Mosque Vandalism
Dateline: 03/19/99
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
On March 5th, the Islamic Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota was gutted by fire, in what is believed to be an arson attack. Fortunately, nobody was hurt. However, this is not an isolated incident. Mosques (Islamic houses of worship) have been under attack before. Some examples:
- Yuba City, California -- a nearly-completed mosque burned to the ground in an arson attack (1994)
- Fort Collins, Colorado -- concrete block rammed through a mosque door - local student arrested (1998)
- North Vancouver, Canada -- fire at a former restaurant which was being used as a mosque (1998)
- Bloomington, Indiana -- mosque vandalized (1998)
- Flint, Michigan -- metal spikes placed in mosque parking lot during Islamic holiday (1998)
These are only a few of the incidents reported within the United States. Mosque vandalism is on the rise worldwide, with incidents reported in France, Germany, Jerusalem, and other places.
Muslims -- be aware! Please read the Mosque Safety Tips brochure by the Council on American-Islamic Relations to learn what to look out for, and how to help keep your mosque safe. May Allah protect us all, and guide the hearts of those hateful enough to desecrate a house of worship.
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me with your ideas and suggestions about this or other topics.
[Graphic courtesy of Al-Muntada
Al Islami Graphics Gallery.]
