Dear Community Partners, Neighbors, Friends!
Although I had posted messages, stories and engaged in events to help stand against racism and stand together with Black Lives Matter from my personal account, and although strong statements were posted by AMAC and our Imam, as director of community partnerships at the Islamic Center of Nashville, I felt it important to share a message in support of our dear brothers and sisters from the Black community. For years, the Islamic Center of Nashville has engaged with many organizations working for social justice, equity, ending racism and bigotry, as well as holding events and conversations to highlight the achievements of our African American community (e.g. annual Black History Month events).
We can’t keep quiet & have to work even more diligently with our brothers and sisters from the African American community. When one part of a body is in pain the rest of it stays awake in sleeplessness - we are one body in humanity and can’t let what we are seeing around us go to rest without doing something about it.
We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters from the Black community throughout the country against the police brutality and racism that caused the deaths of George Floyd and countless others. We demand with our allies and friends in the common human right that calls for Black Lives Matter.
As a faith group containing diversity of people from all over the world, we have teachings and principals that foster racial harmony. African Americans make up 25-30% of all Muslims living in America and have been pioneers in the history of Islam and Islamic institutions in America. To add to this, we have a large community of Muslims from African countries who have migrated from countries such as Somalia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sudan, etc., and we will work hard with deep and honest conversations to listen and make sure to eradicate racism both internally as well as work with our allies to help make a systematic change in our country that promotes racial justice and equality.
We will listen, empathize and learn, and engage ourselves and community on how we can do better in our endeavor to bring about a change and establish a community of true brotherhood and sisterhood, of social justice in our community. In addition to sermons on these topics last Friday, we have an event that will take place tonight at ICN at 8:15 pm: Understanding the Black American Experience in the Wake of the George Floyd Murder, and Finding Solutions as a Community.
Tomorrow evening, Sunday, June 7, 2020, 6:30 – 8pm, the American Muslim Advisory Council (AMAC) will be conducting a program on Understanding African American History and the Fight for Justice. This event is open to the public (see flyer below): Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86177230185
Just as we have been doing in the past, we will continue partnering with other organizations such as IMF, NOAH, NAACP and others, who have been working for social and economical empowerment of the Black community. We ask God’s help to be a part of making a systematic change where no one of color has to live in fear or be marginalized due to the color of his or her skin.
Peace!
Rashed Fakhruddin,
Islamic Center of Nashville, Director of Community Partnerships