Posted on 12/05/2015 6:00:52 AM PST by SSS Two
Friday prayers were about to begin at the Mercy Community Center in southwest Houston. Men and women, dressed in everything from suits to sweat pants, filed into the mosque after placing their shoes in bins lined up against the wall. They took their seats on the floor and waited for the sermon, or khutba, to begin.
Imam Wazir Ali knew his message to the faithful this Friday would need to offer guidance to a community struggling to come to terms with another atrocity committed by Muslims ostensibly in the name of their religion.
"If you stand up for justice, although it may not seem immediately that you're going to get it, know that God is on your side, that God will send you what's necessary to get the justice you're looking for," he said.
But earlier in the day, at a press conference, it was a wider audience Ali and other Muslim leaders sought to address - an increasingly anti-Islam audience stirred up by Wednesday's massacre in San Bernardino and the recent attacks in Paris.
'Affront to humanity'
While Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik, the alleged perpetrators of one of the worst mass killings in the U.S. in recent memory, "sported Muslim names," said MJ Khan, the president of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston, "they didn't reflect true Muslim values."
It was a sentiment expressed across the nation Friday as Muslims gathered for prayers with the massacre in San Bernardino on their minds, and their hearts heavy because, yet again, they felt compelled to remind the world theirs is a peaceful faith and does not condone the slaughter of innocents.
"The Quran says if someone takes a life, it's as if he's killed all of mankind," Ali said at Friday's press conference. He stressed the importance of recognizing the common bond of humanity, beyond the distinctions of religion.
"I'm a human being that happens to be an Islamic leader. This is a direct affront to my humanity."
Within hours of the San Bernardino killings it emerged that the suspects were Muslims. Community leaders in California, perhaps prompted by the increasingly anti-Islam sentiment in America, immediately held a press conference to condemn their actions.
According to a recent poll, 56 percent of Americans believe that the values of Islam are at odds with U.S. values. Hate incidents against Muslims rose 14 percent in 2014, according to recently released FBI statistics, which charted a decline in similar cases against other groups, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Differing standards
Investigators have not ascribed a motive in the attack but said Friday that Malik, using a pseudonym, had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State on a Facebook post shortly before. Even so, politicians and others have not shied away from linking the attack to Islamic extremism.
Both Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Donald Trump, who are seeking the Republican nomination for president, linked the incident to radical Islamic terrorism, the former in a tweet and the latter in a speech after the attack, the Times reported.
In Houston, Mustafaa Caroll, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Texas, pointed out that the plague of mass shootings in America in recent years has been committed by people of all backgrounds. But, he said, when a Muslim is the perpetrator, it reflects on the Muslim community in a negative way.
"No one says, 'let's round up all the young white men, ask them to carry ID,' " he said. "People aren't going to those persons' churches to find out what the preacher is saying to them. When a Muslim does it, or a minority does it, the community bears the brunt."
Finding ways to engage
At the Mercy Community Center mosque, Sacha Simmons, 38, didn't need to hear from her imam that her faith was a peaceful faith. She went to the mosque because she needed comfort, solace, prayer.
An oncology massage therapist, she had a full morning seeing cancer patients at her southwest Houston office, and she was saddened by what happened in San Bernardino and how it reflected negatively on her faith.
"I needed to break the bombardment of conversation circling our religion," she said. "I was trying to find some sense of solace, so I could continue doing the wonderful things I do and show people the beauty of our faith. I'm unapologetically Muslim. Proud to be American and proud to be Muslim."
Idriss Bada, 32, stood outside the Mercy Community Center following Friday prayer, chatting with two friends.
He didn't appreciate his faith being linked to Wednesday's massacre, he said.
But the misconceptions that surround Islam have led him to know it better so he better defend his religion to others.
"I make sure I have quotes from my book, and I do research, because not all will have the same knowledge," he said.
Carroll agrees open dialogue can make a difference, and to that end he meets with other interfaith leaders focused on achieving results.
"Now we're talking about what we can substantively do as faith-based organizations, to deal with real issues," he said. "We're not just saying love, peace and happiness. It's about influencing politics, finding underlying reasons for people doing things they're doing."
