He intends to distribute tens of thousands of English language copies of the Holy Qur’an with the support of Muslim philanthropists. “A copy of the Qur’an will cost only $1.25 if we print it in large numbers,” said Suhail Kapoor.
The move comes after a nondenominational church in Gainesville, Florida, announced plans to host an “International Burn a Qur’an Day” to mark the 9/11 attacks.
“Ours is a proactive move and we hope it will have a positive response. Many people turn against Islam because of their ignorance about this divine religion. If they get a chance to read the Qur’an, which is a miracle from God, it will definitely change their mind,” Kapoor told Arab News.
Kapoor, who has been engaged in the propagation of Islam ever since he embraced the religion in 1990 while working in Saudi Arabia, spoke about the mesmeric power of the Qur’an in winning the hearts of people.
“You know, it was the Qur’an that changed the mind of Omar bin Khattab (the second Caliph) who, before coming to the fold of Islam, had pledged to kill the Prophet (peace be upon him). I know that thousands of people are still accepting Islam after reading this holy book,” he explained. He has already distributed thousands of copies during the last 10 years.
He denounced the Gainesville church’s campaign to burn the Qur’an. “I am sure these smear campaigns would only encourage more people to learn about Islam and its holy book.”
Born a Hindu, Kapoor himself embraced Islam after reading a translation of the Qur’an given by one of his friends in Saudi Arabia 20 years ago.
“I accepted Islam after I found that it gives convincing answers to all my questions related to the purpose of life. In Islam one can get forgiveness without the mediation of a priest. One can ask for forgiveness directly to God and there is no need of penance.”
Kapoor wants to take the message of Islam to policymakers in North America in order to change their attitude toward Islam and Muslims. He believed the renaissance of Islam would come from the West, with hundreds of people embracing the religion every day.
“According to a survey conducted by a non-profit organization, 150,000 to 200,000 people embrace Islam in North America every year and about 200,000 in Europe,” he said.
Kapoor emphasized the need for interaction between Muslim and non-Muslim communities in Western societies and solving common problems.
“I am happy to know that lots of efforts are taking place in this direction. This will certainly contribute to rebuilding the image of Islam and Muslims,” he said.
“For example, every autumn we Muslims participate in a cleaning campaign in Greater Toronto with the support of municipalities. A large number of Muslim women wearing hijab take part in the program.”
Kapoor is the author of a book called “Islam: Balancing life and beyond,” which presents the basic teachings of Islam in a simple way and highlights the commonalities of the three Abrahamic religions — Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
According to him, the 72-page book was well received by readers in the West and it encouraged many of them to embrace Islam. The director of the Central Mosque in London has asked his permission to reprint the book. He has printed 210,000 copies of the book with the support of Muslim donors.
Kapoor is now a full-time daee (propagator of Islam) in Canada and his activities are centered in Mississauga, 24 km north of Toronto. He distributes his book in the street and gives Islamic lectures at churches and Catholic high schools.
“There are a lot of misconceptions about Islam in the minds of Western people and I am trying my best to remove them.” He spoke about the Western media’s deliberate attempt to discredit Islam and link it with terrorism. He also censured the move by some Western governments to ban hijab.
“They don’t have any problem if a woman walks in the street almost half naked but they have a problem if a woman wears a moderate dress. This is sheer absurdity. Where is the freedom and where are the human rights?” he asked and criticized the double standards of Western governments.
He urged Muslims to represent Islam in the best manner. “The commitment and passion a Muslim revert has is lacking in born Muslims,” he pointed out. “It’s the sense of understanding and sense of value that makes it different.”
He admired newly converted women in the West who follow Islamic teachings with a high degree of commitment. “It’s absolutely phenomenal.”
