‘Offensive’ Billboard Sparks Outrage Among Local Muslim Residents In Indianapolis

A blatantly racist billboard situated on a major Indianapolis highway had been under fire for insulting one the Islam’s most revered figures, the Prophet Mohammed after posting the sign with the words  “The Perfect Man” and adding words such as “slave owner & dealer” and someone who “tortured & killed unbelievers” in the sign.

This had sparked worry and outrage from fellow local Muslim leaders and organizations, as this anti-Muslim ad had also just been one of the many Islamophobic demonstrations shown thoughout the state.

Rima Shahid, the executive director of the Muslim Alliance of Indiana, responded: “These are completely false statements,” and added: “I’d really like people to read about the seven points that are mentioned on the billboard because you’ll find that none of them are true.”

Albeit having no name of any group or website added to the sign, the billboard ends with the words “Educate Truthophobes,” where  the search results produce several anti-Muslim websites.

Shahid said: “It’s a cowardly act because they didn’t put a name on the billboard even though they must have gone through a lot of effort and resources to put it up.”

“As a Muslim Hoosier, I am outraged and shocked that this would go up in our city,” Shahid said. “This is the first time hate speech like this has appeared. We didn’t think these type of beliefs existed in Indianapolis and now it’s in the heart of the city.”

Albeit the general population on Muslims in the state is just about 3 percent, she adds that the negativity shown in the billboard represents only a “small faction of a fringe group.”

Ali Khan, a resident from Indianapolis, admits the sign makes him “sick” to see it.

“You feel under attack when you see something like that, it’s just so hateful to spread vicious lies about a religion,” he said. “If someone is confused or has a problem with Islam, why not just talk to a Muslim before paying for a billboard?”

Shadid hopes for a better relationship between American-Islamic Relations despite the rising tensions towards religious hate in America.

Sources: WDRB / Photo Credit: Samer Ismael