The Colorado Imam Council held a successful event today at the Colorado Muslim Society (Masjid Abu Bakr). The workshop held under the title, “Dialogue between parents & youth” was attended by more that one hundred participants and was moderated by Sheikh Shafi Aziz, Sheikh Amjad Jabai, and Imam ShemsAdeen. Great discussions were held between mainly youth sisters and brothers as well as mothers and fathers. Important topics ranging from effective communication, expectations, fair treatment between siblings as well cultural differences were all discussed openly. By the will of Allah, the Imam Council will continue to move forward with these types of efforts and programs. Follow our FB page for complete live video from today, and stay tuned for updates. ​You can also share your feedback and suggestions via email: contact@coloradoimamcouncil.org

Sunday 12-16-18 - The Colorado Imam Council held is regular meeting at Masjid Shuhadaa in Downtown Denver. Imams discussed important issues relating to the community focusing on services, education and unity. Maghrib and Isha prayers were offered in congregation with a short talk by Sheikh Amjad Jabai, followed by dinner from our gracious hosts at Masjid Shuhadaa. In attendance: Sheikh Shafi Abdulaziz of Masjid Abu Bakr, Shaykh Amjad Jabai, Shaykh Idrus of Golden, Imam Ayman Hama of Lakewood, Imam Umair Ibrahim of Masjid Khadijah, Imam ShemsAdeen of Masjid Ikhlas, and Imam Mohamed Kolila of Masjid Shuhadah. You can stay up to date on the latest happening through the Imam Council Facebook and Instagram Pages as well as through our website and posts here on the Council blog.

As Muslims across the United States continue to hear discriminatory statements about Islam and Muslims through the news-media and otherwise, the Muslims in Colorado have received a strong message of solidarity and support from leaders of Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and other faith traditions in the state.

Over ninety ministers, pastors, rabbis, and priests have signed a joint letter of solidarity penned, "To our dear Muslim brothers and sisters". The letter that was published on Thursday, December 10, 2015, reads:

"Our dear Muslim brothers and sisters in Colorado,

We wish for your safety and for the well-being of your families.

In the light of recent violent events in the US and elsewhere, messages of hate against Muslims are spreading. Misguided people will continue to seek opportunities to destroy peace and inflict pain and suffering. We abhor the criticism and disrespectful rhetoric that is being misguidedly directed towards Islam and Muslims.

Our own voices echo the prayer of the Denver Islamic Society and Imam ShemsAdeen Ben-Masaud, member of the Colorado Imam Council, written on November 14, 2015, that, “We pray for an end to all destructive forces that try to separate us from each other and from our humanity”.

We stand by you and your families and believe that, by the will of God, together we can help turn this atmosphere of fear to an atmosphere of love."

End Quote

Imam Shakir, Coordinator of the Colorado Imam Council and Imam at the Islamic Center of Fort Collins, said, "We are honored to receive this letter and we look forward to working with these leaders and others who wish to help build bridges between different faith groups and between their congregations so that together we can build a better nation based on the ideals of trust, cooperation and mutual benefit."

Patty Lawless, Lead Statewide Organizer for Together Colorado, helped spread word of this letter within her network. She worked with Aamer Trambu, Treasurer for Islamic Circle of North America, to put this statement together. Together Colorado is a multi-faith multi-racial organization founded in 1978 that seeks to unlock the power of people in transforming their communities.

Denver Islamic Society will be holding an Open House from 2:30 to 5pm every third Saturday of the month. The next open house will be held on Saturday, December 19, 2015.

An additional letter of support from the Longmont Buddhist Temple is below:

You can download the PDF version of the file here:

Signatories to the letters include:

