Thursday, September 20, 2001

Muslims should not be targeted, profs say
Forum panelists ask for religious tolerance
By Heather Christie
Staff Reporter

Three TCU professors advised the campus not to condemn the Muslim community despite media focus on the Islamic faith of Osama bin Laden, the primary suspect in last week’s terrorist attacks.

Professors Yoshau Sodiq and Ronald Flowers of the religion department and Manochehr Dorraj, a political science professor, headed the forum titled, “Religion and Terrorism” Wednesday night in the Student Center Ballroom.

Flowers said Muslims are on the receiving end of numerous threats. The threats need to be examined immediately, he said.

“Everyone has their right to be free from attacks, outside and inside their religious community,” Flowers said.

Sodiq, who teaches Islam at TCU, said the people who committed the terrorist acts defy the foundations of the Islamic faith.

“Islam condemns suicide and any act of terrorism.” he said. “Life is a gift from God, no one should take his life or (lives of) others.”

Flowers said many Americans think terrorism is synonymous with Islam but terrorism is contrary to Islamic beliefs.

Dorraj said the people who committed the attacks do not represent mainstream Islam.
Timothy McVeigh does not represent America and Christianity and the people who did this do not represent the Islamic community, Dorraj said.

As a Muslim American, Dorraj said he sees the human side of the traditions and faith because he is a citizen of the United States.

Dorraj said that when America goes in and takes a side with another country, we should not be surprised that some hatred will be expressed towards the United States.

“We should have patience before we embark on any solution. If we don’t the people (of Afghanistan) will react,” Sodiq said.

Dorraj said there is a profound gap in the way Americans see themselves and how other nationalities view them, Dorraj said.

“It is not a crime against Americans, it is a crime against humanity,” Dorraj said.

Americans need to adjust their thinking to accept Muslims as an additional component to society because every citizen of the United States is entitled to religious freedom, Flowers said.

Heather J. Christie
h.j.christie@student.tcu.edu