Celebrating Islam

When you think of Islam, what are the first images that come to mind? Often times the word fundamentalist or terrorist or as Time Magazine will portray, a bearded man wearing a turban. Not many positive connotations or associations are on that list. Following Sept. 11, Muslims have faced increased adversity because of their faith or physical appearance. Even here at Cornell, students have received verbal harassment. America in general knows very little about Islam and its diversity. What the public sees are images produced by Hollywood, and those who do pick up a book, have their fears confirmed by the likes of Samuel Huntington in his Clash of Civilizations.

Not many know of Islam's rich history and impact upon our society. On Monday, Nov. 26, over 200 members of the Cornell and Ithaca communities came together to learn about and participate in Iftaar, the breaking of the fast. This was the first event of its kind ever held, and perhaps the beginning of a new Cornell tradition. Why, you may ask, are people fasting? Because this is the blessed Islamic month of Ramadan, a time during which Muslims around the world abstain from food, water and sexual relations from first light to sunset. It is also a month of prayer, reflection and self-purification. On this occasion, the Muslim community of Cornell and Ithaca organized an event to bring both Muslims and other members of the Cornell community together at Trillium for an Iftaar Banquet.

The actual breaking of the fast was preceded by a program of three speakers. Prof. Syed H. Pasha, communications, SUNY Cortland, started the afternoon by eloquently articulating the richness and diversity of Islamic civilization. He noted that historians rarely portray the contributions Islamic civilization has made to modern-day society, and went on to quote at length Carly Fiorini, CEO of Hewlett Packard, "