Officials at the Sacramento Area League of Associated Muslims mosque were surprised at the number of non-Muslims who signed up for a free 10-week course on Islam and Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
Mosque officials expected only about a dozen people to register for the “Discover Islam” course. Instead, more than 40 non-Muslims showed up.
"A lot of people don't know what to think because there is a lot of misinformation out there," said Imam Mohammed Abdul Azeez. "Fortunately, a lot of people are saying they want to learn more," he added.
Margaret Lawston, a retired schoolteacher and a Catholic, said she signed up for the course to know more about the Islamic religion. "I decided I didn't want to hear any more propaganda from either side. I wanted to learn about Islam for myself," she said.
The publication of the Danish cartoons satirizing Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) have sparked more questions about Islam and Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), the last great prophet and the founder of Islam. The religion that was promoted by the humble merchant now has 1.2 billion followers and is believed to be the fastest-growing faith in the world.
The “Discover Islam” course is part of U.S. Muslims’ efforts to educate the public about their noble religion and Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) recently launched an educational campaign offering free DVD’s and books on the life of the Prophet (PBUH).
One of the mosque officials, Metwalli Amer, hopes that the course helps people understand what the Prophet (PBUH) means to the Muslims. "We want to explain who he was and why Muslims are so angry about the cartoons," he said.
To illustrate that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was a very peaceful man, Sheikh Mohammad Hisham Kabbani, chairman of the Islamic Supreme Council of America in Michigan, recounted the story of the Prophet (PBUH) and his neighbor.
One of the Prophet’s (PBUH) neighbors used to dump garbage on the front steps to his house for seven year. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) never told anyone. Instead, he quietly removed the garbage. One day, he noticed that the rubbish was not at the front door, so he asked about the neighbor. He was told she was sick. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) visited her to pay his respects. When she saw him, she was stunned. "For seven years, I tortured you and you didn't tell anyone," she said. "How can that be?" The neighbor then embraced Islam.
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