克利夫兰及周边地区消息
　

相互尊重宗敎種族文化

   5月11日,在克利夫蘭市政府,相關組織隆重舉辦了伊斯蘭敎的開齋節,當日在華人專業歌手黃鷹清唱一曲美國國歌後,活動拉開了序幕,市議員Blaine Griffin 致辭,他祝賀活動成功舉辦,感謝所有社團宗敎領袖的參與。


   當日社區關係委員會亞洲聯絡員,也是本次活動組織者之一的陳家敏致開幕詞,歡迎所有來賓和政要。她表示:這是難得的機會,來自克利夫蘭的宗敎和其他社團在疫情發生後第一次舉辦活動,目前世界發生戰爭,疫情還沒有徹底結束,感謝能有這么多人來參與活動。她感謝所有幕前幕後人對本次活動的大力支持。宗敎是人類離不開的精神領域,各大宗敎有他們的共同經歷。


   我也有幸採訪了克利夫蘭回敎領袖Imam Abbas,他的爺爺1937年在克利夫蘭創辦了第一個 mosque ,這本《Black Pilgrimage to Islam》介紹了他的爺爺(非裔),那年他35歲(書封面最後一人是他)。他在克利夫蘭高中當了10多年校長,並且他也是籃球敎練。他本人重視敎育,在採訪中他提到一個問題,他讓我看今天到會者有沒有非裔,一個沒有,我不得不思考宗敎,因爲宗敎是人的靈魂深處需要依靠的肩膀,我們稱政治宗敎都是世界領軍者。
   當今世界,影響力最大的有三大宗敎:基督敎、伊斯蘭敎和佛敎。伊斯蘭敎的穆斯林他們和許多亞洲人一樣使用陰曆,所以今年伊斯蘭敎最著名的開齋節是在 5 月 1 日至 5 月 2 日,是鑒于五月是所有在美國的亞洲人慶祝他們文化的亞洲月,Salaam Cleveland的創始人,Zarina Siddiqi 和 Zahid Siddiqi希望與他們的一些朋友和來自不同國家族裔的人一起慶祝今年的開齋節。
   當日印度、巴基斯坦、埃及、孟加拉、叙利亞、巴勒斯坦、加拿大和美國血統的亞洲穆斯林領袖都來了,伊瑪目也來了。這是亞洲人第一次在克利夫蘭市政廳慶祝他們最神聖的節日。
   參加本次活動的社區關係委員會主任 Grady Stevenson 發表了講話,社區和政府事務高級顧問 Grady Stevenson 和 Angela Shute-Woodson 向 Zarina Siddiqi 和 Zahid Siddiqi 發表了一份聲明,以表彰Siddiqis 幾十年來默默地爲人民和廣大社區服務和做出的貢獻,使大克利夫蘭地區更好更安全。參議員 Sherrod Brown 辦公室的區域代表 Mycheala Holley 也向Siddiqi 夫婦表彰並贈送了一封特別表揚信。


   克利夫蘭Salaam 組織是在 9/11 襲擊之後成立的。由於伊斯蘭極端主義基地組織襲擊了世貿中心南北塔樓、五角大樓和美國航空公司在賓夕法尼亞州尙克斯維爾的 93 號航班,人們害怕穆斯林,尤其是外國出生的穆斯林。 Zarina 立即通知她的老闆和她在 Metro Hospital 的同事,她是一名穆斯林,這樣人們就知道穆斯林不是他們應該害怕的人。更重要的是,伊斯蘭敎是一種宗敎而非種族。世界各地的穆斯林都信奉伊斯蘭敎,他們不分種族,不分國籍。
   本次活動非常成功,感謝來自市長辦公室和政府部門的Angela Shute-Woodson,也感謝提供美食,感謝前後忙碌策劃的組織人員。我們不分宗敎不分種族,人和人需要相互尊重。
　

　

