'Strategies needed to deal with religious stereotyping'

Speakers call for spreading true message of Islam

ISLAMABAD: Muslims increasingly treated with hostility around the world, it was necessary to devise a comprehensive strategy to deal with the religious stereotypes, defamation and inappropriate representation of facts against Islam.



This was stated by participants of a seminar on Islamic Dawah in the West: approaches, methods and effects at the Faisal Masjid campus of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI). The seminar had been organised by the varsity’s Dawah Academy.

IIUI Rector Dr Masoom Yasinzai stressed upon Muslims to bring a balance in their actions and called for applying Islamic teachings in routine lives.

Dr Yasinzai added that they were keen to provide a platform to deal with prevailing stereotypes against Islam and urged universities of the Muslim world to play their role in disseminating the message and true image of Islam.

He directed that a conference on this subject must be conducted by the university and asked for recommendations for the challenges
they faced.

“We need the best Muslims who should have knowledge of contemporary advancements and Islamic teachings and values as well,” he maintained.

IIUI President Dr Ahmed Al-Draiweesh said that Islam is a religion of peace and teaches about love for humanity.

He urged Muslim scholars to expedite their efforts for disseminating Islam’s true message of “tranquillity and peace”.

Dr Sohaib Hassan, a UK-based Islamic scholar and author of the book “Islam in Britain”, talked at length on the importance of dialogue in Islam.

“One who is in the field of Dawah (preaching), should know the context of the culture, audience and it demands wisdom as well, instead of being emotional,” he said. Referring to global inflation, he said that Islamic banking is being ignored by the world. In this regard, he stressed that societies should be made interest-free.



Rasheed Adnan, another UK-based preacher, said that some elements wish to create doubts about Islam and tarnish the image of Islam in the West. These efforts, he stressed, must be discouraged through politeness.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 16^th, 2017.