Related Resources • Reaction to Tuesday's Attack • Anti-Muslim Incidents Were on the Rise • Suicide Bombers & Islam

From Other Guides • America Under Attack

In light of Tuesday's horrific tragedy, Muslim and Arab-Americans are very concerned about the possibility of backlash attacks aimed at them, from angry people who prematurely and inaccurately place blame.  Indeed, these fears may be justified.  In the past 24 hours, there have been numerous reports of threats and assaults aimed at Muslims in the U.S.  The Associated Press reports that there have been several reports of harassment in the Washington, D.C. area.  A Muslim taxi driver was assaulted in Virginia.  Islamic organizations and an Islamic school in North Carolina were shut down after receiving anonymous threats.  Women in Islamic attire have been spat upon.  The Los Angeles Times reports that a Colorado mosque was threatened with arson, and that the windows of a Texas mosque were shot out by gunfire.  A friend of my family reported that she witnessed a Pakistani street vendor being beaten by an angry mob not far from the World Trade Center complex in the first hour after the attack.  As yet this report is unconfirmed and there is no word on his condition.

The experience of Oklahoma City should have taught us all something.  It is too early to tell who may have orchestrated this attack, and to what end.  We all need to remember that no matter who is responsible, blame should be placed squarely upon the shoulders of those who actually did it, not everyone of that person's ethnic or religious affiliation.  One thing is clear: such a vicious and calculated attack on innocent civilians is condemned by the faith of Islam and the majority of the 1.2 billion Muslims worldwide.  There are over 7 million Muslims in the U.S., many of whom have joined the relief efforts in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania.  We are your neighbors, friends, doctors, teachers, and we are as horrified by what has happened as anyone else in this country.  Instead of dwelling on hatred and misplaced anger, we should focus on helping the wounded and suffering, and on finding those who truly are responsible.

For Muslims, this is an important time for du'a.  There is no power or ability except with Allah. He is our Protector and He is in control.  We can all pray to Allah for the safety of our loved ones and to ease the hearts of those in pain right now.  We know that we do not walk alone; Allah is with us always and will not give us more than we can bear.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) offers the following advice for Muslims in the United States:

• Those who wear Islamic attire should consider staying out of public areas for the immediate future.
• Request additional police patrols in the vicinity of mosques.
• Post mosque members at entrances and parking areas during prayer times.
• Report suspicious packages to police.
• Document descriptions of suspicious people or vehicles.

The following advice is offered for victims of hate-related crimes:

• Report the crime to your local police station immediately.  Ask that the incident be treated as a hate crime.  Follow up with investigators.  Inform CAIR, even if you believe it is a 'small' incident.  (Fill out CAIR's online incident report or call 202-488-8787.)
• Document the incident.  Write down exactly what was said/done by the offender.  Save evidence.  Take photographs.
• Act quickly.  Each incident must be dealt with when it happens, not when convenient.
• Decide on the appropriate action to be taken.  Consider issuing a statement from community leaders, holding a news conference, organizing a protest, meeting with officials, or starting a letter-writing campaign.
• Mobilize community support.  Contact CAIR and a local mosque or Islamic organization.
• Stay on top of the situation
• Announce results.  When the incident is resolved, make an announcement to the same people and organizations originally contacted.

CAIR also urges the Muslim community (there are hundreds of thousands of Muslims in the New York and Washington D.C. areas) to participate as they are able in the relief effort:

• Muslim medical professionals are asked to go to the scenes of the attacks to offer aid and comfort to the victims.  (Medical personnel who wish to donate their services should contact their local American Red Cross office to coordinate.)
• Muslim relief agencies should contact their counterparts to offer support in the recovery efforts.
• Individual Muslims should donate blood by contacting the local office of the Red Cross.  (Call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE.)  They should also send donations to those relief agencies that are on the scene of the attacks.