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IONA Hosts Successful Religious Diversity Journeys, Educating Seventh Graders on Islam

[Warren, MI] – IONA proudly hosted the 2023 Fall Religious Diversity Journey, an initiative organized by the Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit (IFLC) in partnership with local schools. Nearly 100 seventh-grade students from diverse school districts immersed themselves in a day of learning about Islam and the Muslim community.
Divided into groups, the students rotated between three engaging speakers. Sr. Mahreen Abid covered Islamic Articles of Faith, Br. Sayeduzzaman Khan delved into Islamic modes of worship such as salah, sawm, zakah, and Hajj, and Imam Mustapha Elturk provided insights into the Islamic worldview and how Muslims perceive the world.
The event fostered attentive discussions, encouraging students to explore, question, and understand Islam openly. Female students respectfully adorned head coverings (hijab) as a gesture of honor toward the house of worship.
A Q&A session over a delightful halal meal became a highlight, bringing joy to many participants. Students actively engaged in a service project, emphasizing the importance of communal service across faiths.
Witnessing Muslim prayers, some students joined in, while mothers accompanying the students appreciated the program, acknowledging their own learning through the presentations.
The Religious Diversity Journey aims to equip students with critical thinking skills, fostering a desire to build bridges of understanding in their schools and communities. It seeks to instill confidence in their knowledge and comfort in engaging with diverse experiences.
Acknowledgments were extended to Raman Singh and Jean Fluary for their tireless efforts in organizing an enriching event that exposed young minds to diverse faiths and cultures.
“We are thrilled to continue hosting such programs,” stated Imam Elturk. “Initiatives like the Religious Diversity Journeys are pivotal in shaping a unified community free of prejudice, including racism, Islamophobia, and antisemitism.”
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IONA’s mission is to transform its members and help transform the surrounding communities to righteous, God-fearing people, who collectively strive for the highest moral standard and constantly seek forgiveness from our Creator to earn His pleasure. We seek His compassion and mercy in this life and in the hereafter. We rejuvenate our soul through internal struggle and spiritual exercise in worship of our creator God. The strength of our belief in God gives us the courage to establish good and forbid evil, thus promoting a system of justice for all mankind.