Religious zealots waste no time declaring natural disasters to be divine punishment. They cite different divine motivations – invariably, causes that matter to them personally.

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 10/9/05) - CAIR today called on American Muslims and other people of conscience to help the victims of yesterday’s massive earthquake in South Asia.

When Ovadia Yosef, the former Sephardic chief rabbi of Israel, called Hurricane Katrina “a punishment from God for President Bush’s role in forcing Israelis to leave the Gaza Strip,” there was no mistaken demand made that all Jews worldwide rise up and deny these statements (“Israeli rabbi makes Katrina comments,” Sept. 16). People did not ask, “Where are the moderate Jews?” even though it is a reflexive question asked today whenever something is said or done by people claiming to be Muslims.

When Dr. Wiley Bennett, pastor of a Baptist church in Texas, called Hurricane Katrina “a warning shot” and claimed that New Orleans was targeted for punishment from God because the United States “‘right now is in a deep state of sin,’” there was no mistaken demand made that all Christians worldwide rise up and deny these statements (“Pastor’s sign rubs salt in wounds of downtrodden,” Sept. 16). People did not ask, “Where are the moderate Christians?” even though it is a reflexive question asked today whenever something is said or done by people claiming to be Muslims.

On Sunday, September 11, some 1200 Muslim volunteers will feed Hurricane Katrina evacuees in four shifts at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. National and local representatives of the Muslim Hurricane Relief Task Force (MHRTF) will also hold a noon news conference at the convention center to outline the American Muslim community's ongoing relief efforts.

The newly-formed Muslim Hurricane Relief Task Force (MHRTF) today announced the launch of a website, www.mhrtf.net, designed to offer information about the American Islamic community¿s efforts to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina. MHRTF recently announced a pledge to raise $10 million in humanitarian relief.

A coalition of major American Islamic groups meeting at the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) in Chicago today announced a pledge to raise $10 million in humanitarian relief for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/31/05) The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today urged American Muslims and other people of conscience to offer whatever assistance they can to help alleviate the suffering of those impacted by Hurricane Katrina.