Press Release: Muslims Pray for Trapped Miners

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 01/03/06) – A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today urged Americans of all faiths to pray for the safety of 13 West Virginia coal miners trapped underground since early Monday. The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called on leaders of each faith community to ask their members to offer individual and communal prayers for the miners.

CAIR quoted the Quran, Islam’s revealed text, which tells of the relief God granted to Job: “And (remember) Job, when he cried to his Lord, ‘Truly distress has seized me, but You are the most Merciful of all those who show mercy.’ So We listened to him. We removed the distress that was on him and We restored his people to him. . ." (21:83-84)

The Quran also states: “When my servants question you about Me, tell them I am close at hand. I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on Me.” (2:186)

“We call on all people of faith to pray for the safe return of the trapped miners and for the health and safety of all those worldwide who are suffering as the result of natural or man-made disasters,” said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad.

CAIR, America's largest Muslim civil liberties group, has 31 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. 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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CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair-net.org; Rabiah Ahmed, 202-488-8787 or 202-439-1441, E-Mail: rahmed@cair-net.org.