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;
- Day of Outrage: Friday, June 5th 2020: Dedicate Friday Jummah sermon to anti-Blackness and police brutality
- Minnesota Freedom Fund
- National Bail Out Fund
- Black Vision Collective
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
