From Houston Chronicle
by Allen Jones
Local Islamic groups are seeking to educate local residents on what it means to be Muslim.
Local Muslims see the efforts as critical, coming at a time when debate on their role in American society has become part of the presidential race, with Republican candidate Donald Trump calling for a temporary moratorium on Muslims entering the country.
Adding to the urgency are incidents in which people claiming ties to Islam conduct terrorist acts, such as a lone gunman’s June 12 attack on an Orlando, Florida, nightclub that killed 49 people and injured 52.
“It has become more important to reach out to the public and define ourselves before others define us,” said Mohamed Shalaby, a cardiologist with a medical practice in Webster who is a member of the Clear Lake Islamic Center, 17511 El Camino Real, and of the Houston chapter of the Muslim American Society.
“What we (in the society) have found is that those who have the opportunity to know a Muslim neighbor or a Muslim co-worker or colleague, they have very positive views of Muslims based on their personal experiences,” he said. “But the overwhelming majority, statistics say at least 70 percent of Americans, have never met a Muslim or anyone that identifies as a Muslim.”
That means the only information many people may receive about Muslims is from news media reports of terrorism, Shalaby said. Islamophobia, he said, is due to a mix of misinformation, confusion and fear about the security of the United States because of threats from radical Islamic groups.
