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Spokesperson: Islam Teaches Peace, Not Hatred
BEAVERTON, Ore. -- Members of the Islamic Center of Portland condemned the alleged actions of 19-year-old Mohamed Osman Mohamud.
Ali Houdroge say Islam is a peaceful religion and says events like Friday’s allege terror plot has given the religion a negative stereotype.
“We have no intentions of hurting anyone or doing anything,” says Houdroge. “We are part of this community.”
Houdroge works at the Islamic Center of Portland and says he was disappointed to hear of Mohamud’s arrest.
According to federal court documents, Mohamud wanted to travel overseas to Pakistan to practice violent jihad. In a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court Friday night, prosecutors say Mohamud wrote an article about preparing for violent jihad.
Mohamad Taha, a spokesman for the Islamic Center says, the violent jihad Mohamud wanted to practice is not supported by Islam.
"If he would have go back to the Qur'an and read the exact translation of the Qur'an, there is nothing that says that permits the hurting of others,” says Taha.
Taha explains, there are two forms of jihad: the greater jihad, which he says teaches selflessness and the lesser jihad which teaches to protect the home from outsiders.
“The violence part that he was trying to implement has no relationship to the jihad is Islam,” says Taha.
Taha and Houdroge both agree: Mohamud may have been trying to use the smaller jihad as an excuse to commit violence against Westerns.
"I just don't see how he can justify something like that," says Taha.
His coworker, Houdroge, shared those sentiments and says, “Islamic respects life and human beings. How can Islam encourage harm to innocent people."
November 28, 2010, KPTV
