An associate professor at the University of Beirut in Lebanon was in Trenton Monday, spreading a simple message: don?t judge a religion by the actions of a few followers.
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An associate professor at the University of Beirut in Lebanon was in Trenton Monday, spreading a simple message: don?t judge a religion by the actions of a few followers.
Dr. Tarek Ragab, an Egyptian Muslim, was in Trenton as part of a global education program sponsored by the Missouri Community College Association. Dr. Ragab is on a two-week tour of Missouri community college campuses and is also meeting with urban and community development leaders. During his visit to Trenton, he said he has two main goals while in the United States.
?I have two main objectives. First, I want to give an introduction to Islam, to give an introduction to the Americans about what they don?t know about Islam, the misconceptions and the stereotypes,? he said. ?I would also want to transfer some of the ideas of Muslims regarding the process of democracy and the concepts of freedom and how they are perceived in the Middle East.?
Dr. Ragab calls his program ?Direct Access to the Muslim World?. In his application to the Fulbright Visiting Specialists Program, Dr. Ragab discussed the events of Sept. 11, 2001 and said he hopes to be able to promote a better understanding of the Islamic world.
?One major cornerstone toward promoting better understanding of (the) Islamic world is to present experts? view points who have better knowledge of both Western and Islamic cultures. This is (an) important measure to focus light on concrete common grounds to meet and cooperate. Bridging the widening gap that separates these two cultures is (a) very important hinge in eliminating (the) roots of terrorism and bring peace to the whole world for the best of humanity,? he wrote.
On Monday, Dr. Ragab said he is traveling the state in hopes his message will be heard and heeded.
?I want to tell people not to judge a religion by some acts of its followers,? he said. ?This is my main message. I?m trying to tell everyone when I get a chance. Many citizens here want to learn more about Islam, but are mixing it up with other Muslim groups, like the Nation of Islam here in the U.S. It?s not the same type.?
Although Dr. Ragab admits he had some fears of coming to the U.S. with his message, he said he is receiving good feedback from his audiences, although he has had some incidents of verbal attacks.
?I feel good about the reaction to my message. I?ve met a lot of people who want to understand the issues I am talking about. I have the feeling they were supportive, especially when I told them about the moral and the ethics of Muslims. I was attacked (verbally) twice at lectures, but I had the chance to explain why we feel the way we do and I believe that was a success somehow.?
Dr. Ragab said he feels a need to explain the anger and rage that many Muslims feel against the U.S. and its foreign policy, most of which stems from their belief that the U.S. has supported dictatorship regimes and has tried to push its definition of democracy on to other countries, including Iraq.
?This has caused America to lose its credibility with the Arab nations,? he said, noting that in Egypt, where poverty is a huge problem, the U.S. spends large amounts of money. That money, he said, often goes to corrupt government officials and not to the programs that would help those in need. Being aware of the problem and continuing to support it makes the U.S. lose its credibility.
?When they expect the U.S. to stand by their people and they don?t, it generates a lot of rage and hatred toward America.?
In discussing the war with Iraq, Dr. Ragab said he believes the Iraqis appreciate the removal of Sadaam Hussein but would like the chance to run their own country.
?I believe on behalf of Iraqis, they do appreciate that the U.S. has freed them of the dictatorship regime of Sadaam,? he explained. ?But they wonder why does the U.S. push its definition of democracy on them.?
He went on to say that America is a very new democracy and pointed out that it was not too long ago that women did not have the right to vote in America. However, he said, America wants to go into other countries, and immediately set up a perfect democracy.
?That?s not how it happens,? he said. ?It didn?t happen that way in the U.S.?
Dr. Ragab, who holds a bachelor?s degree in architecture and advanced degrees in urban planning, spent time with NCMC students and faculty on Monday, as well as meeting with Trenton City Administrator Kerry Sampson and Community Developer Sean Burge. He is scheduled to spend next week on the campuses of the Metropolitan Community Colleges in Kansas City.