Al-Farooq Mosque on Fourth Avenue, in Nashville, south Tennessee, was vandalized on Wednesday 10 February 2010. The attack on the Tennessee mosque has prompted leaders of different faiths to join hands to fight religious and racial hatred in the south-eastern American state.
"As Jews, we have been subjected to similar attacks on our synagogues and communal institutions in Nashville over the years and can empathize with your anguish," Steve Edelstein, executive director of the Jewish Federation, writes in a letter to Muslim leaders and cited by The Tennessean on Saturday, 13 February 2010.
"As God's children, we must all speak out against intolerance, bigotry and the resulting violence." Christian leaders also expressed solidarity with Muslims, with Rev. James "Tex" Thomas of Jefferson Street Baptist Church planning to visit the mosque Saturday.
The attackers spray-painted "Muslim go home” and several crosses in red on the exterior of the Muslim worship place. An expletive and hate-filled letter was also left behind at the mosque's youth center stating that Islam is the enemy and that the religion is trying to destroy the US and Israel.
Police investigators are looking at the attack as a possible hate crime.
The incident was the first attack on the mosque, established in 2003.
In 2008, a mosque in Columbia, about 40 miles south of Nashville, was destroyed by an arson fire. The attacker was handed a 14-year prison sentence.
Ignorance
The attack has prompted Nashville Muslims to launch a discussion on religious tolerance to raise awareness about Islam. "We want people to understand what we believe," said Rashed Fakhruddin, board member at the Islamic Center on 12th Avenue South, the event organizer. The open house event will include a presentation on Muslim beliefs and an interfaith panel discussion.
Local faith leaders will also discuss the mosque vandalism and religious tolerance.
Leading among attendees will be Al-Farooq center spokesman Salaad Nur and Jewish community activist Rev. James Thomas. Fakhruddin said the mosque attack has re-energized local interfaith efforts. The attack also showed that violence against one faith hurts the entire community, he said.
A recent survey by the Pew Research Center showed that the majority of Americans know very little about Islam. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll also showed that more than half Americans already hold negative views about the faith. Though there are no official figures, America is believed to be home to nearly seven million Muslims.
Source:
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/S...News/NWELayout
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