بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

December 3rd, 2015

Even the strongest words of denunciation of the horrific mass killings in San Bernardino on Wednesday, Dec 2. 2015, cannot possibly express the pain and anguish of all upstanding citizens of our State. We express our heartfelt condolences to the families of those who were mercilessly slain during this devastating event, killing 14 innocent victims and injuring many more.

By way of this statement, The Shia Muslim Council of Southern California joins with all Americans in calling for the swift action to rid us of the evil of wanton killings and terrorism. These killers don’t represent any faith. They represent evil, and it’s critical for our fellow Americans to understand that. As we share our grief at this tragic moment, it becomes all the more important to distinguish between a people who are guided by a faith, in common with all the other great Faiths, which exhort mankind to perform righteous acts and respect the sanctity of human life, and those who are misguided by a deviant dogma of death and destruction, as espoused by the likes of ISIS and Al-Qaeda. This face of terror is neither the face nor the faith of Islam. At this juncture we must also remind freedom seeking peoples all over the globe, that amongst the displaced peoples in the world, the largest numbers are Muslims, who too are victims of tyrannies and terrorism, under the yolk of the very same brand of fanatical teachings that bred the murderers of the 9/11 tragedy and contunue to perpetrate acts of terrorism around the world.

As we continue to come to grips with yet another tragedy of our time, we remind our fellow Muslims in America that we all have an added responsibility to reach out to our neighbors, school friends, and workmates, to reiterate the eternal truths of Islam as revealed in the Noble Qur’an, explained and elucidated in the traditions of the Blessed Prophet and his Household, that unity and safety of mankind is the very heart of the Islamic message.

In this hour of crisis, we are becoming increasingly anxious about the potential of harassment and attacks emanating from anti-Muslim sentiments. We urge our fellow Americans to treat each other with respect and understanding. America has millions of Muslims amongst its citizens who make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country. Together, we must send a clear message that those who may be inclined to intimidate our fellow citizens to express their anger, that they don’t represent the best of America.

Wassalaamu alaikum,
Shia Muslim Council of Southern CaliforniaThe Shia Muslim Council of Southern California is an umbrella organization of 15 Shia Islamic centers in the southern California area. It was established on September 17, 2014. The current elected board members of the Shia Muslim Council are:   President: Imam Sayed Moustafa al-Qazwini Vice-President: Dr. Hasnain Walji Secretary: Hajj Khalil Dewji Treasurer: Hajj MehdiReza Hirji Councilor: Dr. Ridha al-Hajjar Councilor: Hajjah Fatma Saleh Councilor: Sayed Asghar Rizvi