Columbia Muslim leaders release statement strongly condemning Orlando mass shooting

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – Leaders of Columbia mosques and local Muslim community released a statement Sunday, expressing deep shock at the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida that left at least 50 people dead.

“We strongly condemn this barbaric act against humanity,” said Chaudhry Sadiq, President, Peace and Integration Council of North America (PICNA) and President, Masjid Noor Ul Huda. “There can be absolutely no justification for such a heinous crime.”

“We share the grief of families of the victims in Orlando and join the nation in mourning the victims of the worst mass shooting in American history,”declared Omar Shaheed, Imam at Masjid As-Salam. Mirza Baig, on behalf of the Islamic Center of Columbia, echoed the sentiments of the other Muslim leaders and prayed for peace and tranquility in our nation.

The Muslim leaders emphasized that the shooting was the act of an individual and that it must not be associated with his faith.

In a couple of weeks, they said a number of Muslim families will join hands in cooking food and serving it to about 260 homeless in downtown Columbia. Muslim families have kept up this Ramadan tradition for the last many years and now plan to make it a quarterly program.