By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Srinagar: A group of youth in Kashmir under the banner of a valley-based organisation, Islamic Fraternity (IF) are organising a 9-day campaign from May 30 to Thursday, June 7 to clear misconceptions about Islam at famous tourist resorts of Sonamarg and Pahalgam in Kashmir valley.
A tent was erected by the youth at Sonamarg and a canopy at Pahalgam, where dozens of participants distributed Islamic literature particularly the Holy Qur’an in various languages and multilingual books and pamphlets answering many basic questions on Islam.
The programme was part of a series of campaigns that Islamic Fraternity had started to spread awareness about Islam among non-Muslims and to break the propaganda created by “biased” media against Islam across the globe.
“To present the true image of Islam before the world particularly our non-Muslim brethren, who otherwise are misled by the forces inimical to Islam by their negative portrayal of this religion of peace, is our obligation,” Muhammad Aamir Manzoor, a 27-year-old from Srinagar and president of Islamic Fraternity told TwoCircles.net .
“So, to dismantle the propaganda that the biased media has created over the period of time among the minds of common people is our prime responsibility which we tried to fulfill through this programme,” he said.
Aamir says that his organisation particularly choose the tourist resorts so that their message reaches a wider audience and to hold maximum conversations with non-Muslim tourists.
During the campaign at Sonamarg and Pahalgam, hundreds of non-Muslim tourists interacted with volunteers of Islamic Fraternity,
“Hundreds of tourists expressed surprise as well as regret about the wrong perception they had about Islam. The response was more than expected,” said Sheeraz ur Rehmaan Al Qasami, who participated in the programme.
When asked If they organise such programmes in other months of the year as well, he said, “This programme is not confined to any particular season or month but continues round the clock. It is a mission for which we have dedicated ourselves,” he said and continued. “Our last week-long event was at the tourist resort Gulmarg in January this year. Similarly, we continue to organise the programmes in schools, colleges, coaching centers and universities. The programmes are organised any time, not necessarily during the holy month of Ramadan.”
Hayat Ahmad who was part of the programme says that the usual misconceptions he came across among the non-Muslim brethren regarding Islam is that Muslims are terrorists, killers and treat women like slave.
“The misconceptions are meant to be cleared. And when it comes to Islam, it is incumbent upon the Muslims to clear the air,” he told TwoCircles.net.
“The task assumes much importance in the wake of the tirade launched against Islam the world over by its enemies who link it with terrorism and extremism notwithstanding the fact that Islam and terrorism are antonyms. Islam means peace and peace is what the world, which is mired in the quagmire of uncertainties, is in dire need of,” he added.
The youths who participated in this programme has further resolved to organise more such programmes after Ramadan across the valley.