MICHIGAN—The American Muslim community in metro Detroit condemned the attacks that left three dead at two Jewish facilities in Overland Park, Kansas on Sunday, April 13. 

The Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights offered its condolences to the communities impacted by the shootings, along with the families and friends of victims. 

“We as members of the community must condemn this evil act of ignorance… We must work together to send a strong message against terrorism, racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and any other actions that target schools, places of worship, malls, establishments, individuals or groups,” said Imam Elahi of the IHW.

Imam Mustapha El-Turk, the head of the Islamic Organization of North America, and Elahi are both co-chairs of the Imams Council of the Michigan Muslim Community Council. The group’s members consist of Islamic religious leaders from southeast Michigan. El-Turk and Elahi decided to include the subject on the group’s agenda for its meeting Tuesday. 

ACCESS, the largest Arab American nonprofit human services agency in the United States, condemned the attacks as well.  “It is with profound regret that we extend our sincere thoughts to the victims’ families,” said Hassan Jaber, executive director of ACCESS. “We denounce this act of hate and stand in solidarity with the Jewish community. Hate does not distinguish between race, color, religion or sexual orientation. We must work together to take on hate and violence in our country.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the country’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, issued a statement expressing solidarity with the Jewish community. 

The statement by CAIR read, “American Muslims join their fellow citizens in standing in solidarity with the American Jewish community in condemning this deadly hate attack and in offering condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured. We are saddened by this vicious act of hatred. Americans of all faiths must join together to reject the kind of extremist ideologies that can lead to such inexcusable and unconscionable acts.”