Brown University Welcomes the Healthy Families Initiative!

Brown University’s Muslim Student Association, in conjunction with the Coalition Against Relationship Abuse (CARA) and Brown’s Physicians for Human Rights, sponsored a panel discussion on Islam & Domestic Violence on Monday October 19, 2009. The panel, entitled: “Looking at Contemporary Debates and the Influence of Faith in Fighting Domestic Violence”, featured a panel of prominent and emerging leaders and was skillfully moderated by Reverend Janet Cooper Nelson, Brown University Chaplain.

The event opened with a brief showing of “Garments for One Another”, a DVD developed by the Peaceful Families Project and FaithTrust Institute, on the Islamic perspective of domestic violence.

Afterwards, Reverend Cooper Nelson introduced the first panel member, Sister Ayesha Chaudry, Assistant Professor of Religion at Colgate University. With superb scholarship and insightful analysis, Ms. Chaudry shed light on how Muslims take either a traditional, idealistic, or reformist approach when reconciling domestic violence and the verse from the Qur’an often misused to support it. She inspired listeners to question our own relationship with the verse and ponder on how the relationship between man and woman is viewed in the greater cosmological sphere.

Recently appointed Associate Muslim Chaplain at Brown, Brother R. David Coolidge followed suit by reciting the verse from the Qur’an where Allah describes the relationship between man and woman as one of protection -“auliyah”. In his powerful speech, Mr. Coolidge emphasized the religious duty we have to stand in affirmation and solidarity with the teachings of justice that abound in Islam, and collaborate with those advocating in this cause and others for the greater good of society & humanity.

Brother Abbas Jaffer, who is currently pursuing a degree on Theological Studies at Harvard Divinity School and is Associate editor of the popular on-line magazine AltMuslimah, offered a valuable perspective on the nuts and bolts of organizations dealing with domestic violence in the Muslim community. Eloquently, he expounded on the important role Muslim men are playing as supporters of these organizations and the emerging contributions that they are making through journalism. He expressed the need to focus on prevention of domestic violence by working with young Muslim men and training of religious and community leaders, while increasing academic research to support this cause.

Lastly, founder and co-chair of the Healthy Families Initiative (HFI), sister Kathleen Taylor shared with the audience the acceptance and challenges faced by the HFI. Inadequate training of religious leaders, lack of accountability and social repercussions for offenders, and failure to address and meet the needs of victims, are to date the greatest obstacles that need to be overcome in our community. By strategically working with the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence (RICADV), the HFI aims to further raise awareness and educate the Muslim community on domestic violence, and offer Muslims experiencing it the resources and services needed to effectively and successfully overcome abuse.