The Muslim Students Association (MSA) of North America is calling the shooting massacre by jihadist Omar Mateen at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida an “act of homophobia,” and says Muslims have experienced similar “hate crimes” due to “Islamophobia.”
In a statement the MSA says it extends its “support to the LGBTQ community in condemning this violent hate crime as an act of homophobia that will not be tolerated.”
The MSA continues:
All human beings deserve the right to live their lives without fear of being targeted because of who they are. As Muslims, our experience with Islamophobia and hate crimes reinforces our commitment to utterly reject all forms of hate and prejudice. The LGBTQ community has stood in solidarity with the American Muslim community in challenging Islamophobia, on college campuses and beyond, and today we stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ community.
Our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: “Have mercy to those on earth, and the One in the Heavens (God) will have mercy upon you.”
And the Quran teaches to “Repel evil by that which is better” (41:34).
“In this holy month of Ramadan, we ask everyone to offer their prayers for the victims and their families, as well as for unity, peace and compassion globally,” the MSA says, and provides links for its members in Florida who wish to donate blood and money to those wounded in the shooting and to the families of the victims.
The Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT) observes that the MSA of the United States and Canada was incorporated in January 1963, when members of the Muslim Brotherhood came together at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with the goal of “spreading Islam as students in North America.”
“Islamic extremism is on the rise on college and university campuses across the United States,” IPT states. “The spread of radical Islamism on campuses has proven to be an effective tool to garner support and gain legitimacy, exploiting the right of free association with academic institutions.”
IPT maintains that the Muslim Brotherhood-influenced MSA often uses college and university campuses as a means to gain support through campaigns based on diversity and tolerance.
“International and domestic groups that advocate extremist or radical causes frequently host lectures and other events on campuses to shore up support and recruit members,” IPT states. “Indeed, universities are a fertile field for radicals searching for the next generation of activists and sympathizers.”