South American state celebrates diversity
Inside iron fence that surrounds an ordinary looking house in calm Santiago neighbourhood reside some unusual Chilean nationals. They enjoy local cuisine, speak the same language and wear similar dress too. But, they don’t share the faith with predominantly Roman Catholic people. They also don’t eat pork and instead of visiting Church on Sunday, pray five times a day in a mosque!
Since 1988, this place has been housing the Centro de Cultura Islámica [2], the Islamic Cultural Centre, in Santiago, Chile [2], a country with a meagre Muslim population of 3,500.
Islam plays hardly any role in the life of most Chileans. It's rarely mentioned in the media, only if something happens on the international level. One doesn't see Muslims on the street.
Fuad Musa, the centre’s president, is a Chilean of Arab decent. But unlike the majority of the country he is Muslim and Chilean at once. Despite his polite manner, he does not shake hands with female visitors on the campus. “Salam,” he welcomes this female journalist with his hand on the chest.
Born and bred here, Musa is a typical local in almost every sense of the word. His grandfather emigrated from Lebanon about a century ago.
Since not as many women came to Chile then, Musa's grandfather married a local Christian woman.
He recalls, “My grandmother had no problem with her husband's religion but wanted her children to be Christian, too.” This happened a lot in those days, most men, originally Muslims, fully assimilated to the Chilean society because of their spouse and social context both.
“They lost Islam,” Musa says, explaining that his entire family is Christian. And, so was he for a long time in his life. At some point though, he started searching for his Islamic roots.
“Many people in Chile are doing that. There are about 30,000 citizens in the country with Islamic roots,” says Musa, whose Islamic Cultural Centre is considered most authentic in the country on Islam and Muslims.
He belongs to the third generation of immigrants with a different education. Finding his ancestral roots and convinced by the faith, Musa converted to Islam.
However small the Muslim community may be amongst 16.9 million-strong Chileans, there are similar tensions between the two shades of the Islamic faith as in other countries. Here too, both sects maintain remain distinct from each other.
The Islamic Cultural Centre often takes part in such ceremonies. “Unfortunately though, if someone from the Sunni community comes, the Shiite community won't.”
Musa and the 400 Muslims belonging to the centre are Shiites too but Sunnis do come there. They come to the centre to celebrate religious holidays, discuss daily life and to raise their children in a faithfully. “That's the main part of the centre's mission,” Musa explains.
“It is important for us to preserve our religion and at the same time stick to the Chilean law and values.” The centre wants the children to be open to their very own society and understand its mentality. “It is their country after all!”
Faud Musa emphasizes that the Islamic Cultural Centre is an open community. He talks to journalists, students as well as common people who want to know about Islam and approach him.
“They want to know for instance, what daily life of Muslims is like or whether it is allowed for Muslim women to use contraception,” explain Musa, adding that he finds the Chilean society very open to his religion as well as to others. Even four mosques cater to both sects Sunni as well as Shiite.
The centre also works together with other religions as well as the government. Once a year, on the Chilean national day, groups of every faith and politicians come together for a ceremony, to celebrate their country. Interreligious dialogue is important for Musa and for the people he works with.
Gerardo Gonzalez, founder of Spiritual Forum for Peace Santiago, works with about 14 different groups of faith such as Muslims, Sikhs, Jews, Catholics and Buddhists among others. The forum meets regularly and has evolved some kind of rituals, for example, the Knights of the Table Round.
Participants sit in a circle; therefore, no one sits at the top. Each has his or her say without anyone interrupting. It is a place of mutual respect.
“Normally, if there are tensions between any of the different groups, they are on a personal level rather than on religious,” explains Gonzalez, with 15 years of experience in inter-religious activities.
“We have a declaration for peace and a vision of the world we want for our children,” says Gonzalez who has worked with the United Nations for 27 years.
Unquestionably, Chile is a secular state where the Catholic Church lost influence as in many other parts of the world.
The state invites all groups to official ceremonies, naturally symbolising patronage for social integration of minorities.
For a variety of complimenting factors, people on the street are not afraid of Islam in contrast with trends in Europe. Here Islam is neither considered part of culture nor is it rejected.
Owing to the openness offered by the Islamic Cultural Centre with leaders like Fuad Musa, this little house in calm Santiago neighbourhood will continue to greet more inquisitive guests.
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