To honor victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community started the Muslims for Life Campaign, a nationwide blood drive.
“The purpose behind launching the campaign was to honor the victims of 9/11 and to raise awareness about one basic teachings of Islam — that life is sacred,” said Naila Mubashir, a member of a women’s group associated with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
Mubashir helps organize local blood drives under the Muslims for Life Campaign.
“It provides me an opportunity to let others know that Islam is a religion of peace, it is a religion of loyalty and it is a religion of helping everyone irrespective of their backgrounds,” Mubashir said.
Mubashir said the campaign has posted ads on metros and subways and gone door-to-door to spread their message. She said it’s important to note that the actions of organizers aren’t politically motivated — it is a religious duty of Islam to love and be loyal the homeland they live in.
“We are trying to bring out some positive attention to Islam,” said Kamal Rahman, a graduate student at A&M and coordinator for the blood drive. “We believe that our religion was hijacked and the word ‘Islam’ has been misused to represent something else.”
Rahman said he draws inspiration from a Qur’an teaching that reads, “If anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all humanity.” He hopes to spread the positive view of his religion as well as the idea of living in harmony with others.
“At the end of the day, we all bleed maroon,” Rahman said.
Both Rahman and Mubashir said working with young adults’ views on Islam is important in order to change the way the world looks at Muslims.
Hassan Mahmood, electrical engineering senior and president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Student Association, noted the importance of getting his fellow students to participate.
“This campaign is an integral part of this university’s mission,” Mahmood said. “By dispelling misconceptions about Islam, our campus becomes a much more unified group. It helps to make our campus a model for how the ideal peaceful society would look in the outside world.”
Mahmood said Aggie blood saves lives and that students have a chance to step up for a good cause.
“By being part of our campaign people are not only donating their blood but also promoting peace and understanding between people of different backgrounds which will hopefully help to make the world a better place,” Mahmood said.
Mubashir said Muslims for Life is planning to gather at least 40 units of blood. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has collected 33,350 pints of blood nationally.
The blood drive will take place Thursday and Friday in the MSC.