Detroit Muslims’ Charity Largely Unnoticed As Anti-Islam Sentiment Rages

While anti-Islam sentiment grows with the terror attacks in Paris, leading to the bombing of mosques and an influx of anti-Muslim cartoons in Detroit, Muslims’ charity and generosity has gone virtually without mention, except, perhaps, by those residents thanking their neighbors for keeping their water running.

Two Muslim groups in Detroit have combined efforts to donate over $100k to a fund that helps cover water bills for their neighbors, according to the Detroit News. Anwar Khan, the CEO of one of these groups, Islamic Relief USA, made a statement.

“We are hoping this is going to be contagious. The most important thing we have is not our money, it’s our energy and our enthusiasm, and it’s our people. Also, it is important to us in our faith to help our neighbors. It is a part of our faith to help our friends.”

The other group involved is the Michigan Muslim Community Council.

The money donated goes into a single fund, and Detroit citizens (regardless of religion or country of origin) who have outstanding balances and meet income requirements can apply to have the fund cover part of their bills.

Anti-Muslim sentiment seems to have only grown since the 9/11 attacks in 2001, and the more recent Charlie Hebdo attack has only served to amplify it.

However, while the actions of some Muslim extremists have been devastating, horrific, large-scale terror attacks, groups like these in Detroit would like people to remember that these are not representative of the majority of the Muslim community. Meanwhile, these groups’ Facebook pages give a glimpse of the kind of sentiment they face.

“Gays and atheists and apostates that reside in Dearborn need relief from muslim religous fanatics who cause them to live in fear of retribution and ostrazation. islamic culture is schismatic divisive and backwards….”

“Muslim islam Quran is a Fake made up religion and it has no place in America….ALL MUSLIMS WILL RADICALIZE. END OF STORY.”

“islam is a satanic cult formed by a child raping pervert”

“Let me introduce you two my friends…Smith & Wesson. [all comments sic]”

After the terrorist attack in Paris, Muslims across nations spoke out to denounce the murders. The Michigan Muslim Community Council, in fact, spoke of this on their Facebook page, adding that many Muslims fear suffering backlash from the attack, despite not being connected to it in any way.

In the wake of terror attacks, perhaps it’s a good time to reflect and, rather than committing further attacks on other innocents, time to consider each individual an individual and let him stand on his own merits rather than those of the worst people with whom he shares a Holy Book. Alternately, if judging a group by some of its elements is inevitable, perhaps we can focus on these Detroit Muslims’ charity, rather than on the small group who carried out the Paris attack.