When mainstream international media was reporting on how mosques across Texas have welcomed the victims of Hurricane Harvery few days ago, some anti-Islam websites started spreading fake news stories falsely using picture of a Toronto-based imam and name of a fake mosque.
In a story widely shared on social media, published by such fake new sites with the picture of an Imam at Davis Islamic Center, Ammar Shahin, claimed that “Ramashan Mosque outside Houston” is denying providing shelter to non-Muslims, besides quoting Hindy as saying, “the Qur’an forbids Muslims from helping infidels”.
According to Hoax Alert, the fake claim originated on The Last Line of Defense, a website known for publishing fake news and political satire.
A social media user shared the story with the pictures of Shahin, who has no link with the mosque that even does not exist.
Exposing the truth behind the fake claims, an activist and writer named Imraan Siddiqi tweeted regarding the news story said: “Bigots make up fake TX (Texaz) mosque claiming they refused to shelter non-Muslims”.
Referring another story that people stormed a mosque after getting refused, Siddiqi said that Ramashan Mosque doesn’t exist in the US state.
Bigots make up fake TX mosque claiming they refused to shelter non-Muslims
*Not only that, in a separate story, ppl stormed the *fake mosque pic.twitter.com/vmWlEff8hk— Imraan Siddiqi (@imraansiddiqi) September 2, 2017
Ibrahim Hindy, who is imam of the Dar Al-Tawheed Islamic Centre in Mississauga in Toronto, also shocked after learning about the story using his picture with false claims that Hindy refused help to flood victims.
On Saturday, Hindy took to Twitter stating that he is in Makkah to perform Hajj and “I’ve never even been to Texas before”.
That’s me in the picture. I’ve never even been to Texas before. https://t.co/jIPfeALckc
— Ibrahim Hindy (@Hindy500) September 2, 2017\
On his Facebook account, he posted his comments rejecting the fake story.
It is notable that, Hindy received death threats for supporting Muslim prayer in schools within the Peel District School Board in April.
The devastating hurricane hit the state a week ago and claimed at least 47 lives. About 43,000 people are living in shelters.
