Blindfolded Muslim man in India asks strangers for hugs

Mazim milla said he did this as an experiment to observe people’s reactions

Web Desk August 08, 2015

PHOTO: NEWSCRUNCH

“I'm Muslim and I trust you. Do you trust me enough for a hug?" read a sign, placed in front of a blindfolded man standing in the streets of Mumbai.

Mazim Milla stood on a street in Mumbai with the placard to experiment people's reactions.

While some passersby were puzzled by his actions and walked on, others stood silently and stared and took photographs of the man.

The experiment was not all in vain however, as some people stopped to hug him and others extended their hugs to having a conversation with the Muslim man.

Read: Blindfolded Muslim in Canada asks people to 'show trust with a hug'

Milla however, is not the first man to have conducted the experiment as it was first conducted by a Muslim man in Canada. The experiment was then repeated in Stockholm and New York.

Milla said he conducted the experiment to observe how people reacted to him and saw it as an opportunity to question stereotypes.

The idea actually comes from 24-year-old Canadian Muslim Assma Galuta who initiated the ‘Blind Trust Project.’

Read: Voices of Pakistani Christians: Call for equal citizenship for non-Muslim Pakistanis

Galuta revealed in an interview that the reason for blindfolding is to convey the utmost willing to trust absolute strangers.

Many took to Twitter to share their views on the experiment:

#2015 #india http://t.co/nGxCmxYkGM
— Aarush (@aarush_shaw) August 7, 2015

https://twitter.com/AcheDinAaneWale/status/629682359030427649

Mazim Milla, an unknown Mumbaikar, in his own unique way spread the message of peace, love and trust reminding... http://t.co/Dx6ephWY5s
— Prof. Jayanta K Nanda (@drjknanda) August 7, 2015

The article originally appeared on NDTV

COMMENTS (3)

Vicky | 8 years ago | Reply Muslims are striped at USA European airports.... USA, Europe, China, Australia, Japan put many restrictions on Muslims,,,,,so Muslims must anticipate why they are not trusted in the world

Nav | 8 years ago | Reply Muslims in India are mostly good and unlike other places in the world. In India, because of the fabric of the society, they think more about their life on earth than after being dead. Also, there are very few indulge in the terrorism.. very very few and only for monetary purpose and nothing to do with religion. Since, everyone in the society has the equal rights to education and jobs, and Job market is best of whole Asia, they do not have time to think about other things than their job. India has much lower people (less than 20) gone join ISIS, than the European countries or other muslim countries. It is all because of the society and education system I believe and how the mind of the children are shaped.

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