Muslim group holds Tempe seminar to teach others about their faith
May 29, 2015, 6:12 AM | Updated: 6:12 am
PHOENIX — In order to educate the public on their beliefs, a Muslim group is holding a public seminar Saturday in Tempe about their faith.
The event at the Tempe History Museum is called Stop The CrISIS. Supporters say it is designed as an initiative to fight terrorism.
Mahir Osman, Assistant Director of Humanitarian Services for the Ahmadyyah Muslim Youth Association, said these programs are held in order to show others the difference between ISIS and Islam.
“These programs are being held at different universities, libraries, town halls, anywhere that we can, in order to show the true differences between the ideology of ISIS and what the true message of Islam actually preaches and promotes,” he said.
Osman said that ISIS is a political group whose goal is to get power, not to follow the Muslim faith.
“If they truly are doing this for the sake of Islam, then they should be charitable,” he said. “They should be doing good things. They shouldn’t be killing.”
He added Muslims should be protecting other Christians, not harming them.
“They shouldn’t be harming our Christian brothers and sisters that are being slaughtered over there in Syria and Iraq right now,” Osman said. “They should be protecting those Christians, but they’re not doing that.”
Osman said Muslims are taught that they have obligations — both to God and their fellow man.
“‘We’ means being loving, which means being respectful, being tolerant, helping and caring for one another, not lying to one another,” he said.
The event will be held Saturday morning at 11 a.m. at the Tempe History Museum. The 3-hour seminar is open to the public and will include a question and answer session.