Caribbean Muslims Communication Options

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Caribbean MuslimsCommunication Options

• Caribbean Muslim Forum
• March 2005
• Trinidad
• Mirza Ali-Mohammed

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From the Quran

• Allah Most Gracious! It is He Who has taught
  the Quran. He has created man He has taught
  him speech and art of communication.
• Surah Rahman vs 1- 4

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Outline

• Communications Revolution
• Attempts of Caribbean Muslims at communicating
• Communication options
• Islamophobia
• Addressing Islamophobia in a proactive way.

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Categories of Communication

• INTRAPERSONAL
• INTERPERSONAL
• MASS

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Communication Revolution

• A Mass communications revolution has been taking
  place.
• Exponential increase of magazines, periodicals
  etc.
• As technology evolves with every passing hour, so
  does the pace of this incredible information
  frenzy.
• No aspect of our lives is left untouched.

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Mass media explosion

• No aspect of our lives is left untouched by this
  mass media explosion. How we perceive
  ourselves, our reality, and the world we live in
  is arguably moulded and shaped for us by the
  media. Our fears and dreams, our sense of the
  acceptable and the unacceptable and our tastes
  in art, food and fashion are dictated to us daily
  by what we read, hear and see. Indeed, mass
  media may soon replace traditional institutions
  such as family, church and school as the primary
  source of socialization for the young. (Rosengren
  Reimer 1986).

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Scholars words
Eminent scholar sheikh Abdullah bin Jubrain  For
Islamic scholars, the setting up of Islamic
channels is not only a desire but also they
suggest this as very important and essential. The
invitation towards Allah is necessary and to
those people who arent reachable could get this
invitation only through the mass media like
Internet and media channels. The non-believers
are using the mass media for spreading the wrong
belief. Therefore, we say that the duty of Dawah
is not fulfilled until this Media has been
properly utilized.
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Results of Poor Communication

• It is estimated that 70 90 of all
  organisational problems are due to poor
  communication skills.
• This leads to misunderstanding, conflict and
  eventual organisation collapse.

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Groups and Communication

• With increasing development in communication
  technologies, the world has become a literal
  global village.
• Attempts at forming Caribbean groups include
• West Indies Federation
• Caribbean Basin Initiative
• CARICOM

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New Developments

• Caribbean Single market and Economy (CSME).
• Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)
• Objective purely economic.

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Muslim Attempts

• WAMY
• IIFSO
• RABITA
• CIS
• AICCLA

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Instruments

• Conferences
• Training workshops
• Imams Course
• Leadership Development Seminars
• Magazines / Newsletters

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Magazines

• The Muslim Standard Islamic Trust
• The Torch - IMG
• AICCLA News AICCLA
• The Caribbean Muslim Standard Islamic
  Investments Ltd.

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Options now

• Magazine quarterly. For sharing information,
  experiences between communities.
• E Mails
• ENewsletter
• Caribbean Secretariat
• Inter Island marriages

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Islamophobia

• This is an international problem.
• The medias accessible audiences believe that the
  news is authoritative, immediate, realistic and
  authentic.
• It is an indiscriminate prejudice that tarnishes
  every Muslim irrespective of social, ethnic or
  cultural orientation.
• UN Seminar on Dec. 7 2004 on Confronting
  Islamophobia

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Preparing ourselves

• Training workshops in the art of mastering media
  relations.
• Prepare a manual for Caribbean Muslims on how to
  address the issues in the media.

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Sessions / Topics

• Media Relations Communicating with the media.
• Understanding the reporters perspective.
• The local Muslim Association Fact Sheet.
• How to write a news release.
• The fine art of news writing.
• Tips for dealing with reporters.

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Sessions / Topics

• Media specific interview guidelines / techniques.
• Handling difficult questions.
• Tips on news conferences.
• Preparing sample responses.
• Being media proactive.

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THANK YOU