Islam in the United States, between the past and the present, is the theme of a conference organized this past Friday in Rabat, with the participation of Moroccan and American researchers.
Launched under the theme “The founding fathers of the United States and Islam” by the Moroccan-American Friendship Foundation, in collaboration with the Paris-Jefferson Circle and the Embassy of the United States in Rabat, this meeting was the opportunity to shed light on several aspects of the relations between the United States and the Muslim world.
Thus, Robert Allison, a professor at Suffolk University said the founding fathers of the United States, for which North Africa reflected their aspirations for a free and cohesive society, proceeded pragmatically to learn about the experiences of this region in the management of cultural plurality within the same society.
Highlighting the opening of Thomas Jefferson on Islam, Mr. Allison stopped on several stages that have marked the contact between Americans and Islam during the years 70 and 80 of the 18th century, including the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship with Morocco, the oldest of its kind in the history of the new world.
For his part, Research Professor Mokhtar Ghambou, focused on the human aspect of these relations through the history of ordinary people like Mustapha Zemmouri enslaved in America, who, before managing to forge links with the population and obtain his freedom, said that a look at the history of relations between the US and the Islamic world is likely to open the door to changing the current vision dominated by tensions and divergence.
Mr. Hassan Aourid, professor and thinker, highlighted the mutual influence that has marked relations between the Islamic world and the United States, particularly in terms of the collective imagination, adding that Muslims in West Africa, victims of the slave trade, participated in shaping the American character over decades.
That being said, the US, too has contributed to the support of movements demanding independence in many Islamic countries, through the 14 points of Wilson, the Charter of the 1941 Atlantic or the Anfa conference, – he said, noting that for several reasons, including the Cold War, relations took another turn, especially after the 1967 war.
Mr. Paul Heck, a university professor at Georges Town, spoke about the Muslims living in the United States, claiming that this community has the guarantees relating to freedom of worship, according to the US Constitution which establishes no distinction between religions.
Stressing the importance for Muslims to find a place in the American society, like other religious or ethnic groups who experienced the same problems of discrimination, he said that the Muslim community was committed to this approach and acceded with force, since the attacks of 11 September, to the efforts of dialogue between religions and the defense of individual rights.
Also speaking on this occasion, Ms. Yasmine Hasnaoui, President of the Moroccan-American Friendship Foundation, said that this meeting aims to put an end to the stereotypes that shape the relations between Muslims and Americans and establish a high intellectual and scientific level dialogue platform for sharing knowledge about this question.
The meeting was also marked by the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Moroccan-American Friendship Foundation and the Circle Jefferson Paris.
