Elected officials thanked for support of religious diversity, inclusion

WASHINGTON, March 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on American Muslims and other people of conscience to contact elected officials in Virginia to thank them for inviting a respected imam, or Islamic religious leader, to offer the opening prayer in today's session of that state's House of Delegates.

CAIR says a coalition of notorious Islam-bashers has called for a boycott of the prayer by legislators.

SEE: Boycott Urged for Muslim Imam's Prayer in Virginia House (Wash. Post)

http://tinyurl.com/y9bwy5o

SEE ALSO: http://www.imamjohari.com

SEE Streaming Video of the Prayer at Noon Eastern Time:

http://legis.virginia.gov/streaming/hod_streams/hod_session_streaming.html

The head of one of the Islamophobic groups organizing the boycott, ACT! for America's Brigitte Gabriel, once told the Australian Jewish News: "Every practising Muslim is a radical Muslim." She also claimed that "Islamo-fascism is a politically-correct word…it's the vehicle for Islam…Islam is the problem."

When asked whether Americans should resist Muslims who want to seek political office in this nation, Gabriel said:

"Absolutely. If a Muslim who has -- who is -- a practicing Muslim who believes the word of the Koran to be the word of Allah, who abides by Islam, who goes to mosque and prays every Friday, who prays five times a day -- this practicing Muslim, who believes in the teachings of the Koran, cannot be a loyal citizen to the United States of America."

The New York Times Magazine described Gabriel as a "radical Islamophobe."

SEE: A Case Study in Sincere Hypocrisy: Brigitte Gabriel

http://tinyurl.com/y8bn6r7  

Another group calling for a boycott of the prayer, the Virginia Anti-Shariah Task Force, calls Islamic beliefs "barbaric" and claims Islamic law violates the Constitution.

"My hope is that from this gathering we will all get know each other and build new bridges of understanding, no matter how much some narrow-minded people dislike it," said Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, who will offer today's prayer.

"We cannot let a vocal minority of hate-mongers deny American Muslims their constitutionally-guaranteed right to take part in the political process," said CAIR National Legislative Director Corey Saylor.

Saylor noted that another group of Islamophobes is today seeking to block Muslim political participation in Florida.

SEE: Muslim Group Heads to Tallahassee; Anti-Muslim Group Stokes Fear

http://tinyurl.com/yhpwolr

Earlier this week, CAIR said its chapters nationwide are responding to a number of incidents prompted by what the Muslim civil rights and advocacy group says is a rising level of bias incidents in the United States.

SEE: CAIR Responds to Rise in Anti-Islam Bias

http://tinyurl.com/yalnkcs

Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/CAIR/42590232694

Subscribe to CAIR's E-Mail List

http://tinyurl.com/cairsubscribe

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations

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