In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful

From the signatories of the New Jersey Muslim community,

 

We stand in love and solidarity with the friends, families, and communities of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Yassin Mohammed, Ahmed Arbery, Steven Taylor, and every Black person who has been murdered by law enforcement.

We stand in love and solidarity with every Black person who has experienced an altercation with police that occurred because of a system and culture entrenched in anti-Blackness.

We stand in love and solidarity with every Black person who was ever excluded, ignored, or made to feel unequal within our Muslim organizations, masjids, Islamic schools, or businesses.

We stand in love and solidarity with Black movements, organizations, and efforts to stand up for the rights of Black people, including Black Lives Matter.

As the Prophet Muhammed (may peace, prayers and blessings be upon him) said, “Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.”

Our faith has always taught us to be persistent against injustice and stand for oppressed people. We will no longer wait for another death to move us to recognize that Black people have an inalienable right to exist peacefully in this country.

As community organizations, we are committing to doing more than mourning and publishing this letter. We are committing to long-term reform which includes educating and holding ourselves accountable, and addressing anti-Blackness within our communities. We are committing to support local efforts that challenge and eradicate anti-Blackness within the circles we preside over.

Specifically, we commit to: 

  • Publish statements expressing our solidarity with the Black community and families deeply impacted by police violence
  • Participate and amplify various actions condemning anti-Blackness and police brutality, including;

All non-Black signatories commit to: 

Internally:

  • Address anti-Blackness through ongoing political education and allyship, recognizing that this is a priority issue
  • Offer our spaces and resources to uplift Black voices
  • Renew efforts, and be more intentional about equal representation in leadership roles.
  • Shut down any anti-Black rhetoric within the circles we preside over

Externally: 

  • Participate in various public actions condemning anti-Blackness and police brutality, such as:
    • Signing petitions
    • Participating in protests
    • Calling and writing to local elected officials and law enforcement to take action
  • Proactively build relationships with the local Black community, Black organizations, and Black leaders
  • Lobby or support lobbying efforts for just causes that champion equal rights and representation of Black people

 

In reason and justice,

 

Al Falah Center

Al-Hoda Community Center of Jersey City

Al-Tawheed Islamic Center

American Muslim Consumer Consortium (AMCC)

American Muslim Health Professionals – NY/NJ Chapter

American Muslims for Democracy

American Muslims for Palestine – NJ

Arab American Civic Org.

Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations (ASCAC

Bangladeshi American Women’s Development Initiative (BAWDI)

Bates College Muslim Student Association

Bayonne Muslims, Mosque and Community Center

Bergen County Islamic Educational Center

Bounce Squad M.C.

Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University

Common Security Corp.

Cornerstone Family and Marriage Intervention

Council on American-Islamic Relations New Jersey

Darul Islah

Darul Islah, The Muslim Society of Bergen County

El-Zahra Islamic Center

GCLEA

Green Muslims of New Jersey

Husayn Center for Social Justice

Imam a Zamana Foundation of North America

Imam Ghazali Institute

Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC)

Islamic Center of Ewing

Islamic Center of Jersey City

Islamic Center of Morris County

Islamic Center of Ocean County (Masjid Mustafa)

Islamic Center of Passaic County

Islamic Center of South Jersey

Islamic Center of Union County

Islamic Circle of Mercer County

Islamic Circle of Mercer County (ICMC)

Islamic Council of Hudson County

Islamic Society of Basking Ridge

Islamic Society of Central Jersey

Islamic Society of North Jersey

Jam-e-Masjid Islamic Center

Maroc

Masjid Al Wali

Masjid As-Habul Yameen

Masjid Wadud

MCNJ (Muslim Community of NewJersey)

Miftaahul Uloom Academy

Muslim American Community Association (MACA)

Muslim Basketball

Muslim Center of Greater Princeton

Muslim Center of Middlesex County

Muslim Chaplaincy at Cornell

Muslim League of Voters of NJ

Muslim Mom Network

Muslim Society of Jersey Shore (Masjid Bilal)

Muslim Student Association of Seton Hall University

Muslims United for Justice

Natural Ground 1

NIA Masjid & Community Center

NJ Dawah

NJ Muslim Voice for Progress

NJ Sisterhood

NJDSC-Muslim Caucus

North Hudson Islamic Educational Center

Palestinian American Community Center

Pillars Preparatory Academy

Plainfield Center for Islamic Enlightenment

Rutgers New Brunswick Muslim Student Association

Rutgers Newark Muslim Student Association

Rutgers University Muslim Feminists for the Arts

Safina Society

Seton Hall University Muslim Student Association

Shia Assn of North America

Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom of Bergen County

Teaching While Muslim

The Muslim Network

TRI-STATE IMAMS COUNCIL

Wafa House

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