Sarwari
To conjure up an image of “home” is to evoke the faces of a mother and father, big brothers and little sisters, mischievous cousins, chatty aunts and playful uncles, doting grandma and grandpa. The concept of home and that of family are inseparable. In addition, family is the very origin of our identities, both as Afghan-Americans and as Muslims. On February 17, respectable speakers from different walks of life gathered in Fremont to discuss the value of family in a day-long conference presented by the Afghan American Muslim Outreach.
The crowds of mostly elder Afghans congregated from all over the United States to listen to speakers discuss “Family in Islam,” which was divided into three sessions. The first session featured Munir Qtaish who discussed “Challenges and Opportunities Facing Youth,” and Rona Popal, who spoke on the “Importance of Bridge Building and Coalition with Others.”
The second session included a discussion of the Afghan-American Muslim Outreach (AAMO) by Masoud Nassimi, founder and president of the nonprofit which is based in Orange County, California. Ameena Jandali spoke from the female perspective in a speech titled “The Wonder Woman: Challenges of Balancing Faith, Family and Community.”
To round up the second session, Sheik Sadullah Khan addressed “The Ideals of Parent-Child Relationship.” The final session commenced with a rousing speech by Imam Zaid Shakir, who discussed the “Importance of Family Bond in Islam.”
Drawing upon their respective research and experiences, every one of the speakers emphasized the relationship between family and Islam.
“Family is the cornerstone of an Islamic society,” Nassimi stated.
Shakir expanded this connection to the impact family has on the essence of humanity. He stated that the manifestation of humanity is in our manners; in the way we say “thank you” and “please” to others. According to this scholar, it is in the everyday interactions within the family that such standards of behavior are taught and learned. The absence of manners leads to the erosion of humanity and the demise of family,” Shakir claimed.
In another informative presentation, Hedayat Hamid talked about “Bridging the Generation Gap.” Hamid offered keys to bridging the generation gap, which, he maintained, occurs when there’s misunderstanding between youth and elders. One of the consequences of this gap includes estrangement between the two generations. In extreme cases, the younger generation rebel by choosing to drop out of school, run away from home or turn to drugs and alcohol. According to Hamid, communication between youth and elders, in addition to involvement in and awareness of one’s culture and abiding by Islamic principles, are significant keys to bridging this gap.
Every one of the speakers was individually efficient and informative, but credit must also be given to the audience of over 750 members, all of whom remained patient and engrossed throughout the entire conference, even when the conference continued for about 20 minutes past its scheduled conclusion. With tired faces offset by newfound enlightenment, young and old Afghans assembled in the lobby to discuss what they’d learned during the day.
The conference definitely made an indelible impression upon the few students in attendance. Sara Latif, a senior at Heritage High School in Brentwood, California, said she was motivated to consider sponsoring a child in Afghanistan. Aside from the lack of youth presence in the audience, Latif believed the event to be an enjoyable experience. “It was lengthy, fast-paced, intellectual and aimed towards youth,” Latif said.
Rahima Samady, a Nursing student at Merritt College, cited the conference was an educational experience. “I especially enjoyed the many ways in which we can preserve our roots here in the U.S.,” Samady said.
It is likely that many in attendance would echo Samady’s interest in attending future AAMO events. “Organization-wise, it was fabulous,” Khalid S., a junior at California State Sacramento, said.
In a letter posted on the organization’s Web site addressing all those who contributed to the success of the conference, Nassimi stated, “Our event marked a new trend among Afghans, and Insha Allah people will talk about it for a long time. The challenge is to learn from this event and build a more exciting, educational and inspiring program for our next event.”
At present, the organization has not released information about upcoming events.
AAMO has continued its weekly educational programs through two live TV shows via 24-hour Afghan TV satellite, Sadaye Haq (Voice of the Truth) hosted by Simin Omar, & Dariche Farda (Window to the Future) hosted by Marwa Latif.
Sadaye Haq (Voice of the Truth) show on Ariana Afghanistan Television Network has become a focal point of open discussion and understanding of contemporary Islamic issues. Every week a well-known and highly respected Afghan scholar appears in this show live to address a particular issue and answer questions from an audience worldwide.
Dariche Farda (Window to the Future) show on Ariana Afghanistan Television Network has been launched in English language targeting the youth. Each week, this show facilitates a forum for the youth worldwide to empower them through live exchange of ideas and getting educated by well-qualified guest speakers from various nationalities.
