Tagalog Qur’an translation ready for publication
Fuad Kawther, general manager of the Industrial City Dawa Office in Jeddah, helps a group of Filipinos recite Shahadah to become Muslims. (AN photo)
Published: May 12, 2011 19:10 Updated: May 12, 2011 19:10
JEDDAH: A translation and commentary of the Holy Qur’an in Tagalog has been prepared by the Industrial City Dawa Office (ICDO) as part of its efforts to spread the message of Islam among the Filipino community in the Kingdom and back in the Philippines, according to Fuad Kawther, general manager of the organization.
“It was a 10-year project. We finished it last year and we have received the permission from the Ministry of Culture and Information to publish the book in a single volume of 1,500 pages. We are currently marketing the project in order to raise funds for publishing this important work,” he told Arab News.
The Filipinos account for the majority of the newly embraced Muslims in the Kingdom. About 4,000 Filipino men and women have so far converted to Islam through ICDO alone over the past years. The new Qur’an translation, which is to cost SR34, is likely to encourage more Filipinos to learn about Islam from its basic source.
Kawther, who is an aviation engineer, has been trying to induct technology and discipline into dawa (Islamic propagation). “I’m happy to say that ICDO is now managed by a comprehensive set of procedures and regulations,” he said.
“If we study the Islamic history and literature, we can understand that every Muslim is advised to take part in the efforts to spread the word of God,” he said when asked how he became interested in dawa activities. According to him, Islam is a religion of logic and knowledge. Islam leads humanity in all aspects of life.
The ICDO, which is one of the active dawa centers in the Kingdom, has plans to establish a branch office at the new industrial city in Al-Khumrah. “We have got the initial approval from the concerned government departments and we are now setting out plans to build the premises,” Kawther said.
It has also embarked on SR6 million project to construct a new four-story headquarters building covering an area of 2,200 square meters. The new facility will have a cultural center with separate sections for men and women, playgrounds, conference halls and a commercial center with 30 shops. “We are also working to achieve ISO quality certificate within two years,” he said.
He said the ICDO had conducted a number of seminars and workshops to educate its propagators and enhance their presentation skills. “Our propagators also conduct refreshing workshops of about 6 hours, resembling Toastmasters’ programs, to keep participants abreast with the newest ideas and developments in the field of Islamic propagation. “We also hold an annual gathering for the Tamil-speaking Indian expatriates, which is attended by around 2,000 people including men, women and children. Many companies sponsor the program in terms of transport, food and gifts. We have so far conducted seven such programs,” he explained.
Kawther believes that socialization is the best way to bring non-Muslims closer to Islam. “We should also present Islam in a scientific and attractive manner using modern information technology. If we simply treat our fellow humans the way Islam instructs, they will open up and show interest to learn about our religion,” he said.
He narrated the story of a Filipino truck driver named Manuel who pulled over to pay a ticket at the traffic department office in Jeddah Industrial City. “The security officer while filling the ticket information, asked Manuel weather he is a Muslim? He answered No. The officer then asked whether he wanted to know about Islam? Manuel said: Yes, I like the way Muslims deal with each other, respecting their elders and their prayer gatherings five times a day. The officer then took Manuel to ICDO, just about 100 meters away. ICDO propagators interacted with the man and within 45 minutes he was ready to announce Shahadah (the Muslim confession of faith). This way our performance of Islamic rituals and application of Islamic ethics attract many people to Islam,” he said.
Asked whether his organization was successful in spreading Islam properly, Kawther said: “I think we still need to exert a lot of efforts to make dawa more attractive to the targeted audience. We should have stronger infrastructure facilities to be able to meet people's expectations. We should also focus on using the Internet more effectively.” He urged the private sector to support dawa programs by funding them.
Speaking about ICDO’s mission, the manager said: “We carry out dawa programs while remaining within Islamic parameters, use all possible tools, and respect the views and opinions of others without bias or intolerance.” He said his organization has three core values: Knowledge (no member of ICDO is allowed to perform any task without proper knowledge); professionalism (we try to apply latest systems and technology such as Project Management Professionals to make our programs and projects more effective and successful); and flexibility. “We encourage innovation in our activities and programs and we apply a continuous improvement system to achieve best possible results.”
Comments
GREENBIRD
May 16, 2011 14:04
Report abusethis makes us think that there are really professionals handling this important issue out there.
bless you all.