2022 Eid al-Fitr Celebration at Cleveland
City Hall of Asian Muslims in NE Ohio

By Chia-Min Chen
　
  Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan. This religious holiday is celebrated by Muslims worldwide because it marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting. The fast of Ramadan encourages Muslims to practice self-restraint from not just eating and drinking, but more importantly from evil thought, speeches and actions. They are reminded to be compassionate and conscious of God and worship Him altogether. As the Prophet Muhammad had reported stated “Fasting is not just for the stomach, but also of the tongue, mind, and heart, so if someone insults them, let them recall within themselves that ‘I am fasting’”.
   Eid al-Fitr is also known as the Sweet Eid or the Sugar Feast because it is a time for friends and families to visit to celebrate together. Families gathered and friends greet one another, presents are given, new clothes are worn, and the graves of relatives are visited.
   Because the Muslims use a lunar calendar, like many Asians, this year’s Eidal-Fitr fell on May 1th – May 2nd. Given May is Asian Heritage month for all Asians in America to celebrate their heritage, the founders of Salaam Cleveland, Zarina Siddiqi and Zahid Siddiqi wanted to celebrate this year’s Eid, the Festival of Breaking the Fast, with some of their friends and Imams from several mosques in greater Cleveland at Cleveland City Hall Rotunda.
   Asian Muslim leaders of Indian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Bangladeshi, Syrian, Palestinian, Canadian, and American descent all came; Imams came too. It was the first time that Asians celebrated one of their holiest holidays at Cleveland City Hall. Chia-Min Chen, Asian Liaison from Community Relations Board opened the event by welcoming all the guests and dignitaries, followed by Ying Huang, who sang the National Anthem. Then, Ms. Chen introduced Grady Stevenson, Director of Community Relations Board, and he gave his remarks before introducing Blaine Griffin, Council President of City of Cleveland, who gave his speech. A proclamation was presented to Zarina Siddiqi and Zahid Siddiqi by Grady Stevenson and Angela Shute-Woodson, Senior Advisor Community and Government Affairs, to recognize Siddiqis’ leadership and contributions over the decades in servicing people and community-at-large quietly yet dedicated to make greater Cleveland a better and safer place for all. Mycheala Holley, Regional Representative from Senator Sherrod Brown’s office also presented a special letter of Recognition to Mr. and Mrs. Siddiqi.
   Salaam Cleveland was founded after the 9/11 attack. Due to the Islamic extremist al Qaeda’s attacks of the World Trade Center’s north and south towers, Pentagon, and American Airline flight 93 in Shanksville, PA, people were afraid of Muslims, especially foreign-born Muslims. Zarina immediately informed her boss and her colleagues at Metro Hospital that she is a Muslim, so that people know Muslims are not people they should be afraid of. More importantly, Islam is a religion and not an ethnicity. Islamic faith is practiced by Muslims all over the world, and they are of every ethnicity and every nationality.
   Zarina started distributing Islamic literature in public libraries throughout greater Cleveland to educate the people. She also promoted unity and harmony to raise awareness and understanding between different faiths and ethnicities. She encouraged Muslim women to join charitable organizations, and together they raised money to print 18 booklets that Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) had put together. During all the volunteering work, a group of Muslim women came together under Zarina’s leadership, Salaam Cleveland was founded.
   Zahid helped his wife, together Salaam Cleveland extended their volunteering projects from east side to the west side of Cleveland. They are always busy helping people. It did not matter whether the people they help are Muslim or not. Through their humble, quiet but dedicated volunteering work over the decades, Zarina and Zahid Siddiqi have received the President’s Volunteer Service Award from The White House and from the Corporation of National & Community Service.
   Because Mr. and Mrs. Siddiqi have not only supported our Asian Liaison’s work over the years, but also they assisted her when she had a victim of domestic violence that needed immediate help. The proclamation is just a simple way of letting the Siddiqis know that their years of sacrifice and hard work have not gone unnoticed by the City of  Cleveland. We need more people like Zarina and Zahid to make Cleveland, a safer and friendlier place to live, to play and to thrive in.