WIMBLEDON EXHIBITION SHOWS TRUE PEACEFUL NATURE OF ISLAM

        London, 4 Rajab 1434/12 Mei 2013 (MINA) – In a bid to dispel myths about Islam, an international Islamic organization is holding an exhibition at Wimbledon Library to spread the word about the true peaceful nature of Islam.

        “We are the true Islam,” Ehsan Ullah Giny, a member of The Muslim Association, told South West Londoner on Saturday, May 11.

        “Every religion loses its essence along the way and needs reviving,”according to OnIslam.net report monitored by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).

         Founded in the small Indian town of Qadian in 1889, the international group, the Muslim Association, tries to dispel the myths about Islam.

         At the exhibition, the organization offered free information sheets and booklets about Islam and the organization itself.

         People were also encouraged to visit the mosque in Morden which is the biggest mosque in Western Europe.

        The exhibition at Wimbledon library finishes tomorrow.

         British Muslims, estimated at nearly 2.7 million, have been in the eye of storm since the 7/7 2005 attacks.

         A Financial Times opinion poll showed that Britain is the most suspicious nation about Muslims.

        A poll of the Evening Standard found that a sizable section of London residents harbor negative opinions about Muslims.

True Image

       The new exhibition was suggested by the group in a bid to get rid of some of the negativity surrounding Islam that is often portrayed in the media.

       “The term jihad actually means struggle – A struggle with yourself to be a better person and a struggle to help your community,” said Giny.

       Jihad is often stereotyped by Western media as meaning “holy war”.

       But Muslim scholars have repeatedly affirmed that the word Jihad, which is mentioned in the Noble Qur’an, means “struggle” to do good and to remove injustice, oppression and evil from society.

       Karen Armstrong, the prominent and prolific British writer on all three monotheistic religions, has criticized stereotyping the Arabic word “jihad” as merely meaning holy war.

      Holding exhibitions worldwide, the organization has to face struggles of their own sometimes.

       “In some Muslim countries we are persecuted because they say that we are not true Muslims,” continued Giny.

       “We want to tell people about the true facts of Islam.”(T/P08/E1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)