AMERICAN IMAM CAMPAIGNS FOR TOLERANCE,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 009380 SIPDIS FOR R, IIP/T/IS (PLATT),IIP/G/NEA-SA (SCOTT), ECA/PE/C/PY (PERSIKO),NEA/ELA and DRL/IRF E.O. 12958: NA TAGS: KPAO OEXC OIIP KIRF EG SUBJECT: AMERICAN IMAM CAMPAIGNS FOR TOLERANCE, UNDERSTANDING ¶1. SUMMARY: American Imam Mohammed Bashar ARAFAT engaged religious scholars, students, journalists, and media audiences across the Arab world with his message of tolerance and hope during a visit to Egypt Dec. 1-13. In purposeful, persuasive Arabic cadences, Bashar preached respect for Christianity and Judiasm, promoted a positive view of Islam in America, and called for increased exchanges between the United States and the Islamic world. Media coverage was overwhelmingly positive, and rural religious students flocked to him like a rock star. END SUMMARY. ¶2. Imam Bashar Arafat, founder of the Civilizations Exchange and Cooperation Foundation in Baltimore and a former imam at Johns Hopkins University, spent nearly two weeks, morning and night, on a USG- financed speaking program engaging Egyptians across the spectrum: religious and secular, rural and urban, old and young, Copt and Muslim. He reached more than 2,000 people in person and millions more through print interviews and television broadcasts spanning the Arab world. ¶3. In meetings with the Grand Mufti of Egypt, the president of Al-Azhar University, and imams at the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Bashar called for more religious leaders to visit the United States, to learn English, and to improve their understanding of American culture. In dialogues heavy with references to the Quran and the Hadith, he noted that Muhammed preached respect for the teachings of Moses and Jesus and that Islam respects all believers. In meetings with Azhar graduates, he argued the need for renewal and reexamination of Islams relations to the modern world, subtly nudging that critical institution to greater leadership in confronting the challenges of a rapidly developing and changing world. At almost all gatherings, ARAFAT told listeners that Islam as practiced in the United States was more faithful to the religion than current practices in most Islamic countries. ¶4. Bashars meetings with youth included discussions with religious students in Cairo University and the University of Fayyum, political science students in Cairo University, alumni of the YES high-school exchange program, and high-school participants in Catholic schools civic education camps. He 
reinforced the value of interfaith dialogue and told them that Islam is an accepted, and growing, presence in the United States. ¶5. The political students received him politely and asked predictably tough questions about U.S. policy in the Middle East. Many of the YES exchange alumni had met him during their year in the United States. s. They greeted him as a longtime friend, relating how their year in America had helped them to become more self-confident and eager to promote religious tolerance in Egypt. While students in the religious schools had hard questions about Iraq and discrimination against Muslims in America, they welcomed Bashar warmly and enthusiastically. ¶6. In Fayyum, a conservative city two hours south of Cairo, students hung a large sign to welcome him, rolled a red carpet out to his car, and stood at attention -- more or less -- as he walked up to the building. About 800 students filled the auditorium beyond normal capacity, listened attentively to his lecture, and submitted stacks of written questions and comments. One student commented that Bashars lecture had turned around his opinion of America 180 degrees. After the lecture, students thronged him and moved en masse to his vehicle, peppering him with questions and thanks until he drove away. ¶7. In Alexandria, Bashar addressed over 120 guests at the American Center. He used power point slides demonstrating the relative wealth and diversity of the U.S. Muslim community, and numerous photos of mosques across America. He noted, in particular, his work with young Muslims and urged Egyptian religious figures to listen to young people and adapt their message to help youth succeed in meeting the challenges of the modern world. ¶8. At a meeting with Awqaf representatives in Alexandria, Bashar subtly criticized Al Azhar for not providing stronger leadership and modern ideas to help advance the state of Muslims in the modern age. In a separate meeting with judges, Bashar explored the possibility of a future conference in the United States between religious and legal figures to discuss issues related to the application of Sharia law. ¶9. Media coverage of Imam Bashars visit included highly successful one-on-one interviews with major Arabic language TV stations and newspapers. The imam reached millions of viewers across the Arab world d through interviews on Egypts number-one talk show Bait Baitak (My House is Your House); on the very popular Nile News station; and on Iqra, the top-rated religious station in the region. Bashar was also interviewed by numerous print media outlets leading to several important articles in leading Arabic language newspapers, including the pro-government daily Rose Al Youssef (circulation: 15,000),the leading independent newspaper Al Masry al Yom (circulation 15,000),and the second leading independent paper Nahdet Masr (circulation 20,000). ¶10. Bashar also participated in discussions in the Embassy on expanding people-to-people exchanges, indicating that he hopes to continue building bridges between the United States and the Islamic world. JONES