The Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati released this statement Monday morning.
We at the Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati sadly know that while no words could console the families of the victims of senseless violence in Paris, Beirut, Iraq and countless in Syria, we offer our deepest condolences and prayers for collective healing.
We also call on the French legal authorities to apply all available resources in aggressively pursuing and bringing to justice the perpetrators of the heinous crimes Friday evening in Paris.
We condemn in the strongest terms the extreme acts of violence that have been inflicted upon the citizens of Paris and other locations in the last 48 hours. Regardless of the motives of the attackers, such brutal, ruthless and indiscriminate action demonstrates the utter lack of humanity of both the attackers, and those who back them by fanning an ideology of intolerance.
The City of Lights and of Love, through the collective strength of its diverse citizenry, and drawing from the breadth of its multi-ethnic heritage, will undoubtedly overcome the despicable hatred displayed by these vicious attackers.
We join affiliates across the country of Islamic Networks Group and all other major Muslim American institutions in sincere hope that the world will respond by coming together in support of France, and not allow these tragic events to further create artificial barriers and perpetuation of violence.
We reaffirm the following values on which we firmly stand:
1. We affirm and uphold the sanctity of all human life, the taking of which is among the gravest of all sins.
2. We affirm the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and speech.
3. We affirm the right to security in one's livelihood, profession, and residence.
4. We believe that God created us with all the diversity of race, religion, language, and belief to get to know one another, not to despise or hate one another.
5. We believe that Islam is above all a religion of peace and mercy, and that Muslims are obligated to model those traits in their lives and characters and to work for the good of our homeland and society, wherever that might be.
The Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati in West Chester
