The Staff and Executive Committee of CAIR-Philadelphia joins the world community in mourning the loss of Nelson Mandela. More than mourning, however, we remember a life lived with courage and conviction. We also remember with pride the many Muslims in South Africa, such as Ebrahim Rasool, who participated, and died, in the struggle against the evils of apartheid.
Mandela inspired billions of people around the globe with his fortitude and his belief in reconciliation over revenge. As the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “For every day on which the sun rises, there is a (reward) for the one who establishes justice among people.”
Let us remember and rededicate ourselves to the missions and goals of CAIR with these words of Mandela:
“I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve.”