For her part, Simmons finds ways to engage with people. Even conversations that start out heated can quickly cool down, once people start to find commonalities.
"I hope people will take the opportunity to have a conversation and engage, find out for themselves," she said. "Rather than allow themselves to be fearful and caged."
If this was true, you Muslims would have done something about the so-called extremists in your religion.
But, you haven't.
Therefore you are in agreement with them
Thus, you are an affront to my humanity.
>>”I make sure I have quotes from my book, and I do research, because not all will have the same knowledge,” he said.
Cherry-picked proof texts. The Jehovah’s Witnesses on my doorstep use the same tactic. Many of us read the parts of your book that you don’t want us to see. We do research too.
They held a press conference to complain about anti-Muslim sentiment that couldn’t possibly have reached them yet. Why weren’t they out on the streets en masse parading in an endless throng of condemnation against Jihadism. Where was that? You’ll NEVER see it.
and does not condone the slaughter of innocents.
I am still waiting to see that "beauty" and those"wonderful things that you do".
I have been waiting for 14 years.
Time's up.
There is no good muslim, their religion that they are following calls for you death or enslavement over and over.
‘would be better to have them pray in the Middle East vs. prey here.
Liars.
Not American in any meaningful way.
Politically most vote Democrat, because they know the Democrats are destroying the nation.
If there was a Nazi party, they would support that.
Liars.
“No one says, ‘let’s round up all the young white men, ask them to carry ID,” he said.
— We already carry IDs.
“People aren’t going to those persons’ churches to find out what the preacher is saying to them.”
— The mayor of Houston demands advance copies of the sermons.
“When a Muslim does it, or a minority does it, the community bears the brunt.”
— White, Christian males get excoriated all the time, but somehow we survive.
Hubby said they were saddened becuse not enough people died and all those extra bombs and ammo were taken by the cops and FBI.
Well, there is alway De Nile, so close to mecca.
“If you stand up for justice, although it may not seem immediately that you’re going to get it, know that God is on your side, that God will send you what’s necessary to get the justice you’re looking for,” he said....
What the @#$@#$ does that mean? Is that some kind of en cryptic apology? Go @#$@#$ yourself.
They all sound mad. I didn’t read the word SORRY or APOLOGIZE once.
poor them. They are being picked on.
When a white man does it blah blah blah.
When a bunch of white guys start yelling “JESUS IS GREAT” and then shoot 20 people, I will start to get concerned about the effect Christianity is having on mass murders.
Till then, not so much.
This country is going to explode.
And yes, loretta, go @#$@#$ yourself. And jarrett too.
I’m 47. Been through hell and back in life as i’m sure some of you have. I’m not scared of them. They can’t do anything that compares to the worst i’ve been through..
I’m the WRONG American to pick on.
@#$@#$ you obama and jarrett and loretta. I think muslims are for the most part pieces of @#$@#$. Is that clear enough?!?!
Since CAIR is mentioned I’m curious.
Is there a CAHR or a CABR,organizations to cement Hindu and Buddhist relations with America?
I doubt that there is and that ought to tell you something right there.
Islam is trouble. Period.
.
.
“If you stand up for justice, although it may not seem immediately that you’re going to get it, know that God is on your side, that God will send you what’s necessary to get the justice you’re looking for,” he said.
Justice sounds good until you think about it. They can spiN it but order and justice are first in their thinking and it does dot mean what our tickling ears think it is. IT MEANS ORDER AND IT MEANS THIER ORDER.
The Meaning of Justice
In the Islamic worldview, justice denotes placing things in their rightful place.
http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/376/justice-in-islam
Why don’t they atone for their religion? Why don’t they seek out non-Muslims and apologize for the violence committed in the name of their religion? Why do they only whine that they are being misunderstood? Are they so lacking in humanity that they cannot reach out to the American people?
I guess I answered my own question.
NO NO they are saddened by the paucity of deaths ... next time ...
Very clever and true!
So sad they won’t speak out about it
Yeah..they’re sad about it alright..sad because they were only able to kill 14 infidels..the higher the body count, the bigger the celebration, (Twin Towers).
There are monsters among us.
More’s the pity they can’t be exported.
They should be out in front of the Saudi funded institutions demanding change.
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