Community News

Valley Stream congregants attend funeral for slain imam

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After a Queens imam and his friend were shot and killed on Aug. 13 while walking home from an afternoon prayer, Muslim parishioners across Long Island detailed the somber week of mourning that followed, and stepped-up security at local mosques.

Karim Mozawalla, a trustee at Masjid Hamza Islamic Center of South Shore in Valley Stream, attended the imam’s funeral on Aug. 15 with 10 of his friends.

“The funeral was attended by many different politicians, which was nice to see,” he said. “Muslims themselves, obviously — they feel threatened.”

According to Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown’s office, Imam Maulana Akonjee, 55, and Thara Uddin, 64, were walking home from the Al-Furqan Jame Masjid mosque on Glenmore Avenue in Ozone Park, Queens, at around 2 p.m. on Aug. 13 when Oscar Morel, 35, of Miller Avenue, in Brooklyn, came up behind the two men at the intersection of 79th Street and Liberty Avenue and fired multiple rounds — including shots to the heads of both victims. The two men were transported to a local hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

Morel was charged with one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison without parole. The New York Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations urged the New York Police Department and the district attorney to continue the investigation of a hate motive.

Mozawalla said that attending the funeral was a “very sad experience,” and added that speakers stressed that Muslims are an integral part of American society.

Living as a Muslim in America

In the days that followed, he said, the mood has been somber among his Valley Stream congregation. The rise of presidential candidate Donald Trump, Mozawalla said, who has come under fire more than once for his anti-Muslim rhetoric, has provided fertile ground for Islamophobia — a phenomenon that he said is constantly on the minds of Muslim-Americans.

“Obviously it’s not getting any better — it’s only getting worse,” he said. “Islamophobia has not been created by Donald Trump, but it has increased [during his campaign].”

Mozawalla said that he is acutely aware of the fact that at any moment, he may be perceived as a threat because of his appearance. “In a personal regard, basically, I have to be more careful of my surroundings,” he said. “If I get angry, or upset, I might be viewed as a terrorist … I’m guilty until proven innocent.”
He urged non-Muslims to get to know their Muslim neighbors, because “the more they know, the more they understand our side and our plight — that’s how we change our culture.”

The shooting also had a significant impact on Elmont resident Ali Mirza. The former Democratic candidate for the 5th Congressional District seat met Akonjee at an event in Jamaica in June.

“He was a polite, humble guy,” Mirza said. “We exchanged greetings and he wished me good luck [on the campaign].” Mirza eventually lost in the primary to the incumbent, U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks.

“My first reaction was of shock, grief, fear and anxiety,” Mirza said of learning about Akonjee’s death.

He also mentioned Trump, and how political speech from various leaders has heightened anxieties for many in the Arab community.

To combat the increased tension, Mirza said, many parishioners have ceased wearing traditional dress when frequenting local mosques. Mirza attends both Elmont mosques, Muhammadi Masjid and Jamia Zia Ul Quran.

Dressing in Muslim attire can bring unwanted attention — or worse — according to Qari Usman, a leader at Jamia Zia Ul Quran. At the time of his death, Akonjee was wearing traditional clothing.

Despite these fears, Usman said, he still believes Long Island is the safest place for Muslim-Americans to practice their faith. “We have freedom of religion here, we have no problem with our government or from the police,” he said. “They provide us with all types of security and assurance that everybody is important to this community.”

Keeping congregants safe

Isma Chaudhry, the president of the county’s largest mosque — the Islamic Center of Long Island, in Westbury — said that the commanding officers of the Nassau County Police Department’s Community Affairs Division contacted her the day of the killings. She also heard from elected officials and clergy from across the county, and said that the outreach was reassuring in a distressing time.

One of the officers Chaudhry praised as a conduit between police and religious groups is Detective Sgt. Shevy Berkovitz. He explained that the Community Affairs Division is responsible for facilitating an open dialogue with residents of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds so they know the police are ready, willing and able to address their concerns.

Berkovitz said that officers meet with Muslim leaders once during Ramadan and “as need arises.” On Aug. 15, for instance, following up on a request by Valley Stream resident Malik Abid, police met with the International Human Rights Commission in West Hempstead to discuss local Muslims’ security concerns and answer questions they had about bias crimes in the county.

The last anti-Muslim incident the NCPD has on record, Berkovitz said, was a harassment case on July 23, for which the investigation is continuing. Chaudhry said that in recent years, her congregants and the mosque itself have been victims of vandalism, property damage and threats — but not violence.

Berkovitz said that for police, the greatest challenge in dealing with anti-Muslim incidents is residents being afraid to report them. “As cliché as it sounds, if they see something, they should say something,” he said. “There is nothing we can do unless the community does their part and calls us.”

In addition to continuing community outreach, Berkovitz said, NCPD leaders would like to seem more Muslims join the department’s ranks. He and his colleagues have given presentations at career fairs at the Islamic Center of Long Island to encourage local Muslims to consider becoming police officers.

Chaudhry and Mozawalla both said that to combat anti-Islam sentiment in the community, their congregations do as much of their own outreach as possible. Chaudhry explained that interfaith programs encourage respect for different points of view, and Mozawalla said that when politicians speak out in defense of Muslims, people listen — and this, in turn, “sheds light” on the problem.

In spite of his anxiety, Mozawalla said he remains hopeful. “I’m always going to be optimistic,” he said. “I have to be optimistic. I choose hope over fear.”

Attacks against Islam in the U.S.

  • In 2015, there were approximately 174 reported incidents of anti-Muslim violence and vandalism, including 12 murders, 29 physical assaults, 50 threats against people or institutions, 54 acts of vandalism or destruction of property, 8 arsons, and 9 shootings or bombings.
  • Anti-Muslim violence remained significantly higher in 2015 than pre-9/11 levels, with American Muslims six to nine times more likely to be the victims of such attacks.
  • In 2015, American Muslim men were twice as likely to be victims of physical assaults and five to six times more likely to be victims of murder than American Muslim women.
  • Anti-Muslim attacks surged in December 2015. There were 53 attacks that month — 17 of which targeted mosques and Islamic schools and five of which targeted Muslim homes.

Courtesy Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian
Understanding at Georgetown University