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California imam apologizes for sermon seen as inciting to Jews, condemns anti-Semitism
Source: Washington Post
California imam apologizes for sermon seen as inciting to Jews, condemns anti-Semitism
By Michelle Boorstein July 28 at 5:24 PM
A Northern California imam whose widely distributed sermon about Jews in disputed Jerusalem set off controversy and fear of violence apologized at a Friday news conference, saying his words were hurtful and “unacceptable.”
“To the Jewish community, here in Davis and beyond, I say this: I am deeply sorry for the pain that I have caused. The last thing I would do is intentionally hurt anyone, Muslim, Jewish or otherwise. It is not in my heart, nor does my religion allow it,” Ammar Shahin said in his statement.
Shahin spoke at a conference with other Muslim, Christian and Jewish leaders in Davis, a university community outside Sacramento. The mayor and a county supervisor also spoke there about the videotaped sermon, which was watched many thousands of times in the past few days since it was posted by Shahin’s mosque, the Islamic Center of Davis (ICD).
The imam preached last week about a controversy going on at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem, an intensely contested site that is considered holy by Jews and Muslims. Israeli officials had put metal detectors at the site for Muslims to pass through, days after Arab-Israeli gunmen shot and killed two Israeli guards at the site.
-snip-
In the hour-long sermon, the 31-year-old Shahin focused on the standoff at the site and called Muslims to come together to protest the closure there. He prayed for God to destroy Muslims’ opponents at the site.
-snip-
By Michelle Boorstein July 28 at 5:24 PM
A Northern California imam whose widely distributed sermon about Jews in disputed Jerusalem set off controversy and fear of violence apologized at a Friday news conference, saying his words were hurtful and “unacceptable.”
“To the Jewish community, here in Davis and beyond, I say this: I am deeply sorry for the pain that I have caused. The last thing I would do is intentionally hurt anyone, Muslim, Jewish or otherwise. It is not in my heart, nor does my religion allow it,” Ammar Shahin said in his statement.
Shahin spoke at a conference with other Muslim, Christian and Jewish leaders in Davis, a university community outside Sacramento. The mayor and a county supervisor also spoke there about the videotaped sermon, which was watched many thousands of times in the past few days since it was posted by Shahin’s mosque, the Islamic Center of Davis (ICD).
The imam preached last week about a controversy going on at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem, an intensely contested site that is considered holy by Jews and Muslims. Israeli officials had put metal detectors at the site for Muslims to pass through, days after Arab-Israeli gunmen shot and killed two Israeli guards at the site.
-snip-
In the hour-long sermon, the 31-year-old Shahin focused on the standoff at the site and called Muslims to come together to protest the closure there. He prayed for God to destroy Muslims’ opponents at the site.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/07/28/did-a-california-imam-call-for-violence-against-jews-faith-leaders-meet-to-calm-tensions/
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