Endorsement of the Institute of Islamic Studies of McGill University as a reliable source of information about Islam

Author: Mohammed Azhar Ali Khan
Source: The Gazette (Montreal), June 26, 1967, p. 6

NOTE: This is a letter to the editor.

ORIGINAL TITLE: On the meaning of Allah

Sir, – I was flabbergasted to read a letter in your paper on June 19, under the heading, Meaning of Allah Misinterpreted. In it the writer asserts that “Allah in the flesh is (or was) Mahomet.” I do not know from which source the writer has come up with this theory. But as a Muslim – from Pakistan and not an Arab country – I do know that it is absurd, pernicious and malicious. All Muslims will tell you that the term “Allah” is used for God and that Mohammed is the name of the last prophet. Your correspondent has the right to be ignorant, or prejudiced. But he has no business misleading others by making statements about other religions that are totally baseless and wrong.

In much the same way, I was shocked to read the article, “Let’s Dine at Expo 67” by Mary Little in your issue of April 28. It began by asserting that the followers of “Mahomet” once asked him to prove his supernatural powers by commanding Mount Safa to come to him and “it didn’t move.”

In the first place, neither Mohammed, nor Jesus, nor Moses has anything to do with Expo or its dining facilities. For any writer to drag such figures to Expo only shows how little respect she has for the religious feelings of persons belonging to other faiths.

It also shows her ignorance. For if she reads any authentic book about Islam, she will realize that there is no evidence of Mohammed claiming supernatural powers, or his followers asking him to demonstrate such powers, or his asking mountains to move.

If these correspondents are so keen to write about Islam, they would do well to go the Islamic Studies Institute of McGill University first and learn something about that religion. It is unfair of them to write nonsense which can only mislead your readers and create ill will between Muslims and Christians and between Canada and Muslim Countries. That’s not the objective of Expo nor, I’m sure, of your paper.