Note: The above piece has been shared by Muslim Women’s Forum.
‘Understanding Islam’ is a four-day workshop designed to explore the understandings of Islamic culture, provide clarity on the religion’s various aspect, and create a dialogue. The objective of the workshop is to increase the participants’ understanding, awareness and sensitivity to a range of issues related to the Islamic faith. By engaging with these issues directly, participants will develop their understanding of Islam and be able to effectively relate to the context of Islam and its ethos.
In the present socio-political and cultural environment world over, false perceptions and misconceptions about Islam have led to social and political stigmatisation of Muslim communities. Further, the media, which often focuses on the most partisan and populist voices in society, tends to portray Muslims in a negative light, thereby directly contributing to the negative stereotyping of the faith.
The majority of the problems in the world today are blamed on Islam and followers of Islam. There is a continuous attempt to depict Muslims as dangerous for civilization. The mainstream hegemonic narratives locate Islam as anti-modern and uncivilised: these narratives propagate and cultivate a collective view that the religion is to be feared. The dominant practices in contemporary Indian, American and European politics perpetuate the prevalence of such degrading notions about the faith. Indeed, this collective stereotyping of the Muslim community raises questions about India’s tolerant, secular and republic nature.
In this context, it is critical for people to engage in the understanding of Islam, and its theological foundation and ethos. The effort is to enable a dialogue of peace and harmony within communities to uphold the secular fabric of India.
Objectives Of The Workshop
- Provide an open space to engage in the process of understanding Islam and its various aspects
- Unpack the myths and notions about Islam with constructive deliberation
- Ensure that the debunked notion of Islam eventually leads to global peacebuilding measures
Methodology
- The methodology of the course will be participatory and experiential.
- Poetry and literature from Islamic traditions and cultural expressions will be explored in the workshop.
- Various audio and visual material will be used to illustrate the concepts being discussed.
- The working language of the workshop will be Hindustani.
Muslim Women’s Forum has been conducting the workshop across various states of India. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world and keeping the safety measures in mind, the workshops are held on Zoom, free of cost, and open to people across all faiths.
For more information, you can reach out on their Facebook page or email them at mwforumindia@gmail.com.