The attack again put American Muslims on the defensive, just days after they had mourned the passing and celebrated the life of Muhammad Ali, the charismatic boxer who, many hoped, had definitively answered the question of whether Muslim-Americans can successfully embrace multiple identities.
In their statement, the Muslim scholars, imams and community leaders, most from the United States, said Ali, not ISIS, embodies the values of their faith. They also decry the concept of "collective guilt" that holds all Muslims responsible for terrorist attacks, and warn against simplistic philosophies that pit Americans and Muslims against each other:
"We will not allow the extremists to define us, mold us in their benighted image, or sow the seeds of discord among us. We are one people, so let us all in good conscience and human solidarity reject this extremist narrative and assert our shared humanity and mutual respect for the sanctity of all human life."
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