As the Imam of Dar al-Farooq mosque prepared to lead the Fajr [dawn] prayers last Saturday, he was unaware that an unknown assailant intended a Mosque attack to be his last. That is until a bomb was thrown through the window of his thankfully empty office, ripping out part of the wall and waking the otherwise quiet, peaceful neighbourhood.
Whilst no-one was hurt, the attack comes as part of an escalating series of abuse, with the center receiving threatening calls and emails, as well as an attack on a Muslim cemetery only last week.
Minnesota Mosque attack
With both the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security assisting investigations, the perpetrators are unlikely to remain at large for long. But the close-call for the community will only embolden the rising anti-Muslim sentiment sweeping the United States.
According to a report by the Pew Research Center, almost half of all Muslims in the US faced some sort of discrimination last year, and the incidents have only increased since the election of Donald Trump, who is yet to condemn the attack.
The center is also offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of the perpetrators. We urge Muslims to stay safe.
