VRI Presentation Script
Hello, my name is Cassandra Herbert, and for my VRI project, I interviewed Yusuf Malik, a dedicated Muslim and youth coordinator for the Islamic Society of Tampa. Yusuf is a Bangladeshi American civil engineer born and raised in a religious family with a long-standing involvement with the local Muslim community since childhood. I was most struck by how Islam has informed his interior life, daily routines, and way of viewing the world: VRI Presentation Script.
Before the interview, my knowledge of Islam was relatively superficial. I equated the religion with its appearances, daily prayers and fasting during Ramadan, and strict rules about food and modesty. I had no particular sense of how Muslims feel about their religion emotionally and spiritually.
Another thing that I became aware of is that negative stereotypes had influenced some of my views in the media, where Islam is so often linked with violence or extremism. I knew the stereotypes were unfair on an intellectual level. Still, I had never had a conversation with a practicing Muslim that allowed me to dig deeper into those stereotypes.
One of the powerful insights that struck me from my conversation with Yusuf was that Islam is not a religion; it’s a way of life. For Yusuf, it colors everything: how he interacts with people, faces challenges, and relates to God. He said Islam was based on peace, justice, and mercy. His articulation of Tawheed, the unity of God, opened my eyes to how much he identifies with all humanity.
Yusuf also discussed religious acts like prayer, fasting, and giving to charity as things that anchor and center him, particularly during danger. In addition, I was most fascinated by how closely these values mirror Christianity’s beliefs: belief in one God, helping the poor, family unity, and justice. Hearing him describe how Islam requires constant self-improvement and genuine service to others was also illuminating.
The discussion stretched and enlarged my thoughts. I understand Islam as a personal, deliberate religion constructed on mercy and discipline. Something I have been especially entranced with, on account of Yusuf, is his perception that living his belief as intended to an end produces more fairness and kindness in the world.
Growing up as a Christian, I came to discover that despite our differences, with Islam as more ritual and formal and Christianity toward spontaneity, the two traditions yearn for a substantive God relationship and passion for love and fairness.
This experience solidified class lessons about interfaith leadership: the power of listening without the deterrent of assumptions to build actual bridges of understanding. Notably, class readings taught dialogue as an exercise of peacebuilding, and this interview instantiated the lesson.
I feel I have transitioned from studying Islam to learning from a Muslim. This VRI project helped me go from curiosity to connection. I am now more determined to deconstruct stereotypes and encourage mutually respectful dialogue among faiths within my community.
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Question 
VRI Presentation
Instructions
After writing your paper, you will then make a 3-minute video of yourself presenting highlights of what you learned about the insider view of the religion in your visit, dialogue over the phone, or in the chapter you selected from the book. Making the video presentation gives you the chance to be creative in reporting your learning. The video presentation that you make will be based on your engagement with the insider’s view which you reported on in your paper.
Focus on how the VRI (safe in-person visit; or phone or video conference interview; or chapter based analysis) impacted your thinking, including a “before” and “after” analysis of your knowledge of this religion. The presentation is not on specifics or details of the institution/person you visited with but how the visit personally affected your thinking about this particular religious tradition and whether this impacts how you relate to our own religious or nonreligious background.
VRI Presentation Script
As you prepare the presentation, write down some reflections on what you thought about the religion before your study and whether and how those thoughts were challenged or reaffirmed after readings/dialogue with an insider. Excellent presentations will tie presentation comments to a topic in class readings, including readings on interfaith leadership skills, and experience of VRI overall.
How to Record and Share the Video: The easiest way to upload a video is to make one with your mobile phone camera, and upload it to a personal YouTube account or to your laptop’s desktop. If you upload to Youtube, please share the video by copying the link to the video and pasting the link into the Assignment for VRI Presentation Assignment folder. If you upload to your desktop you can then submit your video by going to the VRI Presentation Assignment folder and click on insert stuff inside of the text submission box (first button on the left). Click add video note. Browse for your video on your desktop and then upload the file.
NOTE: If you use Youtube, you will be able to set your video to “private” instead of “public” if you choose (I would encourage this). Below are links to instructional videos on how to make a YouTube account and upload your video to YouTube. You will need to have an account, which is free: https://youtu.be/l0eM1_JVqHE
Then follow these instructions for uploading your video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C4dEpT0rYg&feature=emb_title