RNA - A partnership was recently reached between the Plainfield Police Department and Al Aqsa Community Center to strengthen the relationships between law enforcement, Muslims and the local communities in which they live.
Plainfield Police Chief John Konopek and Cmdr. Mike Novak recently visited the Al Aqsa Community Center, 17940 S. Bronk Road in Plainfield, for a meet and greet, Imam Charles Muhammad said.
On Tuesday, Muhammad and Zulfie Khan, the center’s secretary general, presented alongside Sabeel Ahmed to Plainfield police at the Plainfield Law Enforcement Center. Ahmed is director of GainPeace, a nonprofit with a main goal of educating the public about Islam and clarifying many misconceptions they may hold.
Ahmed said that before he came to America 20-plus years ago, he thought everyone was violent in the U.S. because of what he had seen in movies.
Once he started socializing, he learned Americans seek peace and aspire for better communities just such as he does. He said he realized he should not judge based on perceptions he was being fed through the media or other sources.
Clarifying misconceptions is what the police-community center partnership hopes to do in the Plainfield area. Muhammad said the department and Al Aqsa want to continue fostering the relationship, as more than 600 Muslim families live within a 10-mile radius of the community center.
In his presentation, Ahmed touched on several common misconceptions about Islam and Muslims.
Contrary to popular belief, he said, true Islam does not suppress women. He explained that in some cultures, women are forced into marriage. In Islam, there is no forcing males or females into marriage and women are empowered.
Ahmed then pointed to a picture on his slideshow with Muslim women of different skin tones from different countries who won medals in the 2016 Olympic games.
He said that despite what is in the news, Muslims in America are statistically the least threat to society. Muslims are also active in civic engagement. He said Islam teaches them to help the poor, needy and homeless.
Officers in attendance asked questions about the differences between certain articles of clothing and how to best police in specific situations. One officer asked about the best way to approach a situation where a Muslim woman is a victim of violence.
Muhammad advised the officers that if there does not appear to be severe injuries, then to respect the hijab – a headscarf worn by Muslim women in the presence of men outside their immediate family. But if an officer is certain there are head injuries, they must do what is necessary to treat the woman, he said. Ahmed recommended having a female officer present if at all possible in such a situation.
847/940