By Rexcel Sorza, IOL Correspondent

MANILA, October 25 (IslamOnline.net) – As far as Filipino Muslims are concerned, there is only one task to be accomplished during this holy month of Ramadan; namely to prove that Islam and Muslims have nothing to do with terrorism and violence, some religious leaders there revealed to IslamOnline.net Monday, October 25.

“I believe most of us pray hard that Islam and we, Muslims, do not become synonymous with terrorism and violence. I think most, if not all of us, pray this holy month of Ramadan that Islam would be dissociated from killings and fighting,” Hadji Najim, an imam from the Muslim province of Lanao del Sur, told IOL.

Najim cited the opposition of a group of residents against a commercial mall, which is putting up a prayer room for Muslim entrepreneurs inside the shopping complex.

The Federation of Greenhills Association of San Juan, composed of rich residents of the posh villages around Virra Mall, opposed the building of a prayer room within the mall for Muslim traders citing a variety of reasons.

“We pray that those who oppose be enlightened. That they would realize we are a people of peace and love. That Islam teaches love and peace,” Najim charged.

Changed List

Admitting the 9/11 attacks on the United States have changed “almost everything”, Najim said, “Since then Muslims were identified and labeled as terrorists. This changed our lives.”

The Filipino Muslim leader elaborated that his fellow Muslims used to pray for themselves and families as well as for their spiritual renewal during the month-long fasting, but now the list has changed.

“Our prayers for ourselves, our families and our relatives come at the bottom now.”

Najim said the issue (of disassociation from terror) is very important, as Muslims not just in this Southeast Asian state but around the world have to contend with discrimination and Islamophobia that has gripped the world after the Sept. 11 deadly attacks.

“We are being discriminated against. We are taunted. We are prosecuted. They think all Muslims are terrorists. They think all of us want to kill; that we are bombers. We want this to change through our fasting and prayers,” he said.

Weighing in, Amina Rasul, convener of the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy and spokesperson of the Muslim entrepreneurs, told those against building the prayer room within the mall that their fears are unfounded and discriminatory.

She said the reason that “wherever mosques are built in non-Muslim areas, the place quickly deteriorates” cited by the group “is untrue.”

Rasul said the criminality cited by the Federation of Greenhills Association of San Juan “is an unfortunate factor associated with areas of urban squatters regardless of religious persuasions.”

Rasul said that she agrees with them about protecting and preserving life, free from fear and threats, but stressed that they “are targeting the wrong escape goat.”

“It is not the mosque. Again, let me state that, first, a mosque is an area for prayer. It brings out the best in Muslims as the church brings out the best in Christians.”

“As the Church cannot be faulted for the Christian criminals, neither is the Mosque to be blamed for Muslim criminals. Unless you all feel that Muslims are made criminal by their faith in Allah, in God. Then, ladies and gentlemen, we come to the crux of the matter: ignorance which leads to discrimination.

“Perhaps if you allow us to present to you our way of life, if you give us room in your hearts and minds, if you provide us a chance to get to know us better as fellow citizens in search of a peaceful life, we can banish discrimination.

“We all dream of a good life – for our children and grandchildren. We all believe in God. If we agree on these basic points, then we can all work together to address the true dangers to our way of life: first is the rising criminality due to rising poverty and ineffective national policies on poverty, crime and corruption.  Second is the rising discrimination which fuels conflict. Third is the ineffective government action to find a just and lasting solution to the conflict in Mindanao .”

Peace in Mindanao

Apart from Islamophobia, Najim said Filipino Muslims also pray that peace would finally reign in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao , which is home to most of the country’s eight million Filipino Muslims. The island is host to a decades-old conflict between the Philippine government troops and Bangsamoro fighters, who want to “reclaim” the island.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which is fighting for an independent Islamic state, has been talking peace with the Philippine government. Foreign observers from Malaysia and Brunei have arrived in the country recently to pave way for the resumption of the formal peace negotiations being brokered by Malaysia .

MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim has greeted Muslims in Mindanao and Sulu on the occasion of Ramadan and reminded the local Muslim people that it gives them “strength of spirit and character that they need as they face the tribulations in life.”

He enumerated “positive things,” aside from pleasing the Almighty that Ramadan gives to Muslims.

“Ramadan instills among Muslims the noble quality of will power and determination; It develops in them the virtue of displaying affection towards the poor and the distressed; and, It develops the valuable quality of patience and nurtures a gentle and forbearing character.”

Murad also called on his co-religionists to strive in utmost capacity, saying that they are not yet free and strong in order to confront all sorts of trials and tribulations, and urged them to unite to face the common enemy.

He also reminded them Islam is beleaguered from all sides and more than two-third of internally displaced people throughout the world are Muslims.

The scent and bliss of Ramadan, to tiny Muslim communities in East Asia, made them more conspicuous than ever this year.

Source : http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2004-10/25/article04.shtml