As-salamu Alaykum / Peace be upon you,
The horrific shootings in El Paso, TX and Dayton, OH yesterday left 29 innocent citizens dead and scores injured. Last Sunday, the tragic shooting in Gilroy, CA left 3 dead including a 6-year old child. Again, our hearts are broken by these senseless acts of mass violence. From preliminary reports, it appears that these attacks across the country were motivated by hate and supremacist ideologies. They were cold blooded murders by violent individuals who saw their co-citizens as inferior to themselves. The manifesto posted by the El Paso shooter is a hate-filled anti-immigrant document that includes support for the mosque shootings in New Zealand and describes a “Hispanic invasion” of Texas. This is the 251st mass shooting this year, and we are just in August. The sad reality is that we have yet to take any meaningful action to address this epidemic that is causing so much pain to citizens of our country.
MAPS and the American Muslim community have long condemned such acts of violence not only as transgressions against God but as antithetical to the American ideal. The shootings this week remind us that the combination of readily available assault weapons and racist and xenophobic views leave all of us unsafe – whether we sit in mosques, synagogues, churches, schools, malls, concerts or at a garlic festival. Reducing the easy access to assault weapons is the first step to reducing gun violence. Calling out and condemning hate speech, whether it be in the form of a racist tweet by the President or in the form of “send her back” chants at a presidential rally, are patriotic steps to safeguarding the lives of American citizens.
In an oft-quoted hadith (saying), Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) tells us, “Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.” Actions and activism precede thoughts and feelings in the eradication of evil. We must continue to stand against hate and do our part in building bridges with others who look different from us, and hold elected leaders accountable for their words and their inaction. It is critical that we strive for an America that values diversity, promotes peaceful co-existence and upholds safety for all. We at MAPS strive to do this in our work, and will continue to do our part.
These days are the holy days leading to the Hajj (spiritual pilgrimage), when Muslims from all around the world are making their way to the grand mosque in Mecca. The Hajj above all is a reaffirmation of the equality of humankind in the eyes of God. Dressed in the simplest of garbs eliminating all outward display of differences, Muslims of all colors, backgrounds and ages, worship shoulder to shoulder in unison during the Hajj. When Malcolm X was asked what impressed him most about the Hajj, he said “the brotherhood! The people from all races, colors, from all over the world, coming together as one! … All ate as one, and slept as one.” As we reflect on the events this past week, let us remember that the natural state of humankind is one that God teaches us through the rituals of the Hajj – a state of oneness where race and color carry no weight, a state of peace where sanctity of life is preeminently respected and a state of hope where good ultimately wins over evil. May we collectively achieve that kind of peace, harmony and unity at all times and in all places. Until then, we pray for the victims and families of violence anywhere and everywhere, and for the strength, courage and conviction for our country and elected officials to take long-overdue action to creating a safer country for all.
What We Can Do:
1. Donate to help survivors and families of victims. The El Paso Community Foundation is accepting donations here.
2. This article from the El Paso Times provides information about ways to support locally
3. There are reports that survivors are afraid to seek medical treatment because they worry about being targeted by immigration authorities. Organizations like Hope Border Institute (@HopeBorder) and NM Comunidades en Acción y de Fé (@OrganizeNM) are offering resources and organizing vigils.
4. Hashtag: #ElPasoStrong
Hyder Ali
MAPS President