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COLUMBIA (WACH) -- The Islamic Center of Columbia has been in the Midlands since 1981.

It’s a place where many Muslims come to pray and worship.

Mutahhir Sabree is the center’s outreach coordinator.

“We want to be able to show that Muslims have a responsibility for the advancement of righteousness of goodness as other people,” Mutahhir Sabree, Islamic Center of Columbia.

So that is why the center will be hosting "Share Islam Day" Saturday April 14.          

“To get to know the Muslims and what Islam is all about. Certainly you can’t learn all that you need to know in a short period of time, but we'll share a meal with them we'll give them a free Quran, a translation of the Quran and a tour of the center,” saids Sabree.

Sabree says the word Muslim and Islam go hand in hand.

“Islam is the way of life. It means complete submission and surrender to the creator the one whom we call in the Arabic language Allah,” saids Sabree.

Sabree says so many times it's hard expressing his faith as a Muslim because so many people don't understand the religion.

“Islam is a way of life or faith that promotes terrorism, wanting acts of violence, which could not be further from the truth,” said Sabree.

Sabree says Muslims have also made great contributions to society and should be respected as well.

“We are here in America. Many of us are indigenous Muslims born and bred here in America, although there is a large immigrant Muslim community that even have obtained citizenship, so we are just as much a part of the fabric of America as other people,” said Sabree.

Share Islam Day is Saturday April 14 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Islamic Center of Columbia.

The center is located is at 1929 Gervais Street.