American Islamic preacher Fadel Soliman said in an April 30, 2020 interview on Al-Jazeera Network (Qatar) that Islamophobia and the media have inadvertently done a great service to Islam by making it, in marketing terms, a recognizable "brand." He said that in the month after 9/11, as many as four people per day would convert to Islam at the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Washington, D.C. – where future Al-Qaeda leader Anwar Al-Awlaki had been the imam at the time – after seeing the "injustice" done to Islam by the media. In addition, he said that the merit of the coronavirus pandemic is that it has revealed the truth about the "religion" of humanism. Holding up and criticizing children's books titled Atheism for Kids and How to Live without a God, Soliman said that coronavirus has exposed the ignorance and feebleness of Man and shown how necessary a real God is. In addition, Soliman warned that the atheists will likely "raise their voice again" and claim credit for the coronavirus vaccine when it is found.
To view the clip of American Islamic preacher Fadel Soliman on MEMRI TV, click here or below.
"The Truth Is That Islamophobia Has Done A Great Service To Islam"
Fadel Soliman: "The truth is that Islamophobia has done a great service to Islam. It has done to Islam what is called 'branding' in the field of marketing. The word 'Islam' does not need much explanation anymore. The image of Islam needs to be corrected, but it has become something that is not unknown to people.
"I recall that in the mosque where I used to pray, the Dar Al-Hijrah Mosque in Washington, D.C., prior to 9/11, a new person would come in every week or two to convert to Islam. I recall that in the month that followed 9/11, we had one, two, three, or even four people converting to Islam every day. Every day! Obviously, the curve began to go down after a while. After 9/11, there was a jump [in the number of people converting to Islam], because there were people who would read about Islam, but were hesitant to convert. When these people saw the great injustice done to Islam in the media, they experienced a counterreaction. Sometimes the media inadvertently serves Islam."
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"There Is A New Religion Called 'Humanism'... In Which Man Is The God"
"It is good that [COVID-19] revealed to people the truth about humanism. I'm talking about humanism, not humanity. There is a new religion called 'humanism,' because you cannot attack humanity. There is a new religion. This, for example, is a children's book that teaches about humanism and how to live without a god. These are children's books. This is a book called Atheism for Kids. These are picture books for children. These notions are being promoted now. Humanism is a religion in which Man is God. The danger in this religion... It is not like atheism. Atheism is a nihilist notion and is therefore negative. It talks about there being no god, but it does not offer an alternative. Humanism, however, offers an alternative. It is a religion in which Man is the god. Man creates civilization and so on."
"The Coronavirus Crisis... Exposed The Ignorance Of Man And The Feebleness Of This New 'God'"
"The merit of the coronavirus crisis is that it exposed the ignorance of Man and the feebleness of this new 'god.' It has exposed the greed and selfishness of Man. It has exposed how much Man needs a real God.
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"However, the picture is not rosy either. I like to always expect bad scenarios. I believe that as soon as a vaccine or a cure is discovered in a few months – or in weeks, or in years, only God knows – the atheists will raise their voices once again, and they will say that they are the ones who found the cure. We should always be ready for this humanist discourse."
