Muslims engage Okanagan audiences curious about the religion

KELOWNA, B.C. – Misconceptions about the Muslim religion have prompted a series of speaking engagements in the Okanagan, including one that drew more than 100 Monday night to UBC Okanagan.

“We’ll be discussing the primary beliefs of Muslims, who they are, how diverse the religion is, where they come from, and things like that,” says Navaid Aziz from the Islamic Information Society of Calgary.

“Things that we commonly hear are Muslims are very barbaric. They can’t be contributing members of society. That you can’t be Muslim and Canadian at the same time. That Muslims want to take over Canada or the world, and make everyone their slaves, and things of that nature,” says Aziz. “Obviously I don’t believe this to be true at all.”

“Because at the end of the day, we still bleed the same blood, and we want the same food and we want the same drink, and everyone wants to live a comfortable and peaceful life. And that’s what we want to achieve.”

Aziz spoke at George Elliott Secondary in Lake Country Tuesday morning.