This weekend, Malden, Massachusetts hosted the second annual New England Muslim Festival, a day of fun and food celebrating Muslim cultures. In addition to providing an afternoon of fun for the local community, the festival also aims at breaking down stereotypes about Muslims and building bridges of friendship with interfaith neighbors by showing that Muslims are no different than anyone else. According to the event organizer, “There is an educational purpose for people to come and explore Muslim cultures, to see that we have fun just like everyone else… We eat, we party just like everyone else.”
Interfaith in Trying Times
Read this engaging reflection on fostering enduring Muslim/Jewish interfaith alliances at this time of heightened bigotry for both religious communities.
Interfaith March for Unity
This past Sunday, around 1,000 people of all faiths and denominations came together for Unity Walk 2017 in Washington, DC, gathering to promote interfaith solidarity and inclusiveness. As one organizer said, “We want to model that people do care about each other and want to learn about each other.”
Cordoba House Mourns America’s Fallen on September 11th
Cordoba House joins Americans of all faiths in offering our prayers to all those who lost their loved ones in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. This crime, motivated by extremists, which took 3,000 American lives, was an arrow that struck at the heart of Islam’s core value of preserving human life.
Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) reaffirms this in a written tradition that states the following: “the Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the people are safe, and the believer is the one people trust with their lives and wealth.” This teaches us that part of being a Muslim means that our fellow countrymen should be able to trust a Muslim to safeguard their lives and personal property.
In following our Prophet, we affirm our commitment to this profound verse by stating that all human life, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, or religious affiliation, is safe in our hands. As America’s voice of moderate Islam, we stand here calling not only Muslims, but all humanity, to stand with the forces of moderation to fight violent extremism in all its forms and on all fronts.
Our deep condolences and prayers go out to the families and friends of all those who lost their lives in these attacks, as we share their pain and ask God to protect all of us from harm.
With Warm Salaams,
Naz Ahmed Georgas,
Executive Director
Houston’s Muslims Are Volunteering in the Aftermath of Hurricane Harvey
In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, which devastated Houston and surrounding areas, local Muslims are stepping up and volunteering to help those most badly impacted by the storm, including many who lost their homes. According to one Houston resident, who has taken shelter at a local mosque, “Muslims are just like any other type of person. They’re caring, loving, giving people… I feel very fortunate that they were open and willing to come and have this space.”
