|
----- Original Message -----
From: Mahmudul
Hasan
To: S A Hannan
Sent: Wednesday, May 03, 2006 6:48 PM
Subject: Malaysia Proposes Int'l Islamic Journalism
Center Malaysia Proposes Int'l Islamic Journalism
Center
KUALA LUMPUR, May 3, 2006 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies)
Muslim heavyweight Malaysia has proposed setting up an international Islamic
journalism center to counter mounting Islamophobia and coach non-Muslim
journalists about Islam and Muslims, reported the official Bernama news
agency.
"This center can be set up along the lines of several international
journalism institutes that are already in existence, offering training and
fellowship programs," Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin said on Tuesday, May
2.
He told a workshop for Arab journalists that the proposed center
would provide a meeting point for Muslim journalists to discuss common
issues.
The International Islamic Journalism Center would offer training
courses and fellowship for Muslim journalists, he added.
The minister said it would also organize workshops to discuss
issues concerning Islam and the Muslim world.
Media representatives from 15 Arabic-speaking countries are
attending a five-day workshop organized by Bernama and UNESCO in tandem
with the Malaysian Information Ministry.
Antidote
The center would also coach non-Muslim journalists about the tenets
of Islam to counter the rising Islamophobia in the West, Zainuddin
said.
"We don't want to fight with the west (by setting up this center),
we only want to inform (the international community) about the real situation in
the Islamic world," he added.
"This center will organize journalism courses like other journalism
institutes in the west. We don't want it to be regarded as a center to spread
Islam."
The minister blamed certain parties in the West for fueling the
anti-Muslim campaigns.
"There is no denying that there is an agenda to belittle Islam and
Muslims among certain quarters in the West, using the media," he
said.
"Various tactics, including deception, are used in the onslaught
against Muslims to work up their emotions because these people know full well
that Muslims would respond in full agitation when their religion is
attacked."
US academic Stephen Schwartz on August 31 criticized the western
media for failing to meet the challenge of reporting on Islam after the 9/11
attacks.
Arnold Hottinger, a prominent Swiss expert, had also said that the
West misjudged Islam and did it injustice, largely because of shallow knowledge
of the Muslim faith driven from the distorted writings of early
Orientalists.
Muslim Example
The information minister said Malaysia was willing to partially
fund the center.
"If the center is established here, we hope to show the world the
example of a developed Islamic nation, Muslims who are Hadhari and able to live
with people of other faiths."
Islam Hadhari is the brainchild of Malaysian Prime Minister
Abdullah Badawi, who maintains it is derived from the core principles and
teachings of Islam.
He believes the concept has the capacity to generate strength for a
nation because it gives emphasis to various matters including knowledge,
economy, culture, moral values and defense.
Zainuddin called for activating the Jeddah-based International
Islamic News Agency (IINA).
He also urged Muslim countries to benefit from all media outlets to
promote a tolerant and peaceful image of Islam.
"We should make full use of our media organizations to expound our
views and opinions about our culture, our society and above all, our religion,
so that others may know what Islam is really all about."
Changing Perceptions
Media practitioners from Arab countries welcomed the proposal,
hoping it would help change the perception of the world toward
Muslims.
"Through the center, we can give the true perspective on the
peace-loving Islamic world to non-Muslim journalists that will participate in
its program," said Qatari News Agency executive director Abdullah A. Rahman
Al-Muzaffar.
He regretted that presently "there are many misconceptions about
the ummah, and Islamic world was often linked to terrorism."
Abdullah suggested the center to be initiated by the Organization
of Islamic Conference (OIC).
He said with the OIC's involvement, the center could play its role
more effectively because it would be supported by all Muslim
countries.
Also read:
Make free worldwide PC-to-PC calls. Try the new Yahoo! Canada Messenger with Voice *************************************************************************** {Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125) {And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33) The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all." [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Recommended: http://www.islamonline.net http://www.islam-guide.com http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------- All views expressed herein belong to the individuals concerned and do not in any way reflect the official views of IslamCity unless sanctioned or approved otherwise. If your mailbox clogged with mails from IslamCity, you may wish to get a daily digest of emails by logging-on to http://www.yahoogroups.com to change your mail delivery settings or email the moderators at [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the title "change to daily digest".
SPONSORED LINKS
YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
|
