Washington, D.C. | www.mpac.org | August 9, 2022 — The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) offers our condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives. They were attendees of Islamic Center of New Mexico and were all targeted and murdered because of how they prayed. 

Sadly, Shia Muslims have been the victims of these targeted killings the world over for centuries, and the inspiration at times has come from ideology espoused by our allies in the Middle East. While these heinous acts may not have been a result of that ideology, we must recognize the reality of countries that finance sectarian hatred and respond accordingly.

American Muslims, both Sunni and Shia, just observed Ashura, the commemoration of Imam Hussein’s martyrdom that enjoins our collective stand against tyranny. It is a solemn event that our entire community observes and confirms the unity that exists in our faith. We must not allow such deranged individuals to defeat that. 

MPAC calls on all American Muslim organizations to stand with the American Shia community as they mourn the lives lost from this attack. Anti-Shia sentiments have no place in our communities, nor our nation, and unity against any form of sectarianism is imperative for the success and safety of our communities.