Source/Credit: Prince George Free Press
By Arthur Williams | September 17, 2010
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Canada held a forum Tuesday to dispel some of the misconceptions about Islam and terrorism.
The forum, Islam: Religion of Peace or Terror?, was held at the Prince George Public Library. Religious minister Muhammad Afzal Mirza said Muslim extremists have twisted the faith to promote their own political agendas.
“The word, ‘Muslim,’ is not being trusted by many people these days, and with reason,” Mirza said. “Whether it be Islam, Christianity or Judaism, if we come back to what our prophets said there would be a lot more peace in the world.”
Sharia, the holy law of Islam, is drawn from three sources: the Qur’an, the Sunnah – the actions and practices of the prophet Muhammad – and the Hadiths, or sayings of the prophet Muhammad.
Mirza said none of the three support actions frequently associated with radical Muslims, such as suicide bombings, stoning adulterers and oppressing women.
It is often said that holy martyrs of Islam – including suicide bombers – will find 70 virgins waiting for them in Paradise as a reward.
“I went through all the Hadiths and I could not find any mention of that,” Mirza said.
“Those people listen to the clerics only, not the holy Qur’an. I hope one day people will be educated enough to challenge the (radical) imams, and say, ‘where does it say that? Prove it to me.’”
The term, ‘jihad,’ has also be used out of context by radical Muslims, he said. A jihad is any form of struggle in which one seeks to live correctly and avoid sin, he said.
“One of the jihads is defending yourself,” Mirza said. “But jihad does not mean to kill someone who does not agree with you.”
According to the Sunnah, Muhammad did not show intolerance for other faiths — in fact he married a Christian and a Jew.
When he and his followers retook Mecca, after being oppressed and driven out years before, Muhammad showed mercy to the people who had given him none, Mirza said.
While stoning of adulterers is mentioned in the Qur’an, it is not endorsed, Mirza said. The Old Testament of the Bible also advocates stoning for numerous crimes. However Christians following the New Testament do not practice it.
“The real Qur’an does not allow stoning to death for any crime,” he said.
Nor does the Qur’an promote the oppression of women, Mirza said. It does set out dress codes for men and women, which requires women “dress modestly.”
Much of the treatment of women associated with Islam are actually local cultural practices which have carried on despite Islam, he said.
Mirza commented on two stories in the media recently involving Islam: the proposal of an Islamic cultural centre near the former World Trade Centre in New York and the proposed Qur’an burning day planned by the World Dove Outreach Centre in Florida.
“(Reverend) Terry Jones can burn as many books as he wants, it doesn’t change my faith,” Mirza said.
“But, if this is meant for the radical Muslims, why give them an excuse to do something?”
Although it may legally be right to build the Islamic centre close to the site of the 9/11 attacks, Mirza said, there is no reason to stir up hard feelings.
“Not everyone in my community would agree with me, but I think at this time we should respect the emotion of people, even if the laws allow it,” he said. “This is a big thing, Sept. 11. Just move it a couple of blocks away.”
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