Times of Ahmad: Canada: In Cape Breton many people have not met a Muslim or talked to a Muslim

The time I spent talking to people has been spectacular but also an eye-opener on how much still needs to be done in order to help people understand.

File photo: Imam Umran Bhatti (L) and Dr. Hamad Asim

Times of Ahmad | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Cape Breton Post
By Umran Bhatti | August 29, 2017

For the past few weeks I’ve been at the Sydney waterfront talking to many local residents and non-locals from across Canada and the United States in an attempt to remove misconceptions about Islam and its teachings.

I stand for about two-to-three hours during the evening with a sign stating: “#Meet a Muslim ask me anything!”

What compelled me to do this?

Simple, according to Statistics Canada data released on June 13, hate crimes against Muslims in Canada have increased 253 per cent over four years.

This is shocking and disturbing at the same time. There is always a fear of the unknown and in Cape Breton many people have not met a Muslim or talked to a Muslim which implies that the information they receive about its teachings are from social media, memes, etc.

Many people might say Canada is safe and not prone to hate or violence against a certain community or religion as compared to the rest of the world. But Canada has seen its share of hate crimes against Muslims, whether it’s the Quebec City mosque attack, Muslim women being assaulted for wearing a hijab or people posting hate messages and videos on social media.

We should keep in mind that we now live in a global village. This means within seconds we are informed about the conditions of the world and its news. So whether hate or racist-inspired events happen in Canada, the United States or Europe we will all hear about it and some people might even be encouraged to carry out similar attacks.

So coming back to my initial question why I am doing this?

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in Canada, which has 80 branches from St. John’s to Vancouver, started the “#Meet a Muslim ask me anything!” campaign in order to build bridges amongst the community and reach a broader audience.

The time I spent talking to people has been spectacular but also an eye-opener on how much still needs to be done in order to help people understand.

Many people stopped to talk to me for a short time while others passed by with smiling faces and encouraged me to keep up this excellent initiative. Some looked down upon me after reading my sign and showed aggressive behavior and hostility. Others had the courage to come talk to me and rant about the teachings of Islam. They had a problem with women wearing the hijab while others assume Muslims are to blame for the conditions of the world and have not done enough to condemn ISIS or other terrorist organizations.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at around the world since day one has been condemning ISIS and its actions while promoting its peaceful teachings. The worldwide head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmed, has been working around the clock to spread the beautiful and peaceful teachings of Islam.

To those asking Muslims to condemn ISIS let me ask what have Christians done to stop the hate and radicalization of white supremacy around the world? When have they condemned such incidents as what occurred in Charlottesville, Va.?

Each and every person is responsible for his or her actions and we should never jump to conclusion and blame religion or an entire nation. Terrorism has no religion.

In the end, I will continue my level best and use all possible avenues to educate as many members as possible.

In conclusion here is a short quote from Nelson Mandela: “People learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.”

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Umran Bhatti is imam of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community for the Atlantic region, serving the Islamic communities in Sydney, Halifax and St. John's. He lives in Sydney.

Read original post here: Canada: In Cape Breton many people have not met a Muslim or talked to a Muslim | Umran Bhatti

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