http://www.americanmuslims.info

Advertisement says national security depends on strength of families

(WASHINGTON, DC, 3/14/03) – Family values ​​in the American Muslim community will be the focus in the fifth installment of a national advertising campaign designed to foster greater understanding of Islam and to counter the rising tide of Islamophobic rhetoric in the United States. SEE: www.americanmuslims.info

CAIR launched the year-long “Islam in America” ​​campaign February 16 with an ad on the New York Times editorial page. The first four ads featured examples of ethnic diversity in the American Muslim community, a Muslim Girl Scout troop in California, a Muslim woman explaining why modest Islamic attire is both liberating and empowering, and a condemnation of religiously-motivated terrorism.

The text of the latest CAIR ad reads: “My name is Aminah Kapadia, and I’m a wife, a mom and a student. I’m studying for a Masters degree in education, and I volunteer at our children’s school, where I ‘m also active in the PTA. I was born in Philadelphia, to Puerto Rican parents, and have lived in the United States my entire life.

“My husband, Zubin, is from India, but has called America home for more than thirty years. He’s an attorney and former economic officer for the US Department of State. Now he spends his time running a consulting firm and coaching our sons’ T -ball and soccer teams.

“Like many Americans, my husband and I face the challenge of raising our children in an unpredictable world. That’s why the basic principles of our religion, like tolerance, justice and devotion to family, are a central part of our lives. As the Prophet Muhammad told us, ‘The best of you is he who is best to his family. None of you will have faith until he wants for his brother what he wishes for himself.’

“We believe the security of our nation is dependent upon the strength of our families, and Islam teaches us the values ​​that provide that strength.”