Muslims remember 9/11 with prayer, community service

Members of many faiths gathered at the grounds of the Gateway Arch on Sunday to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks.

The St. Louis office of the Council of American-Islamic Relations organized the event, which included a recitation of the Muslim afternoon prayer.

After 9/11, members of the Muslim community were blamed for the attacks simply because of their religion, said Faizan Syed, CAIR's executive director here in St. Louis.

"Ten years later we have come here and we have gathered under the shade of the Arch as a way of standing together in a united front, and a way of showing our unity towards the people and the society that we live in," he said.

Imam Muhammed Hasic of the region's Islamic Community Center reminded those who gathered that the teachings in the Koran are similar to those found in the Jewish or Christian Bibles, and the books of other faiths.

"What God said about the violence," Imam Hasic said. "Treat others as you would like to be treated. Hurt no one so no one will hurt you. Take care about your neighbor. You are not really a good Muslim if you go to sleep and your neighbor did not have dinner on the table."

In the Bible, said Rabbi Susan Talve of Central Reform Congregation, Isaac and Ishmael - key figures in Judaism and Islam - were brothers.

"Brothers who were both bruised and betrayed by their father Abraham," Rabbi Talve said. "Both brothers were estranged most of their lives, but they came back together when their father died to bury him, that is memory would be a blessing, perhaps even with hope for peace between them."

After the recitation of the Islamic afternoon prayer, some participants traveled to East St. Louis to volunteer as part of the United Way's day of service.

Other remembrances in the area included a Mass at the Cathedral Basilica, and the display of nearly 3,000 flags on Art Hill to represent each of the lives lost ten years ago.