This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

201416Z Dec 05

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 009380 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR R, IIP/T/IS (PLATT), IIP/G/NEA-SA (SCOTT), 
ECA/PE/C/PY (PERSIKO), NEA/ELA and DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: NA 
TAGS: KPAO OEXC OIIP KIRF EG
SUBJECT: AMERICAN IMAM CAMPAIGNS FOR TOLERANCE, 
UNDERSTANDING 
 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  American Imam Mohammed Bashar Arafat 
engaged religious scholars, students, journalists, 
and media audiences across the Arab world with his 
message of tolerance and hope during a visit to Egypt 
Dec. 1-13.  In purposeful, persuasive Arabic 
cadences, Bashar preached respect for Christianity 
and Judiasm, promoted a positive view of Islam in 
America, and called for increased exchanges between 
the United States and the Islamic world.  Media 
coverage was overwhelmingly positive, and rural 
religious students flocked to him like a rock star. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  Imam Bashar Arafat, founder of the Civilizations 
Exchange and Cooperation Foundation in Baltimore and 
a former imam at Johns Hopkins University, spent 
nearly two weeks, morning and night, on a USG- 
financed speaking program engaging Egyptians across 
the spectrum: religious and secular, rural and urban, 
old and young, Copt and Muslim. He reached more than 
2,000 people in person and millions more through 
print interviews and television broadcasts spanning 
the Arab world. 
 
¶3.  In meetings with the Grand Mufti of Egypt, the 
president of Al-Azhar University, and imams at the 
Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Bashar called 
for more religious leaders to visit the United 
States, to learn English, and to improve their 
understanding of American culture.  In dialogues 
heavy with references to the Quran and the Hadith, he 
noted that Muhammed preached respect for the 
teachings of Moses and Jesus and that Islam respects 
all believers.  In meetings with Azhar graduates, he 
argued the need for renewal and reexamination of 
Islams relations to the modern world, subtly nudging 
that critical institution to greater leadership in 
confronting the challenges of a rapidly developing 
and changing world.  At almost all gatherings, Arafat 
told listeners that Islam as practiced in the United 
States was more faithful to the religion than current 
practices in most Islamic countries. 
 
¶4.  Bashars meetings with youth included discussions 
with religious students in Cairo University and the 
University of Fayyum, political science students in 
Cairo University, alumni of the YES high-school 
exchange program, and high-school participants in 
Catholic schools civic education camps.  He 
reinforced the value of interfaith dialogue and told 
them that Islam is an accepted, and growing, presence 
in the United States. 
 
¶5.  The political students received him politely and 
asked predictably tough questions about U.S. policy 
in the Middle East.  Many of the YES exchange alumni 
had met him during their year in the United States. 
s. 
They greeted him as a longtime friend, relating how 
their year in America had helped them to become more 
self-confident and eager to promote religious 
tolerance in Egypt.  While students in the religious 
schools had hard questions about Iraq and 
discrimination against Muslims in America, they 
welcomed Bashar warmly and enthusiastically. 
 
¶6.  In Fayyum, a conservative city two hours south of 
Cairo, students hung a large sign to welcome him, 
rolled a red carpet out to his car, and stood at 
attention -- more or less -- as he walked up to the 
building.  About 800 students filled the auditorium 
beyond normal capacity, listened attentively to his 
lecture, and submitted stacks of written questions 
and comments.  One student commented that Bashars 
lecture had turned around his opinion of America 180 
degrees.  After the lecture, students thronged him 
and moved en masse to his vehicle, peppering him with 
questions and thanks until he drove away. 
 
¶7.  In Alexandria, Bashar addressed over 120 guests 
at the American Center.  He used power point slides 
demonstrating the relative wealth and diversity of 
the U.S. Muslim community, and numerous photos of 
mosques across America.  He noted, in particular, his 
work with young Muslims and urged Egyptian religious 
figures to listen to young people and adapt their 
message to help youth succeed in meeting the 
challenges of the modern world. 
 
¶8.  At a meeting with Awqaf representatives in 
Alexandria, Bashar subtly criticized Al Azhar for not 
providing stronger leadership and modern ideas to 
help advance the state of Muslims in the modern age. 
In a separate meeting with judges, Bashar explored 
the possibility of a future conference in the United 
States between religious and legal figures to discuss 
issues related to the application of Sharia law. 
 
¶9. Media coverage of Imam Bashars visit included 
highly successful one-on-one interviews with major 
Arabic language TV stations and newspapers.  The imam 
reached millions of viewers across the Arab world 
d 
through interviews on Egypts number-one talk show 
Bait Baitak (My House is Your House); on the very 
popular Nile News station; and on Iqra, the top-rated 
religious station in the region.  Bashar was also 
interviewed by numerous print media outlets leading to 
several important articles in leading Arabic language 
newspapers, including the pro-government daily Rose Al 
Youssef (circulation: 15,000), the leading independent 
newspaper Al Masry al Yom (circulation 15,000), and 
the second leading independent paper Nahdet Masr 
(circulation 20,000). 
 
¶10.  Bashar also participated in discussions in the 
Embassy on expanding people-to-people exchanges, 
indicating that he hopes to continue building bridges 
between the United States and the Islamic world. 
 
 
 
 
 
JONES