9/11 schism: US Consulate gets Imam from home to reach out

Imam Yahya Hendi, a full-time Muslim chaplain at Georgetown University, is probably the first cleric from the United States to have been offered this rare opportunity by a city mosque.

Hendi is also an imam of the Islamic Society of Frederick and serves as a member and spokesperson of the Islamic Jurisprudence Council of North America. He is among the US Muslims to have met US President George W Bush after the 9/11 tragedy.

Hendi’s visit, and consent of the Sola Ana Mosque committee in allowing him to lead prayers, is being considered an important step in dissolving the mush-debated Islam-versus-West dispute in the region.

“He is an American citizen and will be here to deliver a series of lectures,” Douglas Kelly, public affairs officer and director of the American Center, told Newsline. “It’s good to share American perspective (about issues related to Muslim culture) with people here. It is, yes, part of our Muslim outreach programme.”

US consulate officials said Kelly would introduce the imam to the congregation.

Besides leading prayers at the mosque, Hendi’s three-day visit includes a lecture on “Clash of Civilisation and Islamic View” at the Calcutta University’s department of Islamic History.

The imam will also inaugurate a prayer hall at Shishu Vikas Academy in Sonarpur, and will later speak on “Women and Islam”.

He is scheduled to follow that up with an interaction with scholars at the Asiatic Society, leading prayers at another city mosque and interaction with madrasa students here.

Hendi’s schedule stopover does not include mosques like Masjid-e-Nakhoda and Tipu Sultan Shahi Masjid. Kelly said that is due to the time constraint. “Sola Ana Mosque was the first to approach us (with a request) to host Hendi.