3 weeks ago
DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. — A Dearborn-area imam says he personally confronted a local protester who chanted slogans specified arsenic "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" astatine a caller rally.
"I americium perfectly against saying ‘Death to America,'" Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi told Fox News Digital. "I cognize successful definite countries they whitethorn opportunity these things, but I americium personally against it moreover erstwhile they opportunity this successful immoderate country; doesn’t matter wherever you opportunity it … because it doesn’t help."
Elahi, who serves arsenic imam astatine nan section Islamic House of Wisdom mosque, said retired soon aft a arguable rally held nan past Friday of Ramadan successful nearby Dearborn saw a speaker starring a crowd successful chants of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel." Video of nan incident sparked nationalist headlines astir extremism wrong nan Michigan imam’s section community.
"Imam Khomeini, who declared nan International Al-Quds Day, this is why he would opportunity to move each of your chants and each of your shouts upon nan caput of America," Tarek Bazzi, a Michigan-based activistic associated pinch nan Hadi institute, said successful a video from nan rally that was shared by nan Middle East Media Research Institute.
Dearborn Heights, Michigan, Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi has spoken retired against "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" chants astatine a caller anti-Israel rally. (Michael Lee/Fox News Digital)
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Elahi told Fox News Digital that while he did not be nan rally, he had "heard astir it," noting that he moreover confronted 1 of those who was seen chanting nan motto "loudly" astatine nan event.
"I talked pinch him and I [expressed] my disappointment because we are not for death, we are for life. We are for love. We are for bid and justice," Elahi said.
Tarek Bazzi (Middle East Media Research Institute)
Elahi noted that nan rally was only a "few people" who chanted nan slogan, arguing that those protesters correspond a number of nan Dearborn community.
Nevertheless, nan Michigan imam said he made judge to speak retired against chanting specified slogans publicly, including successful his Friday dream work nan pursuing week.
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The contention surrounding nan rally comes amid a backdrop of heavy resentment toward existent U.S. overseas argumentation among galore members of nan Arab organization successful nan Dearborn community, who person fiercely based on against nan Biden administration’s handling of nan conflict successful Gaza.
Dearborn, which has nan highest per capita Muslim organization successful nan country, became nan halfway of guidance against President Biden's re-election bid arsenic a consequence of his handling of nan conflict, pinch organizers starring a activity that saw much than 100,000 group people "uncommitted" connected their ballots alternatively of supporting nan president during Michigan’s Democrat primary.
Elahi acknowledged his ain vexation pinch existent U.S. argumentation in Gaza but said he encourages members of his organization to peacefully return portion successful nan antiauthoritarian process alternatively of utilizing convulsive rhetoric.
"As a Muslim community, we judge successful voting, we judge successful outreach," Elahi said.
Protesters march done neighborhoods adjacent a Ford Motor Co. works successful Dearborn, Michigan, connected May 18, 2021, during a objection against President Biden's continued support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's management successful Israel. (Seth Herald/AFP via Getty Images)
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The Michigan imam said nan Muslim organization has galore partners successful nan U.S. who person supported their governmental efforts, arguing that chants specified arsenic those astatine nan Dearborn rally consequence alienating those who person "shown sympathy and solidarity pinch nan Muslim community."
"That is very harmful to nan origin of our community," Elahi said. "Because erstwhile you opportunity this, America intends us, group of America, that intends that if we person 8 cardinal Muslims, we are America, too. So, this is for illustration benignant of self-suicide, and we disagree pinch that."
Elahi said he encourages those successful his organization to beryllium "part of nan solution alternatively than portion of nan problem."
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"We did a bully occupation erstwhile that happened," Elahi said. "I talked astir it; different imams, they talked astir that. We talked to nan fewer of those that we knew that they were portion of that, and we made judge that our connection is very clear to them."
