New York – The Imam planning an Islamic community center and mosque near Ground Zero says his critics are bigots and the project will stamp out terrorism – not fan the flames.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
“We condemn terrorists. We recognize it exists in our faith, but we are committed to eradicate it,” said Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, who is leading the charge to build the Cordoba House.
“We want to rebuild this community,” he said. “This is about moderate Muslims who intend to be and want to be part of the solution.”
Rauf appeared with city leaders Thursday at 45 Park Place, the future home of the Cordoba House less than three blocks from Ground Zero.
The meeting came one day after Tea Party Express chairman Mark Williams called the project a monument to 9/11 attackers “for the worship of the terrorists’ monkey-god.”
Williams later issued a ham-handed apology to the “millions of Hindus who worship Lord Hanuman, an actual Monkey God.”
Asked about Williams’ comment, Rauf said he was “surprised by the lies, by the bigotry.”
The 13-story Cordoba House will include a mosque, fitness center, pool, classrooms, kitchens and a theater for lectures and performances, developers say.
They say the Cordoba House was modeled after the 92nd St. Y, with the benefits of a community center with prayer space.
Another mosque – much smaller than the Cordoba plan – has existed downtown on Warren St. since 1970 and has been operating out of 20 Warren St. since 2008.
Although there have been critics, including some relatives of 9/11 victims, the Cordoba project has the support of virtually every lower Manhattan politician and Community Board 1.
“There’s been a tremendous amount of bigotry associated with this,” said CB1 president Julie Menin. “If we’ve learned any lesson from 9/11, it’s to respect people’s religious freedoms.”
“Our city’s open to anybody, no matter what your religion is,” Mayor Bloomberg said.
Still, some are voicing outrage at the idea of a mosque near the hallowed ground where Islamic terrorists waged war on America.
“By no means am I saying the folks trying to build this place are responsible for 9/11, but you still have to take a hard look at it and say how will it look to have this in your face?” said Patrick Bahnken, head of the union that represents paramedics.
“It is like salt in the wound – a constant reminder of what they did to us on 9/11.
“If we’ve learned any lesson from 9/11” it’s to keep Islamic terrorists out of New York City!
Vehuyisu meshigu mimarai ainneichu… how is it that we still tolerate this cancer?
If someone wanted to build a German cultural center next door to Auschwitz, I wonder what we would hear from the same people who are defending this.
What a SHAME that our country would even consider allowing the Terrorists, their supporters and religion to capitalize at the expense of our devastation.
Of course, this country’s choice of the president who is committed to destroy our country is synonymous.
Are those who approve of this project so dumb as to think this Imam will rant violence at this point?There were numerous instances where the Imams said what they knew people wanted to hear and then turned around and started spewing hate.Whatever Rauf is saying now, will not have a bearing on the true purpose of why they are building a mosque davka in this area.
Seems to me, a generation who worships dumb celebrities, watch dumb TV shows and movies and is steeped in immoral culture cannot think rationally.History does not happen from one day to the next.Seemingly minor events build up over the years and culminates into a time ripe for a revolution.To me it seems that some Americans, a lot of them in postitions of power, are unknowingly and slowly granting the Muslims a chance to do their hearts desire.After 9/11 we get a president with the name Hussein and a mosque near ground zero.
Yidden wake up!We’re hated by the Muslims and soon we’ll be hated by the rightists who will blame the Jews for these liberal policies and owning the liberal press. I hope the writing I see on the wall is telling of the coming of Moshiach.Otherwise, we are in gehakte tzaros. Take out tehilems now!
what is wrong with the building of a mosque?! there are over a billion muslims in the world, they are not all evil.
If he is so commited to stamping out terror then let him show what he has actually done since 9/11 to denounce terror and violence and what sermons has he held denouncing terrorism then we can see how serious he is
Interesting that they plan on opening it on Sept. 11, 2011!! I guess, having a mosque across from Ground Zero is kind of insurance against another attack. They wouldn’t risk damaging a mosque in another attack.
People need to learn to build the moderate muslims if you want to defeat wahabee bigoted islam
A building like this is for the sake of the modern world so young muslims don’t fall in the hand of the bigoted preachers
Why should they not be able to build if they purchased the land legally and have the right permits? We scream anti-Semitism at the top of our lungs whenever we have trouble getting approval for a shul or yeshiva!
Shameful, really shameful – I mean, religious tolerance is only for us Yidden – we don’t have to be tolerant of them.
Have you people no understanding of the principles of tolerance and inclusivity that are the very reasons we thrive in this medina? Have you learned nothing about why we owe Hakoras Hatov to this country? And many of you would be the first to yell antisemite at anyone who even looked askance at an erev project or the like.
If past American history were to repeat itself, the Tea Party movement would turn towards anti-semitism. However Paul has found an even more convenient target.
Wake up America. Both branches of Muslims are on a Nationwide mosque building campaign. Saudi Arabia funds their mosques of madness. Iran funds their mosques of madness. They are building mosques in every US College town close to campuses. They are building a nucleus for foreign muslim students to build Muslim American communities. They have a track record of anti-Israel campus efforts. Their leaders are virtually all terror supporters and funders. They even have a political leadership whose job is Public Relations to spread the lie of Muslim “PEACE” and “HARMONY” which we all know is propaganda. We must make sure that these Mosques and their leaders are held to account for double talking and support for terrorism.
It’s just mind-boggling to see jews here defending these animals. Reminds me of Lenin’s quip that the capitalists would see their own executioners (i.e. the communists) the rope with which to hang them!
Many Poskim from the Meir of Rothenberg up until the Brisker Rav have ruled that Muslims are Gerei Toshav. Even if your Rav does not hold that Muslims are Gerei Toshav, there is no question since the Rambam that Muslims are monotheists.
Please elaborate upon what is the Torah basis to object to or interfere with either Monotheists or Gerei Toshav (depending upon how your Rav holds) worshipping and praising the One and True G-d.
I learned from my Rav who is a world respected Dayyan, one of the few whose Gerim and Gitten are universally accepted in EY, that there is no Torah basis NOT to encourage Gentiles to turn to Islam rather than Christianity or any other faith.
Please someone place in context the words of the Chazon Ish with regards to women who wear pants and his attitude to Jews who are not Shomer Shabbos in general.
I said (not on Line but to my friends) at the time of the tragic 9/11 that we should rebuild the sky scrapers as they were
and now i see that i was right if we would has than their 13 story … would not even be noticed!!
No such thing as a moderate Muslim ;geert wilders
No difference. They just want our votes to increase their own power.