Statement Of American Muslim Imams And Community Leaders On Holocaust Denial & anti-Semitism

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Statement Of American Muslim Imams And Community Leaders On Holocaust Denial & ati-Semitism


“O you who believe, stand up firmly for justice as witnesses to Almighty God.” (Holy Qu’ran, al-Nisa “The Women” 4:135)

On August 7-11, 2010, we the undersigned Muslim American faith and community leaders visited Dachau and Auschwitz concentration camps where we witnessed firsthand the historical injustice of the Holocaust.

We met survivors who, several decades later, vividly and bravely shared their horrific experience of discrimination, suffering, and loss. We saw the many chilling places where men, women and children were systematically and brutally murdered by the millions because of their faith, race, disability and political affiliation.

In Islam, the destruction of one innocent life is like the destruction of the whole of humanity and the saving of one life is like the saving of the whole of humanity (Holy Qu’ran, al-Ma’idah"the Tablespread” 5:32). While entire communities perished by the many millions, we know that righteous Muslims from Bosnia, Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco, and Albania saved many Jews from brutal repression, torture and senseless destruction.

We bear witness to the absolute horror and tragedy of the Holocaust where over twelve million human souls perished, including six million Jews.

We condemn any attempts to deny this historical reality and declare such denials or any justification of this tragedy as against the Islamic code of ethics.

We condemn anti-Semitism in any form. No creation of Almighty God should face discrimination based on his or her faith or religious conviction.

We stand united as Muslim American faith and community leaders and recognize that we have a shared responsibility to continue to work together with leaders of all faiths and their communities to fight the dehumanization of all peoples based on their religion, race or ethnicity. With the disturbing rise of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hatred, rhetoric and bigotry, now more than ever, people of faith must stand together for truth.

Together, we pledge to make real the commitment of “never again” and to stand united against injustice wherever it may be found in the world today.

•Imam Muzammil Siddiqi, Islamic Society of Orange County, CA and chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America
•Imam Mihamad Magid, All-Dulles-Area Muslim Society; President Elect, Islamic Society of North America, Washington, D.C.
•Imam Suhaib Webb, Muslim Community Association, Santa Clara, CA
•Ms. Laila Muhammad, daughter of the late Imam W.D. Muhammad of Chicago, IL
•Shaikh Yasir Qadhi, Dean of Academics for the Al Maghrib Institute, New Haven, CT
•Imam Syed Naqvi, Director of the Islamic Information Center in Washington, D.C.
•Imam Abdullah T. Antepli, Muslim Chaplain, Duke University
•Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed, Director, Interfaith & Community Alliances, Islamic Society of North America


SEE ALSO:

AAI Condemns Iranian President’s Holocaust Denial Gathering http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/aai_condemns_iranian_presidents_holocaust_denial_gathering/
 
American Muslim Delegation Visits U.S. Holocaust Museum, MPAC http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/american_muslim_delegation_visits_us_holocaust_museum/

American Muslim Leaders Visit Nazi Concentration Camps, Vanessa Gomez Brake http://illumemagazine.com/zine/articleDetail.php?American-Muslim-Leaders-Visit-Nazi-Concentration-Camps-13248
 
The Disgrace of Holocaust Denial, Hasan Zillur Rahim http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/the_disgrace_of_holocaust_denial/

Holocaust Denial Undermines Islam, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/holocaust_denial_undermines_islam/

Muslims Who Fought Against the ‘Real’ Fascists, Sheila Musaji (with article collection)  http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/muslims_who_fought_against_the_real_fascists/

True Muslims Must Never Deny the European Holocaust, Ibrahim Ramey http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/true_muslims_must_never_deny_the_european_holocaust/

 
Note:  the photo above is from Illume Magazine and shows the Muslim delegates engaged in afternoon prayers in front of the main monument at Dachau Concentration Camp.

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