USA: Local Muslims of Chicago discuss ways to counter terrorism, dispel myths

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In an attempt to de-legitimize Islamic State, the terrorist group that claimed credit for last week's attacks in Paris, Akram referred to it as Daesh, which he interpreted from Arabic as "something we stomp on."

Imam Azam Akram (Photo: Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.com)

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Chicago Tribune
By Angie Leventis Lourgos | November 18, 2015

In the wake of last week's attacks in Paris and Beirut, a Chicago-area Muslim cleric discussed ways to counter terrorism as well as dispel myths surrounding his faith during a forum Wednesday at the College of DuPage.

"We condemn any act of violence, any act of terrorism," said Imam Azam Akram of Al-Sadiq Mosque in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood. "And I, as an imam, condemn vehemently these recent attacks in Paris and in Beirut and in Nigeria and all over the world that are supposedly perpetrated in the name of Islam, that are absolutely wrong."

The talk was part of an international campaign to fight radicalization and combat stereotypes called "Stop the CrISIS," sponsored by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, a group of more than 3,000 boys and men across the country based in Silver Spring, Md. The organization was established in 1939, and leaders say it's one of the earliest Muslim youth groups in the United States.

In an attempt to de-legitimize Islamic State, the terrorist group that claimed credit for last week's attacks in Paris, Akram referred to it as Daesh, which he interpreted from Arabic as "something we stomp on."

He said terrorism is a tactic, not an ideology or religion, adding that peace and charity are core principles of Islam.

"We are a peace-loving people," he said.

The forum was divided into two sessions, the audience at the earlier one made up of about 70 students, faculty and community members, a mix of Muslims and non-Muslims. During a question-and-answer period, Dr. Kaleem Malik, of Burr Ridge, who said he was affiliated with Ahmadiyya, implored the Western world to call terrorist groups out on their hypocrisy.

"It would be wonderful for the West to rise and say, 'We've read a little about Islam, your teachings don't say that,'" Malik said.

Audience member Margaret Brown, of Naperville, who converted to Islam four years ago, said she was impressed by some of the youth group's work, including sponsoring interfaith dialogues and community presentations on the meaning of Islam, as well as hosting blood drives in honor of the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

But she said she wished there were more concrete ways to stop youths from affiliating with terrorist groups.

"How can we communicate to them that this is wrong?" she said. "How can we give these kids a sense of purpose in life? If you have a sense of purpose, life is meaningful. If you don't, life is nothing."

eleventis@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @angie_leventis


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