Dialogue on “Our Hidden Agenda”

May 26, 2011


Earlier this month, Temple Israel of Dayton, OH, hosted “Our Hidden Agenda,” dialogue between Dr. Eric Friedland, professor emeritus of Judaic Studies at University of Dayton, Washington State University and Antioch College, Dr. Wayel Azmeh, MPAC National board member, and Dr. Ramzieh Azmeh of MPAC-Ohio, who also moderated the presentation.

The event, which is part of the Ryterband fellowship lecture series, was a spontaneous dialogue aimed at giving the audience a sample of the trio’s friendship, which was built upon on mutual respect and curiosity of one another. The presenters discussed that the most crucial element to their friendship was the importance of never treating the other as a means to an end, no matter how lofty the end is, but treating people always as an end in themselves.

This relationship started when Dr. Ramzieh Azmeh and Wayel Azmeh attended a lecture on Maimonides, a medievel Jewish philosopher, by Dr Friedland. This was of interest to the couple because Maimonides is claimed as a scholar by Jews, Arabs and Muslims, since he wrote his great theological work “A Guide of the Perplexed” in Arabic, and in it he referred to Muslim great philosophers and theologians such as Alfarabi, Ibn Sina and Alghazali.

The trio decided to study Maimonides’ famous work together in its original Arabic, which was an arduous task as it took one year to find a copy of the work in Arabic script, since the original, though written in Arabic used Hebrew script.

Meanwhile their discussions, which spanned through philosophy, mysticism, theology, linguistics, Arabic, Hebrew and Aramaic, uncovered many hidden treasures of mutual interest in both traditions that are uncommonly known or talked about.

“There is one summit where the one God is approached,” said Dr. Wayel Azme. “Some will get there through a well-paved road, others a treacherous climb; never the less, regardless of our respective traditions and rituals, we all strive at the end to commune with the same God, therefore reaching out to the same summit, and reflecting the same core ethical values inspired by our unique merciful Creator.”

--
Marium F. Mohiuddin (marium@mpac.org)
Communications Coordinator




Help us continue our work with a quick
one-time or monthly donation.

MAKE A DONATION