CAIR Action Alert #610:

Muslims Asked to Pray for End to Oil Spill, Volunteer for Relief Effort

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/9/10) -- CAIR is calling on mosques and other houses of worship across the nation to offer prayers for an end to the Gulf oil spill and the environmental disaster it is causing.

Imams and khatibs are urged to use jummah prayers to offer special du'as for a speedy end to the oil spill crisis. Mosque officials are also asked to encourage community members to volunteer to assist in Gulf Coast relief efforts as part of CAIR's ongoing "Muslims Care" volunteerism initiative.

SEE: Muslims Care
http://www.muslims-care.org/

CAIR is requesting that religious leaders of other faiths offer similar prayers and supplications based on their own traditions.

“Engineers, officials and residents of the Gulf Coast are doing their best to mitigate this environmental disaster and people of faith must also do what they can to seek divine intervention when human efforts fall short,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "Along with the prayers, we ask American Muslims to volunteer their time and talents to assist in the massive clean up effort."

He cited the Quran, which states: “O you who have attained to faith! Seek aid in steadfast patience and prayer: for, behold, God is with those who are patient in adversity.” (2:153)

SEE: CAIR Explore the Quran Search Engine

Awad said CAIR chapters around the nation will encourage interfaith partners to join the spiritual effort along with local mosques.

SEE: CAIR Chapters Nationwide

“This nationwide spiritual effort could have the added benefit of strengthening bonds between Americans of all faiths,” said Awad.

SEE: Calif. Muslim, Jewish Leaders Discuss Shared Values

IMMEDIATE ACTIONS REQUESTED:

1. MAKE SPECIAL DU'AS this Friday asking God to bring a speedy end to the Gulf oil spill and to help prevent the environmental disaster it is causing.
2. CONTACT your community's INTERFAITH PARTNERS to ask that they take part in this spiritual initiative.
3. VOLUNTEER TO ASSIST IN THE CLEAN-UP EFFORT. Muslim communities along the Gulf Coast should make a special effort to turn out volunteers who are 18 or older.
   
   To request volunteer information, call BP's toll-free number: 1-866-448-5816
   Other volunteer resources:
   
   Volunteer Louisiana
   http://volunteerlouisiana.gov/
   800.755.5175
   
   Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service
   http://www.mcvs.org
   
   Volunteer Florida
   http://www.volunteerflorida.org/
   
   211 Connects Alabama
   http://211connectsalabama.org
   866.869.4921
   
   Volunteer Florida
   http://www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org/
   
4. REPORT PRAYER AND VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES to CAIR by e-mailing: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it