Mojtaba Noor, a business student at New Mexico State University, is doing his part to clarify common misconceptions and frequently believed myths about Islam.
Noor, 27, has, to date, purchased and handed out about 300 copies of the Quran — the Muslim holy book — in hopes of educating NMSU students and staff who are interested in learning more about his religion. He said he hopes the effort will lead to a more harmonious campus community.
“For people who do not have Muslim friends, or are not in a place where there are Muslims for them to be in touch with — to talk with and have discussions — it can be hard for them to distinguish between what is correct and what is incorrect,” Noor said. “So we can’t blame them if they have wrong perceptions.”
“That’s the reason (I’ve been giving out) the books, so that people can read it themselves,” he said. “This way, they will have better judgment about Islam.”
“I think it’s really interesting to know about other people and religions,” he said. “And then, once we know, we can better appreciate the similarities and differences and have a better understanding of each other. It brings more harmony to our communities. That’s the idea — give people the book, let them read it if they choose, and let them be the judge.”
“They were really grateful,” Noor said. “Many of them wanted to learn about Islam from the source, but didn’t have the opportunity or know how to go about it. Overall, it has been a very positive experience.”
Jared Carson, the pastor of Peace Lutheran Church and president of NMSU’s Interfaith Council, is supportive of Noor's outreach.
“The NMSU Interfaith Council recognizes the religious diversity of the campus community, and we’re really pleased about Mr. Noor’s efforts to bring awareness and education about religious diversity to the NMSU community,” Carson said.
“Interfaith relationships in Las Cruces will continue to be valuable in the coming years as we build bridges of understanding between religious and faith communities,” Carson said.
source : en.hawzahnews.com
