FAITH IN NEW JERSEY STANDS WITH MUSLIM FAITH COMMUNITY UPON ATTACK OF PATERSON IMAM 

PATERSON – Faith in New Jersey stands in solidarity with the Muslim faith community and leadership at the South Paterson Omar Mosque on Getty Avenue and they lift their brother in faith, Imam Sayed Elnakib, in prayer for a swift and complete recovery.

Leaders with Faith in New Jersey are deeply troubled and saddened by this unprovoked knife attack on the Imam of the Mosque, which took place while he was leading the faithful in worship during the holy month of Ramadan, and they pray for healing, love and peace for all who have been affected and traumatized by this heinous attack.

Faith in New Jersey firmly believes that every house of worship is sacred and their sanctity is inviolable, and the lives of the worshippers who attend it must be safe from harm. Freedom of religious association and the right to practice one’s faith freely in peace and without fear is both a human and constitutional right that cannot be abridged.

This incident, and so many other recent occurrences in Paterson, show that it is time for healing in the community. Everyone should practice community care and support one another in good and bad times. By putting public health and safety in place that provide mental health services and other resources, violent and traumatic events like this can prayerfully be prevented and/or treated with care that heals all involved.

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Faith in New Jersey is a multi-faith and multi-racial powerbuilding vehicle for faith leaders, faith communities, and grassroots leaders to work together to protect religious liberties and advance an immigration, racial, economic and human justice agenda at the local, state and federal level.