Growing prejudice against Muslims
By @abcdmaior.com.br news
Misinformation about religion is pointed to by practitioners of Islam as the main cause of discrimination
It is not today that adherents of Islam face discrimination to follow their faith. Different looks, bad jokes and even physical attacks also on the list of intolerances that Muslims face for expressing their beliefs. But a few months here followers of Allah, including the chairman of the Ethics Committee of the National Union of Islamic Entities in Brazil, Sheikh Hassan Jihad Hammadeh, noticed the increase in cases of prejudice in ABCD. Disinformation is identified as a major cause of the problem.
"Despite being one of the religions with the most fans in the world, Islam in Brazil is still unknown," said Sheikh Jihad. But, the Muslim, the situation does not stop there and involves deeper issues. "There is an open war against the Muslim religion headed by some religious leaders and media outlets that deliberately create this prejudice," he said. Given this perspective, increased discrimination experienced by Muslims would be linked to this relationship. "If it was just misinformation, the strangeness of our clothing would not be a constant," he pointed out.
It is estimated that there are thousands of Muslim families living in ABCD. One of them, the broadcaster Diadema resident Leticia Rodrigues Cavalcante, 23, feels the skin prejudice, since he converted to the religion, in February 2010. "I've been the target of laughter and looks different because of the veil. Sometimes when I hear noise while also pump or am called a terrorist, "he declared. Despite never having suffered physical assaults, the broadcaster said known cases of women who had torn the veil in the street. "Ignorance generates intolerance," he said.
"When some sisters become, are often asked to retire from the company because of the use of the veil," said the coordinator of the Center for the Dissemination of Islam to Latin America, Ziad Ahmad Saifi.  
Who do not suffer prejudice are those work in an islamic company: For example,  the director of the Islamic College of St. Bernard, V.Hannis Lima, , has never suffered prejudice at work. But the researcher knows that the reality is different out of school. "There is no denying, the Muslim those need work,  involves strength in the labor market," said.
Police case - For Professor in the Department of Philosophy at USP (University of São Paulo) Vladimir Safatle Pinheiro, the fact that Muslims are discriminated against in the workplace is a police matter. "It is a very serious problem, should be reported to the guilty be punished," he said. Safatle believes that prejudice can be explained by the way Islam is presented in the press. "The image of the Muslim religion is associated with terrorism and opression,  and people just cashing in people nearby," he said.
Sheikh Jihad believes that women more often suffer prejudice because of the dress, which is easily identified. "In the case of man, discrimination only happens when it is using  the cap," he said. The Muslim also pointed out that, contrary to popular belief, Islam is not a religion composed only by Arabs. "We are open to anyone who wants to know us, visit us or to convert and make a commitment to the laws of the Kuran," he said.
For some woman, conversion to Islam was natural, based on a religious path. Some muslims say: "I went through some religions, all were valid, but I completed. In Islam found a complete system, where people are the same inside and outside the mosque, "he said. The daily commitment to religion does not prevent the broadcaster from having a normal life. "Work, study and have my rights guaranteed, but are not so...the prjudice come from every sides.
Women - Data UN (United Nations) reveal that 72% of converts to Islam are women. The USP professor who constantly reminds Islam is seen by society as an oppressive religion, but the fact should not be a justification to exclude. "If we were to question the position of women in other religions, we could observe that there are no women in Catholicism in hierarchical position. The practices of other religions are intolerant, "he argued.