When a sample of random students at the University of Toronto were asked what they know about Islam, intolerance of women’s rights topped the list. Others admitted ignorance.
After September 11, media representation of Islam, combined with general ignorance about the religion, have proved trying for Muslim students at U of T. In an effort to empower individuals with knowledge and promote awareness, a series of lectures, presentations, display booths and tasty food are being offered by the Muslim Student Association (MSA) as part of Islam Awareness Week.
“We’re trying to promote understanding and tolerance of Islam and Muslims in general, especially the Muslim community on campus,” says Kahled Al-Quazzaz, an organizer of Islam Awareness Week.
Lectures and video presentations on Islamic history and civilization helped unveil the Islamic way of life to U of T students. According to Badawi and Natalie Sabri, an organizer of Islam Awareness Week and member of the Muslim Students’ Association, one of the biggest misconceptions about Islam is the negative images of women.
“Everyone thinks that Islam is a religion that’s completely intolerable to women’s rights, which is completely false.”
When Chris Hill, a fourth-year geology student, was asked what he knew about Islam, he said, “They have poor human rights especially in terms of women’s rights.”
First-year student Francine Chew had the same idea.
“I know that women have to cover their mouths and hair in the presence of men and can take off their hijab in the presence of other women.”
These are exactly the types of beliefs that organizers of Islam Awareness Week are trying to dispel.
Displays presented by participants in Islam Awareness Week show that women in the Koran can be equal partners with men in all spheres of life. They say women wear the hijab because they choose to, not because they are forced to. Islamic women also had the right to vote before women in western countries, and were allowed to own property as far back as 1400 years ago. Al-Quazzaz feels many individuals don’t know much about the beliefs of Islam. Matthew Downey, fourth-year geology student, says, “I don’t know anything other than they’re so religious compared to [other Canadians].”
Similarly, grad student Dave Santone said he knew little about Islam. “I know it’s a strict religion—they have strict practices, follow a strict regime and daily prayers.”
“I don’t know anything about the religion,” said Christine Miller, a second-year environmental student. Lack of knowledge of the Islamic faith, as noted by Al-Quazzaz, may be responsible for two of the biggest misconceptions surrounding Islam, the second being that Muslims are violent individuals. Sabri says, “Muslims are often portrayed in the media as violent militants, terrorists and suicide bombers, which are all anti-Islamic.”
These terrorists and suicide bombers do not represent Islam in any sense, as displays prepared by participants of Islamic Awareness Week indicate, especially since (as Badawi stresses) violence is an explicit violation of Islam.
Furthermore, Badawi says there are no political or religious justifications for the terrorist actions of September 11, not even Jihad, which many seem to believe means “holy war.”
The literal meaning of Jihad is struggle or strife, says Al-Quazzaz. “There is no such thing in our Koran and the prophet’s tradition that talks about a holy war. There is nothing holy about war.”
Al-Quazzaz maintains that Islam deals with the inner side of the person, and the message the prophet Muhammad brought was one of improving people’s morals and characters. “So Jihad, in this light, is improvement of one’s self, improvement of the community’s morals and characters and behaviours.”
As for the violent individuals that seem to be associated with Islam, Sabri contends, “In all religions, there’s people who don’t follow it or people who take things and mutilate it.”
This typecasting of Muslims as violent can be attributed to the media, said Sabri. “It sticks into our minds.”
For Al-Quazzaz and Sabri, Islam Awareness Week isn’t just about educating the public, but has personal significance. “It’s part of our religious duty. It’s part of our character,” says Al-Quazzaz.
“Anyone who has committed to a certain ideology or a certain understanding…would like to present it, would like to explain it about themselves, especially when I’m seen in a different light that I do not see myself in.”
“I’m in love with my religion,” says Sabri. “I’d like to show other people the beauty of it.”
Islam Awareness Week runs until February 16 2002, with a lecture on “Gender equality: The Islamic perspective” from 6-8 p.m. in the OISE building on February 16. For more information see www.utoronto.ca/muslim/discover.
Information on Islam
What is Islam?
The word “Islam” is an Arabic word that means “submitting and surrendering your will to Almighty God.” The word comes from the same root as the Arabic word “salam”, which means peace.
Who are Muslims?
The Arabic word “Muslim” literally means “someone who submits to the will of God”. The message of Islam is meant for the entire world and anyone who accepts this message is a Muslim. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth, since in actuality over 80 per cent of the world’s Muslims are not Arabs. Even though most Arabs are Muslims, there are Arabs who are Christians, Jews and atheists.
Who is Allah?
Very often one will hear the Arabic word “Allah” being used in regards to Islam. The word “Allah” is simply the Arabic word for Almighty God, and is the same word used by Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews.
