US Muslims help rebuilding burned black churches

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Wednesday 08 Jul 2015 - 15:45 Makkah mean time-21-9-1436 (Image from internet) South Carolina, (IINA) - Showing solidarity with African Americans, a coalition of Muslim groups of Muslim organizations and activists have launched a fundraising campaign to help rebuild black churches across the south that have been target of arson over the last month, News agencies reported. At least eight churches have suffered fire damage since a shooting on June 17 at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, left nine black parishioners dead. “We want to let our African American brothers and sisters know that we stand in solidarity with them during this dark hour,” Imam Zaid Shakir said in statement obtained by Onislam.net. “As a small symbol of that solidarity, during this blessed month of Ramadan, we are gathering donations to help rebuild the seven churches that have been burned down since the racist murders in Charleston, South Carolina,” Imam Shakir was referring to the online campaign that was launched by American Muslims to raise donations in an effort to rebuild the seven churches that have been vandalized in the wake of Charleston terror attack. Kicked off last Thursday, the campaign has collected $22,800 so far, surpassing its $20,000 goal. “All houses of worship are sanctuaries, a place where all should feel safe, a place we can seek refuge when the world is too much to bear. We are calling on you to help add our support to faith communities across the country pooling their resources to rebuild these churches,” statement on the fundraising page said. The church burnings took place within just 10 days of one another, and three are being investigated as possible arson cases. “As Muslims we know the importance of protecting the vulnerable and respecting people who call on God in their various tongues. We must always keep in mind that the Muslim community and the black community are not different communities. “We are profoundly integrated in many ways, in our overlapping identities and in our relationship to this great and complicated country.” The project is co-sponsored by Muslim ARC, the Arab American Association of New York and Ummah Wide. The spat of black churches attacks followed the tragic death of nine people who lost their lives during a shooting at a Bible study meeting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Carolina last June. Twenty-one year-old Dylann Roof has been arrested and charged with their murders in what is being investigated as a hate crime by the FBI. All the dead were African Americans. Earlier this month, American Muslims in Massachusetts held a special Ramadan Iftar in remembrance of Charleston victims, where part of the reflections and prayers were dedicated to hose affected by this tragic event. Although there are no official figures, the United States is believed to be home to between 6-8 million Muslims. SM/IINA