Nation’s Oldest Muslim Group Decries Vicious Murders of African Americans
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA calls on the U.S. Government to protect the safety of every citizen and for urgent dialogue among faith leaders
On Memorial Day, a Minneapolis police officer brutally suffocated and murdered George Floyd while he was unarmed, handcuffed, and mercilessly pinned to the ground as three other officers looked on. This shocking event is just the latest in a long list of unspeakable cruelties committed against Black Americans, including a recent spate of targeted killings at the hands of law enforcement.
Our government bears a fundamental responsibility to ensure the safety and security of all citizens, while especially protecting the innocent and vulnerable. The trauma wrought by the senseless murders of Black Americans necessitates an urgent national conversation led by faith leaders about race and justice to prevent further division and discord.
For 100 years in America, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has championed absolute justice for every American regardless of race, ethnicity, culture or creed. The community is recognized for highlighting Islam’s anti-racist teachings and credited as providing the first multi-racial model for Islam in America. As a community that has endured persecution in some parts of the Muslim world, it recognizes that only through absolute justice can the nation achieve everlasting peace. These bedrock Islamic principles of equality and justice stand in complete harmony with America’s founding ideals.
“America’s independence was forged on the premise that we cannot be deaf to the voice of justice,” said Amjad Mahmood Khan, National Director for Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA. “In his final sermon, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) declared that no race is superior to another since God made the lives, property and honor of every human sacred. During this time of national crisis, we ask our government to live up to this timeless ideal.”
As always, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA supports non-violent and peaceful efforts at reform through a respectful collaboration with government and law enforcement. Consistent with true Islamic teachings, the Community urges our public officials to dispense justice for all communities, including African Americans, by working to end structures of racial discrimination against them.
