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Muslims want peace

Muslims want peace

             

 

bulbuliapage6.jpg
2011-05-04

bulbulia hopes the death of bin laden will lessen difficulties for muslims

The local Muslim community hopes the death of Osama bin Laden will signal the end of religious profiling.

Secretary of the Barbados Muslim Association, Suleiman Bulbulia, said while it was not a major problem in Barbados, Muslims here experienced difficulties when travelling abroad since 9/11. 

"At a local level, there was not a great backlash but to those who had to travel to North America, it became a burden with cases of Muslims being denied visas as well as extra scrutiny with immigration. Some people did experience extra immigration issues. There were obviously comments made by some that targeted Muslims but, generally, in Barbados there wasn't any great amount of animosity," he said, adding: 

"We do hope there will be a lessening of this type of activity because it has brought a lot of attention to Islam. We have had to face some instances of questioning and people saying things about Islam that put it in a bad light... We hope this would lessen off." 

Bulbulia maintained the Muslim community did not share the ideology of bin Laden nor that of Al Qaeda, saying they have always spoken out against such ideas. And where they see it rearing its ugly head, they nip it in the bud. He made it clear that the community here was "very vigilant" towards such beliefs, which had the potential to bring disrepute to Muslims in Barbados.


He said Muslims here and abroad were concerned about any negative reaction by supporters of bin Laden.

"We hope that doesn't occur. Our concerns lie in people using the faith of Islam to carry out things that are not Islamic and then we get the brunt of it. 

"That ideology of targeting innocent individuals did not start with bin Laden and will not end with his death. It is practised by organisations and political establishments in many parts of the world. It is something Islam does not condone and we as a community do not condone," said Bulbulia. 

The organisation's secretary said Muslims in the region had raised concerns over the burial of bin Laden at sea by American military personnel. 

He explained that Muslims did not bury at sea unless it could not be helped. However, he said families of those who died in the September 11, 2001 attack on the twin towers could argue, and justly so, that their loved ones, some of whom were never found, also did not have proper burials. 

"It is not a case of whether we are happy or saddened by the death of bin Laden. We believe that when a person dies, each individual will be raised again and judged by almighty God accordingly," he said. melissarollock@barbadostoday.bb

Source : http://news.barbadostoday.bb/barticlenew.php?ptitle=Muslims want peace&article=5248