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The Muse, Canada - March 18 2004 Muslim Students’ Association By Lana Martin Mecca is a long way from St. John’s (Canada), but everyday, Islamic students at Memorial turn southeast to pray. Usually worship is a private affair, but last week, the Muslim Students’ Association held Islam Awareness Week at Memorial. The group hopes to give interested students the opportunity to learn about the prominent and ancient religion of Islam. “[The purpose of Islam Awareness Week] is to give an idea of the true Islam, not the Islam of the media,” said Mahmoud Abu-Kharma, president of the Muslim Students’ Association. The group held a series of lectures and information sessions to break down media stereotypes and inform the general public about the different aspects and roots of Islamic culture. On Thursday evening, Jamal Badawi, a professor of religious studies at St. Mary’s University, gave a lecture on human rights in Islam. Badawi spoke on Islamic culture and its stature in today’s society, along with the interpretations of the Qur’an. “We cannot attach the actions of Islamic people, be that right or wrong, with Islamic culture or religion itself,” said Badawi. The misuse of the word jihad by the media since Sept. 11, 2001 was one of Badawi’s concerns. He explained that jihad is actually derived from the word jahada, meaning to struggle. Therefore, jihad means the act of struggling. This contrasts the media’s misconceptions. Jihad does not mean holy war, for war is never holy. And the term holy war is never mentioned throughout the Qur’an. Holy war stands to remain only as a contradiction in terms. The point of Badawi’s lecture was not only to provide insight into the ancient Islamic culture, but also to make aware human rights for all races. “The blue, the yellow, and the red flowers are all lovely, but they are even lovelier all together,” said Badawi. “Everyone has the right to be saved, and the saving of one life is like the intension of saving all of humanity,” explained Badawi. Abu-Kharma agrees. “It isn’t a matter of accepting or rejecting [other religions or cultures]. It is the common understanding of each other,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if I am a Muslim, or you are a Christian or a Jew, or any other religion. We have to live together and respect each other. Religion is something personal; you may accept that idea or reject it; for it is simply a matter of the heart,” he adds. |