islam

Muhammad Hamaz has never met another Muslim in Batavia. He worships with a community in Rochester when he can. He said he wanted people in Batavia to know more about Islam, so he sat on a bench Wednesday on Main Street, between the U.S. Post Office and Tim Horton's, holding a sign that read, "I'm A Muslim. Ask Me About Islam."

At the time a reporter spoke with him, nobody up to that point in the day had stopped to ask him about Islam, he said.

"I want to teach others about Islam to the best of my ability and let others know that it is not a violent religion and that it is a religion of peace," Hamaz said.

A soft-spoken man, Hamaz said he converted to Islam on Oct. 14.

"Islam interested me because I never really believed that Jesus was God," Hamaz said. "I never really believed in the Trinity. So when it came down to Islam, well, Jesus was just a very beloved prophet. I was like, 'That makes more sense to me.' I always want to worship just God, not Jesus, because Jesus is just a guy, and, well, a very beloved guy. I just fell in love with Islam as I learned about it."

If anybody did stop and talk with him, he said his message was simple for his fellow Batavia residents: Islam teaches peace.

"I just want people to know that Islam is not a dangerous religion," Hamaz said. "After 911, so many people think that Islam is a religion of terrorism. It's really not. It's about love and peace and submitting to the will of God. And I want people to know that I am out here because I want other people to know exactly what I said and that Islam is not violence."

Press release:

"Shock and Alarm: What it was really like at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq?" is the title of a  book written by Hugh Iwanicki, former Batavian, son of attorney/judge Don and Corrine Iwanicki.

Hugh will be at the Holland Land Office Museum at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 7^th to review his book and talk about his experiences. He looks forward to meeting the people of our community and will be happy to sign books prior to and after his presentation.

This is open to everyone. There is no charge for the presentation, but donations are always welcome at the Museum. Call the museum for more information at 343-4727.

"Shock and Alarm" is a riveting behind-the-scenes exposé of daily life at the Baghdad Diplomatic Compound in 2009, providing an insightful look at the culture clash taking place between the Islamic world and the West. This is Hugh's personal story of the 11 months he served as a performance auditor for the Office of the Inspector General at the Embassy.

The book exposes the Islamist Agenda via firsthand accounts, which takes us through Hugh’s transformation from a liberal-spirited American to a man confronted by the harsh realities of the Middle East.

Hugh’s realization: From a Muslim perspective, the only way to truly “respect” Islam is to either convert to it or accept it as a superior religion by submitting to its political hegemony.