​Br. Scott Michael Pomerenk, n/BSG, St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Cal Kenper, Northglenn United Church of Christ
Clay Jones, President, Second Glance Ministries
Dr. Rev. Annabel B. Clark, member, Sixth Avenue United Church of Christ
Dustin Adkins, Minister, South Broadway Christian Church
Emily Conger, Interim Minister, Jefferson Unitarian Church, Golden
Fr. Terry Kissell, St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Aurora
Jeff Johnsen, Mile High Ministries
Kathy Escobar, Co-pastor, The Refuge, Broomfield
Minister Florence Caplow, Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist, Carbondale
Msgr. Robert L. Amundsen, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Lafayette
Nancy Kovalcik, Faith Leaders in Action, SE Colorado
Pastor Bert Chilson, St. Stephen Parish & School, Glenwood Springs
Pastor Betsy Headrick McCrae, Glennon Heights Mennonite Church
Pastor Caitlin Trussell, Augustana Lutheran Church
Pastor Daniel Smith, Ascension Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs
Pastor Emily Hagan, First United Methodist Church of Berthoud
Pastor Merv Birky, Beth-El Mennonite Church, Colorado Springs
Pastor Patrick Hurley, First Presbyterian Church, Pueblo
Pastor Paul Howard, Pastor, Montclair Community United Methodist Church
Pastor Sara Wirth, Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Boulder
Pat Washburn, Chaplain, Good Samaritan Village, Estes Park
Rabbi Bernard Gerson, Congregation Rodef Shalom
Rabbi Brian Field, Judaism Your Way, Denver
Rabbi Deborah Bronstein, Congregation Har Hashem, Boulder
Rabbi Eliot Baskin, DMin, Jewish Family Service
Rabbi Joseph R. Black, President – Rocky Mountain Rabbinical Council
Rabbi Marc Soloway, Congregation Bonai Shalom, Boulder
Rabbi Sarah Bracha Gershuny, Congregation Nevei Kodesh, Boulder
Rabbi Stephen Booth-Nadav
Rev. Allyson Sawtell, United Church of Christ
Rev. Amanda Henderson, Executive Director, Interfaith Alliance of Colorado
Rev. Beth Chronister, Assistant Minister, First Unitarian Society of Denver
Rev. Beth Robey Hyde, United Church of Christ (retired)
Rev. Bill Calhoun, Presbyterian minister
Rev. Bill Kirton, United Methodist Church (retired)
Rev. Bonita Bock, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) clergy
Rev. Canon Elizabeth Marie Melchionna, Saint John's Episcopal Cathedral, Denver
Rev. Dana W. Wilbanks, Prof. Emeritus of Christian Ethics, Iliff School of Theology
Rev. Daniel Klawitter, Deacon,Rocky Mountain Conference-United Methodist Church
Rev. Dawn Riley Duval, African Methodist Episcopal Church
Rev. Dr. Barry Bloom, Community Minister, Jefferson Unitarian Church, Golden
Rev. Dr. Charisa Hunter-Crump, Senior Minister, Cairn Christian Church, Boulder
Rev. Dr. Jennifer Morgan, Highlands Church
Rev. Dr. Neema Caughran, Center for Inner Peace, Pueblo
Rev. Dr. Pat Bruns, Senior Pastor, First United Methodist Church of Boulder
Rev. Dr. Vernon Rempel, Beloved Community Mennonite Church, Littleton
Rev. Edward A. Hawley, United Church of Christ (retired)
Rev. Erin Gilmore,  First Congregational Church of Loveland
Rev. Gary Weaver, First Presbyterian Church, Pueblo
Rev. Gregory Garland, Pastor, United Church of Broomfield, UCC
Rev. Ian Cummins, Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church
Rev. J. Todd Smiedendorf, Senior Minister, Washington Park United Church of Christ
Rev. James Chapman, Broadmoor Community UCC, Colorado Springs
Rev. Jane E. Vennard, United Church of Christ
Rev. Jann Halloran, Prairie Unitarian Universalist Church, Parker
Rev. Jeannie Shero, First Universalist Church of Denver
Rev. Jeff Newuman-Lee, Whittier Community Church (Church of the Brethren)
Rev. John Hild, Metropolitan Community Church of Pueblo
Rev. Kelly Dignan, Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder
Rev. Kevin Olsen, Interim Minister, First Congregational UCC, Pueblo
Rev. Lee Anderson, Trinity & Lakewood United Methodist Churches
Rev. Loren Richmond, Jr., United Church of Christ
Rev. Lydia Ferrante-Roseberry, Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Rev. Lynn Miller Jackson, Scott United Methodist Church
Rev. Mark Meeks, Capitol Heights Presbyterian Church
Rev. Melissa St. Clair, Heart of the Rockies Christian Church, Fort Collins
Rev. Mike Morran, Senior Minister, First Unitarian Society of Denver
Rev. Nelson Bock, Wartburg College
Rev. Paul J. Kottke, Metro District Superintendent, United Methodist Church
Rev. Sally Brown, St. John’s Cathedral
Rev. Sally Megeath, St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Rev. Sandra Daniel, United Church of Christ (retired)
Rev. Sandra Spahr, United Methodist Church, Pueblo
Rev. Shannon O'Hurley, Associate Minister, Mile Hi Church
Rev. Sharon McCormick, United Methodist
Rev. Stephan Papa, Unitarian Universalist (retired)
Rev. Steve Parke, United Church of Christ, Pueblo
Rev. Sue Artt, Acting Conf. Minister, Rocky Mountain Conf., United Church of Christ
Rev. Susan McKee, Minister for Interfaith Relations, Park Hill Cong. UCC
Rev. Ted Howard, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Boulder
Rev. Thandiwe Dale-Ferguson, Cairn Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Lafayette
Rev. Thomas E. Korson, Unitarian Universalist Community Minister (retired)
Rev. Val Stepien, Eyes of Compassion Sangha, Unified Buddhist Church
Rev. Wayne A. Laws, Mountain View United Church, United Church of Christ, Aurora
Rev. Wendy Williams, Senior Minister, Jefferson Unitarian Church, Golden
Rick Love, President, Peace Catalyst International

