Muslims around the world celebrated Eidal-AdhaThursday. The annual feast of sacrifice honors the prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his only son. At the Islamic Center in Peoria, the sermon’s theme was on hardships that Muslims face today.
Imam Kamil Mufti’s message was direct: Islamophobia continues to plague the Muslim community. Mufti mentioned recent events, like a question posed to Donald Trump on how to rid the country of Muslims -- to which Trump responded, that he’s looking into it.
“This last week, Americans have seen the real face of Islamophobia," Mufti said. "We have been painfully reminded that there are people who love to hate us.”
Mufti urged everyone at the Islamic Center to stay strong in their faith. Mariam Daoud was listening to Mufti’s sermon with the women upstairs:
“How we represent ourselves, and how people judge us, it just shows how strong we are. It relates to how strong prophet Ibrahim was,” Daoud said.
But Daoud says she wishes more people would understand that her faith, Islam, is a religion of peace.