Fredericton Islamic group saddened by backlash in Canada
The president of the Fredericton Islamic Association says the backlash against his faith in some parts of the country and on social media after the attacks in Paris is leaving him sad and concerned.
Muhammad Rashid said he blames the reaction on misunderstanding and said there's nothing in Islam that justifies what's been happening in Europe.
He said it's not anything like the religion he knows and practises.
"[Our faith is] all about caring, and comforting the parents, and the neighbours and so on, so forth," Rashid said.
"Islam is very simple. You pray five times, do fasting during the month of fasting, there's compulsory charity — you have to do 2.5 per cent of net wealth and the more you do the better it is to all human beings and the faith's very simple."
Rashid said people of his faith have felt welcome in Fredericton for many years. And the local mosque has never suffered anything like the attempted arson earlier this month in Peterborough, Ont.
The only damage he's seen since the mosque opened in 1995 is a couple of cars with broken windows in the parking lot and even then there was no indication it was anything more than petty vandalism.
"Things are really not bad, frankly," said Rashid.
He wonders if recent media coverage might be contributing to some of the climate of fear around Islam.
"If there are 1,000 houses, we look at the house where the fire is. You know, we forget about the other 999 houses that are OK. So this is the problem, we say … as if all the world is like this one," he said.
"This is the angle which people forget."
Rashid said the arrival of refugees in Canada within the next few weeks should underscore the warmth and generosity of Canadians.
"Those people are running from the same torture by the way, you know, caused by that same group in Paris," said Rashid.
"You see that they are coming on through boats and they are in a miserable situation."
Rashid said the refugees are running from wars and injustices are hoping to find a better life elsewhere.
"So, therefore. they're trying to get to good places. We know what kinds of conditions people are come from. They're scared," he said.
