“We want to have an open dialogue to create understanding and to create religious harmony and speak about our differences and understand our commonalities. That would help in our current situation.”
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| Hanan Sobhi, Imam of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Hamilton. (QMI Agency photo) |
Source/Credit: Woodstock Sentinel-Review
By Heather Rivers | February 17, 2015
WOODSTOCK - In the face of the evil of ISIS and Al-Qaida, a local Muslim group say they are on a mission to condemn terrorism and dispel misconceptions about Islam.
“We believe our religion has been hijacked,” said spokesperson Imam Umar Akbar. “The majority of Muslims are peaceful. There are a few individuals tarnishing our name.”
This Saturday the Norwich Public Library will be home to one of 33 open houses nationwide hosted by the youth of a local Muslim group known as Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
According to their website, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a revivalist sect who believe their prophet Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835 to 1908) —sent to the world to end religious wars and bloodshed — is the metaphorical second coming of Jesus.
Their slogan is Love for All, Hatred for None.
They state that over a century ago their prophet proclaimed there was no place in Islam for “jihad by the sword” and encouraged “jihad by pen” to defend Islam.
According to Akbar, the goal of the Holy Quran open house on Saturday, Feb. 21 at the Norwich Library is to educate people about Islam when it comes to freedom of speech and blasphemy, while creating a platform of discussion and showing people that Islam does not support or promote terrorism.
“The open house’s purpose is to educate people about the true teaching of Islam, while dispelling any myths or misconception,” Akbar said. “We want to have an open dialogue to create understanding and to create religious harmony and speak about our differences and understand our commonalities. That would help in our current situation.”
Akbar said the new nation-wide campaign is also designed to battle Islamophobia that appears to be on the rise following the recent terrorist acts of extremist groups whose actions are “for their own personal gains and motives and has nothing to do with Islam.”
“They are preying on vulnerable individuals and radicalizing them, trying to do things for their own personal gain,” he said. “We need to come together to stop these horrendous acts. We as Muslims we need to stand up and educate our citizens.
Muslims need to understand what Islam really is.”
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IF YOU GO
Where: Norwich Public Library, 10 Tidey St.
When: Feb. 21, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
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