February 2012
The eighth edition of “Our WORDE” includes information about our latest initiatives in government outreach, countering homegrown violent extremism, and engaging religious scholars throughout the world to promote peace and social cohesion.
WORDE Participates in FBI Efforts to Review Training Materials on Islam; FBI Director Mueller addresses Community Concerns
In light of the recent FBI controversy over their training seminars on Islam, WORDE President, Dr. Hedieh Mirahmadi joined a dynamic group of academics, community leaders, and civil society leaders to provide the FBI recommendations to improve their curriculum for counterterrorism agents.
The FBI combed through over 150,000 pages of training material, a small fraction, approximately 700 pages, were determined to be either 1) factual errors, 2) in poor taste, 3) stereotypical, or 4) lacked precision. These materials have since been removed and FBI Director Robert Mueller personally met with Muslim community members to confirm that the FBI has undertaken all of the remedial steps necessary to prevent this problem from happening again.
Mirahmadi is honored to be part of this important review process and noted, “The Muslim American community has a responsibility to provide our law enforcement officials with resources and cultural competency training to better protect our communities.” Earlier in September, WORDE provided the FBI a reading list with dozens of books recommended to provide a balanced curriculum on Islam.
In her recent Huffington Post article, “Our Nation’s Religious Quandary,” Mirahmadi states, “Our efforts to remain politically correct should not prevent law enforcement agents from receiving valuable information in the fight against terrorism.”
Film Screening of Layalina’s Award Winning Film, “Life After Death”
On February 8, 2012 following the screening of the documentary, “Life After Death,” WORDE President Dr. Hedieh Mirahmadi was invited to participate in a discussion alongside Dan Sutherland, Chief, Countering Violent Extremism Group of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC).
According to Dr. Hedieh Mirahmadi, documentaries like “Life After Death” are important because they relay the stories of people impacted by violent extremists. “This film in particular shares with us touching stories of human experiences – of suffering, acceptance and forgiveness – that transcend religion. It is a reminder for all those who share common values of peace, mutual acceptance, and social cohesion, that we can no longer remain silent. It is up to us to fight bigotry, intolerance and to denounce violent extremism committed in God’s name.”
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WORDE Fellow Mehreen Farooq Presents at USIP
On January 19, 2012, the U.S. Institute of Peace, in collaboration with the Institute of Inclusive Security, hosted a panel of experts to examine the ways in which diverse civil society actors, including youth and women, as well as the media, religion and business communities, confront real conflicts with collaborative problem-solving approaches. WORDE Research Fellow, Mehreen Farooq discussed the critical role of traditional Muslim networks in countering extremism in Pakistan and some of the challenges they face.
According to Farooq, “Up till now, civil society’s response to terrorism has largely been reactionary. For example, when major shrines are bombed, there is a spike in civil society activity to condemn terrorism. While this is a step in the right direction, there needs to be a more proactive, sustained effort. This means promoting religious freedom and peace, and opportunities for diversity of thought to flourish in a democratic manner.”
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The Project for Islamic Cooperation for a Peaceful Future in Afghanistan
In partnership with the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution (CRDC) at George Mason University, WORDE co-sponsored a conference in Istanbul that brought together over 80 religious scholars from Afghanistan and Muslim leaders from around the world to strengthen the potential for religious leaders to pave Afghanistan’s peaceful future. Participants included Sheikh Mustafa Cagrici, the Mufti of Istanbul, Dr. Usamah Al Abd, President of Al-Azhar Universit, the Grand Mufti of Jordan, Sheikh Dr. Mustafa Ceric, and Dr. Abdul Kareem Khasawneh, the Grand Mufti of the Kingdom of Jordan.
Following the December 2011 conference, a continuous means of access and communication will be established whereby the Afghans can seek ongoing guidance from international mainstream Muslim communities to promote moderation, tolerance, peace and inter-ethnic cooperation.
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December 2011
The seventh edition of “Our WORDE” includes information about our latest initiatives: from the launch of a fatwa against domestic violence, to joining the Global Forum for Counter-Radicalization, and discussing how Americans can confront radical Islamism across college campuses.