“By definition, compassion is relational in that it is about mutual experience. If everyone swept their doorstep, the world would be clean.” Amaan Kassamali, keynote speaker for Compassion in Action Events 2023.
Compassion Week 2023 commemorated the tenth anniversary of the City of Houston receiving its designation as a Compassionate City. The Compassion in Action events took place over the weekend of November 18-19, 2023, at the Ismaili Jamatkhana and Center, Sugar Land, and the Ismaili Jamatkhana, Spring. Shannon Mays of the Texas Association of Mediators and Pam Lewis, President of the Board for Compassionate Houston, were notable figures present along with many other members of the Greater Houston Community along with members of the Ismaili community.
Compassionate Houston is a nonprofit organization focusing on constructing a more compassionate society through awareness, education, community, and service. Pam Lewis, President of the organization, shared her immense gratitude, remarking, “I’d like to thank everyone...for their most gracious hospitality and a wonderful workshop. Amaan is a warm, wise, and gifted presenter! His insights on Compassion in Action were so accessible and so masterfully shared. On behalf of Compassion Houston, much appreciation for the great collaboration!”
The gathering assembled individuals from diverse backgrounds and faiths, uniting them in a shared community-building endeavor. Its focal point was the collaborative initiatives undertaken by the Ismaili community to foster compassion in the country's most diverse city, guided by the principles advocated by Mawlana Hazar Imam.
Hazar Imam stated in the Foundation Ceremony of the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat in Ottawa, Canada, on June 6th, 2005, that we must strive to “...contribute by replacing walls that divide with bridges which unite.” The event underscored the idea that understanding breeds empathy, emphasizing the necessity of being guided by a profound sense of responsibility towards others. It conveyed the message that we can contribute to fostering compassion and pluralism, bridging gaps between individuals and communities by embodying the values inherent in our faith.
Amaan skillfully guided the audiences through a discussion on the significance of actively and compassionately engaging in the broader community within the cities where we reside as part of our calling to be ‘citizens of the world.’ It was clear that the topic of compassion was one that required a great deal of introspection in order to explore.
Amaan shed some light on how he decided what aspects he felt were important to share with a multifaith audience:
”To speak about compassion, first, self-reflection was critical. Further, I looked to the Imam-of-the-Time’s work in compassion in his Imamat and even as a driving force of the Jamati institutions and the Imamat institutions, including the Aga Khan Development Network. If we are to live the faith as Muslims, compassion must not only be a part of our belief but evident in our action as well.”
What does this mean for us and the communities where we reside? As Amaan explains:
“Compassion begins with seeing through someone else’s eyes. It’s not something we have or don’t have. It’s something we choose to put into practice. It’s the way we live our faith and, in turn, our life. It doesn’t take much. Compassion is realized when we recognize our shared humanity. When we start to use compassion, a better community, society, and humanity will emerge.”
