Five overall roles have been defined for Mada Media Development Association based on the input of experts in several fields of specialization related to its scope of operations.
1- Informational Role
Mada follows and presents news reports about Islam as a global religion, and Muslims as global citizens living in all parts of the world who are actively affect and are affected by their surroundings. It provides information for them and about them and their issues. Consequently, the websites of the association, including OnIslam.net, serve as important references about Muslims and their religion to Muslims, non-Muslim, and those newly converted to Islam.
2- Developmental Role
Through its different activities and websites including OnIslam.net, the association seeks to present and encourage human development initiatives in order to empower local societies and small institutions through effective mechanisms such as:
- Educating people about development and production
- Exchanging different experiences in a way that allows for their practical application
- Adopting educational and training tools in the sphere of social development and self-development
- Establishing a system of communication between individuals and institutions working in the area of human development
3- Social Role Supporting Family Infrastructure
Mada is interested in playing an important social role to reinforce the infrastructure of the family within society. This will be achieved through the following:
- Providing counsels and answering questions about different aspects of life including religion, society, education, marriage, and health. These counsels are intended to support a healthy, sound, and effectively functioning society
- Offering training in social, family, and educational skills. The association provides training sessions in traditional a class setting, as well as online through e-training tools on OnIslam.net and other websites
- Producing content on dedicated websites that addresses a young audience within the age group of 16 to 35, which represents around 70% of internet users, with the aim of developing them culturally and socially
4- Revisionist Role on Islamic Discourse
Mada is interested in reviewing Islamic discourse and all the practices and legacy related to it. This would achieve throught:
- Conducting a dialogue on the higher objectives of Islam and its comprehensive values and how to put them into effective use
- Encouraging ijtihad (interpretive scholarly reasoning) on a variety of issues including the relationship between the state and religion; social issues; and issues related to rights and justice
- Critiquing practices based on current Islamic discourses
- Invoking ijtihad as it applies to Muslim minorities living in non-Muslim countries, and to non-Muslim minorities living in Islamic countries
5- Harmonizing Role
Another interest of the association is to take part in forging major rapprochements of which the Ummah (international Muslim community) is in dire need. Relevant issues include Muslim-Christian relationships, Sunni-Shiite relationships, and issues related to citizenship.
This role will be achieved through engagement in in-depth dialogue and raising discussions with “the other” who can be invited to participate in research projects as well as through the use of other tools to this end.
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