Tarek Fatah, a Toronto Sun columnist and founder of the Muslim Canadian Congress, complained about the mural to Councillor Paula Fletcher, sparking the review by city officials.
Pennachetti wrote to Fatah on Friday, saying that the city’s office of Equity, Diversity and Human Rights was involved in the review and that the mural’s creator and Islamic law expert Anver Emon, a professor at University of Toronto, were consulted.
“We are satisfied with the responses that have been provided during our preliminary inquiries into your concerns and do not believe that the mural is contrary to City policy or Canadian law,” writes Pennachetti.
“There are various ways by which to determine what these words mean,” wrote Emon in his assessment of the mural. “Can they be made to valorize militancy? Sure. Can they be a source of comfort for people suffering economic hardship as they struggle to feed their children? Sure.”
City of Toronto spokesman Jackie DeSouza said it was all about the interpretation of art.
“I think the people in the community, many of them were Muslim … nobody expressed concerns about the mural,” said DeSouza, suggesting that complainants could take the issue to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
Fatah points to the Tafsir Ibn Kthir, a commentary on the Qur’an that states the passage means “if you fight in Allah’s cause and support his religion, he will grant you victory.”
Fatah, who said the slogan is sometimes inscribed on weapons, calls the defense of the mural a smokescreen.
“This is not art at all,” insisted Fatah, adding nobody from the city consulted him or other moderate Muslims about the mural’s message. “If they are so confident that they are right, then why is there reluctance to meet with us?”
FULL ARTICLE ON TORONTOSUN.COM
