Shabbir Mansuri is an eminent scholar, researcher, educationist, Chief Executive Officer/Founding Director of the Institute on Religion and Civic Values (IRCV), in United States. He is an advisory member on a variety of academic and public educational bodies.
Mansuri founded the Council on Islamic Education in 1990. His nonprofit organisation, now called the Institute on Religion and Civic Values and based in Fountain Valley, has worked with educators, publishers and policymakers to provide perspective to educational materials related to all world religions. Mansuri hosts various visitors sent by United States Department of State and provides access to an information network of experts and resources.
He helps build relations between the Muslim community and the community at large and faith groups. Recently, US Embassy Islamabad hosted Shabbir Mansuri for two weeks in Pakistan. The scholar from US visited Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad to talk about how he works with local educators and community groups to offer religious education to Muslim students in the US. The US Consulate Karachi hosted "Media Roundtable" dialogue with the US Scholar Shabbir Mansuri on "Religion, Media and Politics in US" attended by various writers and working journalists.
While talking with media groups, Mansuri shared that "even though after 9/11 attack, a wave of anti-Muslim bigotry washed over the public, however in policy making forums and intellectual mediums, there was a very balanced vision for Islam and Muslims". He added, "though some people including notable politicians, civil society members and priests gave infuriating speeches in context of 9/11 tragedy, liberal opinions triumphed in all segments even in same school of thoughts. He further said that institutional laws were also present to protect individuals' rights. Curiosity about Islam in general rose in the West after 9/11 and it was portrayed in the print media. A daily newspaper took out a series about what Muslims did in Las Vegas, "a place which is also known as Sin City there".
Mansuri has firm belief that conflict is not the solution of any problem "you can take your place at the table and contribute in major ways". He presented an example of textbook of 6th grade, in which wrong information about Islam and other religions were provided. He said that he noted the fault in the book of his daughter. Within the 450 pages of her social studies textbook were 10 pages covering several different world religions. Yet these religions were not actually named, instead called, "Religion in Japan," "Religion among the Bedouin" and "Religion in France" - rather than talking about Shintoism and Buddhism, Islam or Catholicism. He took notice and managed to draw the attention of authorities and finally the issue was resolved.
Answering a question that Muslims were being suppressed in the US and institutions with massive investments were active in converting Muslims into Christians, he replied that like other religions, various Christian religious organisations were busy attracting people towards Christianity, within Christians there were a lot of factions, "some more tolerant than others".
Earlier, the researcher and educationist had a talk with the audience on 'Religious Pluralism in the United States of America' at the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs. He said that he had spent 43 years in the US and found that the system there guaranteed a place at their institutional table. "Bring your own values and come and join us, is what I have learnt during my time there as US civil society is based on the building of institutions."
In an exclusive interview with Business Recorder he said, "Education is an important means to reinforce civic values, which are values shared by members of a society to create a place for everyone and protect each individual's rights. This education is not limited to the classroom.
Civic values can be taught and reinforced in the home, the house of worship, in business environments, etc. Educational institutions can provide the formal explanation and foundational ideas, but other forms of education are needed to see the practical application of the shared values among different people.
Every society is constantly changing. Sometimes there are dramatic shifts, which may be associated with political revolutions or major cultural changes. Formal education in classrooms may not lead to revolution, but high quality education that increases the literacy, knowledge and skills of the population over time will definitely equip the society to handle challenges and be more involved positively in global affairs. Education is the key to transformation and strengthening of any society.
In his opinion, there are three important civic values, first, freedom of believe or not to believe in any faith, because, as Qur'an says; there is no compulsion in religion. Second, sanctity of life, as part of the rule of law, and third, Good neighbourliness. When people get to know one another, especially from different communities, they are likely to pursue the common good.
He viewed that developed countries have institutions that remain somewhat independent of the political arena. This provides stability and facilitates stable transitions of state power as new representatives are elected. In addition, institutions function independently of each other and balance each other out.
In the public square, there are certainly highly conflicting views on many issues. There is a lot of contention in the public square, as in most societies. However, the intensity and conflict does not necessary affect the institutional layer, which operates according to its own vision and logic, despite appearances of the public square debates.
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