Source: Labradorian

The Big Land has left a big impression on Fazal Malik and Abdul Qureshi.

As members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community — Malik, based out of Charlottetown, PE, and Qureshi from Halifax — the two men travelled to Labrador West and Happy Valley-Goose Bay recently to give public presentations on Islam as part of their community work.

“The purpose is to build good relationships and build bridges with other people,” Malik explained over coffee at Tim Horton’s in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

“It’s very easy for people to get negative information these days, especially with everything going on with Paris, Lebanon, ISIS, etc. The religion of Islam, which we both follow, is under attack. And insane and heinous acts are being committed against humanity in the name of God.”

Qureshi added a lot of those people who are participating in the ongoing violence have no choice.

“These acts are being committed in the name of Islam which has absolutely nothing to do with Islam — Islam means peace — because they are given no choice,” he said. “I know of people whose children were kidnapped…in Syria — they either kill you or take you away with them. And they are…threatened to do those things.

“I think if we do not take part in being a solution to the world crisis right now, then we’ll be part of the problem.”

Malik said he and Qureshi are trying to reach out to as many as people as possible — through media and other avenues — to spread the true teaching of Islam and give the public an opportunity to ask questions.

Malik gave a presentation in both Goose Bay and Labrador West titled, “Is Islam a threat to Canada?”

“It was about what does Islam teach? What is the source of Islam? The two primary sources are the Holy Qur’an and the Holy Prophet. Then I take topics such as Jihad and loyalty to country, and give examples from the life of the Holy Prophet — how did he react when he was in that situation? What did he teach us? Anything which is contrary to those two sources is not Islam.”

Malik noted the discussion after his presentation was “amazing.”

“People are curious, they want to know,” he said. “It’s very easy to fear what we do not know. Seeking out knowledge is important. Seeking out correct information is vital. Venues like these allow us to present correct information.”

Read More