Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf called for a new discourse about Islam in America on Feb. 28, saying the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks violated the religion itself.
Rauf founded the Cordoba Initiative, which addresses the topic of healing U.S. Muslim relations after 9/11.
Rauf made headlines this fall when he became the center of the highly publicized ground zero mosque debate.
“We were found to be a convenient tool for the extreme right of the Republican Party for the midterm elections,” Rauf said.
9/11 not only had human casualties, but violated Islam itself, Rauf said.
He said he took the attacks personally, saying that members of his congregation were among the first responders.
Rauf also said that the site was not to be an actual mosque, but rather a community center similar to the YMCA or Jewish centers that include athletic, educational and religious activities.
The imam said that the point of the “Cordoba house” was to establish an American Muslim identity and catalyze a turning point in the discussion of Islam in America.
But the perceived conflict between being Muslim and being an American citizen was addressed long before the 2010 midterm elections, Rauf said.
During the 2008 election, rumors circulated that Barack Obama was Muslim, eliciting some negative sentiment and fears.
Rauf commended former Secretary of State Colin Powell for tackling the rumors head-on when he asked, “Is there anything wrong with being Muslim in America?”
Rauf also said he was astounded that the president's recent comments at the State of the Union received applause from both sides of the aisle, when he said, “We are committed to the conviction that American Muslims are Americans too and part of our American family.”
The School of International Service sponsored Rauf's appearance at AU.
lgiangreco@theeagleonline.com
