U.S. Muslim Leaders Visit Holocaust Museum, Reject Holocaust Denial

In a visit to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington on December 20, 2006, leaders of the U.S. Muslim community dissociated themselves from efforts to deny the Holocaust, such as expressed in the recent conference in Iran.

U.S. Muslim Leaders Visit Holocaust Museum, Reject Holocaust Denial

In a visit to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington on December 20, 2006, leaders of the U.S. Muslim community dissociated themselves from efforts to deny the Holocaust, such as expressed in the recent conference in Iran.  Imam Mohamed Magid of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society declared, "This is the lesson that all humanity has to take from this great tragedy, that many people have lost their lives because of hate, bigotry. And we have to stand together committed to compassion, love, and mercy." He added, "If anyone wants to make Holocaust denial an Islamic cause, we want to say to them: You cannot use our name."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim Public Affairs Council were also represented in the delegation. Dr. Akbar Ahmed, an American University professor active in inter-religious dialogue, who asked the museum to hold the ceremony, stated, "It's important that the world knows there are Muslims who don't believe in this [Holocaust denial]."

A survivor of the Holocaust, Johanna Neumann, recounted how Albanian Muslims hid her and her family and saved their lives when they fled to that country after the Germans occupied Yugoslavia.  She and other survivors joined the visiting Muslim representatives and officials of the Museum in lighting candles in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

From press releases and news reports

Further information, including audio of the ceremony