January 6, 2011

Leaders of the Muslim Public Affairs Council joined the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California for a private meeting with His Grace Bishop Serapion, head of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California and Hawaii, to offer condolences to the victims of the deadly New Year's Eve attack on a Coptic Church in Alexandria, Egypt, as well as to offer well wishes for the Coptic Christmas holiday.

Dr. Maher Hathout (Chairman of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California and Senior Adviser of MPAC), Salam Al-Marayati (MPAC President), Shakeel Syed (Executive Director of the Shura Council), and Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi (Imam of the Islamic Society of Orange County and Chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America) attended the meeting with Bishop Serapion in Pomona, California.

"This heinous attack is an affront to all of us Muslims and Christians who stand together as worshippers of God, and we cannot allow it to divide us here in America," Dr. Hathout said. "We need to work together to address this cancer of violence and to tackle these issues with honesty and self-reflection."

"Shura Council is committed to work with the Coptic Diocese and its community in offering a better model for Muslims and Copts elsewhere," Syed said.

"This senseless violence is against Islam and Christianity. Our scriptures would never condone such a senseless shedding of blood," Dr. Siddiqi said.

During the meeting, the Muslim leaders and Bishop Serapion discussed how to handle this horrific incident and its implications on local Muslim-Christian relations. They agreed to organize an interfaith forum to discuss the challenges faced by Christian minorities in in Muslim countries, as well as the challenges Muslim minorities in predominantly Christian nations.

The Muslim leaders stressed to Bishop Serapion two important priorities: The first is to protect our environment in America against this deadly disease from entering our shore, and the second is to develop a rapid communication effort in case such terrible crimes happen against any church or mosque in Egypt or any other place.

SEE: "MPAC Condemns 'Heinous Criminal' Terror Attack Against Egyptian Church on New Year's Eve"

SEE: "In Grief & Solidarity with the Coptic Christian Community of Southern California" (Islamic Shura Council of Southern California)

ALSO SEE: "On Christmas, A Call For Muslim-Christian Cooperation"

The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California and Hawaii oversees about 30 churches, a theological school (seminary) and a charity organization called Saint Verena Charity.