by Jeremy Hunt
Daily Lobo
You shouldn't believe everything you see on TV, especially when it comes to Islam, said student Saba Afsar.
"The media portrays it as a harsh religion," Afsar said. "It gives us a bad name, like Muslims are taught to shoot and kill people. I couldn't even kill a spider, let alone a
human."
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Afsar organizes activities for female members of the UNM Muslim Student Association, which is sponsoring Islamic Awareness Week.
The group has an informational tent in Smith Plaza from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. until Friday.
The week's activities include lectures, ethnic food and Turkish drum performances.
Afsar said the purpose of the event is not to convert people but to clear up misconceptions about Islam, such as the oppression of women.
"When you look at it, Islam is one of the first religions to grant women's rights," she said.
Student Samah Kamal, a member of the association, said women have had more rights under Islam than any other religion, including the right to own land and the right to vote.
Afsar said a common misconception is that Islam is oppressive to women because it requires them to wear a veil around their heads called a hijab.
It's empowering to wear a hijab because it doesn't let men objectify women, Afsar said.
Afsar said women can bring negative attention to themselves when they show off their hair and wear miniskirts.
"Look at us for our qualities," she said. "Look at us for our skills."
Kamal said hijabs are not required by Islam. A woman can choose to wear it when she reaches a certain point in her faith,
she said.
"My mom doesn't wear one," she said. "I did it myself."
Afsar said people don't understand Islam, because their
impressions of it are based on problems in the Middle East.
Some Muslims in places like Iraq and Afghanistan use the Quran to justify oppression and violence, but that doesn't mean the religion encourages violence.
"It's all based on where you live," she said. "People need to separate the culture and the religion. The media has combined the two."
Islam's foundation and essence are the opposite of what's seen in the media, Kamal said.
The traditional Muslim greeting is salaam, which means peace, Kamal said.
"When we say hello, it's a word for peace," she said. "That basically explains our religion."
Student Suzanne Midani said many people don't realize how similar Islam, Christianity and Judaism are.
"They think that the God we worship is some different God," she said. "Allah is just the Arabic word for God. It's all the same God."
Midani said she wants to unite people of differing religions and focus on what they have in common.
Religions should stick together despite their differences, because they all face oppression from atheists, Midani said.
"People at UNM are generally hostile toward faith," she said. "People think if you have a faith, it makes you a weak person."
Kamal said people should try to understand things before being critical.
"I've actually had someone cuss me out," she said. "If they at least find out about it and lose some of their ignorance, we'll all be better off."
Islamic Awareness Week Events
Today
Lectures: "Islam and Science" and "Islamic Coexistence," SUB Lobo Room A at 7 p.m.
Wednesday
Lecture: "Virtues of Islam in Today's Society," SUB Acoma A at noon.
Panel discussion: "Americans Who've Embraced Islam," SUB Ballroom B at 7 p.m.
Thursday
Cultural Day: African and Turkish drum performances and ethnic food, SUB Ballroom C at 7 p.m.
Friday
Mosque open house at the Islamic Center of New Mexico at 1100 Yale Blvd. S.E. at 1 p.m.
