AMSS Regional Conference

Abstract

On April 12, 2003, the Association of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS), in collaboration with the Muslim Students' Association (MSA) of the University of Utah, held its first regional conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. The day-long conference, "The Place of.Islam in America," included panel discussions and workshops. The first panel dealt with "Images and Perceptions of Islam in America," and the second panel focused on "The Emerging Muslim Community: Opportunities and Challenges." Toward the end of the program, both the panelists and the audience participated in three workshops: "Challenges of Raising a Muslim Child," "Examining the Utah Muslim Community," and "Muslim Youths Dealing with Temptations and Peer Pressure." Louay Safi (president, AMSS) and Sayyid M. Syeed (general secretary, ISNA) gave the two keynote addresses. At the beginning of the conference, Abdul-Qayum Mohmand, program coordinator, welcomed the panelists and the guests and stated that: "Since the Muslim community is part of the social and political construct of this society and contributes to the build up of this society in many aspects, it is vital for them to find out where they are placed in this society." In his opening remarks, Safi talked about the importance of the Muslims' political and social positioning in the United Stated and pointed out that "American Muslims have a great opportunity to develop Islamic thought and institutions for modern-day society." He stressed that "faced with new social challenges stemming from modernist trends, American Muslims possess aU the ingredients they need to develop solutions with far-reaching impact on improving the quality of life both in the U.S. and throughout the Muslim world." He expressed confidence that the conference deliberations are part of the Muslim American struggle to better the human condition. In the first panel, James Toronto (associate professor oflslamic studies, Brigham Young University, Utah) focused on the challenges and responsi bilities of the American Muslim community. Calling upon its members to ...