In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Most Merciful

As most, if not all American Muslims, I was shocked to learn of the arrest of two imams in South Florida on charges of material support for the Pakistani Taliban. The best thing to do is reserve judgment and let the five men accused have their day in court. If what is alleged against them is true, it is a truly terrible crime. No matter how much you disagree with our foreign policy, it is never correct to support murderous barbarians who have no compunction over killing innocent people.

But let us have patience…there should be no indictment of the entire Muslim community in America generally, and the Muslim community in South Florida specifically. The Muslims in Miami were just as surprised as everyone else. I’m sure there are some who count this as another “proof” that Muslims are all terrorists who cannot be trusted. Yet, the reality is that these men – if what is alleged against them is true – do not represent the whole of American Muslims, just as pedophile priests do not represent the whole of Catholicism or Catholic priests, many of whom I have personally known and admired.

In the weeks and months ahead, would that level heads reign supreme.