Article Op-Ed

Billboard about Islam in Atlanta

Billboard about Islam in Atlanta


Author Iman Naim by

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ICNA

If you travel south on Peachtree Industrial, a billboard is sure to catch your eye right before the I-285 ramp, as it has done for many others. On it the words 'Find Jesus in the Quran' grab the drivers' attention. The billboard was put up by WhyIslam, a project of ICNA and an organization dedicated to educating people about Islam and Muslims in America.

We spoke to a representative from WhyIslam about the organization. 'We do different kinds of dawah nationwide,' said Bakher Mohammed.

One of their most popular methods of reaching out to the community is the WhyIslam call center. The center has been getting calls for 15 years, with influxes in questions when a new ad campaign, such as the billboard, is released.

'The most common question is 'Why Islam? Why should a person choose Islam?'' said Jawad Ahmed, from the WhyIslam call center in New Jersey.

They receive other questions about subject varying from hijab and the Qur'an to jihad and violence. The volunteers who work at the call center are educated and trained to respond to callers' questions, which aren't always pleasant.

'We get a wide variety in calls,' said Ahmed. 'Some argue or are cursing callers—they call the hotline, curse and hang up.'

Through the hostility, the callers manage to remember why they are there.

'Its purpose is to just educate people about a religion that there is so much ignorance about,' said Ahmed. 'In America, at least, non-Muslims know very well that there is one hotline with credible information about Islam.'

The billboard itself has a clear message. Muslims know Jesus, too. Their faith is not that different or alien. That may be why the billboard has attracted so much attention. Finding a religious icon in the book of a faith still unfamiliar to many is sure to give one pause.

A video from Fox News is shown below:

Atlanta News, Weather, Traffic, and Sports | FOX 5

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