Thank You from the Cordoba Initiative

Friends Committee on National Legislation

245 2nd st. NE

Washington D.C. 20002

November 15, 2010

To Our Friends,

I was touched by your outpouring support for the Cordoba House at Park51 and would like to thank you all for signing the petition that we proudly display in our offices. This struggle has raised fundamental questions of national identity, liberty, and individual rights and it is heartwarming to know that our ‘Friends’ are by our side in solidarity. It is very important that in times like these, we combine our efforts as Americans, and collectively stand up for religious tolerance and understanding – the very principles upon which this country was founded. The Quaker and Muslim communities have faced similar opposition throughout history, and together we can take pivotal action towards social justice and equality. We are building this community center because we have been part of the Lower Manhattan community for decades and want to continue serving our neighbors of all faiths. In fact, hundreds of people – Muslims and Christians – have been praying in this very space every day for well over a year.

This project is just one part of The Cordoba Movement which I founded to help break the cycle of fear, mistrust, misunderstanding, and violence that is threatening the peace and stability of the entire world. This misunderstanding is fueling the irrational fear of Islam that we see in the United States and elsewhere in the West. And this, in turn, is fueling the extremism and radicalism we see in some Islamic countries. This downward spiral of hatred and ignorance must be stopped and reversed if our children and their children are to live in a peaceful world. I invite you to visit our website at www.cordobamovement.org and to ask others to join effort to make our world a better, more peaceful place, by living our faith into action.

Your petition, and each of the signatures on it, is evidence that people of goodwill can work together to build that better world for our children. United, we can inspire change.

Yours in Faith, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf