Gabrielle McCulloch12:00, Apr 29 2023

If you’ve never had a conversation with a Muslim before, one group is pitching a tent in West Auckland on Sunday to say, Salaam.

Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community are fighting Islamophobia by inviting people to chat in Auckland’s Titirangi Village Market under the banner ‘Meet Your Muslim Neighbour’.

Waikato imam Asif Munir​, who’s running the campaign, said people often made snap judgements based on his religion.

“Some people, when they see me with my beard or they see my wife with her hijab, they relate that to violence.

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“That hurts me because Islam is all about peace,” he said.

When Munir moved from England to New Zealand in 2023, it didn’t take long to encounter Islamophobia on his street.

“One of my neighbours saw me and he knew straight away that we were Muslims. He said a slur and asked, ‘Do you carry any guns with you?’”

Talking with people really did make a difference, Munir said.

“You can see a change. I’ve only been doing it for a few months, but I’ve spoken to many people – Muslims and non-Muslims.

“People may carry negative sentiments towards us but when they see us smiling they feel we are one of them,” he said.

Munir is welcoming anyone to bring their questions about Islam on Sunday to combat misconceptions and stereotypes.

Cultural Conversations with Mohammad Aboubakr

https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.569.0_en.html#goog_1636496121Play VideoBRADEN FASTIER / STUFF

Nelson-based Muslim Mohammad Aboubakr says if you have an awkward question about the Islamic faith – ask a Muslim in your community. Don’t ask Google.

Mirza Sarfraz​, 40, has been part of the ‘Meet Your Muslim Neighbour’ campaign since the Christchurch mosque shootings in 2019.

Instances of Islamophobia quadrupled after the Christchurch mosque attack, according to a 2022 Australia study.

Hate rhetoric online escalated from threats telling Muslims to “go home” before the Christchurch shooting, to blatant threats of mass killing or civil war.

“We know there is a negative sentiment about Islam, and we’re trying to remove the misunderstanding. Our community motto is love for all, hatred for none,” Sarfraz said.

Getting out there and speaking to people was key to getting Kiwis to see Muslims as their friends and neighbours, he said.

“We just try to put ourselves in our community so people can meet us physically. If they have any questions, they can ask us.”

Over the past four years, the group has visited more than 20 cities and towns across New Zealand, travelling from Invercargill to Blenheim, Palmerston North to Whangārei.

About 99% percent of his interactions had been positive, Sarfraz said, but he’d encountered his fair share of abuse as well.

“People ask ‘why [did] you come here, go home to your own country’,” he said.

“That’s why we’re passionate about telling people in New Zealand that Islam is a peaceful religion.”

source Aucklanders invited to ‘meet your Muslim neighbour’ before judging | Stuff.co.nz