New Mosque Opens In Laredo
By
KGNS News
Story Created:
Aug 8, 2012 at 11:12 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Aug 9, 2012
The United States is a melting pot of cultures, races, and ideas. Unfortunately, Laredo isn't known for having a diverse community.
The first mosque in Laredo opened today, but with the shooting at a Wisconsin Sikh Temple, possibly motivated by hate, do Laredo-Muslims feel scared being a minority in a predominantly Christian community?
It's called the call to prayer and it's the first to be heard in a mosque in Laredo.
Siraj Khan said, the Islamic community is rejoiced to have it's doors opened.
"Ive been in Laredo for 25 years our faith is very strong that we need a mosque," said Khan.
With the recent shooting at a Sikh Temple in Milwaukee, Wisconsin some people of different faiths may feel scared or threatened but Dr. Hamdan says it doesn't matter where you are, with ignorance comes hatred. "anywhere not just Laredo you can always have somebody who is crazy brutal to do such an atrocity I don't think Laredo would be any different from any other place in the country,” said Dr. Zakaria Hamdan
Dr. Hamdan would like to invite the community to show that Islam isn't so different from Christianity,"A lot of the hatred that may come to people or religion comes from ignorance and so on occasions like these when we invite the community to come and learn about what Islam is what Muslims do it takes away a lot of the hatred it takes away the ignorance," said Hamdan.
The crime that occurred in Wisconsin is unfortunate, Siraj Khan hopes it doesn't happen to anyone.
"It doesn't matter what creed or religion its not a nice thing to do and we morn for that and we hope that it will never happen hence forth.
Dr. Hamdan hopes that now that the mosque is open more people of the Islamic faith have a place to pray and a have feel of unity
