Virginia’s Islam Booth Tackles Misconceptions
The informational booth titled “Islam: What 1.6 Billion Really Think” is set up from 1-3 p.m. on Tuesdays from April 8 through April 29.
Members of the Islamic Student Assembly and the Muslim Student Association joined forces on the project, which aims to address the many misconceptions people have about the Muslim faith.
Haitham Elmarakeby, a third-year graduate student from Egypt studying computer science, handles many of the group’s organizational details while also answering questions at the booth.
“We noticed that there is a need for more information about Muslims, Islamic traditions and cultures,” Elmarakeby said. “The students that have come to our table have liked that we are here.”
At the booth, students can talk to Muslim members of the Hokie community or choose from a variety of informational pamphlets that discuss everything from Muhammad to misconceptions about Islam.
Passing students can also receive an English translation of the Quran, see their name in Arabic and taste Arabian dates.
The initiative began when group members noticed that many people they knew had preconceived notions of Islam — notions that were usually wrong.
According to Elmarakeby, the top two misconceptions carried by students were about the hijab, a traditional headscarf worn by Muslim women, and a perceived connection between Islam and terrorism.
Elmarakeby said that many people see the hijab as “a sign of oppression” for Muslim women. However, Elmarakeby informed booth visitors that women freely choose to wear the garment as an act of religious expression.
On the perceived connection of Islam and terrorism, Elmarakeby said that people often seem to think that there is “something wrong with Islam that lets people kill others.”
As Elmarakeby pointed out, the Quran specifically disapproves of murder. In fact, the word “Islam” in Arabic means “peace,” Elmarakeby said.
“It is strange that people attach Islam to terrorism,” Elmarakeby said.
After experiencing many diverse backgrounds of students, the group has heard a variety of religious viewpoints during their question and answer sessions.
“Some people, after I explain things, they say, ‘Oh, that makes sense now.’ But some people come with preconceived images and they start to argue, and even if you explain things, they say, ‘I need to read more,’” Elmarakeby said.
However, Elmarakeby explained that the group embraces these differing viewpoints rather than taking offense to them.
As Elmarakeby said, the conversations that take place there only serve to “(bring) us to a region where we have mutual respect and better understanding.”
The group plans to continue to meet, but also hopes to expand in the future.
“We have two goals,” Elmarakeby said. “We want to reach many people, and we want to reach people deeply.”
He said that the information booth sessions were a good start to the cause, but that the conversations have only been “on-the-fly discussions.”
In the long-term, the group’s goal is to have mediated discussions where people can meet and talk about the ideas and facts that need to be clarified.
Recently, the group created a Facebook page in order to reach a larger number of people to inform them of when group activities will occur.
“This has been a very rich experience for us,” Elmarakeby said. “We have learned a lot about people and their traditions, habits and concepts.”
Source: Collegiate Times
