When Asif Munir and his wife moved into their new home in New Zealand, their neighbour asked them: “Do you have any guns?”
Munir and his wife, who wears a hijab, had been walking the neighbourhood to familiarise themselves with the area when their new neighbour asked them three questions: “Did you just move in? Are you Muslim? Do you have any guns?”
Munir said it was the first time he had been asked such an open question.
“I thought, people are oblivious to the true teachings of Islam.
“It’s a really common misconception that Islam is related to violence or terrorism.”
Munir, an imam (prayer leader) from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Hamilton, is a co-organiser of the “I’m a Muslim, ask me anything” campaign currently travelling the South Island to engage the public and challenge misconceptions and stereotypes about the religion.
Munir said the primary objective was to promote the message of peace, countering prevalent misconceptions fuelled by extremist views.
“Recent events, such as the distressing attacks in Australia and the unfortunate stabbing incident involving a prominent pastor, underscore the urgency of our efforts.”
Running from April 19 to 27 the campaign spans multiple cities including Nelson, Greymouth, Queenstown, Dunedin, Invercargill, Christchurch, and Timaru.
Joining Munir on the road is Wellington-based imam Mustenser Qamar as well as three other members of Muslim communities.
The group even made a stop at the Gloriavale commune on the West Coast, emphasising the importance of connecting with members of the secluded Christian community which Munir said had received negative publicity in recent times.
“They were really happy to have us there, they were very welcoming,” said Qamar.
Qamar said on past campaigns, they had encountered people who were occasionally hostile and “squared up”.
They have also been told to “go back to your country”.
He said many of these people, who were often associated with the far right, were invited to one-on-one coffee sessions.
“After a two-hour coffee session, literally they’re getting up and hugging us and saying we’ve turned their views around.”
Campaign participants will wear distinctive ‘I’m a Muslim, Ask Me Anything hoodies and engage with the public through coffee sessions and street experiments.
“Our aim is to share the true message of Islam which is peace, because in today’s world where misconceptions about Islam are widespread and often influenced by extremist views, it is crucial to get rid of this fear and present the message of peace,” said Munir.
The group’s ask me anything campaign is just one facet of their efforts to combat misconceptions.
In the lead-up to the anniversary of the Christchurch mosque attacks, the group launched a social media campaign named TrueIslamNZ, releasing videos to teach the true principles of Islam and emphasising peace.
“We’ve really wanted to break down those barriers everywhere with everyone.”
Ben Tomsett is a Multimedia Journalist for the New Zealand Herald, based in Dunedin.
The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.