A Case of Religious Discrimination and Persecution against Head of an Islamic Organisation
A non-believer of Islam (Dunee Mohammed) has disrespected and attacked not only me – Umar Abdullah - but Allah and our Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessing be upon him) and by extension, Islam and all Muslims; by pulling my Islamic Turban (Amaamah) off my head in public, an incident which occurred on Friday 16th April 2010 on the compound of what used to be known as Lal’s Hardware - now Lal’s Plaza - situated 31 Store Bay Local Road, Bon Accord Tobago. On two other occasions he uttered the words “I don’t care about Muslims” and “I would eat pork in front yuh place and yuh can’t do meh nothing”.
The reason for the attack is that he and a woman who happens to be a grandmother (Omalla Ragbir) who owns and operates a business just next to Waajihatul Islaamiyyah (The Islamic Front - an Islamic organisation of which I am the head) has taken offence to us objecting to their negative influence on the youths in the area, the playing of derogatory music and the sale of alcohol.
Apart from our Islamic organisation being just next door, a lot of young children frequent the premises, and a day care centre and kindergarten operates across the road. After pulling off my Islamic Turban (Amaamah) this despicable creature shoved me and struck a blow at me, hitting me on my chest. Equally offensive was the fact that after doing what he had done, he had gone on to verbally abuse my wife. A report was made to the Crown Point Police who are conducting an investigation into the matter.
To all you God fearing people... the Turban is a very strong representation of the practices of the Prophet of Islam (Peace and Blessing be upon him) and as such is sacred to all us Muslims as it encompasses an integral part of our belief system, in that in whatever we follow our Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessing be upon him) we have obeyed Allah.
When al-Mu'tasim was the Caliph of Baghdad and the Romans invaded Malatya a woman was captured and her hijab torn from her head, she screamed “Wa Mu’atasimah” on being told of what was said by the woman, it is said that he had a cup of water and he left the cup immediately and commanded to deploy a massive army to retaliate against the Romans.
On January 30, 2008, a woman was arrested and charged with trying to rip the turban off a man's head in a Washington Street bar at the precinct, the woman admitted "touching" the turban, but told cops she was only joking and didn't mean anything by it, police said. The woman was charged with bias intimidation and harassment, a charge that - once convicted - can land her up to 18 months prison.
In Melbourne, Australia, on October 26, 2009, a 22-year-old man was punched and had his turban removed as he slept at a bus stop. The victim was asleep at a stop near Epping railway station in Cooper Street about 12.45 a.m. when a bus pulled into the depot. Five youths, believed to be between 17 and 19, approached him. Two of the five youths allegedly bashed the man, while their three companions are believed to have tried to stop the assault. Responding immediately, Australia assured New Delhi that the Indian students would be taken care of.
And recently an eleven year-old boy had his turban ripped off and stamped upon by a group of racist thugs on a Liverpool bus. Arjan Rhode was attacked moments after he got on the bus near Aigburth Road. He was tapped on the shoulder and his turban was suddenly pulled from his head. A group of around nine youths, aged around 18, passed the turban around while mocking the St Benedict's RC College pupil. They shouted a tirade of racist abuse at the terrified boy as they stamped on the turban on the floor. Police arrested a boy aged 17 on suspicion of a religiously aggravated public order offence.
What this unfortunate individual has done here is Trinidad and Tobago is totally unacceptable. We see this as an act repulsive as desecrating a place of worship. This atheist must be punished for his actions. We will be making every attempt to deliver justice in this matter and to have him apologize publicly for this malicious attack on our religious sanctity.
For Immediate Release:
17 April 2010
Umar Abdullah
Head of:
Waajihatul Islaamiyyah (The Islamic Front)
Tel: 1 (868) 787-0765/365-6253
Fax: 1 (868) 631-8597 (Please address to Umar Abdullah)
Email: waajihatulislaamiyyah@gmail.com
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