Date Posted: Monday, February 09, 2004

Calls for unity prevail

(Cleveland) Feb 9 - Late last week, the Muslim American Society (MAS) dispatched Raeed Tayeh, public affairs director of the Freedom Foundation, to Cleveland, Ohio, to help resolve a crisis between Imam Fawaz Damra of the Islamic Center of Greater Cleveland, and several board members, led by board president Dr. Ali Halabi.

At issue was a restraining order sought by board members who had voted to put the Imam on paid leave after he was indicted on charges of falsifying his application for U.S. citizenship 10 years ago.

All praise be to Allah, the dispute was resolved through mediation with the help of a judge, and the Imam will resume his duties at the masjid pending a vote by the general assembly of the mosque scheduled for March 7th.

Following the announcement of the agreement on February 5th, a press conference was held outside the courtroom, where Tayeh explained to journalists that the two parties, despite their differences, were still members of the same family, and their bonds of brotherhood would not be broken by this crisis.

Following those comments, Imam Damra and Dr. Halabi shook hands and embraced each other, assuring that any schism within the mosque had been repaired.

Click Here to read an article from the Cleveland Plain Dealer on this topic.

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* The Freedom Foundation is the public affairs arm of the Muslim American Society (MAS), a national grassroots religious, social, and educational organization. Learn more at www.masnet.org.

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MAS Freedom Foundation

1050 17th Street NW #600

Washington, DC 20036

Tel: (202) 496-1288

Fax: (202) 463-0686

URL: http://www.masnet.org

Email:  freedom@masnet.org