Oklahoma Muslim Group Reacts to Paris Attacks
"We are revolted by the heinous and despicable attack on civilian populations and our response to ISIS should be swift, should be methodical and should be principled," CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad said in Washington, DC, on Saturday.
The Council on American Islamic Relations echoed the same sentiment.
"ISIL are anti-Islam, they are anti-human, and they are anti-life," CAIR Board Director Saad Mohammed said, adding that they do not represent Islam.
The message is clear, a sweeping generalization about the Islamic faith should never be made because of the actions of some.
Mohammed has been a Muslim for the last two decades and says the faith has never been about the destruction of mankind.
"Islam does not teach murder and violence occupation or the taking of human life," Mohammed said. "The Holy Quran teaches us that if you kill one person it is as if you kill all mankind."
September 11th may have happened more than a decade ago but many Muslims still talk about the intense hatred of their faith that followed.
Today many Muslims want to make sure their neighbors know where they stand.
"They aren't Islamic. Let's not call them jihads. They have nothing to do with jihad. Jihad is a legitimate self-defense in Islam. Let's not give them these legitimizing titles. They are brutal killers, they have no legitimacy," Awad said.
Mohammed knows the days ahead will be the toughest for the families that lost loved ones but says in the meantime all organizations like CAIR can do is continue to remain transparent and open to the public.
"They shouldn't paint us all with the same brush not everyone of the same race, culture or religion do and believe in the exact same way," Mohammed said.
Source: okcfox
