Al-Huda
Foundation, NJ U. S. A
the Message Continues ... 8/120
Newsletter for August 2011
Article 1 - Article 2 - Article 3 - Article 4 - Article 5 - Article 6 - Article 7 - Article 8 - Article 9 - Article 10 - Article 11 - Article 12
That one noun sends a myriad of opinions from every end of the
spectrum. We are seen as the most holy and devout of people and
as the most devious and murderous of people. The words of our
holy book are distorted. The actions of the few radicals and
extremists take the name of our dear religion, misguiding the
world of what we truly believe.
Rather than taking these unfortunate misrepresentations of our
religion and changing them, we make ourselves victims. Islam is
nothing if not misconstrued in the media, yet victimizing
ourselves will not create the change we need. Victimizing
ourselves will not change the media or the world’s view of
Islam. Victimizing ourselves will not take back that day when
Flight 175 hit the Twin Towers killing thousands of innocent
victims as well as the name of Islam. Victimizing ourselves does
nothing. Change can only be created with change. We as Muslims
know our religion better than anyone on the outside. We have the
power to alter how the world views us. Yet instead of effort, we
complain. We lay back and hope that one day the world will see
the truth that it’s bound to happen one day. But what if that
one day never comes? What if this ignorance of Islam begins to
define Islam itself? What if the ignorance begins to define who
we are? We must unite as Muslims. We must stand up for what our
religion truly preaches and let the world see that we are
greater than the convoluted religion preached by the extremists.
We have the power to change the world's perceptions of Islam and
yet we do nothing. This is our greatest issue.
Before we can change how the world perceives us, we must change
ourselves. Each Muslim has the power to set an example, to
undermine each and every deceitful comment made about Islam. It
is our duty as Muslims. “Truly, God does not change the
condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.”
(Quran 13:11)
We must broaden our horizons and allow the world to see that we
preach peace. Each Muslim can make a difference. We can make
people see past the stereotypes. For example, I have lived in a
highly populated Muslim community my entire life yet I’m very
open, and even hope to meet people of different races and
religions. When I meet these people and begin having
discussions, they begin to see past the dehumanizing portrayals
in the media. They begin to see me as a pious, peace-loving
Muslim rather than the oppressed deviant the media has portrayed
me as. By informing people of our religion and being social we
have a way to backlash media. Every person that is well informed
of Islam is one less ignorant person spreading false information
about Islam. United as Muslim brothers and sisters, we must push
for peace rather than hope things get solved all on their own.
Yes, we are not at fault for these negative representations of
Muslims in the media. We are not at fault for the actions of the
few extremists nor is it ethical for the world to judge us based
on the actions of those few extremists. Yet hoping things will
change all on their own and blaming the media will get us no
where. It only keeps things the same and even allows them to one
day permanently mark the name of Islam. As Islamists, we need to
be more involved in the media. We need to write to every
newspaper leading the world falsely. We must call every
newscaster that negatively portrays followers of Islam and
kindly express our disagreement with the way they are
representing us. If every Muslim took the initiative to
peacefully go against these misguided representations, the media
would listen and change could be made.
Muslims must also be more involved in the media because the
media is a powerful tool that we as followers of Islam need to
take advantage of. It can alter, persuade and inform the world.
More Muslim journalists, writers, newscasters, producers, and
directors can show the world what we truly preach using the
media. Through movies, books, T.V. shows, articles and so many
of the other media outlets, we have the power to alter the
world’s perception of Muslims. If we use it wisely, using the
media can create a significant difference in entertaining the
world while informing them of Islam. It is something Muslims
must strive for. We must be active in society in order for
society to take us seriously and be correctly informed. The more
active and social we are, the more people who are able to see
past the stereotypes.
Rather than be united as Muslims and fight for the common cause
of replenishing the name of Islam, we fight one another. Now,
how can the world possibly believe us when we tell them that we
are a religion whose philosophy is peace when we are constantly
against one another? We must set aside our differences and
intertwine for the one thing that unites us all: Islam.
Continuing to battle each another will only prove those
dissentient stereotypes correct. We are Muslims and as Muslims
we have to join to clean the name of our religion that has been
so ruthlessly mudded up with stereotypes and false information.
Whether you are Shiite, Sunni, or Sufi, we are followers of
Islam. It is our duty to correctly inform people of our
religion. It is our duty to be united, active, and to openly
promote peace and familiarize the world with the true Islam.
No matter how falsely the world views us, we must not be
discouraged. We as Followers of the Quran know what we genuinely
believe even if the world contorts it. We must be active, social
people. We must be involved in the media and correctly inform
society of Islam. Victimizing ourselves will not get the name of
Islam any cleaner, It will not change they way the world views
Muslims or how harshly the actions of the extremists has
negatively affected Islam. We can only adjust the name of Islam
back to where it rightfully belongs by changing ourselves
because the true Muslims are the ones who care for the name of
Islam. We must practice what we preach and preach peace. We must
hope for change, unite and act. We, connected as Muslims have
the power to turn that spectrum with so many different opinions
of Islam into a beam signifying the true Islam. The Islam of
peace, love and acceptance.
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