Rev. Joe Zarro of Murrieta's United Church of the Valley smiles over at his invited guest and friend, Mahmoud Harmoush, imam at the Islamic Center of Temecula Valley. (Toni McAllister/SWRNN)
With Rev. Joe Zarro at a makeshift pulpit delivering his sermon under fluorescent lights and no air conditioning, nearly 100 United Church of the Valley faithful turned out for Sunday morning services Sept. 5 at Murrieta’s Shivela Middle School’s auditorium. The flock and their ad-hoc place of worship were testimony to tolerance and understanding.
But it was a special invitation, not the surroundings, that more acutely demonstrated United Church of the Valley’s message of openness and coexistence.
Despite Temecula Valley’s reputation as a hotbed of staunch conservative Christianity, and United Church of the Valley’s aging base (many who attended Sunday’s service appeared to be over 60), worshippers stood in applause when Rev. Zarro introduced his invited guest speaker and friend, Mahmoud Harmoush, a devout Muslim.
Harmoush has recently been in the media spotlight. He is imam at the Islamic Center of Temecula Valley. The group is working with the city of Temecula to begin construction of a mosque on Nicolas Road.
Not everyone in the community supports the mosque. On July 30, nearly 35 demonstrators rallied outside the Islamic Center to protest the mosque’s construction.
Rev. Joe Zarro and Imam Mahmoud Harmoush join in song together during Sunday services at Murrieta's United Church of the Valley. (Toni McAllister/SWRNN)
The mosque controversy here and nationally, as well as the impending 9/11 anniversary, along with the international anti-Islam rhetoric that has gained momentum in recent months, have prompted Rev. Zarro to help build bridges in the community.
One way to do that, Rev. Zarro said, is by promoting tolerance and understanding.
“I felt like the confluence of all those things makes this the perfect time to invite him to speak here,” Rev. Zarro said.
Following an opening hymn titled “Building Bridges,” the imam came to the pulpit. He told the audience that it was a privilege to be invited to the church.
“We are all worshipping today,” he said. “We are in the international arena of religious tolerance.”
Harmoush strived to convey to the audience that Christians, Muslims and Jews share similar beliefs.
“In Islam, Jesus is a revered prophet. We (Muslims) could not mention Jesus with saying ‘peace be upon him.’ We could not mention Mary without saying ‘peace be upon her,’” Harmoush said.
He also offered his interpretations of Islamic traditions, such as Ramadan and daily prayers. An informational flyer was made available for those interested: definitions for Allah, Islam, Nabi and Jihad were printed on it.
“Jihad in Islam: This Arabic word is widely misunderstood,” the flyer stated. “It means to strive against evil inclinations within oneself, to struggle to improve the quality of life in society and to stop injustices. It does not mean Holy War.”
Harmoush spoke to the issue of violence and stereotypes.
“Such acts do not come from a pious, sincere Muslim,” he explained. “We outright and unconditionally denounce violence and terrorism.”
The planned mosque was also addressed.
“If God wants, we will have the center,” Harmoush said, and he extended an invitation to the audience and the broader community to attend Open Mosque Day, Oct. 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Islamic Center of Temecula Valley. The annual event, organized by the Shura Council of Southern California, promotes interaction with Muslim and non-Muslim community members.
Harmoush concluded his remarks by thanking the audience and Rev. Zarro.
“May God bless you all for this invitation,” he said.
As Harmoush moved away from the pulpit, the United Church of the Valley congregation stood in applause.
Later, following a moving sermon from Rev. Zarro in which he emphasized the importance of tolerance and living in peace with one’s neighbors, worshippers wandered over to Harmoush. They shook his hand. Some hugged him. And they thanked him for coming to their Sunday service.
Toni McAllister is SWRNN’s lifestyles editor. She can be reached at toni.mcallister@yahoo.com or 951-234-0704. Follow her on Twitter at SWRNNaelife.
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The imam has no credibility when he ignores the full meaning of a key tenet of Islam, jihad. Wikipedia says this about it: “A wide range of opinions exist about the exact meaning of jihad. Muslims use the word in a religious context to refer to three types of struggles: an internal struggle to maintain faith, the struggle to improve the Muslim society, or the struggle in a holy war.” In fact, a strict view here tells us the imam deliberately fell short of offering his audience Muslim knowledge and understanding on this topic for the purpose of selling the concept of a mosque in Temecula. The imam wants to dupe his audience into accepting that Islam presents a harmless religious practice. The imam may’ve denounced “violence and terrorism,” yet he ignored the barbarities that occur under Islamic law, such as the stoning to death in public of young females for wrongful sexual behavior. The imam ignored the motivation of jihadists to die in the name of Islam for martyrdom and for immediate ascension to the presence of Allah. Further, Mohammed himself spread Islam by the sword. Even today, Muslims will dutifully kill a fellow Muslim for a lukewarm faith. Some of us have seen video clips of Muslims dousing handcuffed and blindfolded Muslim victims with gasoline, and then pushing these victims into a burning pit. Muslims cut off limbs and behead as due punishment for crime. Muslims will torture and kill fellow Muslims for religious differences. Muslims embrace medieval barbarity and practice it in the name of Islam. The imam mentioned none of this known violence carried out in the name of Islam. The imam has no credibility.
[...] thankful. Toni McCallister, a reporter for Southwest Riverside News Network, joined us as well and wrote this story about her visit. I will post my sermon tomorrow. Thank you to all of you who have expressed your [...]
Because we all know that Wikipedia is a reliable source of information….
So because you “researched” on Wikipedia and watch the biased news clips on TV, you have the authority to denounce the imam’s credibility? Excuse me, but I believe he is the one practicing the religion, not you.
Furthermore, those clips of muslims you see on TV are not at all related to the muslims that we are talking about here. Those violent muslims are EXTREMISTS and they are the main reason muslims come to the United States, so that they can practice their religion peacefully and coexist with other religions. Even when those other religions include hate-mongers like you.
Wikipedia is a MARVELOUS resource for Trivial Pursuit. But academics reject it as an attributable reource because ANYONE can edit a Wikipedia article.
Did you happen to notice that Imam Harmoush said, ““We outright and unconditionally denounce violence and terrorism.”
That is something many mosque opponents have said they wanted to hear. There it is, recorded by an impartial third party. Terrorism is DENOUNCED. What more do you want?
We Muslims have been through this time and time again, every time some Waco decides to do something in the name of Islam we are asked to stand up defend and denounce the act, well the way I see it we should be done with that we do not need to answer every act. Islam is a religion of peace and will not tolerate terrorism nor burning anybody for any reason what soever. further more I do not see the leaders of any major religion stand up and defend their religion for what some misguided person did in NY “Slashing a cap driver for being a Muslim” and I do not expect it nor do I hold every Christian for the plane burning of the Koran in Florida by a selfish and hateful Priest.