Muslim silence must come to an end

My heart is with everyone who has suffered at the hands of ISIS - Muslims, Christians, Yazidis, secular Iraqis and Syrians.

I know many people around the world are wondering why so many Muslims are silent about the crimes committed in the name of their faith. I think they are right, Muslim silence must come to an end. It's time that we, Muslims, speak out against the crimes of ISIS and tell them that enough is enough. It's time to tell those cowardly, face-veiling criminals that you are not Muslims and you do not get to represent our faith.

ISIS and everyone who supports it shames the religion of Islam and dishonors its 1.6 billion adherents around the globe. In my 21 years of studying Islam from its original texts, I have never encountered a single source that would support the actions of this criminal group. Their actions are inherently unislamic and their only motivation is hatred. Their goal is not to establish an Islamic state, but rather to gain power through their destructive and corrupted ideology. As Muslims, we cannot and should not apologize for their behavior, because they are not Muslims and we share no commonalities. The Islam that I was taught, that I believe in, and that I preach says, 'Oh humankind, We have created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and cultures so that you may know one another and treat one another with kindness.” Qur'an 49:13.

Imam Hassan Mahmoud

Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids