Following the recitation from the Holy Quran by hajj Younes Makki, the mayor of Dearborn Heights, Honorable Daniel S. Paletko welcomed the local and national guests!
Mayor Paletko: Admired the role of IHW in outreach and stated, I brag about the IHW anywhere I go. Every time I go to the mosque, I hear nothing but love, peace, cooperation, and interfaith. We are blessed to have the IHW in Dearborn Heights, the work that imam does for interfaith is one of the best I have heard or seen of in the world.
Following the welcoming words of the Mayor, four inter and interfaith leaders were awarded during this memorable interfaith assembly! The fifth recipient was the representative of the prime minster of New Zealand who couldn’t make it because of memorial holiday in their country!
Dr. Mahmoud al-Hadidi, Wissam Bazzi, Mahdi Elahi and Laila Amin introduced the awardees and invited them to the stage to address the audience and receive the event’s awards!
Imam Elahi read and presented the Award Plaques!
Thomas G. Walsh, Ph.D.
For Decades of Passionate, Powerful, and Incalculable Efforts in Promoting World Peace and Understanding. A True Leader and Contributor in the Academia, NGO Services, and Dialogue Across Cultures and Countries Around the World.
Dr. Michael Jenkins
For your Leadership, Courage and Commitment. An Inspiring Voice of Friendship, Peace and Benevolence for our Nation and Every Nation Across the Globe.
Robert A. Bruttell
For your Leadership, Bridge Building, Interfaith Services, and Call for Education, Inclusion, and Respect for Each and Every Community!
Imam Abdullah El-Amin
For your dedication in serving the community with a Voice of Unity and Humbleness while taking a Stance Against Segregation and Sectarianism.
Prime Minister Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern
For your invaluable leadership during the darkest hours of the dual mosque massacre that took place in New Zealand. Your sense of moral responsibility and unwavering battle against the forces of hate, racism, and Islamophobia is much appreciated!
The recipients of the Awards thanked IHW and imam Elahi for the invitation and hospitality!
Dr Thomas Walsh: Addressed the guests and stated: I have known imam for 30 years, in the Assembly of world religions, 700 guests representing every faith in the world to promote dialogue. I think the work of the IHW represents the same thing. Rooted in Islamic Faith and tradition but open to people of all faiths and all backgrounds with deep love and respect.
Dr. Rev. Michael Jenkins called imam Elahi One of the greatest interfaith leaders.
He pointed out in 2017 when the president of US said we will bring fire and fury like the world has never seen. The dictator in the north said I have now the nuclear capability to land and explode a nuclear device in Los Angeles. That month a group of 400 religious leaders including Imam Elahi went to the Korean border, bringing an interfaith prayer. Suddenly after that conference, Kim Jung expressed his readiness for dialogue. If we continue to pray together, we will end the tensions of war all around the world.
(At that time Imam Elahi looked at Dr. Rev. Jenkins and said let’s plan for another prayer this time to end the tension between Iran and America. Iran is punished because they were fighting isis).
Robert Bruttel was another awardee of the dinner who also addressed the guests and thanked imam Elahi and IHW adding- We want people 1000 years from now to remember metropolitan Detroit as the House of Wisdom as it was 1000 years ago in Baghdad, bringing together creative, wonderful, and diverse forces in our society.
The founding imam of Muslim center in Detroit, Imam Abdallah El-Amin also made some remarks. He mentioned almost three decades of working with imam Elahi on unity of the Muslim community!
Imam expresses his appreciation to the Imam and IHW, he stated that Imam Elahi has done a magnificent in building this institution and putting his heart and soul into it.
During the dinner the students of IHW Arabic school performed Imam Mahdi nasheed, followed with words from Hajja Salaam and Hajja Umzainab about IHW educational services!
Imam Elahi was the keynote speaker of the dinner! This is the summery of Imam’s message!
Imam Elahi thanked the clergy, elected officials, community organizations and members and spoke about the mission of IHW in the areas of faith, family values, education and humble services to the poor, homeless and those who come to IHW under their disparate circumstances!
Imam considered outreach and interfaith as a central part in IHW mission.
The Quran is a book of dialogue, it shows that God Himself, despite of His knowledge and power has been in dialogue with His friends and enemies!
Diversity is part of God’s wisdom, if we follow the Divine design in our nature, we would celebrate civilization of love, compassion, friendship, forgiveness, peace and justice!
All hate, hypocrisy, warmongering, violence and terrorism are products of losing that Divine identity!
Imam Elahi called Islamophobia, antisemitism , white Supremacy and other manifestos of hate and prejudice as serious dangers for our democracy, dignity, diversity, security and national unity! Only through honest dialogue and education we can overcome these ignorant insults and attacks!
Imam Elahi called isis and other terrorist cults as the worse enemies of Islam and questioned the policies of president Trump who considers the governments that supported isis as close allies, while those who have been fighting and defeating isis as enemies and keeps them under punishment!
To defend the dictators and reward the sponsors of terrorism while punishing the victims of terrorism is not in the best interesting the US and won’t make our country great again!
Imam Elahi called the area Muslim and non-Muslim neighborhoods as one family and one community and asked the mayors and city Council members to choose friendly dialogue as the path for any disagreement on the issues related to the governance of the cities!
Imam Elahi Thanked hajj Kassem Beydoun for hosting the event and dedicating the dinner to the soul of his mother late hajja UmKassem (God bless her soul).
