Matters of Justice

Whoever kills a person unjustly, it is as though he has killed all of the mankind. And whoever saves a life, it would be as though he saved the life of all humans (5:32)

Intertwined deeply with both politics and community service, the masjid is deeply invested in social and racial justice. Imam Makram El-Amin and Masjid An-Nur are deeply involved in social justice and interfaith work. Masjid An-Nur was the first masjid to be involved in the Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness and is currently one of only two masjids involved in the interfaith effort.1 Masjid An-Nur also houses Al Maa'uun, which they translate as "neighborly needs," an interfaith nonprofit that began in 1996. In addition to Masjid An-Nur's Al-Maa'uun is comprised of a coalition of three major Christian organizations, the Jewish Community Relations Council, and the McKnight Foundation. Al Maa'uun has programs that focus on food, housing, work, and re-entry, especially in North Minneapolis.2

In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, El-Amin was at the forefront of the public and interfaith response. He participated in panel discussions and webinars with other faith leaders to discuss the impact of Floyd’s murder on their communities and has joined and led protesters and prayers at the site of Floyd’s murder, calling for justice and organizing for change.3

Furthermore, Masjid An-Nur joined 37 other Muslim organizations in supporting the Minnesota Muslim Leaders Coalition's statement on the murder of George Floyd. In the statement, Muslim organizations condemn the brutal murder of George Floyd, the systemic insjutices that perpetuate violence against people of color, and demand structural changes with respect to policing.4 The statement grounds their response in Islamic teachings, drawing on the tradition to further and inspire the cause for justice.

  1. "Who We Are," Downtown Congregation to End Homelessness, accessed July 21, 2020, http://www.dceh.org/about/who-we-are/.↩

  2. "About Us," Al Maa'uun, accessed July 14, 2020, https://almaauun.org/about-us/.↩

  3. David Crary and Mariam Fam, "Pandemic and racial unrest test black clergy on dual fronts," Associated Press, June 4, 2020, https://apnews.com/5f464d1162100a1bf76a8da6cc894bcc.↩

  4. Minnesota Muslim Leaders Coalition, "The Minnesota Muslim Leaders Coalition Message on the George Floyd killing," Masjid An-Nur, accessed July 17, 2020, https://masjidannur.org/the-minnesota-muslim-leaders-coalition-message-on-the-george-floyd-killing/. For additional statements by religious organizations on the killing of George Floyd, also see https://ifcmw.org/statements-by-faith-leaders-in-response-to-the-killing-of-george-floyd/.↩

We saw a crime against all of humanity. It was a crime against humanity. It was as if we were hurting. As though the knee was on all of our necks collectively. It was on all of our necks at the same time. At the exact same time. We were saying, “I can’t breathe. I’m hurting. I can’t breathe.”

As the Covid-19 pandemic made gatherings difficult, much has transitioned online. Imam El-Amin addressed his community through Facebook Live videos, and in several discusses the murder of George Floyd. El-Amin ties his faith and the pursuit of justice together, anchoring his understanding of justice in the Qur'an. El-Amin mourns George Floyd, expressing his grief and frustration with the dehumanization of Black people.5 He said,

Human life in Islamic teaching, in the Qur'an, by definition it is something that is very, very valuable. It is extremely valuable. It is so valuable that it is to be protected at all costs. And we are not to shed the blood of others. Not individually, not institutionally, not systemically. We are not to take a life unjustly. And what we witnessed from our – and the life of our brother, our brother George Floyd, we saw a crime against all of humanity. It was a crime against humanity. It was as if we were hurting. As though the knee was on all of our necks collectively. It was on all of our necks at the same time. At the exact same time. We were saying, “I can’t breathe. I’m hurting. I can’t breathe.” We were all – when he was saying that, we were all saying that. When that came out of his mouth, we were all saying that. When he asked for his mother, when he pleaded and cried out for his mother, he knew his time was coming to an end, it was all of us crying for our mothers. Why? Because our mother represents safety, security, love, caring – all of which he was not receiving in that moment. He was not receiving it in that moment. We ask Allah to forgive our brother his sins. We ask Allah to grant him the paradise. He truly can be considered a martyr in this war for humanity. It’s a war in this country for humanity. It is a war in this moment, of who will remain human. Who will remain human. We lost our dear brother. We lost our dear brother. We are hurting, dear Muslims, dear believers, friends, we are hurting. - Imam Makram El-Amin

  1. Makram El-Amin, Masjid An-Nur, Minneapolis, MN "Masjid An-Nur Minneapolis, MN was live," Facebook video, May 29, 2020, 10:27, https://www.facebook.com/141338360182/videos/2558086231107520.↩