Long Island Islamic Center president shares Muslims’ plights

Thursday 07 Apr 2016 - 12:07 Makkah mean time-29-6-1437

Isma Chaudhry speaking at the Islamic Center of Long Island. Image from The Island Now.

long Island, Manhasset, New York (IINA) - Islamic Center of Long Island President Isma Chaudhry said last week she was gratified by the response the center has received following ISIS-inspired attacks in Brussels, Paris and San Bernardino, California in recent months, The Island Now news reported.
“This is an extremely heart-warming and diverse community,” said Chaudhry, a resident of Manhasset. She said that the Islamic Center received numerous emails lending support and encouragement after the most recent attack in Brussels.
“We have a lot of relationships with different ethnicities and denominations that we get invited to get involved in their celebrations,” Chaudhry said.
Among those expressing support to the center, she said, was Rev. Walter Silva Thompson Jr. of Calvary Baptist Church in East Hampton, the Diocese of Rockville Centre, Temple Sinai in Roslyn, Temple Bethel in Great Neck and the Manhasset Clergy Association.
Chaudhry, who was elected the first female president of the Islamic Center of Long Island in 2014, was recently among 13 women recently honored by the Town of North Hempstead for their community.
The town cited her work as an interfaith activist advocating for the rights of Muslim women and bridging ethnic understanding among communities on Long Island.
Chaudhry said her work reflects a commitment to promote diversity that was inspired in the Qur’an.
“We can’t work together unless we understand the value diversity brings to our community,” she said.
Chaudhry said she tells the community to be vigilant and to reach out to authorities should they suspect anything might be going on in the community.
“We have reached out to the Nassau County Police Department and they have been gracious with their support,” Chaudhry said.
Chaudhry said Muslims in other parts of the country may have seen some backlash following the terror attacks carried out in France and Belgium but so far, she hadn’t heard of any incidents on Long Island.
“We tell people in our community to be careful and if there are any incidents, they should be reported to the authorities,” she said.
Chaudhry said when she moved to Manhasset 25 years ago, Muslims were not on anybody’s radar.
“We were like other ethnicities,” she said. “We practiced our religion just like everyone else but obviously 9/11 changed all that.”
Chaudhry said although the climate towards Islam changed, it wasn’t just about Islam.
“Air travel, transportation and security changed for everybody. It wasn’t just about Muslims,” Chaudhry said.
Chaudhry said God created diversity to bring understanding and not to bring confusion and she has sought to combat Islamophobia through youth development programs and interfaith initiatives.      
Chaudhry said she has worked throughout her career to build interfaith relationships within communities and families to create understanding of what the religion of Islam really is about.
(Long Island is an island located just off the northeast coast of the United States and a region within the U.S. state of New York).
SM/IIN

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