'Meet a Muslim Family' aims to dispel fears of the religion

A Muslim organization has launched a cross-Canada outreach campaign called Meet a Muslim Family, in order to help dispel myths about the religion.

The campaign was launched by the Ahmadiyya Muslim community at mosques across Canada yesterday, including the Baitur Rahman Mosque in Delta, B.C.

Iman Balal Khokhor said they don't want their religion to be misunderstood in light of recent violent attacks by extremists in the name of Islam.

"Canadians have a fear of Muslims. They don't know them. They don't know their culture, their religion, and we want to showcase that in fact we are Canadian and just like any other Canadians," said Khokhor.

People can register online at www.meetamuslimfamily.com to meet people living near them and ask questions.

Amad Masood said his family is willing to meet people from the Vancouver area and answer questions.

"We feel that it is important to go out and tell people how we appreciate all the Canadian values of peace, family and multiculturalism," said Masood.

"Over all the media, when you listen to the news and all the time, people are thinking that the word Islam and terrorism is probably synonymous," said his wife Shafquat Malik.

"It is very important for the media to show that Muslims are not only terrorists or whatever. It is not what defines us. We are more than that. We are bigger than that," she said.

The campaign is scheduled to run for two weeks.