The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) works closely with interfaith communities around the country to help enhance understanding of Islam and help Muslims understand other faiths. Understanding and respecting each other’s faiths is essential to living and working together peacefully.

Toward this goal, CAIR officials regularly meet with interfaith leaders, speak at ecumenical events, and serve on boards of interfaith groups and organizations. CAIR representatives frequently attend events at churches, synagogues, and other houses of worship, and help mosques nationwide hold open houses to share understanding of their faith.

The following is a sampling of CAIR’s recent interfaith work:

CAIR-San Diego: Muslims, Christians Begin Interfaith Initiative

(SAN DIEGO, CA, 7/20/07) - Local members of the Mission Valley Church of the Nazarene and representatives of the San Diego Muslim community met recently to begin an interfaith dialogue initiative.

Topics discussed at this meeting included misconceptions about Islam, what is the Church of the Nazarene, the concept of paradise and hell in Islam, and Islam's view of Jesus.

CAIR-PA to Offer Workshop on Islam to Church, Synagogue Group

(PHILADELPHIA, PA, 7/9/07) - On July 16, the Pennsylvania chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-PA) will conduct a workshop on Islam and Muslims at the 40th Anniversary Church and Synagogue Library Association Conference in King of Prussia, Penn.

CAIR-LA: 'A Mighty Heart' Screening a Success

(ANAHEIM, CA, 6/27/07) - Some 300 people of diverse faiths turned out last Thursday for a screening and panel discussion of "A Mighty Heart" hosted by the Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA), Progressive Christians Uniting (PCU) and Paramount Vantage.

The movie portrays the intense search for and subsequent horrific murder of Wall Street Journal writer Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, as told by his wife Mariane Pearl. Based on Mariane Pearl's memoir, the movie was made by "The Road to Guantanamo" Director Michael Winterbottom and stars Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie and Dan Futterman.

CAIR-NY Participates in Interfaith Solidarity Event

(NEW YORK, NY, 6/7/07) - The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) last night participated in an interfaith solidarity event designed to express concern over the growing bias faced by members of the local South Asian community. The event came in the wake of an alleged bias attack on a 15-year-old Sikh student at Newton High School in Queens, N.Y.

Participants in the event spoke of the importance of maintaining dialogue and good relations between people of different faiths, particularly during times of crisis. Elected officials taking part in the event also stressed the need for more involvement from the Department of Education in educating students about cultural diversity.
 

CAIR-CA: Muslims, Jews Build Bridges of Understanding

(SAN DIEGO, CA, 5/30/07) - CAIR-San Diego Public Relations Director Edgar Hopida joined members of Congregation Beth El and representatives of the San Diego Muslim community for a dinner last night focusing on positive dialogue between Jewish and Muslim groups. Last night's dinner was the fourth such meeting between the groups.

Topics discussed included similarities between medieval Jewish and Muslim cultural music, the Hajj (hadj) pilgrimage to Makkah and the Jewish pilgrimage to Jerusalem's Western Wall.

CAIR-San Diego Rep Joins Launch of New Sanctuary Movement

(SAN DIEGO, CA 5/10/07) – On May 9, 2007, a representative of the San Diego chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-San Diego) participated in an interfaith service to celebrate the launch of the New Sanctuary Movement.

The service took place at the Plymouth Congregational Church Sanctuary in North Park and was organized by the San Diego Interfaith Committee on Worker Justice (ICWJ)

CAIR-MI Participates on Panel on Race, Religion

(SOUTHFIELD, MI, 5/2/07) - The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) yesterday participated in a panel discussion, entitled "A Dialogue Across Race and Religion: What Impedes Us From Working Together?" at the International Institute in Detroit, Mich.

Speakers addressed impediments hindering their racial and religious groups from having dialogue and forming partnerships with others in addressing social justice issues.

CAIR-PA: High School Students Visit Mosque

(PHILADELPHIA, PA, 4/30/07) - The Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-PA) recently participated in a presentation about Islam and Muslims to Conestoga High School students at Masjid al-Madinah in Upper Darby, Pa.

"Visits by American high school students to local mosques are part of the outreach efforts organized by Muslims through their mosques in the Delaware Valley. The visits provide an insight to Pennsylvania students about their neighbors' faith traditions," said CAIR-PA Board member Mohammad Abdul-Aziz.

