Shakila Ahmad wants to make two things very clear. First, not all Muslim women are subjected to oppression and servitude, despite popular images in the media. And second, the Taliban don't represent all of Islam, a rich and diverse religion that spans the globe and claims 1.5 billion followers.

        Islam is the world's second-largest religion — Christianity is first — and one of the fastest-growing.

        Ms. Ahmad, a member of the board of trustees of the Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati and a resident of Evendale, has made it her mission to educate Cincinnati about Islam. Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, she's been busy. But she welcomes the questions: At least people are willing to learn, she says.

        Question: You and others have made the point repeatedly that it's important not to confuse cultural, religious and political agendas in talking about Islam. Can you explain that?

        Answer: The thing that we have to realize is that one out of five people across the globe are Muslim. Even in this country, we have so much diversity. If you look at the globe as a whole, those 1.5 billion people won't all look alike or talk alike or dress alike. Even if our religious beliefs are the same, our cultural heritage is rooted in different things.

        Q: What is the role of women in Islam?

        A: The role of women is, number one, to fulfill their obligations and be true to their faith, and that's the same for men and women. What distinguishes one as being better than the other is how God-conscious they are and how well they follow the teachings of Islam.

        You have to go and look at the cultural values of the society. Are the restrictions and rights of women based on tribal traditions or climate considerations? And then you compare those conditions to what Islam teaches.

        My number one role is to be a good mother. Does that exclude me from being the leader of a country? No, it does not, as we've seen in Pakistan and Indonesia.

        Q: What about education for women?

        A: One of the main things that we need to get across is the importance of education in Islam for women as well as men. Just because I don't choose to be in a profession, that doesn't mean that I should not be educated, that I should not be well-read. If I'm not, am I doing justice to my children in being able to handle the global society they live in? It is my responsibility to seek as much knowledge as I can in order to benefit myself, my kids, my family and my society.

        Q: Since the Sept. 11 attacks, there's been some backlash in the U.S., and here in Cincinnati, against Muslims and people of Arabic and Middle Eastern descent. Can you comment on that?

        A: It's just tragic and sad that out of fear and ignorance arise crimes that are based on nothing but hate and not accurate knowledge. I encourage people to ask tough questions, to learn as much as possible and make informed decisions. We really don't have that much in differences. It's just a matter of what you choose to focus on.

        Oct. 16 story about Shakila Ahmad and local Muslims

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