JEDDAH: Going along the lines of Islamic scholars Ahmed Deedat and Zakir Naik is their faithful follower Dr. Sabeel Ahmed who has given up his medical profession to devote entirely to Dawa work in the United States.
“I am greatly influenced by Deedat and Naik, my mentors, and have been conducting Dawa work in the United States with great success,” Ahmed told Arab News in an interview on Wednesday. He is the director of GainPeace an outreach project of Islamic Circle of North America, which has chapters in major US and Canadian cities.
Currently here to perform Umrah, Ahmed, a radiologist, said the efforts of GainPeace had been paying dividends, as it was able to dispel misconceptions about Islam at various meetings and conferences. “Today, there are highway billboards and buses displaying Islamic messages in different parts of America under the GainPeace program, including Washington, New York and Chicago.”
Aside from placing Dawa booths at public places and undertaking a house-to-house campaign, GainPeace has been using the Internet, radio, television and the print media to spread the message of Islam. “Such efforts have led to at least 600 Americans embracing Islam in 2009,” said Ahmed who hails from the southern Indian city of Hyderabad. He did his schooling and pursued university studies in the United States. He is professionally a radiologist, which he practiced in Chicago for some years after completing his study in radiology — first two years on the Caribbean islands and the next two years in a US university. His wife is a pediatrician.
“Islam is often a misunderstood religion and so the display of simple messages provide an opportunity for the general public to take a fresh and positive look at Islam,” he said, adding that GainPeace has taken upon the responsibility of educating the American public about the teachings of Islam and dispel whatever misconceptions they have in their minds. “We have also been building bridges among the native and immigrant Americans through Islam as the religion of peace, tolerance and coexistence.”
Ahmed says thousands of calls are being received by GainPeace, which also has its dedicated website, requesting for copies of the Qur’an, interactions with Muslims to learn about the religion and its five pillars, and visit mosques to see how prayers are offered.
After a person accepts Islam, GainPeace follows-up by providing them a “welcome to Islam” package consisting of an English translation of Qur’an, a DVD on how to pray, a book on Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and other books on Islam. Secondly, a knowledgeable Muslim is appointed as a mentor to assist the new Muslim in the process of learning and practicing the religion. Thirdly, classes for new Muslims are conducted in various American cities. Internet classes are also being organized to assist new Muslims from around America and Canada.
“Our aim is to establish our own radio and TV stations, and peace centers in America and convey the message of Islam to all of 300 million Americans,” Ahmed said.
