KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The violence across regions of northern Africa has hit close to home for one metro educator and native of Egypt.
Professor Mohamed Kohia, who has been an educator at Rockhurst University since 2005 and a U.S. resident for 20 years, says that as a Muslim, he is disgusted by the violence that has swept the region in recent weeks, and that culminated earlier this week with an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya, killing four Americans including Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens.
“The practice of Islam prohibits killing at all. It’s been mentioned in the Koran. It’s been emphasized again and again,” said Professor Kohia, who says that no true Muslim would engage in violence, including the attacks on American embassies in Libya and Egypt. “The person who did this, regardless of who he is, did it out of his beliefs or his faith. He must be outraged for some reason.”
But Professor Kohia says that respect is a two-way street. He says that the controversial YouTube clip ridiculing the prophet Mohammed that some believe started the protests against Americans in the region has been harmful to everyone.
“People of faith respect each other. I don’t think they mean to offend each other. People who want to disturb this relationship are the ones benefitting from this. I don’t believe they will succeed,” said Professor Kohia.
