Posted on 11/07/2009 10:21:56 AM PST by LA Woman3
KILLEEN — Sgt. Fahad Kamal attended prayer services at the Islamic Community of Greater Killeen on Friday just as he has frequently since arriving at Fort Hood seven months ago.
This day, though, the 26-year-old medic, who served in Afghanistan from January 2007 to April 2008, wore his uniform. This day, the devout Muslim from Houston was seeking to strike a far different image than that of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, who is accused of shooting 43 people at Fort Hood on Thursday.
Kamal said he had come to the mosque from a gloomy base, where "soldiers aren't really talking about the shootings because we're trying to move on."
He said his first reaction to the news of shootings was "angry embarrassment," and his concerns echoed those of others in the Central Texas Muslim community, who arrived at services in a somber mood.
"I hope people don't make themselves believe that religion has anything to do with what happened," Kamal said.
Kamal is one of about 40 members of Killeen's close-knit Muslim community. When he arrived to pray at the one-story red brick mosque just off Texas 195 on Fort Hood Street, he and dozens of others quietly dodged a crowd of reporters on the otherwise calm stretch of road.
The 40-minute prayer service included a moment of silence and a passionate condemnation of the shootings from Dr. Manzoor Farooqi, president of the mosque, who called the action a "shameless attack."
Farooqi, who has led the mosque for 12 years, said that he knew Hasan from Ramadan observances but that he had not known him very well.
"When I saw him on television, I thought, 'I can't believe he'd do such a stupid thing,' to be frank," Farooqi said.
"The shootings are devastating and tragic," said Danquah Osman, who is treasurer of the mosque and a liaison between the mosque and Fort Hood. Osman, who has lived in Killeen since 1976, said he served in the Army as a first sergeant for 22 years.
"We're supposed to care for each other in the military," Osman said. "Those victims could have been my sons."
Abdulkarim Hulwe, 45, a retired Army veteran who said he talked to Hasan frequently, said Hasan struck him as a devout but quiet Muslim who tended to go to work early and sometimes prayed at the mosque before work. He said he last saw Hasan at 6:15 a.m. Thursday.
"He just appeared to be an outstanding soldier. He ... always seemed to be on his best behavior," Hulwe said.
As Austin Imam Islam Mossaad said Thursday, when news of the shooting spread, Muslims in Central Texas all hoped that the gunman did not share their faith. But when members of Killeen's Islamic community learned that Hasan had been among them for prayers at Ramadan a couple of months ago, they said it deepened their anxiety that his actions could have a lasting effect on their peace-loving community.
"Islam promotes peace and equality, and violence has nothing to do with that," Kamal said. "I hope that people won't start stereotyping, since that's what people tend to do."
jsanders@statesman.com; 445-3630
Editor's Note: We have disabled commenting on this story because of repeated abuse of our commenting policy related to the Ft. Hood shooting.
Timothy McVeigh was a childhood Catholic. He left the faith and not for a moment would anyone have thought that he was driven by Catholic belief.
Why would Farooqi have any concerns in that department?
I'll answer that. It IS what that dastardly religion/ideology teaches. The only reason it isn't showing its true colors is because it isn't yet in full control!
Snippets are being revealed to us and this is an example!
“…hoped that the gunman did not share their faith…”
Islam is not a faith, it is a military and quasi-political movement that camouflages itself as a religion. Having the ultimate goal of subjugation and domination; that includes destruction of opposing social and Constitutional protections. The big lie, Islam is a religion of peace; empirical proof is contrary to stated philosophies. Furthermore, show me where in the world Islam is; and I will show you a dogma of oppression, a military movement and quasi-governmental structure masquerading as a religion.
Sura (5:33) - “The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His messenger and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement”
There are only a few types of people who tolerate or promote the filth of Islam, the ignorant, sneaks, cheats and liars. We can thank all such as Obama, a man-child born of corruption.
I wasn't sure which was more humorous, the part you mention above or this other quote:
>>>> "I hope people don't make themselves believe that religion has anything to do with what happened..." <<<<
Decisions, decisions... A or B?
“So, is this place Shiite, Sunni or Wahhabist? Funded in any way by SA? Iran? Hamas? Syria? Pakistan?”
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/understanding-fort-hood-nothing-sudden-about-sudden-jihad-syndrome/2/
“”Islam promotes peace and equality, and violence has nothing to do with that,” Kamal said.”
Taqqiya alert! Taqqiya alert!
I can tell you right now that if a non-muslim, white, Christian American guy, opened fire in a mosque, it would be considered not only a hate crime but a domestic terrorist attack.
And even the Fort Hood Imam knows this, and sits there like a toad, not saying a thing about it.
“”I hope people don’t make themselves believe that religion has anything to do with what happened,” Kamal said.”
Too late. I believe Islam has EVERYTHING to do with it.
Interesting.
Leni
Now, see, this is the problem w/ islam and moslems. This act WAS NOT a "stupid" thing, IT WAS AN EVIL DEED you moron. Tell your congregation that murder and killing of innocent people IS EVIL AND WICKED.
I have known this man for 10 years. He is one of the most kind an gentle men I’ve ever met. My family and many others care for and respect him. Military families included. He has gone above and beyond in his care for the children that come into his practice.
Probably all of the above but no fears as C-I-C is going to join them and I’m sure lead them over us nasty slave takers and bible toting gun owners who love our Constitution.
Bingo. When Christians warn Muslims their religion produces arrogant thinking, Muslims tend to simply equate Christianity as either a comparative religion or a religion of those without conviction to remain devout to God.
Arrogant people rarely ever recognize how their thinking is focused upon their own selves rather than others.
Instead of immediately thinking of the victims, they worry about negative consequences upon them selves. An obvious lack of direction of their faith in anything other than themselves. Arrogance, pure and simple.
Ammo Stamps for jihadis.
American Muslims say they are opposed to harming innocent people -- but in the end it's always about protecting American Muslims.
What about our military taking actions to stop future attacks? Wot? That'd be profiling? Oh I get it.
BTW, what does an American Muslim mean by "innocent people." Can't blame the few American Muslims who oppose the Islamists, they'd be risking their lives.
Call this stereotyping.. please!
OK, wouldn't "doing a stupid thing" mean hitting on one of the female soldiers he was processing? Is murdering a room full of people just a "stupid thing?"
I don't mean to spit on your opinion because I treasure it. I am just getting tired of islam. It is a cancer on the world, and all muslims, actively or tacitly, enable it. In fact, every time there is a "Pit-Bull Maims (fill in blank)" article, there are those who chime in that they have the greatest, most harmless pit bull, or neighbor pit bull, etc. In my opinion, with muslims, as with pit bulls, it is not a matter of whether, but of when.
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