The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Manager Amina Rubin, 202-341-4171, arubin@cair.com

CAIR Welcomes President Obama's Prayer Breakfast Remarks on Islam, Urges Visit to U.S. Mosque

WASHINGTON

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed President Obama's remarks yesterday at the National Prayer Breakfast in which he stated that terrorists who "professed to stand up for Islam. . .in fact are betraying it."

He also described the terrorist group ISIS as "a brutal, vicious death cult that, in the name of religion, carries out unspeakable acts of barbarism."

The president added:

"Lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ. In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ."

Those remarks drew criticism from many conservative political opponents.

"We thank President Obama for clearly separating the brutal actions of ISIS from the faith of Islam and for reminding us all that violence and injustice are not part of any faith," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad.

He repeated the call by American Muslim leaders urging President Obama to visit a U.S. mosque.

"We invite the president to show public support for American Muslims by making the symbolic but significant gesture of visiting an American mosque in this time of growing Islamophobia," said Awad.

Video:Announcement of Oklahoma Muslim Day at the Capitol Draws Hate Backlash (CAIR)
CAIR Islamophobia Monitor

Awad noted that CAIR and other American Muslim groups have repeatedly condemned the violent actions of ISIS as "anti-Islamic."

Video: Excerpts From CAIR News Conference Condemning ISIS's Killing of Jordanian Pilot
Video Compilation of CAIR Condemnations of ISIS Terrorism
CAIR:D.C. News Conference Announcing Muslim Scholars' Open Letter Refuting ISIS's Ideology

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a grassroots civil rights and advocacy group. CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

(202) 488-8787