Islam and Personal Encounters in My Engagements With World Religions

The author describes a trip to Egypt funded in part by work and family, noting hospitality and visible security, and explains that after September 11, 2001 he studied Islamic texts and engaged in interfaith dialogue to counter Islamophobia.

I worked clerical jobs at Indiana University before starting graduate school, which helped pay for a trip to Egypt. I traveled through AAA and used a private tour guide while there. In Cairo I noticed soldiers on the streets and felt their presence was meant to protect people and tourists. The hospitality I received, including a guide who reimbursed a taxi fare after a booking mix-up, was the most lasting impression. Notable details: - The trip was partly funded by earnings from clerical work and a family birthday gift. - Soldiers were visible in public spaces, and the author reported feeling at ease with their presence during the visit. - A hotel booking error left the author arriving at midnight, and the guide later reimbursed the taxi fare the author had paid. - Time in Cairo included visits to Islamic sites and nearby Coptic Christian sites, and the author purchased English-language Islamic texts to read. - A campus friend who converted from Catholicism to Islam became a regular partner in respectful interfaith conversations. - After September 11, 2001 the author intensified study of Islamic texts and official Catholic-Muslim dialogues to respond to rising Islamophobia. Summary: These experiences—travel, study, and personal conversations—deepened the author's commitment to interfaith dialogue and to countering prejudice between Christians and Muslims. Undetermined at this time.