بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the name of Allah, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful

December 8, 2023

To Our Esteemed Community Leaders, Faith Groups, and Global Citizens,

We, the undersigned members of Majlis Ash-Shura-Islamic Leadership Council of New York, along with our fellow Muslim organizations, unequivocally denounce the desecration of religious symbols and sites. Such acts are not only deeply offensive but also violate the fundamental principles of respect and tolerance that are at the heart of our Islamic faith.

The second Caliph of Islam, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, set a precedent when he entered Jerusalem in approximately 637 CE. His “Covenant of Umar ” assured the safety of the city’s Jewish and Christian inhabitants, safeguarding their lives, property, and places of worship. Similarly, Salahuddin Al-Ayyubi’s respectful treatment of Christians upon reclaiming Jerusalem in 1187 CE exemplified the Islamic ethos of religious tolerance and harmony.

In recent times, we have witnessed distressing incidents of desecration of Islamic places of worship and sites, particularly at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, which is considered the third holiest site for Muslims, as well as violating the sanctity of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. These acts are deeply offensive to the Muslim community.

The recent indiscriminate attacks on mosques and churches in Gaza have further exacerbated the situation and the distress of the affected communities.

We believe it is paramount for the clergy, religious leaders, and leaders of all faith-based communities in New York to come together and actively denounce the desecration of holy sites of all religions. We must make sure to include in our sermons from the pulpit the language of love, peace, and protecting your neighbors, as it is preached by our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Our commitment to these principles is not a reactive stance but a foundational aspect of our ongoing efforts to build bridges among different faith communities, our neighbors.

We therefore join our brothers and sisters of all faiths in calling upon the followers of all faith groups to condemn and discourage the desecration of places of worship, religious sites, and symbols both locally and overseas.

We seek guidance and forgiveness from the creator, Almighty Allah, to heal our hearts and grant us wisdom and understanding so that we may learn to respect His creations as He wants us to. Aameen.

Signed by,

African Council of Imams

Al-Arafa Masjid

Al-Janed Islamic Center

Andalusia Islamic Center

Assafa Islamic Center INC

Baitul Islam Masjid & Community Center Inc.

Baitul Mamur Masjid & Comm Center Inc.

Bronx Muslim Center

Brooklyn Broadway Jame Masjid & Islamic Center

Brooklyn Islamic Center

Canarsie Islamic Services (Masjid Khalid ibn Alwalid)

Darul Jannah Masjid & Islamic Center

Futa Islamic Center, Inc.

Harlem Islamic Cultural Center

Hillside Islamic Center

Hudson Valley Islamic Community Center

Iama

ICNA – NY

ICNA Markaz Masjid

Islamic Center of Five Town

Islamic Center of L.I.

Islamic Center of Mid Westchester

Islamic Center Of New Rochelle

Islamic Cultural Center of Bronx

Islamic Foundation Of New York

Islamic Mission of America -Dawoud

Islamic Society of Bay Ridge Inc.

Islamic Unity and Culture Center of Plav-Gusinje

Jamaat Islamic Center

Jamaica Islamic Center – JMC

Long Island Muslim Society

Madani Masjid

Madina Masjid Islamic Council of America

MAS Brooklyn/SI

MAS Community Center, MAS

MAS Ibn Sina Center

MAS New York

MAS Queens

MAS Sheepshead Bay Center

MAS UNY Inc.

MAS Youth Center

Masjid Abu Bakr El Seddique

Masjid Adam (community life center for human excellence) Abdulkder Dixon Senior Center

Masjid Ahlu Sunna Walkhurabba’a

Masjid Al Ansar

Masjid Al Aqsa

Masjid Al Arqam

Masjid Al Ihsan

Masjid Al Rahman

Masjid Al Tawheed

Masjid Al Farouq

Masjid Al-Hamdu-Lilla

Masjid Allahu Akbar

Masjid As-Siddiq

Masjid At-Taqwa

Masjid Darul Da’wah

Masjid Darul Quran

Masjid Ebun Abass

Masjid Hamza

Masjid Hefaz

Masjid Highbridge Islamic Center

Masjid Ibaadu Rahmaan

Masjid Kawthar

Masjid Makkie

Masjid Manhattan

Masjid Noor

Masjid Omar Ben-Abdel Aziz

Masjid Rahma

Masjid Rahman

Masjid Rahmatillah

Masjid Taha

Masjid Tajul Huda

Masjid Tawba

Masjid Tawhid

Masjid Wahab

Masjid Yusuf Shah

Masjidus Sabur

Mid Hudson Islamic Association

Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood Inc.

Musa Mosque Islamic Center – Bronx

Muslim Center of New York

Muslim Community of Nassau County-MCNC

Muslim Foundation of America

Muslim Sister of Staten Island

Muslim Ummah of N.A (MUNA)

Nurudeen Islamic Charity Org.

NYMAN Foundation

NY Muslim Action Network (NYMAN) Foundation

Parkchester Islamic Center

Paterson Mevlana Mosque

Sunset Islamic Center

Tauhid Center for Islamic Dev.

United Ulama Council Of USA INC

Westchester Muslim Center

White Plains Islamic Center

Women In Islam, Inc.

Woodhaven Jame Masjid

Yemeni American Association of New York