DOHA: Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens), one of the world's most famous converts to Islam, will attend the third annual educational conference being hosted by the Doha Academy at the Doha Sheraton from February 3 to February 5.
This year the conference will take off under the title 'Education-Purpose and Plan'. It will feature educational workshops for teachers in Qatar, with a focus on incorporating Islamic studies in the curriculum of English-speaking schools, two lectures by Yusuf Islam and Shaikh Hamza Yusuf, a US-based Islamic scholar and educationist and a fund-raising dinner, followed by an auction.
Yusuf Islam attended last year's conference which also coincided with the annual meeting of the International Board of Educational Research and Resources (IBERR) founded and chaired by himself.
Proceeds from the charity dinner will go Ulfa aid (International Relief Agency), which is dedicated to helping the poor and needy around the world including Sudan, Pakistan, Kashmir and Indonesia, Farouk Soveid, principal of Doha Academy said at a press conference yesterday.
The conference will discuss issues on how to incorporate Islamic history and teachings in the curriculum of English-speaking schools without removing their original content, explained Farouk.
He added that the Doha Academy had already implemented this new system for its students.
"About 99 per cent of our students are Muslims. The non-Muslim students are allowed not to attend the Islamic classes. We are teaching the moderate view of Islam," he said.
The workshops, to be held on February 4 from 9am to 3pm, will be open to all interested free of cost. Apart from Yusuf Islam and Hamza Yusuf, other experts attending the workshops are Imam Zaid Shakir, one of the most respected Muslim scholars in the west, Shaikh Ahmed Babikir, founder of Ulfa aid and Idriss Khamissa, a noted educationist and member of IBERR.
The lectures in English will take place on February 4 at 7pm. Yusuf Islam will speak on the topic "Essence of Islam" while Hamza Yusuf will speak on "Islamic civilisation".
A Night of Nasheed will be held on February 5 at 8pm where Yusuf Islam will perform some of his Islamic songs. This will be followed by the charity dinner and an auction. The items on auction include a Mercedes car donated by Nassir bin Khaled and Sons, the main sponsors of the conference, a rare green sapphire necklace donated by Sheikha Aisha bint Faleh bin Nasser Al Thani, a rare hand-woven gold Persian carpet donated by Sheikha Moneera bint Faleh bin Nasser Al Thani, a rare book, The Mosques of Egypt, that goes back to 1949, donated by Sheikha Hessa bint Faleh bin Nasser Al Thani, an over 200 years old rare sword donated by Sheikha Alia bint Hamad bin Faleh Al Thani and a painting by one of the most famous Qatari artists called Qatariyat.
Entry tickets for the dinner are priced at QR150 each while a ticket for the two lectures cost QR30.
© The Peninsula 2006
