A handful of misguided individuals have set the date of April 3rd to harm a Muslim on this day. Forgive them, lord, for they know not! Hating others will do a lot of unsettling to the hater, but very little to the hated. There is no need to hate anyone or love anyone either. Just live your life and let other's live theirs.
You have a right to free speech, indeed, it is a God-given right and we are not concerned about it, but we are concerned that you did not have a dialogue with Muslims to see if your hate is valid. I will be happy to address your concerns. Call me or text me at (214) 325-1916, let's talk. (Serious calls only). If we all can abide by the laws of the land, all of us will be safe.
The Center for Pluralism is a community affiliate member of the Shoulder to Shoulder campaign. We are committed to building a cohesive America where every American feels included. If we can learn to respect the otherness of other and accept the God-given uniqueness of each one of us then conflicts fade and solutions emerge. Our vision is to see each one of us live securely in the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness.
Shoulder to Shoulder is a coalition of many a faith groups formed to counter Islamophobia and bring coherence to chaotic situations.
A lot of work needs to be done, with your donations we can do more - http://centerforpluralism.com/donate/
Watch this clip about free speech https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vQs1IcSdYA
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Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign
On April 2, Shoulder to Shoulder issued the following statement, in response to a recent wave of anti-Muslim threats. We are alarmed by the recent wave of anti-Muslim flyers, promoting "Punish a Muslim Day" on April 3, that have been seen in several US cities and on social media, after they originally surfaced in London. We stand in solidarity with our Muslim neighbors against any and all acts of hate speech and violence, and reiterate the commitment of religious groups from across the spectrum to working together for inclusive and respectful communities.
Hate has no home in the United States, and no one should fear for their safety because of how they look, where they come from, or how they pray. Together, we must work to uphold our national ideals of dignity, equality, and religious freedom for all.
Read and share the statement here.
What can YOU do? Below are some resources for responding to these threats:
1. Speak up: Use social media to voice your solidarity with Muslims on April 3. Find some samples and resources through the #KnowYourNeighborcampaign here.
2. Reach out to your Muslim neighbors: Particularly in light of these threats, offer your support and solidarity. Recognize the psychological toll that threats like these take on your friends and neighbors.
3. Share resources for reporting hate: If you or someone you know experiences a hate incident, you can report it to Muslim Advocates, who will follow up with support; or you can contact the pro-bono legal team at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee at legal@adc.org.
4. Deepen your relationships with Muslims in your community. Reach out to info@s2scampaign.org if you'd like some help in taking the first step.
Mike Ghouse,
Center for Pluralism
SUCCESSFUL NAATIA MUSHAERA ON 2.21.14
quraan burning
PRESS RELEASE
August 19, 2013| Dallas, Texas
Mike Ghouse
Text/Talk: (214) 325-1916
MikeGhouse@aol.com
Mirza A Beg
(205) 454-8797
mirza.a.beg@gmail.com
www.WorldMuslimCongress.com
PLANNED MUSLIMS RESPONSE TO QUR'AN BURNING BY PASTOR JONES ON 9/11/13 IN MULBERRY, FLORIDA
We as Muslims plan to respond to pastor Terry Jones' planned burning of 3000 copies of Quran on September 11, 2013 in positive terms.
Our response - we will reclaim the standard of behavior practiced by the Prophet concerning “scurrilous and hostile criticism of the Qur’an” (Muhammad Asad Translation Note 31, verse 41:34). It was "To overcome evil with good is good, and to resist evil by evil is evil." It is also strongly enjoined in the Qur’an in the same verse 41:34, “Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend.”
God willing Muslims will follow the divine guidance and pray for the restoration of Goodwill, and on that day many Muslim organizations will go on a “blood drive” to save lives and serve humanity with kindness.
We invite fellow Americans of all faiths, races, and ethnicities to join us to rededicate the pledge, “One nation under God”, and to build a cohesive America where no American has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of fellow Americans. This event is a substitute for our 10th Annual Unity Day Celebration (www.UnitydayUSA.com) held in Dallas, but now it will be at Mulberry, Florida.
Unwittingly Pastor Jones has done us a favor by invigorating us by his decision to burn nearly 3000 copies Quran on September 11, 2013. Obviously he is not satisfied by the notoriety he garnered by burning one Qur'an last year.
As Muslims and citizens we honor the free speech guaranteed in our constitution. We have no intentions to criticize, condemn or oppose Pastor Terry Jones' freedom of expression. Instead, we will be donating blood and praying for goodness to permeate in our society.
We plan to follow Jesus Christ (pbuh), a revered prophet in Islam as well as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) – that of mitigating the conflicts and nurturing good will for the common good of the society.
We hope, this event and the message will remind Muslims elsewhere in the world as well, that violence is not the way. Muslims, who react violently to senseless provocation, should realize that, violence causes more violence, and besmirches the name of the religion that we hold so dear. We believe that Prophet Muhammad was a mercy to the mankind, and we ought to practice what we believe and preach. We must not insult Islam by the negative reactions of a few.
We can only hope it will bring about a change in the attitude of the followers of Pastor Jones, and in the behavior of those Muslims who reacted violently the last time Pastor sought notoriety – We hope this small step towards a bridge to peaceful coexistence would propel us towards building a cohesive society.
Like most Americans a majority of Muslims quietly go about their own business, but it is time to speak up and take positive action instead of negative reaction. May this message of peace and goodwill reverberate and reach many shores.
Lastly, we appreciate the Citizens of Mulberry, Florida, Honorable Mayor George Hatch, City Commissioners, police and Fire Chiefs for handing this situation very well. This will add a ‘feather of peace’ in the City’s reputation. We hope Mulberry will be a catalyst in showing the way in handling conflict with dignity and peace.
We thank the Media for giving value to the work towards peace rather than conflict.
URL- http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2013/08/planned-muslim-response-to-quran_18.html
Thank you.
CIVIL DIALOGUE
The people in Dallas are making an effort to understand and clean their own hearts first, when we are free from bias, it would be easy to share that with others. Islam teaches us in so many ways to "respect the otherness of others" and it is time we find simple practical ways of doing it.
