Fund Promotes Know-Prophet Campaigns

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Fund Promotes Know-Prophet Campaigns

By Farahat Al Abbar, IOL Correspondent

A special launch reception in the Qatari capital raised more than ten million Qatari riyals in addition to donations including jewelries, stocks and lands.

DOHA — Prominent Muslim scholar Yusuf Qardawi announced on Wednesday, October 11, the launch of a fund to finance activities on projecting the true image of Islam and prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in the West using different languages.

A special launch reception in the Qatari capital raised more than ten million Qatari riyals in addition to donations including jewelries, stocks and lands.

A Saudi businessman donated two million riyals while one lady phoned in to announce donating a two-million-riyal worth piece of land.

Many ladies in the audience took off their golden and diamond necklaces and donated them to the campaigns.

Some of the heart-taking scenes were of children donating their pocket money or small pieces of jewelries.

The campaign aims at raising one hundred million riyals ($27 millions).

The "Mercy for Mankind" campaign would sponsor a variety of activities on presenting the true image of Islam and prophet Muhammad in the West.

The organizer, the Doha-based Al-Balagh Charity, said it was considering a satellite channel beaming in foreign languages to wash away misconceptions about Islam and Prophet Muhammad.

The idea of the "Mercy for Mankind" campaign was a response to last year's anti-prophet cartoons crisis.

Twelve cartoons, including one showing the Prophet with a bomb-shaped turban, were first published by Danish daily Jyllands-Posten in 2005 and reprinted by European newspapers on claims of freedom of expression.

The drawings, considered blasphemous under Islam, have triggered massive and sometimes violent demonstrations across the Muslim world.

This motivated Muslim minorities in many Western countries to champion local campaigns to raise awareness of the merits and characteristics of the Prophet.