Syed Shamshad Nasir, Missionary, USA
Muhammad Ahmad Sahib of Detroit reports that the Regional Missionary, Shamshad Ahmad Nasir attended the 8th Congressional District Interfaith Roundtable with Rep Slotkin on 11 June 2020 at 4:30pm.
The interfaith programme was organised by the Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin of Michigan’s 8th district to discuss the current situation of Covid-19 and get feedback from the interfaith communities of the area.
The programme was kicked off by the congresswoman where she provided an update about the status of Covid-19 in the state of Michigan. She provided a summary of the various actions she had taken as the representative of Michigan’s 8th district.
After the initial remarks, the forum was opened for questions from the attendees. A representative of a local Hindu temple enquired about how we could protect our communities from the pandemic and what her recommendations were in this regard.
To this, Rep Elissa Slotkins detailed the actions she had taken, including the legislation push regarding Covid-19.
Shamshad Nasir Sahib, in his comments, thanked the representative for holding such a talk on the important issue of Covid-19 via a virtual forum and also thanked her for participating in Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Detroit’s centennial celebrations held on 9 May 2020.
Shamshad Nasir Sahib then gave details of the activities of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Detroit regarding the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We have distributed food, homeopathic medicine, donated blood for the needy as part of our centennial celebration”, said Shamshad Nasir Sahib.
He further stated that the Jamaat had been busy doing their part in serving humanity in this region and across the country by reaching out to people, providing them with essential items. The youth auxiliary especially had been engaged and helping neighbours and communities.
Shamshad Nasir Sahib joined the virtual conference from Masjid Mahmood where the mosque’s mehrab showed the background with the kalima that was seen by approximately 30 attendees.
Muneera Farooqi Sahiba, a Muslim representative of IAGD, commented that as Shamshad Nasir Sahib had mentioned earlier, they had also been helping people in the community during the pandemic.
Another participant asked a question about how to go about safely opening community buildings, community centres and schools during the election.
Rep Elissa Slotkin responded that they are going to wait and follow the directions from the federal as well as state authorities.
One of the participating rabbis commented that we should protect people of our congregations during the time of the pandemic of Covid-19, which is the need of the time.
He referred to what Shamshad Nasir Sahib had said about saying the call to prayer in mosques and offering prayers alone and said that he had been doing the same in his synagogue. In response to another question regarding the brutal murder of George Floyd at the hands of police, Rep Elissa Slotkins said that they were working very diligently to reform police and a lot progress was being made via the new legislation so that police could discharge their responsibilities without any discrimination of race and colour.
Another Muslim attendee, Sr Nishat of IAGD said that we should be involved as to how we can help the Afro-American people in our communities.
At the end, Shamshad Nasir Sahib thanked the congresswomen for inviting and holding such a wonderful conference and led the silent prayer to end the meeting. He read verses of Surah al-Fatihah and other Quranic prayers and prayers of the Holy Prophetsa for difficult times.
There were approximately 30 representatives of various interfaith communities joining and attending this conference and by the grace of Allah the Almighty, the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat was delivered during the conference.