More than 75 peaceful protesters were on the sidewalk carrying Israeli flags in front of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) Canadian headquarters in Clarkson on Oct. 23, 2011, demonstrating their opposition to a Calling the World Back to Allah conference featuring speakers who have been previously linked to allegations of anti-Semitic and anti-gay remarks. They also carried signs that read "Stop Islamic Racism."
The Jewish National League was joined by several other faith groups, including the International Christian Voice, headed locally by slain Pakistani Minorities Minister's brother Peter Bhatti, the Canadian Hindu Advocacy, headed by Ron Banerjee, the Canadian Egyptian Congress, the Costa Christian Mission, and the Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple.
The full-day conference is part of the Canada launch tour of the Islamic Education and Research Academy (IERA), a British organization seeking to establish a presence in Toronto and Montreal. They say the conference was held to build bridges amongst Muslim communities in Canada.
Jewish Defence League National Director Meir Weinstein said he and other groups came out for one simple reason. "We don't want those individuals, who believe in hatred, coming into Canada," he said. "They're looking for a fertile country for radical influence.
"They've said things like 'Jews are cursed,' among all kinds of different hatred.
"The bottom line is, this organization is coming here from England trying to set up here," he said. "In an Islamic state, there's no freedoms. Iran is not a beacon of humility or light."
Added Banerjee of Canadian Hindu Advocacy: "The holding of the event here proves we're being lied to when we're told Muslims here are moderates."
IERA describes itself as a global "dawah" organization that's committed to presenting Islam to wider society. The word "Da'wah" in Arabic simply means to invite to something. When it is used in conjunction with Islam it is understood to mean "Inviting to the Way of submission and surrender to Allah." It is the Islamic equivalent of a missionary, as one who invites people to the faith, to the prayer, or to Islamic life.
Allegations of speakers making anti-Semitic and anti-gay remarks resulted in the IERA's conference being cancelled at some venues, including Toronto's Sheraton Centre where today's event was originally scheduled.
One of the IERA speakers, Malaysian convert Hussain Yee, has said “the Jews” are “the most extremist nation in this world.” He also suggested that Jews perpetrated and celebrated the 9/11 attacks in America.
Toronto’s Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick, an African-American convert from the U.S, is quoted as saying AIDS was caused by “sick” homosexuals who want “to take us all down with them” and was denounced by three universities in Britain, for calling Jews and homosexuals “filth”.
He has rejected accusations of bigotry. His “filth” comment, he wrote, was merely a plea for “God to heal the spiritual corruption that afflicts some members of religious groups, which in turn leads to injustice against innocent people.”
In a lecture, apparently recorded in 1999, for which a New Zealand television station was forced to apologize in 2004, he said: “Muslims are going to have to take a stand, and it’s not enough to call names.”
Adding to the controversy are further statements populating internet sites that are attributed to one of the speakers from Britain, Abdurraheem Green, about how men may treat their wives.
A Youtube clip appears to show Green as saying: "The husband is allowed - to prevent her from evil - to provide some type of physical force."
Another conference had been scheduled for Montreal last week at Concordia University, but also appeared to have been cancelled.
Meanwhile ISNA officials disclaimed any knowledge of goings-on within, even as they added: "ISNA is not against Jews or anyone else. Islam is a religion of peace... and it was Islam that gave women their rights." "ISNA is not organizing the conference, all we're doing is renting our venue for the event."
Further Reading:
Anti-Semitic graffiti in Toronto
Canada: Nearly Two-Thirds of Religiously Categorized Crimes Target Jews
Anti-Semitic Incidents Increase Five-Fold in Canada
