A Message to the SALAM Community

Dear SALAM Community,

We pray that this message finds you well, insha’a Allah.

Yesterday, Monday, May 18, our dear brothers and sisters in San Diego experienced a senseless and deeply disturbing act of violence at the Islamic Center of San Diego (ICSD).

We pray for the martyred community members who brought light, kindness, and joy to the ICSD community. As Allah ﷻ says, “Never say that those martyred in the cause of Allah are dead—in fact, they are alive! But you do not perceive it.” (2:154).

We ask Allah ﷻ to grant the martyrs the highest level of Paradise and to reunite them with their families and loved ones there, Ameen. In these blessed days of Dhul Hijjah, wherein we increase our duaa and worship, we ask Allah to provide protection, healing, and patience to our brothers and sisters in the San Diego community.

As we grapple with making sense of what happened, we want to assure all of you that SALAM is taking the necessary precautions to maintain the safety of our congregants. The Sacramento Sheriff’s Department will be increasing patrols in our neighborhood for the coming weeks, alhamdulillah.

If you have any concerns or questions about the masjid, please direct them to SALAM staff or leadership only, and we will do our best to address them.

Abu Yahya Suhaib bin Sinan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “How wonderful is the case of the believer; there is good for him in everything, and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah, and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently, and that is better for him.” [Muslim]

We ask our community to remain calm, safe, and practice patience during this time, and know that SALAM remains open for prayer, worship, and gathering with the community.

We also recognize that this tragedy may bring anxiety, fear, and grief. Below are some local and virtual resources that may help individuals and families process and heal:

• Amala Youth Hopeline: free, anonymous phone line for youth. Available Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 6 PM – 10 PM. Call: 855-952-6252.
• MAS-SSF Tele-counseling: available at 916-482-8626 from Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM for live calls. Also available by email at counseling@mas-ssf.org.
• Maristan Clinic: therapy rooted in the Islamic tradition. To book an appointment, fill out this appointment request form.

For parents and caregivers, we also encourage you to read the MuslimMatters.org article: “On Prophetic Wisdom and Speaking to Children in Times of Distress.”

If you experience any incident of discrimination or harassment, please contact our local CAIR chapter.

Finally, if you would like to donate to the family and victim support fund, there are two live giving campaigns for the victims, here and here.

With Compassion,