Dispelling myths about Islam

SALISBURY, Conn. — “I’m a soft-spoken guy so I apologize,” said Reza Mansoor, founding president of the Muslim Coalition of Connecticut, before presenting a talk on Islam and America at Noble Horizons.

Soft-spoken or not, Mansoor had no trouble delivering a presentation that piqued the crowd’s interest.

His presentation, titled “Understanding Islam: Perceptions and Reality,” began with information from a Pew Research poll taken shortly after Sept. 11, 2011, that said that 62 percent of Americans do not personally know anyone who is Muslim. Of that figure, 17 percent reportedly had a negative view of Islam.  That number has now grown past 50 percent, Mansoor said, and is still rising.

By spreading awareness of the religion, Mansoor hoped to change those numbers.

His presentation provided an outline of Islam’s major beliefs and practices.

The Arabic word “Islam,” literally means submission. It comes from a root word meaning peace. Its full meaning, Mansoor explained, is submitting to the will of God so that there may be peace.

The beliefs of Islam, he continued, correspond to those of the other Abrahamic traditions including the presence of angels; devotion to holy books such as the Torah, Psalms, Gospels and the Quran; a recognition of prophetic messengers; and more.

In discussing Islam’s pillars of faith, Mansoor also spoke about controversial matters such as Shariah, literally meaning “the path,” and jihad, which he described as a struggle on both an individual and societal level to do good along the path of Allah.

Dispelling misperceptions

In his talk, Mansoor also addressed what he thought was the most important issue: misunderstanding. He attributed negative perceptions of Islam to sensationalist media coverage; confusion over the political conflicts in the Middle East, which Mansoor called the “genocide of Muslims by ISIS”; and the rhetoric of politicians.

Likewise, he said that Muslim extremists misunderstand the U.S. because they are shown images of lynchings and told, “This is America.”

“As an American, I don’t accept judgment of the KKK as judgment of America,” he told the audience.

After 10 minutes, Mansoor paused for any early questions — there wasn’t a one. But moments later, audience members began to raise their hands. Throughout the event, Mansoor was asked one question after another addressing concerns and curiosities: How does honor killing relate to Shariah? Is the Quran believed to be superior to other holy texts? Why are women segregated? 

The audience, beginning to feel more comfortable, embraced the opportunity to consult with an authoritative voice on the matter; Mansoor welcomed the honest dialogue. One person was blunt in saying, “I heard that, if I don’t convert to Islam, you can kill me.”

In his responses, Mansoor often used quotes from the Quran or historical examples to explain how the act in question was anathema to Islam. Various acts of violence that are attributed to Islam today, he said, were actually practiced before the time of the prophet Muhammad.

About the coalition

After the event, Mansoor remained busy as he spoke to several individuals who had more questions and comments. He described ongoing events similar to his talk at Noble Horizons that take place in his hometown of Berlin, Conn.

Founded in 2004, the Muslim Coalition of Connecticut aims to promote American Islamic values through education, outreach and community service and to “dispel the myth that you either have to be a Muslim or an American.”