#MeetAMuslim: Campaign Breaks Down Barriers to Educate Public About Islam

NBC Bay Area ^ | Mar 11, 2017 | Brendan Weber and Kent Wilhoite

[nickcarraway]

"Terrorism has nothing to do with our religion," American Muslim Iftikhar Khan said

Iftikhar Khan, donning a white T-shirt with an American flag imprinted on it, graced the streets of San Jose on Saturday to teach the public about one topic: Islam.

"The vast majority of Americans don't know a Muslim and a lot of Americans are afraid of Muslims," he said. "I can understand why. There are a lot of negative things that a very, very, very small percentage of Muslims across the world are doing and the rest of us (Muslims) are not speaking out and so that's what I'm here to do today, to educate my fellow Americans."

Khan's plan unfolded as part of the the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association's inaugural #MeetAMuslim Day, which featured hundreds of Muslims answering questions about their faith in several cities across the county.

As terrorist attacks across the Middle East and Europe dominate the headlines and some ordinary citizens associate the religion of Islam with the bloodshed, Khan and others remain committed to teaching people about the religion's true principles.

"The vast majority of the 1.6 billion Muslims, like 99.9 percent, are peaceful," he said. "Islam means peace."

Khan added that Islam preaches respect for one's neighbor and instructs followers to live one's life to the highest moral standard. The associated connection between terrorism and Islam comes when people misinterpret the religion's teachings and then convince "ignorant people to follow their agenda." That agenda could be one person or group promoting violence in order to assume power. But as Khan emphatically noted, living by that thinking is simply not the way of Islam.

"Terrorism has nothing to do with our religion," he said.

In order to break the bond that links violence with Islam, Khan helped create a website coined TrueIslam.com to help educate outsiders about the religion's key principles as well as key misinterpretations.

"There is not a contradiction between being a proud American and a proud Muslim," Khan said. "I think there is a perception that you have to choose one or the other. You don't." Khan put his work on the website into physical action Saturday by speaking with strangers in the South Bay. He may have only reached a few people, but that feat is better than nothing.

"Through this process, at least we'll meet 10 people today and now, at least, now they know a Muslim," he said. "And now they know that, you know what, I've met a Muslim and that Muslim was logical. That Muslim loved America and, you know what, wasn't that different from me. Cause I'm not that different from you. I'm really not."

Aside from terrorists attacks being a focal point of media coverage for several years now, President Donald Trump's recent executive orders pertaining to travel have put the spotlight back on people hailing from countries in the Middle East where Islam is the primary religion. Khan is taking the time to understand both sides of the travel ban discussion.

"The people that support the travel ban, I understand why they do," he said. "They don't know Muslims. They are worried. They are genuinely worried about their families and their safety. I'm out here to try and revert some of that fear."

[Mamzelle]

Mohammed was illiterate.

[Col Freeper]

[Nifster]

Yeah sure right...tell that to Saudi women

[Gay State Conservative]

IMO it's unlikely that *all* moslems are violent or support violence.But a noticeable percentage,maybe even a majority,are violent or support it.

For the rest of my life I will see all moslems as violent,medieval psychopaths until proven otherwise.

[cpdiii]

"Terrorism has nothing to do with our religion,"

I have read your Koran and it approves and demands this violence.

I have also lived and worked in the Middle East. The vast majority of people just want to survive and live peaceful lives. However at the top are many religious zealots that promote this violence. At the bottom are those that have no hope and thus become adherents of this terrorism.

Democracy at present is impossible in "most" Muslim nations. The way to peace is capitalism and not theocratic dictatorship or despot dictatorship. Democracy may follow or it may not.

[PubliusMM]

“There is not a contradiction between being a proud American and a proud Muslim,” Khan said.

Uh...I call BS on this one. Listen to the hours and hours of their own imams ranting on YouTube. There is no way they can reconcile Islam with freedom of any sort enjoyed in the West.

Any muslim who professes as Khan should be asked if they can place the US Constitution and its protections ahead of the Koran and the lunatic rantings of their pedophile pseudo-prophet.

If they answer, “Yes”, they are either not really muslim, or they are engaging in the practice of taqqiya, ie., lying to the infidel to further the cause of islam.

[Gritty]

"Terrorism has nothing to do with our religion," he said.

Well, he may have a point if he doesn't define murdering, raping, and enslaving Infidels as "terrorism".

[AmericanVictory]

But, whatever you do,don’t let Americans actually read the Koran, the Haddith, Shari’a law and the commentaries of actual scholars within Islam over its bloody history.

[Pearls Before Swine]

For me it was two words: 9/11.

I remember what I learned that day every time I stand shoeless, get groped, or x-rayed at an airport.

[Neidermeyer]

So all the swords on muzzie flags are because you think they look cool?
********************
They didn’t have AK-47’s back then to put on those flags.

[cpdiii]

If there were Christians running around blowing themselves up and slaughtering civilians indiscriminately, we would take care of business and wipe such fools out.

You are correct. Germany was a Christian nation in WWII. They were a violent nation that wished us harm, destruction and obedience to them as the overlord. We killed them until they unconditionally surrendered and most importantly disavowed themselves from belligerence. You can defeat your enemy on the battlefield but until his will to harm you is ended, you are not finished. Sometimes this takes a lot of killing.

General Sherman devastated the South on the battlefield and city and states and civilians that were an integral part of the war effort. Civilians may not be the soldier carrying the gun on the battlefield. They make the guns and grow the food for the soldier on the battlefield. What Sherman did was brutal and obscene. War is brutal and obscene. It worked, and he was just doing his job. It is really that simply.

If you are not willing to kill your enemy and all that stand with him, surrender for he has already defeated you. War should be avoided if at all possible. If you go to war it must be violent, brutal and deadly to all that oppose you be they soldier or civilian. It is an ugly obscene business. Avoid war if possible but if not, "Cry Havoc and let slip the dogs of war." It is ugly.

[lovesdogs]

I’m guessing that the local Islamic center sponsored the booth. However there were a lot of charities and churches there that day, so it might have been a freebie.