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The annual convention brings an
audience of up 40,000 people.
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CHICAGO — Bringing together a galaxy of Muslim
scholars and US officials, the 43rd Convention of the Islamic Society
of North America (ISNA), opened on Friday, September 1.
Held under the theme "Achieving Balance:
Faith, Family and Community", the four-day convention is probing
a host of issues of Muslim concern.
Prominent among Muslim scholars attending the event
are Jamal Badawi, Hamza Yusuf, Abdallah Idris Ali, Zaid Shakir, Umar
Faruq Abdallah and Siraj Wahhaj.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary for Professional and
Cultural Exchanges Alina Romanowski and Deputy Secretary of Defense
Gordon England are also showing up at the meeting.
Along the ISNA convention, Muslim organizations
such as the Muslim Students Association National (MSA National) and
the Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA) are also holding their annual
meetings.
With over 500 booths set-up by mostly Muslim-owned
businesses, social service and other civic organizations and national
and regional Muslim organizations, attendees of the convention could
spend much of the holiday weekend just in the bazaar itself.
For many attendees, the ISNA bazaar offers a chance
to go on their annual shopping spree with vendors featuring elegant
and affordable clothing for men, women and children.
Bookstores also set-up booths and offer special
discounts to convention attendees.
ISNA is an association of Muslim organizations and
individuals providing a common platform for presenting Islam,
supporting Muslim communities, developing educational, social and
outreach programs, and fostering good relations with other religious
communities, civic and service organizations.
Muslim Unity
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Mattson was elected on August 23 as
ISNA's first female president.
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Speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of
the opening session, ISNA newly-elected President Dr. Ingrid Mattson
criticized President George W. Bush for using the term
"fascists" to describe some Muslims.
Mattson, who was elected on August 23 as ISNA's
first female president, said that the use of Islam to qualify
terrorism or violence only pushes Muslims away and serves as
deterrence to dialogue.
She stressed that efforts should be focusing on
drawing Muslims closer not apart.
Bush has said a foiled air plot in Britain was
"a stark reminder that this nation is at war with Islamic
fascists" and hammered unnamed critics he accused of all but
forgetting the September 11, 2001 attacks.
ISNA's four-day annual convention is the largest
gathering of Muslims in North America, and dates back to 1963, when
the first such conventions was organized by the predecessor to ISNA,
the Muslim Students Association of the United States and Canada.
Over the years, the convention has increased in
popularity and consistently draws crowds of up to 40,000 Muslims in
attendance each year.
