Anti-war religious leaders call for accountability and divestment at Wayne State University

IONA in the News “It’s possible to treat your own students and alumni, not as enemies or outsiders, but as learned people of conscience worth listening to,” one pastor said Religious leaders gathered at Wayne State University to call for divestment from Israel and to admonish campus police for their treatment of pro-Palestinian activists. About…

Gaza war weighs heavily as Michigan Muslims prepare to mark Ramadan

IONA in the News Ramadan is usually a fresh start for Sabah Bedoun, a Dearborn resident who said she typically looks forward to the holy month as a time for mindful reflection, deepening her Islamic faith and celebrating with family. This year feels different, the 51-year-old said. As Metro Detroiters begin the religious month this…

Michigan imam: Bushnell ‘a martyr’ who sacrificed himself for Palestinians

IONA in the News A group of Muslim leaders gathered to memorialize the man who burned himself to death in front of the Israeli embassy as an act of what he called “extreme protest.” In terms reminiscent of those celebrating Palestinian suicide bombers, two Muslim leaders in Michigan—Sheikh Ali Elahi of the Islamic House of…

Muslims Celebrate Eid Al-Adha With Sacrifices Of Their Own (July 19, 2021)

IONA in the News Imam Elturk was able to make the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca” in 2010. Photo courtesy Steve Mustafa ElturkWith nearly 50 percent of Michigan residents vaccinated for COVID-19 and pandemic restrictions lifting, communities are returning to traditional forms of holiday celebrations. But for the second year in a row, an important Islamic…

Marchers In Warren Call For Peace In Gaza, Want More Than Cease-fire (May 23, 2021)

IONA in the News Chants of “Free, free Palestine” reverberated on Sunday afternoon during a peace rally calling for Palestinians’ freedom.After a tentative cease-fire went into effect Friday, demonstrators said they welcome a cessation of bombings that have killed at least 248 Palestinians and 12 people in Israel, but it still doesn’t make Palestinians free….

Ramadan Brings Monthlong Fasting And Charitable Acts As Form Of Worship (April 11, 2021)

IONA in the News Imam Steve Mustafa Elturk of Troy greets community members during Eid in 2020. Photo courtesy Steve Mustafa ElturkIslamic belief balances on five pillars; faith, prayer, alms, fasting and pilgrimage. These pillars hold up the holiday month of Ramadan.Following the Hijri — the Islamic calendar, based on the lunar cycle — Ramadan…

Discussion On How Faith, Spirituality Has Changed During The COVID Pandemic ( April 2, 2021)

IONA in the News DETROIT – We are entering some of the holiest days on the calendar for some of the world’s major faiths.A Baptist minister, an Episcopalian Bishop, an Islamic Imam and Muslim social activist, the Catholic Chairman and President at InterFaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit, a practicing Sikh, and a Jewish Rabbi…

Warren’s Imam Steve Mustafa Elturk To Receive Interfaith Award (February 15, 2021)

IONA in the News WARREN — Imam Steve Mustafa Elturk, president of the Islamic Organization of North America, will receive the Robert A. Bruttell Interfaith Leader Award on Feb. 22.Elturk is a leader of Warren’s faith community, where his mosque, the Islamic Organization of North America, is based. He co-chairs the Imams Committee of the…

Interfaith Council Honors 3 Community Leaders In Annual Ceremony (February 12, 2021)

IONA in the News For the eighth year in a row The InterFaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit will have its awards and fundraising initiative on Monday, Feb. 22. This year’s virtual event centers on the theme “Divine Belonging in a Divided World.” Each year the council represents three awards to community members who are…