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Creative Dawah: Using Art to Fix Islam’s Image Problem

Creative Dawah: Using Art to Fix Islam’s Image Problem


Author Kareem Al-Mulki by

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The author's views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of AtlantaMuslim.com. Also, the comments posted on this Website are solely the opinions of the posters.

Lets face it: Islam has an image problem.

Unrelenting televised broadcasts of charged, anti-Islamic rhetoric have painted the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims with a broad brush of hate and extremism.

In response, I could write an article informing people that characterizing Islam as a religion of violence could not be further from the truth. I could tell readers that terrorists who pervert Islamic teachings for violent purposes constitute a miniscule minority of the globe’s Muslim population. I could also cite statistics demonstrating that the overwhelming majority of Muslims are peaceful, moderate humans who are concerned with the same global issues as any other faith group.

If I were to tell write these things, this would not be the first time readers have come across them. Quite the contrary, Muslims have been repeating and reiterating these arguments for years.

So what else can I say? How can I encourage Atlanta Muslims to repel misconceptions and correct Islam’s image? What can I say to encourage efforts of “creative dawah?”

The answer is simple: I can ask local Muslims to showcase Islamic Art by bringing friends to next weekend's "Inflections" Arts Exhibit at RCM.

Islam comes from a rich artistic tradition that has changed the landscape of history. Muslim architecture dominates buildings across the Middle East and Europe, and Muslim poets, such as Jalaluddin Rumi, live in infamy as some of the greatest writers of all time.

In an effort to showcase the beautiful contributions Islam has made to the world, the Roswell Community Masjid is excited to present “Inflections: An Exhibit for the Islamic Arts.” The goal of this event is to teach about Islam and the Muslim community through art. The program will feature traditional Islamic chants, explanations of the values behind Islamic art, a gallery including over 70 artifacts (including a piece of the Ka’aba cloth), calligraphy, food tastings, and more!

As local Atlanta Muslims, we must recognize the value of such a unique event and do whatever we can to support it. We may not be able to change the rhetoric used by media networks, but we can use this exhibit as an opportunity to change people’s misconceptions of Islam at the grassroots level.

So don’t miss out on this amazing event! Buy a ticket for yourself, your family, and your Muslim and non-Muslim friends. Tickets are only $10 and can be purchased using the below link. This is your chance to reach out to relatives, colleagues, neighbors, teachers, classmates, employees, and bosses.

This is your chance to help fix Islam’s image problem. Get your ticket here.


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