Islamic community grateful for community support

We, the Islamic community of Cape Girardeau, would like to express our deepest gratitude and greatest appreciation for the outstanding assistance and compassion we received from the City of Cape Girardeau Municipal Government during the time of this horrible tragedy that occurred in our beloved, peaceful town at the very first day of the Holy month of Ramadan.

We are overwhelmed by the quick response and the outstanding support provided by the great people of the state of Missouri starting with the honorable governor, the mayor of Cape Girardeau, the brave men and women of the fire department, and the rest of the community of Cape Girardeau.

We also offer our special thanks and appreciation to the FBI agents and the police chief and the police officers for their incredible bravery and dedication that led to the apprehension of the misguided assailant who attacked a place of worship that promotes nothing but love and peace in our great city of Cape Girardeau. We pray that God guides him to conquer evil and replace his hatred with love.

Though it is a tragic moment in Cape Girardeau, what gave us joy during this time of grief and sadness is the overwhelming support from the government officials, the interfaith community, the churches in town, the media and the kind and peaceful people of Cape Girardeau. We thank them for denouncing evil and for their outstanding social and moral support. We also thank them for their financial support to rebuild our place of worship. They did that because this is truly who the people of Cape Girardeau are and to let us know that care and love conquers all. You are truly our friends and family, and as Mr. John Mehner elegantly put it: We are neighbors, colleagues and friends and "We are one Cape."

God says in the Qur'an Chapter 49 verse 13:

"O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may get to know one another."

And it has been an honor to be part of this wonderful city.

Shafiq Malik is a representative of and writes on behalf of the Islamic Center of Cape Girardeau.