Your Presence is Needed On October 5th
Lets Make a Powerful Statement Together!
Lets Make a Powerful Statement Together!
Dear Community,
It has been almost a year since the horrific genocide in Gaza began, and one of the things that has become glaringly obvious is the importance of civic engagement on behalf of the oppressed, and showing in large numbers to make our presence felt. This Saturday, October 5th, we have yet another opportunity to do just that.
First, join us at the 1pm opening ceremony of the annual lrvine Global Village Festival. Show your support for our brothers and sisters by wearing your Palestinian keffiyehs (scarves) and also visiting the Palestinian booth at the festival after the opening ceremony.
Then, at 2:30 pm, join us at the Islamic Center of Irvine (ICOI) for the Mayoral Candidate Forum. This is not just another event. It is our opportunity to show our strength in numbers and make our voices heard. An opportunity that will define how our community is viewed and valued in the broader civic landscape.It is vital that we come together in unity, and we need to see the turnout in large numbers.
As we approach a year of genocide in Gaza, we are reminded that we must take action for justice in all forms. These events are a way to demonstrate that we are active, engaged, and significant contributors to this citys future. Numbers matter, and when we show up in large numbers, we send a clear message: we are here, we are powerful, and we demand to be heard.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) encouraged the Muslim community to gather in large numbers to present a unified, powerful presence. He used the phrase increase the blackness to signify how the sheer number of people attending an event can make a powerful visual impact. This shows that attending just to "be seen" and increase the perception of numbers is something rooted in our Deen. It's a way to demonstrate the collective strength and unity of the Muslim ummah.
However, showing up in large numbers is only half of our success. The other half lies in how we conduct ourselves. Our Deen is all about manners. We must remember that the candidates are our guests. There must be no heckling, no shouting, and no disrespect. We may not like all the answers we hear, but we must avoid harping on those answers. Some candidates may even try to provoke us intentionally, hoping to record our reactions and frame us as uncivilized. We cannot let this happen.
Please skip the soccer game/practice or whatever your family has planned for Saturday and attend this event. Encourage others to attend. This is the least we can do.
This is an opportunity to make a real difference but it only works if we all come out and uphold our values. Lets make sure that when the candidates arrive, they see that our community is unified, strong and disciplined.
We look forward to seeing you and your family there, inshaAllah.
Irvine Global Village Festival
Date: Saturday, October 5th
Time: Opening Ceremony is at 1pm (The Festival lasts from 10am to 6pm)
Location: OC Great Park, 8000 Great Park Blvd., in Irvine. Parking & Directions
Mayoral Candidate Forum
Date: Saturday October 5th
Time: 2:30 pm to 4pm
Location: ICOI, 2 Truman, Irvine, CA 92620
Registration is REQUIRED: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/prcrdw/event/mayoralcandidateforum/
Lets be clear: if we do this right, we will leave an indelible mark. But it will take all of us to make it happen. We are asking for your commitment to show up and be respectful . Lets show the power and unity of our community.
Jazakum Allahu khairan,
The ICOI Board