Monday, August 22, 2011

Learn about Islam this Ramadan

Got a question about Islam? Why not bypass all those anti-Islamic hate screeds on the Internet and actually ask a Muslim?

The Islamic Circle of North America is making it easy. Answers about the Five Pillars of Islam, the holy month of Ramadan, the Prophet Muhammad, the Quran and more are now only a phone call away.

As part of its "Why Islam" campaign, the group has put up 50 billboards around the country inviting those curious about Islam to call its toll-free hot line.

The phone number: 877-949-4752.

There's also a Web site.

"We invite people to come hear it from the horse's mouth," Asim Khan, a member of the Islamic Circle's New Jersey chapter told Religion News Service, which did a good story on the info campaign. "There is a lot of curiosity about Islam, but also a lot of misinformation, uncertainty and a sense of fear in approaching us."

And, he adds, "We're not here to convert people. We're here to educate people."

Islam is a religion of 1.5 billion people, and Muslims are now in the final week or so of Ramadan -- a time of fasting and repentence and the holiest month on the Islamic calendar.

What better time to raise your IQ about the world's second largest religion?

You might also check out the popular Web site, http://www.islamicity.com/.

And for a personal take on Ramadan, read Kari Ansari, co-founder of America's Muslim Family Magazine, on "Ramadan Lessons From My Kids."

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Like most religions, what they say and what they do are usually two different things.

I lived a year in Indonesia. I saw enough there and in Malaysia Thailand, and Singapore to "educate" myself about Islam.

And it's not a system I'd want to live under.

Period.

Anonymous said...

It's hard for me to imagine that 1.5 billion people all have the exact same belief system. Funny how people don't assume that Episcopalians and Southern Baptists believe the same things, but are more than willing to lump the entirety of Islam into one bucket.

Fatbiker said...

Sons of Abraham, God said he would build great nations from his family. Another child was born to him but not in the manner God intended. That son was not the lineage God promised great things from. I will tend follow the truth from God and his plan.

Tim Funk said...

Tim Funk here with a question for the last Anonymous commenter: Have you actually read those Islamic writings you cite? And how do you answer those who attack Christianity and Judaism by cherry-picking quotes from the Bible and then using them without any context? Is it such a radical idea to actually ask a Muslim about tenets of their faith? Wouldn't you want a person interested in Christianity to talk to and ask questions of Christians?

Brian said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Brian said...

Tim Funk - in response to your comment to anonymous...have you actually read the news? Check out this sight to get a body count. www.thereligionofpeace.com