USA: Los Angeles area Ahmadi Muslims donate blood in wake of San Bernardino shooting

---

“We decided to do another one this weekend to show our support for the San Bernardino victims and their family and to reach out to the community and show that we stand for peace.”

Photo: Will Lester 

She said she did so with the hopes of sending a bigger message to the public about Islam. The Chino mosque was holding the blood drive to honor the victims killed in the San Bernardino terror attack, and to save more lives.

“I feel Muslim blood, Christian blood, all blood is the same. Hopefully, people get that same message” she said. “It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are; we are all the same. We’re people, and people need to help other people, regardless of religion, race or ethnicity.”

Sunday’s blood drive was held by Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, which is a movement within Islam, at the Baitul Hameed Mosque in Chino.

Ahsan Khan, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s Los Angeles East Chapter, located at the Chino mosque, said the goal of Sunday’s drive was to collect 40 pints of blood. It’s part of the “Muslims for Life” national campaign, which was launched on the 10 year anniversary of the 9/11, he said.

“We decided to do another one this weekend to show our support for the San Bernardino victims and their family and to reach out to the community and show that we stand for peace,” Khan said.

The turnout included local politicians, members of the Muslim community, as well as residents from San Bernardino and Redlands, who wanted to stand in solidarity with them, Khan said.

“We are Americans just like everyone else, We are victims of these terrorist attacks just as much as anyone and ‘enough is enough.’ We have to stand up for ourselves, as Americans, and Muslims, and condemn what has happened,” Khan said.

By the early afternoon, there had been 40 donations.

As he was waited in line, Rep. Norma Torres, D-Chino, stepped out of the mobile blood drive station and informed Khan she couldn’t donate because of a visit to Afghanistan.

Khan recited a saying in Islam and told Torres “your intentions were good.”

Earlier in the day, Torres had been joined by Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-San Bernardino, at the Chino mosque to lend their support to the efforts. Aguilar donated blood last week.

“I think it’s important to show that they are full supporters of the needs in our community, and they want to make sure that everyone understands they are part of our solution,” Torres said.

Despite not being able to donate blood, Torres said she wanted to meet with members of the Chino mosque to get a sense of any concerns they may have, especially since there was news that its Hawthrone mosque was vandalized sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Sunday’s blood drive is part of at least 15 being organized across the country in the next couple of weeks, said Amjad M. Khan, who is also the national director of public affairs for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

Amjad M. Khan is a leader at the Baitul Hameed Mosque in Chino and said the goal is to collect 500 pints of blood.

“From a national perspective, the San Bernardino tragedy has affected our community,” he said, adding there have been prayer vigils held in at least 20 of its chapters.

“Our community is at the frontline of combating extremism,” he said. “We feel our community’s DNA is built on fighting extremism in the name of Islam.”



Read original post here: USA: Los Angeles area Ahmadi Muslims donate blood in wake of San Bernardino shooting


This content-post is archived for backup and to keep archived records of any news Islam Ahmadiyya. The views expressed by the author and source of this news archive do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of Ahmadiyya Times. Ahmadiyya Times is not an organ of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, nor in any way associated with any of the community's official websites.