SALAM Annual Banquet Focuses on Hope
By Ras H. Siddiqui
The Sacramento Area League of Associated Muslims (SALAM) held its Annual Banquet at its Community Center on Saturday, October 23, 2021 on the theme of “HOPE in the Midst of Global & Local Opportunities.” One thing that we can almost be sure of these days is that hope is eternal, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Never before in our regular lives could we have envisioned that people all over the world would be told not to meet each other and to hunker down in their homes for prolonged periods of time. But, as one can observe, Allah (SWT) had other plans for all of us, and even though religious institutions like SALAM had to intermittently shut down, reopen with restrictions and not hold their annual events in person, including Eid prayers, we can now be thankful and pray that life is slowly heading towards some level of normalcy. The resumption of this in-person annual fundraising event (with protocols) is a step in that direction.
The evening began with Maghrib prayers held in the beautiful SALAM Mosque adjacent to the event venue. When one returned and reseated, the full venue was an inspiring site to see after over 18 months of varying degrees of solitude. Co-emcee Br Asif Haq wasted no time and charted out the evening’s proceedings for everyone. He also took the opportunity to recognize the team of volunteers that helped to put this event together and requested SALAM’s Imam Amr Dabour to initiate the proceedings with a recitation from the Holy Qur’an. The Imam proceeded to deliver a beautiful Qirat which was appreciated by all in attendance. An English translation of the verses followed, presented by Sister Amira Elmallah. There were some non-Muslims in attendance, including a Catholic group, which one can be sure to have benefitted from Sister Amira’s effort.
Next, SALAM Board Chairperson Omar MoheyEldin in his official capacity welcomed everyone to the event. Brother Omar also briefly highlighted the progress that has recently been made at SALAM in a number of areas. He also introduced the SALAM Board of Trustees and asked them to stand and be recognized. The SALAM organization has remained at the forefront of community inclusiveness in the Sacramento region for over 30 years now. It retains a qualitative edge with well-educated people in key positions. And although there has been turnover within its ranks the vision of its leaders continues and should be appreciated.
When the co-founder and Executive Director of SALAM, Dr Metwalli Amer came up to the stage next to present the annual SALAM Distinguished Award, one could expect that it would go to an individual who possessed the right qualities, one who has made a positive contribution to not only the SALAM organization but to the Sacramento community as a whole. This year the person receiving this honor was Brother Waseem Bawa who along with his wife Joumana was most deserving of this award. Brother Waseem held the position of SALAM Board Chairperson for a number of years, and we can agree that he held the position with distinction during trying times. This award was extremely well-deserved. So, our collective congratulations to Brother Waseem and Sister Joumana for making a valuable contribution to our community.
A short entertainment segment followed with Nasheeds (vocal music/hymns) presented by Brother Ibrahim Dardsawi with Brother Mohamed Alkanbari on Daf (frame drum). Brother Ibrahim is blessed with a wonderful voice and entertained us well while encouraging full audience participation.
The keynote speaker at this SALAM Annual Banquet was Dr Farid Senzai. He was introduced by SALAM’s very own Dr Anne Kjemtrup. Afghan American Dr Senzai is, as we discovered, no stranger to the Sacramento area or SALAM which he attended when he was a youth. He is also a former student of Dr Ayad Al-Qazzaz who has taught at CSU Sacramento for over half a century. Dr Farid is currently a professor of political science at Santa Clara University where he teaches courses on US foreign policy and Middle East politics. He is a well-known scholar whose credentials include founding the Center for Global Policy (CGP) which focuses on US relations with the Muslim World. He is also co-founder and has been director of research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) where he conducted extensive research projects focusing on Muslims in America. Dr Senzai also had stints at the Brooking Institution and the Council of Foreign Relations. This is not all but one will have to stop here.
This writer came to this event prepared for Dr Senzai to deliver an in-depth speech on the politics of Afghanistan because it continues to be a hot topic in this country. What I did not expect was to meet his charming wife and wonderful mother and an incredible keynote which one can best describe as a deep personal sharing of the human side of the Afghanistan tragedy through the eyes of a person who was himself displaced by it. Farid’s story needs to be told on US national television because too much emphasis is placed on winners and losers in conflicts such as Afghanistan but not on the sufferings of ordinary human beings and their families there.
Starting his speech Dr Senzai spoke of his proud and thankful old relationship with SALAM plus Dr Ayad Al-Qazzaz at Sacramento State who influenced his career path. He said that he was asked to speak on hope at this event and proceeded to deliver an incredible speech on the journey that he and his family embarked on over 40 years ago from Afghanistan. His father was an educator at Kabul University who felt that staying in the country under an unstable (Communist) regime was not safe. Farid said that Afghanistan has been very much in the news in this country for the past two months but the tragedy there is actually over four decades old and ongoing. On the current situation he said that our war effort in Afghanistan was misguided from the onset. One could feel deep emotion in his voice as he spoke about Afghanistan, especially about suffering there.
On their escape, the Senzai family managed to get visas to visit Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj and overstayed in that country suffering through homelessness and poverty till meeting a Pakistani waiter who got them in touch with a true benefactor by the name of Shaikh Ali. How the family which was literally living on the street shifted to residing in a 5 Star hotel owned by Shaikh Ali is a miraculous story in itself, one that gives us hope. Dr Farid’s father’s agriculturist background came in handy as he was asked to use his expertise to bring greenery to the city of Jeddah by Shaikh Ali who also assisted in their relocation to the United States, specifically to Ohio where his father knew someone. Not losing hope can create real opportunities. Out hats off to the Senzai family.
Next in the program a SALAM video focusing on hope and the reopening (IA) after the COVID-19 pandemic prepared us for the fundraiser most professionally conducted by Imam Amr who left no stone unturned to appeal for funds. The event closed with a sumptuous dinner and some more Nasheeds.
In closing, one must admit that the SALAM organization has done great work in outreach and spreading the peaceful message of Islam in the Sacramento region and any funds collected will continue to be of benefit to all of us.
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