Daily Star: Muslim group urges togetherness at forum 7/2/07

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By Amy L. Ashbridge

Staff Writer

ONEONTA _ The world is much like the altar cloth used at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, a representative from a Muslim center in Sidney said Srunday.

“They are all interwoven,” said member Lokman Hoca. “It is very easy to destroy, but it is very difficult (to put back together).”

He continued, “Our intent is to bring people together.”

Several people from the Osmanli Hakkani Nakshibendi Sufi Center of Sidney Center came to the society Sunday. The Oneonta Interfaith Committee sponsored the presentation.

“We have been created differently so we can seek education and learn from each other,” Hoca said.

Hoca spoke about the center and about the Sufi order. Hoca is a vekil, which he said means representative.

The Sufi order is “a higher level of (traditionalism),” Hoca said.

He added the group is not combative.

“What we have to combat is ourselves,” Hoca said. “Our jihad is against ourselves.”

Seven people from the center came for the presentation, which also included sacred music.

About 20 people from the community attended the free presentation at 3 p.m.

Ric Chrislip of the interfaith committee said he invited the group because of the members spirit and because he thought they would have much to offer the community. He and his wife, Tina, visited the center last fall.

“They are wonderful people,” Chrislip said at the start of the presentation.

Many people don?t know much about Muslims, Hoca said. He said that happens because people only know what they are taught by others, and those doing the teaching may have limited knowledge.
“The whole world is preparing for war,” Hoca said. “We are believers, and we are preparing the world for the everlasting peace.”

Christianity and Islam have much in common, Hoca said.

“The traditions that we have in Islam are very, very similar in Christianity,” he said.

Hoca said the center is about half men and half women. Some center residents work in the area, he said, and most of the children attend public schools.

“We are not secluding ourselves from the community,” Hoca said. “We have to participate fully in the community.”

Hoca said that participation can come about in many ways, but the members wish “to serve the community.” People at the center have come from a variety of countries, Hoca said. He is from Singapore; others are from Germany, Russia, Turkey and the United States. The community has about 50 members.