dawa

A speech by Debra Dirks given in Salt Lake City, Utah, on March 1, 2003 to a group of women converts to Islam and their non Muslim mothers.

Have you noticed your boss, supervisor or co-workers have been having a hard time looking at you straight in the eye in the last few days? Has the war on Iraq, which has just begun, been causing problems for you as a Muslim in your workplace?

To understand the contemporary world, we all need to know something about Islam-beyond the inane contribution of the Attorney General cited above. So I have prepared this little primer on Islam for Americans.

There may be many textbooks in circulation which are used throughout the United States that have inaccurate or inadequate information on Islam and the history of Muslims. In order to address this problem, concerned Muslims must take the responsibility of providing correct information to their local schools and districts.

While leaders and organizations have their role to play, individuals are key to promoting a better understanding of Islam and Muslims, as well as protecting Muslims from harassment and attacks. Here are some ways you can help:

Today more than at any other point in our history, each and every Muslim will be viewed by people as a representative of Islam. How we conduct ourselves will have a direct impact on how people think about our beliefs and values. 

A number of churches and organizations though, are interested in doing more. They want to know how to reach out to their Muslim neighbors and friends in this difficult time. Below are some suggestions of simple things they can do to express their support for Muslim-Americans.