CAIR Sacramento Attends Interfaith Shabbat Service

(DAVIS, CA, 4/22/07) - The Sacramento Valley chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SV) recently attended an interfaith Shabbat service held at the Bet Haverim Synagogue in Davis.

CAIR-SV President Dr. Hamza El-Nakhal and CAIR-SV Executive Director Basim Elkarra took part in the service designed to share and educate others about the Jewish faith. The Celebration of Abraham, a Yolo County group that promotes interfaith dialogue invited community members to experience services of different traditions.

CAIR-OH Rep Joins Interfaith Center for Peace

(COLUMBUS, OH, 4/19/07) - CAIR-OH Executive Director Adnan Mirza has been appointed to the executive board of the Interfaith Center for Peace. Mirza was one of three people to receive the prestigious three-year appointment and is the first Muslim representative on the board.

The Interfaith Center for Peace opened in 1982 as a community education program dealing with many issues of peacemaking. Today, the Center is known throughout the United States for its work in conflict resolution and peacemaking education. Responding in faith to the wisdom of spiritual leaders throughout human history, the Interfaith Center for Peace teaches people, by deed and example, how to be peacemakers in their own places.

American Muslim Response to the September Attacks

We, the undersigned Muslim organizations, support the President and Congress of the U.S. in the struggle against terrorism. Holding to the ideals of both our religion and our country, we condemn all forms of terrorism, and confirm the need for perpetrators of any such acts of violence to be brought to justice, including those who carried out the attacks of Tuesday, September 11, 2001.

DC: CAIR Director Attends Interfaith Passover Seder

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 4/6/07) - CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad yesterday attended an interfaith Passover Seder hosted by the group Washington Area Jews for Jewish-Muslim Understanding. The fifth annual event was designed to observe Passover and to promote mutual understanding between Jews, Arab-Americans and American Muslims. Last year, the same event was hosted by a local mosque.

CAIR-CAN Condemns Attack on Jewish Community Center

(OTTAWA, CANADA - April 4, 2007) - The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) today condemned the attack at Ben Weider Jewish Community Centre in Montreal. A small object exploded outside the building at 11 p.m. Tuesday night. No one was injured, but several employees were startled.

"We are asking anyone with information on the incident to contact police and assist with their investigation," said Sarah Elgazzar, CAIR-CAN's Montreal Coordinator.

CAIR Condemns Vandalism of Chicago Synagogue

(CHICAGO, IL, 4/2/07) - The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) today condemned vandalism of a Chicago synagogue as "reprehensible."

Derogatory messages were spray-painted on the Ner Tamid Ezra-Habonin Congregation of North Town early Saturday.

CAIR-AZ Takes Part in Muslim-Jewish ‘Peace Walk’

(PHOENIX, AZ, 3/27/07) - The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-AZ) recently participated in the fourth annual Tucson Muslim-Jewish Peace Walk.

Designated “Peace Walk Day” by the Governor of Arizona, the Pima County Board of Supervisors and the Mayor and Council of Tucson, the Fourth Annual Peace Walk began at the Historic Stone Avenue Temple and ended at the Islamic Center of Tucson.

CAIR-CA: Muslims, Jews Build Bridges of Understanding

(SAN DIEGO, CA, 3/21/07) – A representative of the San Diego chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-San Diego) recently joined a dialogue session intended to build bridges of understanding between local Jewish and Muslim communities.

Members of the Conservative Jewish community of Congregation Beth El visited the Islamic Center of San Diego last night for the third gathering in a series of dialogue meetings intended to take place once a month.

CAIR-San Diego Rep Participates in Interfaith Peace Vigil

(SAN DIEGO, CA, 3/20/07) - A representative of the San Diego chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-San Diego) recently took part in a day-long prayer vigil for peace sponsored by Faith Leaders for Peace, a group of interfaith leaders and activists from San Diego County.

Throughout the event, which took place at the Federal Building in downtown San Diego, participants shared teachings on peace from their various faith traditions.

CAIR-LA to Receive Award from Interfaith Peace Ministry

The Board of the Interfaith Peace Ministry voted to present CAIR with the Annual Paul Delp Award that acknowledges outstanding service by individuals or groups in the pursuit of peace and justice. The decision to bestow this honor to CAIR was done on the heels of Senator Barbara Boxer caving in to pressure from right-wing and pro-Israel extremists to sully CAIR's good name and cast doubts on its bridge-building and civil rights work.