Muslim subway Ads

United States
July 28, 2008 2:11pm CST
Considering he is linked to a plot to blow up city landmarks, should he be permitted to a contract that allows him to post 1,000 black and white Muslim ads on subway cars? Allah board! An Islamic group plans to blitz 1,000 subway cars with advertisements this September in a campaign being promoted by a Brooklyn imam whom federal officials have linked to a plot to blow up city landmarks. The group says its mission is to explain the true nature of Islam to non-Muslims who believe the religion is bent on acts of violence - but Siraj Wahhaj, the inflammatory imam who appears in a promotional YouTube video for the project, has defended convicted bomb-plotters and called the FBI and CIA the "real terrorists." US Attorney Mary Jo White even named Wahhaj one of 170 unindicted co-conspirators in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the thwarted plan to blow up a slew of buildings. "In time, this so-called democracy will crumble, and there will be nothing, and the only thing that will remain will be Islam," Wahhaj said in one of his sermons. The stark, black-and-white ads of the Subway Project promote Islam with the goals of clearing up long-held misconceptions about the faith and reaching out to those interested in becoming Muslim, according to the Islamic Circle of North America, the group behind the campaign. Timed to run during the month of Ramadan, the ads come in pairs, reading "Q: Prophet Muhammad?" or "Q: Islam?" and the corresponding answer is always "A: You deserve to know." Those interested in knowing more are directed to call (877) WHY-ISLAM or to visit whyislam.org, which provide literature that teaches and proselytizes about the faith. The group insists it is not looking to transform subway cars into the "G-had train." "Anyone who looks at this ad objectively can see that it is not preaching anything," Azeem Khan, the group's assistant secretary general, told The Post. "There is a lot of Islamaphobia out there. We provide people with a chance to speak with an actual Muslim who is informed." Wahhaj, imam of Al-Taqwa mosque, is a former member of the Nation of Islam and was the first Muslim to give an invocation at the House of Representatives. Formal charges were never filed against him by White, although he did serve as a character witness for the defense in the trial of Omar Abdel-Rahman, "the blind sheik" who is now serving a life sentence for his role in plotting the 1993 WTC bombings. In the promotional video for the Subway Project, Wahhaj is the first to speak. "Every day in this city, some 4.9 million people ride the subways - that is a lot of people," he says. "Imagine them seeing the word Islam. Imagine them seeing the word Muhammad." The MTA confirmed that the group has signed a contract for the ad campaign but would not comment further.
2 people like this
3 responses
• United States
29 Jul 08
Real nice, now all the people who watched 3,000 people die at the hands of Islamism can be reminded every day! Feels like another form of terrorism if you ask me. I wonder if bombs would be going off in the subways if the MTA didn't sign the contract?
1 person likes this
• United States
30 Jul 08
I think the authorities in our country are forgetting what it means to be a country of freedom but with responsibility.
1 person likes this
@Gorcon (320)
• United States
31 Jul 08
Islam has nothing to do with terrorism. Please do your research before condemning and entire people for the acts of a few. Did the African-American community condemn the entire white-race for the actions of the KKK? Should the entire Christian community be demonized and condemned due to the statements of Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and other Christian fundamentalists? Seriously, before you draw conclusions and make these illogical statements, do your research. All we do is complain and moan "Why do they hate us?" Why don't you do your research, check the facts, study Middle East history, US foreign policy towards and figure it out? And it's not a new phenomenon. It goes back to the effects of imperialism, US involvement in the Middle East (and their contradictory alliances there with the Saudis and Israel). So please do your research and stop listening to the media(and other biased sources) that are just is so "fair and balanced" and they wouldn't lie to you would they, would they? after all there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq...
• Canada
28 Jul 08
That's a really tough call. I know of a lot of wonderful Muslims, including one who used to work at my favourite coffee shop. When he told me his name I figured out his religion, and I asked the questios, which he answered. His religion was not adertized, nor was mine, or anyone elses. I just have a hard time with any kind of religious ADERTISEMENT in a public place.
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Jul 08
It is a tough call for me because of who he is linked to.
@Gorcon (320)
• United States
28 Jul 08
You can't always believe what you hear. Siraj Wahaaj is not an extremist Muslim and condemns terrorism. Those quotes are most probably taken out of context. Many Muslim scholars, imams, religious leaders, etc. are taken out of context in order to benefit those who are hateful, bigoted and prejudice against Islam and Muslims. We need to stop listening to this propaganda that's on the news and learn to read again and educate ourselves about other faiths and not let the news be our number one resource for our information.
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
28 Jul 08
Why does everything have to be considered taken out of context? Maybe just maybe he said it.
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Jul 08
Whenever one supports something, it is said that it was taken out of context.
1 person likes this
@Gorcon (320)
• United States
29 Jul 08
When you constantly hear mistruths/misinformation about someone/something you're going to be skeptical of the source...doesn't necessarily mean you believe in it...I don't understand your logic...