Islam, like other religions, instructs its followers to first help protect and comfort those who are in trouble. Therefore, it only makes sense that folks, especially those who are supporting the construction of a new mosque at Ground Zero abandon the mosque project and instead help the victims of horrendous floods in Pakistan. No, I am not against the mosque, absolutely not. I am only suggesting is that if the choice is between building a new mosque and saving innocent civilians, it should be a no brainer.
It is true that Pakistan has been experiencing awful tragedies and crisis one after another since its inceptions, but the current catastrophe dwarfs everything else in comparison. Perhaps, the floods in Pakistan have caused more destruction than Haiti’s earthquake and Indonesia’s Tsunami, combined. Naturally, if the scope of the latest tragedy in Pakistan is this big, one has to halt every other project, no matter how sacred and important, and focus solely on saving lives.
But, it would be wrong to ask everyone else for money and aid, and not invite the supporters of the mosque at Ground Zero to decide whether saving humanity comes first, or building a mosque or whatever the on-going project: a new building, a new cultural center, a new gymnasium, or an Islamic center, whatever it may be, take priority over human lives.
Once again, it should not be a difficult choice.
Interestingly, there are plenty of mosques not only in America, but also in New York. As a matter of fact, there is a already a mosque about 100 yards from Ground Zero and donating the resources set aside for this particular mosque won’t make any difference as for as availability of a place to worship. Indeed it is going to demonstrate the power of faith that people, regardless of their religious, ethnic or political background, decided in favor of helping those who are trapped in water and are in danger of dying due to diseases, and malnutrition.
“A life isn’t significant except for its impact on other lives.”
Jackie Robinson