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We have previously reported on the rise in violent hate crimes perpetrated against Muslims in North America. This weekend, two Muslims fell victim to baseball-bat wielding bigots - one Muslim victim is in the hospital in a coma.
In Sparks, Nevada, 2,000 Muslims live amongst their neighbors in peace. They worship at the Northern Nevada Muslim Community center. On Friday evening, following evening prayers, two men gathered outside the mosque to socialize before going home. At that moment, two young men approached the mosque, one carrying a baseball bat. The assailant swung, hitting 46-year-old Mohammed Sanad in the arm. As Mohammed ran inside to get help, the assailant turned to 48-year-old Dr. El Tag Mirghani, hitting him several times in the head. The attackers finally dropped the bat and ran away when a member of a nearby church came running to help.
Brother Mohammed Sanad has a broken arm; Dr. El Tag Mirghani is in critical condition and is clinging to life in a drug-induced coma. Ironically, Dr. Mirghani is himself a well-respected physician specializing in Internal Medicine (Mohammed Sanad is an electrical engineer). May Allah heal their wounds and grant patience and strength to their loved ones.
Aside from the horror this one case brings, it is only the most recent in a series of attacks against Muslims:
Vandalism:
Winnipeg, Canada; Islamic Center of Southern California; mosques in
Michigan, Indiana, New Jersey, Colorado, Illinois, Georgia
Arson:
British Columbia, Canada; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Greenville, South Carolina;
Springfield, Illinois; Yuba City, California
Violent
Crime:
Sparks, Nevada; Memphis, Tennessee; Denver, Colorado (suspect caught before
taking action)
World events often give rise to stereotyping and prejudices, which manifest themselves locally. No community is immune, and these events remind us all to be careful. The Council on American-Islamic Relations publishes a list of recommended safety measures that every Islamic organization and mosque should look at.
As the number of Muslims in North America continues to rise, it is time for everyone to realize our common humanity. Muslims are not a threat - we contribute to the community as doctors, engineers, professors, parents, ... and neighbors.
