MFC Stands in Solidarity with Our Black American Brothers and Sisters

Assalaamu alaikum,

Indeed our country is hurting right now, as once again, light has been shed on the injustices faced by the Black community. The Muslim Family Center extends our sincere condolences and prayers to the families and friends of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Yasin Mohamed, and countless other Black Americans who have fallen victim to the systemic injustices of our criminal justice institutions and other facets of society.

MFC does not claim to have an immediate answer to a problem that has vexed this country since its founding. We would like to note that as an organization we are trying to take spiritual and strategic guidance in our approach to solidarity in these times from our Muslim Black American religious leaders, both on a local and national level. By listening to them and taking action, we hope to serve the cause by centering the voices of those most knowledgeable.

We also acknowledge that the stench of racism may manifest itself within our very own Muslim communities and institutions. Our beloved Prophet, peace and blessings upon him, condemned racism by saying, “Leave it, because certainly it is filthy.” In order to rid our communities of racism, we understand that we have to approach this issue as a marathon, not a sprint. We are actively exploring different long-term strategies to combat racism in our community including spiritual training of our hearts, partnerships with sister-communities, and re-examining our institutional commitments to inclusivity at different levels.

We also have a collective responsibility as American Muslim citizens to work toward a better society and stand up for justice. The Messenger of Allah (s) said to help your brother whether he is an oppressor or oppressed. A man inquired, “O Messenger of Allah, I help him when he is oppressed, but how can I help him when he is an oppressor?” The Prophet replied, “You can keep him from committing oppression. That will be your help to him.”

This is a time for us to better educate ourselves, and amplify the voices of those who have been silenced for too long. We commit to long-term solutions that dismantle anti-Blackness within our communities that are included in the letter linked below that was signed on by MFC and other masajid in Maryland. Among those points, outlined in more detail in the link, are to listen to the voices of the Black community, educate ourselves through the available resources, speak out when we hear negative narratives, and educate our community.

MFC is committed to uphold the core values we operate under by elevating the voices of our Black brothers and sisters in our community. They will always be first class members of MFC and are critical in making up who we are - an inclusive community, living Islam together. We pray that Allah always allows us to be those who stand up for justice even if it's against our own selves. And we pray that Allah use us as a vehicle, during these trying times, to bring about positive change in our society.

Sincerely,

The MFC Board of Directors:

Ehab Hassan
Sami Zaharna
Yasmine Abou-Sayed
Hussein Ezzeldine
Ayman Rahman
Tubah Sultan