Additional signatories include:
Reverend Carol O’Dowd, Longmont Buddhist Temple
Board of Directors, Longmont Buddhist Temple 

For questions about this article please email coimamco@gmail.com or call 720-505-3399. To learn more about Islam please visit www.whyislam.org or call the 24x7 hotline 1-877-WHY-ISLAM (1-877-949-4752).

--For Immediate Release--

(DENVER, CO, 11/20/15) - The Colorado Imam Council (CIC) applauds Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper for welcoming Syrian refugees to Colorado, calls for self-introspection and holding on to values on which America was built.

SEE: Colorado Will Accept Syrian Refugees Hickenlooper Says

The CIC shares in the condemnation of the terrorist attacks in Paris as all civil society does. We must not however forget the many thousands more innocent victims still desperately fleeing Syria with their families and little belonging from the very same extremists who wish to inflict upon them harm.

Governor Hickenlooper's commitment to refugee resettlement efforts in our beautiful state regardless of race and ethnicity, is a refreshing and positive sign that not all lawmakers are vulnerable to the fear-mongering and bigotry that is seen fueling this debate. 

Trust must be placed in our government's vetting and security process of those seeking admittance to the United States under normal conditions as well as those seeking refuge and asylum in US soil. Not a single one of the two million refugees that have entered the US in the last 20 years have been convicted of any act of terrorism. We should not allow fear-mongering and speculation to change our values and behaviors as citizens of this country.

America since it's inception, has a long standing and proud history of welcoming refugees from around the world seeking assistance, freedom from persecution, or just looking to fulfill hopes and dreams in a land of opportunity.

At times like this while contemplating what to do with regards to the question of 'refugees', it behooves us to remember this very poem engraved on our Statue of Liberty that generations of Immigrants read as they arrived to start their new lives.

​"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"


Coordinator - Colorado Imam Council
Imam Shakir Muhammad
coIMAMco@gmail.com

​------FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-----


(DENVER, CO, Nov. 16, 2015) – The Colorado Imam Council is appalled by the tragic events that took place over the weekend in France. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims who were from all over the world, and specifically with the people of France. 

We believe, as stated in the Holy Quran, that whoever kills one life, it is as if they have killed all of humanity, and whoever saves one life, it is as if they have saved all of humanity (Chapter 5: Verse 32). We strongly condemn these politically motivated actions perpetrated by extremists who try to justify their crimes in the name of our faith.
 
Islam condemns all forms of brutality, murder, and attacks on the innocent. Muslims, scholars and laypersons the world over, have and will continue to condemn these and any extremists that use Islam to justify their cause. Under Islamic teachings, such actions would be strictly prohibited.
 
The Colorado Imam Council stands in solidarity with the people of France, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Myanmar, Palestine, and all those facing oppression and injustice worldwide. We pray for healing, peace, and justice for the victims. We also echo the voices that call for an end to all violence against the innocent in every corner of the world. We pray for an end to all destructive forces that try to separate us from each other and from our common link that we all share as the children of Adam.

Coordinator - Colorado Imam Council
Imam Shakir Muhammad
coIMAMco@gmail.com

Please join us for this exciting and relevant event in light of the recent events of insults towards the Prophet (SAWS). Come listen to your community Imams and benefit and enjoy some refreshments.