Lodging with Durban Muslims

CAIRO — Hospitable, gracious and humble people whose faith is largely stereotyped in media was the positive impressions U.S. students had after being hosted by Muslim families in the South African city of Durban.

"I spent the night with a Muslim family who have two daughters and sons," Leah Robin, a student at Whitworth University in Washington, told South Africa's Sunday Times on January 27.

"They have a beautiful home and were so gracious.. it was great to realize how down-to- earth they were and so open to answering our questions."

Over the past month, a number of Muslim families in Durban welcomed U.S. students and their lecturers from Whitworth University to stay overnight.

The Islamic Propagation Centre International (IPCI), a Durban-based organization dedicated to promote inter-faith understanding, approached local Muslims two months ago to host the students who are on a study tour in the country.

"This was a great opportunity for Durban families to spread the message of Islam and to create a better understanding of the faith," IPCI spokesman Mohamed Khan told the Times.

Tera Kious, who studies political science, was initially "apprehensive" about spending a night in the house of a Muslim family.

"We were a little nervous thinking about the stereotypes," she said. "But we felt accepted and welcome in their home."

* Eye-Opener

Impressed students said their stays were a real eye-opener.

Kious says the experience has changed many of the misconceptions she had developed from "hearing" and "reading" about Muslims.

"We've had a lot of negative images since 9/11 about Muslims," she said. "We don't have a great deal of exposure to Muslim culture, so there is ignorance and misunderstanding on our part."

Robin, the English and theology student, said the discussions with Muslims have changed her negative perspective about hijab and jihad in Islam, for instance.

"We talked about jihad and the significance of the headscarf. We talked a lot about the customs and traditions of Islam."

Yusuf Desai, a businessman and one of the host families, was shocked to know the slew of stereotypes his guests had about Islam.

"Many of them are under the impression that Muslims are anti-Jesus," he said.

Apart from their discussions, the American students visited one of Durban's mosques.

A recent survey by the Pew Research Center showed that the majority of Americans know very little about Islam.

About a third of those polled said what they have seen or read in the media has had the biggest influence on their views.

Desai hopes that the Durban enlightening stays would be echoed by Muslims worldwide.

"I think this a step forward in addressing Islamophobia," he says.

Source: IslamOnline.com