By Natalia Mielczarek • THE TENNESSEAN • February 14, 2010
At least 150 people, including spiritual leaders from several faiths, spent Saturday morning at the Islamic Center of Nashville learning about the world's second-largest religion and pledging their support for local Muslims in the wake of last week's defacement of a mosque.
An open house, which lasted more than two hours and concluded with a prayer, featured a crash course on Islam and a panel of Christians, Jews and Muslims who condemned what authorities are calling a hate crime.
Wednesday morning, Muslims coming to pray at the Al-Farooq Mosque on Fourth Avenue South were greeted by a wall spray-painted with "Muslims go home" and several crosses. A letter left by the vandals included hate-speech messages directed at followers of Islam.
But the mood at Saturday's session was far from somber.
"I'm not surprised that so many people came," said Salaad Nur, a board member at the Al-Farooq Mosque, established in 2003 by Somali refugees.
"When I got a call, it was pretty shocking, but the next three days have opened our eyes to our neighbors. This city is an inviting city, and our neighbors are our neighbors."
Last week's vandalism was the first such incident at the mosque, Nur said.
Metro police are working with the FBI to find out who vandalized the mosque; no one had been charged on Saturday, said Capt. Paul Trickey.
The response Saturday focused on the core values of Islam: peace and love for others, no matter what their creed, color or status may be.
"Like many other faiths, Islam (says) do what's right, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless," said Abdelghani Barre, president of the Islamic Center of Nashville on 12th Avenue South.
"But it also forbids what's evil, such as hate and violence. … Let's find a common understanding as humans and challenge those who use religion to speak their hatred and commit violence."
That's why Matt Schaller of Nashville participated.
"What happened last week ... to me, there's just no place for that," said Schaller, a Catholic.
"All major religions have something to offer if we only listen. We have to get past these stereotypes. How much are we missing in life? I don't want to live like that."
There are about 25,000 Muslims in Middle Tennessee. Saturday wasn't the first multi-faith gathering in response to the vandalism — Muslims, Christians, Jews and others gathered Friday at Al-Farooq Mosque to clean and repaint the wall.
Sharing knowledge
The Saturday panel included the Rev. James "Tex" Thomas from Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church; Todd Lake, vice president for spiritual development at Belmont University; Martin Sir from the Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee; Imam Sheikh Ossama Mohamed Bahloul from The Islamic Center of Murfreesboro; and Salaad Nur from the Al-Farooq Mosque.
"Our Jewish community has been saddened by the hate directed toward the Al-Farooq Mosque and the Islamic community. We know that feeling of being the target of hate," said Sir, who concluded his presentation with a prayer.
"Fortunately, we have also witnessed the great people of Nashville and Tennessee condemn such behavior."
John Taylor, a Baptist from Nashville, came to the open house to brush up on Islam 101, knowledge he plans to share with his congregation.
"There are a lot of folks who practice Islam and who've been coming to this area. I don't see how you cannot be interested in that," said Taylor, a deacon at Antioch First Baptist Church.
"I'm not afraid to listen to what they have to say. I'm the least of God's creatures. … There are people who think they know it all, those are the dangerous ones."
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100214/NEWS06/2140356/Vandalism+at
