"We're not so different":

Norfolk's Muslim community pushes against misconceptions with public invite to prayer service

Rasa - "We're not so different": Norfolk's Muslim community pushes against misconceptions with public invite to prayer service

News ID: 425751

Date: 13 December 2016 - 00:53

RNA - Saher Mirza wants more people to understand her religion.

She’s a member of the Muslim Community of Tidewater, and after many misconceptions about Islam, she wants to set the record straight.

“We’re done with different people trying to tell and inform people what Islam is,” she said. “It’s time for us to stand up and say ‘It’s my religion; may I please get the opportunity to explain exactly what it is?’ ”

On the campaign trail, Donald Trump, now president-elect, made bold statements about Islam, including calling for a ban on Muslims entering the United States. His campaign later backed off that statement.

The Muslim Community of Tidewater made an extra effort Friday to welcome the public into their worship center, near Old Dominion University’s campus, on 49th Street in Norfolk. They put out coffee and pastries, and had a meet-and-greet in front of the center before a prayer service.

“I think it’s all about building bridges,” she said. “The last year made us realize there’s so many people out who have never met a Muslim.”

Over the past few Fridays, they have welcomed members of different churches to listen to their sermons. More events like Friday’s are planned, to welcome the general public into the mosque and help them understand Islam.

One of the biggest misconceptions about Islam is about Sharia, she said – the religious law that governs the Islamic faith. She said it would not become law in the United States.

There are 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, Mirza said. “We just don’t want to be recognized by the 20 or 25,000 that are out there doing all sorts of things.”

“This was our first effort to say to the community that we’re here, we’re your brothers, come meet us. Come see. Come learn about us. Maybe we haven’t done that more often. Maybe we’re guilty of not having done that,” she said.

More events are planned to show people that they are not so different, said Huma Hyder, a member of the group’s board and the chairwoman of social activities

She said making people more familiar about their beliefs and their message of peace and love was the point, too.

“The hate – it saddens us,” Mirza said. “I don’t think anybody deserves the kind of rhetoric or hate that is out there.”

In Virginia, 1 percent of adults are Muslim, according to the Pew Research Center.

The Muslim Community of Tidewater has about 200 paying members, but more people come to services regularly, organizers said.

Friday’s service included a sermon, and men and women listened from separate rooms. There are always prayers on Friday afternoons, and anyone is welcome to attend.

Today, Mirza will lead a discussion at the Panera Bread in the Harbour View area of Suffolk. She said to think of it as “come meet your neighborhood Muslim.”

She’ll be there from 10 a.m. to noon, and coffee is on her, she said.

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