Local Muslim leader calls for tolerance

After midday prayers on Nov. 27, Yassine Taoufik, vice president of the Abrar in Kingsbridge, spoke to his fellow Muslims about how to respond to extremist violence. He said in the event that rumors of extremist behavior or threats arise, it is the obligation to put the safety of the United States first.

“The extremist Muslims misunderstand the religious texts and the majority gets blamed by what the few are doing,” he said in an interview after the prayers. “If we know about anything or any plan that would harm [this] country, we have to let people know.” 

Mr. Taoufik said he hopes that the extremist ideologies which motivated last month’s terrorist attacks in Paris will not misguide people as the United States grapples with a possible influx of refugees from Syria.

He explained that he and his congregation are concerned that people fleeing nations like Syria to escape ongoing violence will be met with resistance when seeking asylum because of the actions of a small group. Recent headlines have shown dozens of governors and some presidential candidates calling for a halt to accepting Syrian refugees.

“We are afraid that because of what one enemy or two do, innocent people are going to be neglected,” Mr. Taoufik said.

“We would like people to have an open mind,” he added. “Those extremists, that’s what they want: for us to live in fear and be miserable.”

Mr. Taoufik has lived in the Bronx for almost a decade since arriving from his home country of Morocco. He explained that the Abrar community consists largely of people from Bangladesh and Pakistan and parts of North Africa. The mosque has regularly rented space for Friday services from the Church of the Mediator on West 231st Street. 

The Abrar had served as a place of worship for one Syrian man with refugee status for about two years, Mr. Taoufik recounted. He said the man is no longer affiliated with the Abrar community. 

When violent extremism makes headlines, Mr. Taoufik noted that it is rare for routines within the Abrar community to become disrupted. The NYPD’s press office said in an e-mail that no anti-Muslim hate crimes were reported within the 50th Precinct in the two-week period after terrorists killed 130 people and wounded many others on Nov. 13.

With Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio saying the state should welcome Syrian refugees, Mr. Taoufik voiced hope that Americans who are skeptical about refugees will show empathy.

“The majority just wants a better place to live, raise families. Put yourself in their shoes. What would you do if you were taking your family to a safer place and where you’re going rejects you?” he said. “People should not let fear take over.”