The Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati (ICGC) mourns the tragic, Islamophobic terror attack against a Pakistani Muslim family in London, Ontario. The horrific attack took the lives of four members of the Afzaal family and has left the youngest, nine year old, Fayez Salman, in critical condition. We pray that the innocent victims are granted the highest level of paradise, we pray for Fayez to have a full recovery, and we pray for those left behind to endure this loss with patience.
ICGC is particularly alarmed at the Islamophobia behind this act of terror. By all accounts, the family was targeted because of their Muslim appearance. As they were out on a family walk, a 20 year old acted upon his hate, whereby he swerved his truck onto the pedestrian path and carried out this deadly violence.
It is a stark reminder of how hatred leads to violence. We begin by reminding our beloved community to remain vigilant and safeguard their families. As Muslim Americans we are aware of the anti Muslim sentiment that exisits in our own communities, and we renew our commitment to overcome this with outreach, awareness, and education.
We call upon other faith communities and leaders to collectively work towards combating Islamophobia, racism, extremism, violence, and all forms of hate. It is our mutual responsibility to stand firm in advancing the values of justice, respect, and tolerance common to all of humanity.
