Encountering Islam: Speakers try to correct popular misconceptions

When Naghma Khalid took the stage at the Cape Girardeau County Library on Wednesday night she left little doubt of her place as a modern Islamic woman.

A confident, eloquent speaker who possesses a masters degree from her native Pakistan she is no one's stereotype of the cloistered Islamic female.

And that is what the "Interfaith Forum," where she spoke, was designed to do; shatter stereotypes.

"People feel like we are locked up by our husbands," Naghma said, "I am empowered by Islam and the men in my family have always been the most supportive people in my life."

Naghma came to the United States in 2001 from Pakistan, and now she chooses to stay at home with her 3-year-old daughter Jowairia. Her husband Dr. Tashin Khalid, also from Pakistan, is an assistant professor of elementary education at Southeast Missouri State.

Dr. Khalid's speech at the forum was equally bias-busting.

As he knowingly flipped the slides of his Power-Point presentation, Dr. Khalid showed the crowd of about 40 what he considers to be the true message of Islam.

"Being a Muslim extremist is very difficult," Dr. Khalid said with a grin, "in order to be a Muslim extremist one must be more humble, more caring, and love God more. That is Muslim extremism."

Dr. Khalid says that there are a lot of similarities between Islam and Christianity. For example, Muslims believe in the sanctity of some familiar prophets named Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Jesus and Mohammed. In Islam these prophets are all revered equally.

Dr. Khalid did not, however, shy away from controversial topics and spoke frankly about Jihad.

"Jihad means struggle," he said, "If I'm driving to St. Louis on I-55 and everyone is speeding by me I'm tempted to speed as well. But I have to struggle not to do that. That is my jihad; my everyday jihad."

People who attended the forum ranged from students seeking extra-credit in their college religion courses to people just curious to come face-to-face with a foreign religion.

"I don't know much about Islam," said Sister Susan Kienzler of the Catholic Campus Ministry, "I thought this would be a good opportunity to learn more, it's in the news so much and sometimes I feel Islam gets a bad name."

And for the Khalid family that is all they ask. A willingness to learn more about their faith and not lump them together with the radical element that seems to get all the attention.

"Terrorism," Dr. Khalid said, "is an extreme. Islam and terrorism are two extremes far away from each other and there is no bridge in between."

tgreaney@semissourian.com

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