Prayers for peace, and for the safety of Americans military members, have been common during services in many island churches in recent weeks. Isle Muslims oppose
war but pray for
U.S. troops’ safetyBy Mary Adamski
madamski@starbulletin.com
A spokesman for Hawaii Muslims said they "are praying for the safe return of our young American men and women, many of which not only share our nationality, but our religion as well, and the safety of the innocent Iraqi people."
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Hakim Ouansafi, president of the Muslim Association of Hawaii, said, "We reiterate our opposition to war as a solution to the crisis in Iraq," but "Hawaii Muslims believe that this debate is over, and we close ranks, look to the future and pray that this nightmare ends soon."
There are some people of Iraqi ancestry among the multinational Muslim community in Hawaii, but they are not willing to be identified or to speak to the news media, said Ouansafi, a Waikiki hotel executive originally from Morocco. The local Muslim population numbers about 3,000 men, women and children, several of whom are military members and dependents.
He raised the concern that the invasion will set off a backlash against American Muslims "who continue to live up to the responsibility to partner with law enforcement to protect the domestic front and prevent terrorism wherever possible. We are also committed to working with authorities to prevent and deal with hate crimes and hate speech targeting American Muslims.
"We call upon all Americans to respect the tradition of the right to dissent," he said.
Citing Bush's statement that "the greatest power of freedom is to overcome hatred and violence and turn the creative gifts of men and women to the pursuits of peace," Ouansafi said: "Religious leaders must avoid the exploitation of theological language that serves special interests and inflames the situation and possibly leads to more violence.
"We have confidence in the great majority of Americans and law enforcement agencies, and we believe that together we will prevent wicked opportunists and ignorant fanatics from perpetrating hate crimes."
Honolulu Catholic Bishop Francis DiLorenzo, who is on the mainland, sent out a statement last week to be read in all Catholic parishes about the principle of a "just war."
"There is no condemnation of the president's action in it," the Rev. Joseph Grimaldi, judicial vicar of the Catholic diocese, said.
"We would love to have achieved a resolution through peace. But sometimes that is not possible. Iraq also has to make an effort. It's a very delicate situation."
At morning mass Wednesday at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, Grimaldi said, "I made sure people prayed for the men and women fighting to preserve our security, but also for innocent victims of war, whether American or Iraqi."
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