This past weekend, a gunman attacked Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Penn., reportedly shouting anti-Jewish and hateful words and firing at a crowd of worshippers at a time they were seeking peace through prayer. Eleven innocent worshippers were killed and six others including four law enforcement officers were injured.

Only God knows how many more are impacted by the horror of the event, both in the immediate entourage of those directly targeted that day, and among the decent souls that walk on this earth and have heard of this heinous crime.

We, at the Potsdam mosque in Northern New York, condemn with no-uncertain terms this horrible crime. We reject casually calling it a tragedy because tragedy is inevitable, while this horror could have been avoided.

We pray to the Almighty to grant the families and friends of the deceased and injured the console they need. We pray He, exalted in His Mercy, grants our nation and human race the wisdom, compassion, and love to come together and reject hate in all its forms and shapes so we may live in cohesion and peace.

In Chapter 5 (Al Maida) aya 32 of Quran, Allah says, “…Whereas, if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all mankind.”

In the light of these teachings, we deplore those who kill many times all of humankind, and we commend wholeheartedly the first responders in Pittsburg and elsewhere for saving the lives that they can.

Faithfully yours,

Tarik Ait Maatallah

Potsdam Mosque president