The interfaith dialogue initiative of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has been well received by Muslims in America. The 2.5 million-strong Muslim community in the United States is “appreciative” of King Abdullah's sincere efforts to overcome the mistrust among followers of different faiths. “And Muslims in America look forward to finding ways to bridge the vast gap that has developed, post-9/11, between Islam and followers of other Abrahamic faiths,” a couple of Pakistani origin long settled in the United States, said here Thursday evening. Talking to a select group of journalists and expatriate leaders from different fields, Dr. Meher F. Tabatabai, a renowned physician in the US, and her businessman husband, Syed Q. Madad, said the interfaith dialogue would certainly help in combating divisive forces out to wreak havoc on the peace-loving people of the world. Replying to a question on whether there will be a change in the Obama administration's policies toward Mideast peace, the couple said they were optimistic of a gradual shift in the way the government views the scenario. “Change is coming, but it is coming slowly,” Dr. Tabatabai said. “It will take time and requires strenuous efforts on the part of Muslims living in the US and in the wider Muslim World,” she added. Dr. Tabatabai and her husband were here to perform Umrah and pray at the Prophet's Mosque. This was their third visit to the Kingdom and they plan to come here again later this year for the Haj pilgrimage. The couple, among the chosen 100 from all over the United States to have dinner with President Barack Obama soon after his inauguration, said it would take some time to “undo the damage done during the eight years (of the George Bush presidency)”. “It could take another eight years to set things right,” Syed Madad said. During their dinner meeting with President Obama, Dr. Tabatabai presented a copy of the Muslim World Almanac 2008 to the president and requested him to go through it in order to gain a better understanding of the situation in the Middle East. That was just before President Obama undertook a tour of the Middle Eastern region and spoke on bridging the gap with the Muslim World in his famous Cairo speech. Dr. Tabatabai and her husband, along with some like-minded individuals, are doing pioneering work in uniting Muslims in the United States and are currently engaged in philanthropic work in America and Pakistan. Referring pointedly to her humanitarian work in Pakistan, she emphasized the pivotal role that education plays in alleviating backwardness and eliminating civil strife and disharmony. Dr. Tabatabai, presently Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of South California, is associated with various medical associations in the United States. The couple has lived in the United States for 30 years and “never ever were subjected to any bias or prejudice”. There has not been a single instance, they said, when they felt they were in an alien country which has a totally different culture and ethos. “The United States is the foremost free country in the world. It has no restrictions on religion. Minarets are banned in Switzerland, there is a ban on the veil in France and other countries, but we in the United States are free to practice our religion. There is absolutely no hindrance,” Dr. Tabatabai said. Talking about various lobbies active in US politics and other fields, the couple said the US Congress and Senate are working to minimize the influence of these lobbies on the country's political system and its foreign policies. The Muslim community in the United States is earnestly trying to change the negative image of Islam and of Muslims in the world. In this connection, the couple said, active Muslim groups like the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) are in regular touch with Congressmen and Senators. Recently, Congressman Howard Berman, currently the chairman of the House of Representatives committee on foreign affairs, was invited to a Muslim gathering. These small steps will one day develop into a meaningful initiative in narrowing the gap between Muslims and others, Madad said. “We are a small group, but are trying very hard to remove the misconceptions about Islam and Muslims,” he added. Dr. Tabatabai and her husband were the honored guests of Dr. Jawaid Anwar Al-Hasan who has a clinical laboratory in Makkah and is actively engaged in humanitarian work spanning Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. A leading figure in the local expatriate community, Dr. Al-Hasan has developed a passion for presenting the Muslim viewpoint to non-Muslim audiences as well as removing misconceptions and misunderstanding about Islam and Muslims. The outcome of his endeavor so far is the Muslim World Almanac, a copy of which was presented by Dr. Tabatabai to President Obama.
