Washington, U.S.A. — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) asked state and federal law enforcement authorities on July 6 to investigate a possible bias motive for vandalism of a South Carolina mosque.

CAIR said that vandals threw a large outdoor, concrete ashtray through a window at the Islamic Center of South Carolina earlier this week, causing $1,200 in damage.

The Washington-based Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization noted that the incident fits a pattern of recent arson and vandalism targeting American Mosques. CAIR has contacted the local FBI office about the vandalism.

On July 5 CAIR called for a state and federal hate crime investigation of what officials are calling a “suspicious” fire at a Missouri mosque and for a similar probe of hate vandalism targeting a Muslim family in Texas. Several mosque arson cases have been reported nationwide in the last two years. In August 2010 construction equipment for a mosque was burned and destroyed in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Then in April 2011 a Springfield mosque found three copies of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, burned outside the mosque with a threatening note. Two more arson attacks were reported in May and October of 2011 in Houston, Texas and Wichita, Kansas respectively. Most recently another mosque was bombed in Queens, New York with patrons still inside; none were reported injured.

“Whenever a house of worship is targeted in this manner, state and national law enforcement authorities should consider the possibility of a bias motive,” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.

Hooper said CAIR is urging Muslim individuals and institutions to review advice on security procedures contained in its “Muslim Community Safety Kit.” The Safety Kit includes tips about how to interact with the community, including contacting community leaders to discuss concerns, and reporting suspicious behavior.

CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

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The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s leading Muslim civil liberties organization, has condemned “inaccurate and offensive” remarks by GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum, who said that the concept of equality “doesn’t come from Islam” or “Eastern religions.” He claimed equality comes from “the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

In a statement, CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper said:

“The Quran, Islam’s revealed text, is the best refutation of Mr. Santorum’s inaccurate and offensive remarks, which are unbecoming of anyone who hopes to hold our nation’s highest office. Christians, Jews and Muslims all worship the same God and share religious traditions that promote justice and equality.

“God states in the Quran: ‘Say ye: ‘We believe in God and the revelation given to us and to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and it is unto Him that we surrender ourselves.’ (The Holy Quran, 2:136)

“The Quran and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stress racial and gender equality. The Prophet said: ‘All people are equal as the teeth of a comb.’

“As the Prophet said in his last sermon: ‘All humankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab. Also, a white person has no superiority over a black person, nor does someone who is black have any superiority over someone who is white — except by piety and good action.’

“The Prophet once told a companion: ‘You are not better than people (of other races) unless you excel them in piety.’ (Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1361)

“Islam’s holy text also promotes gender equality when it states: ‘So their Lord answers their prayers, saying: ‘I will never let the (good) work of any of you, whether male or female, be wasted. You are members one of another.’ (The Holy Quran, 3:195) The Quran also states: ‘The believers, men and women, are protectors, one of another.’ (Quran 9:71)

“The Prophet Muhammad said: ‘Whoever has a daughter and does not bury her alive (a pre-Islamic practice forbidden by Islam), does not insult her, and does not favor his son over her, God will enter him into Paradise.’

“We suggest that Mr. Santorum educate himself about Islam and the American Muslim community by reading the Quran that we will send to his campaign headquarters next week.”

[NOTE: CAIR has an initiative designed to send free copies of the Quran to the nation's opinion leaders and policy-makers. The Qurans are sponsored and distributed through CAIR's ongoing "Explore the Quran" campaign.

Hooper noted that CAIR recently called on Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich and other GOP representatives to reaffirm their support of an American republic that treats citizens of all faiths as equals after Gingrich told a South Carolina town hall that he would only support a Muslim for the presidency if that person would "commit in public to give up Sharia [Islamic principles].”

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