Tag Archives: Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf

Imam Feisal Abdul Raif is leading the Ground Zero mosque building efforts

Park51 to Allow US Government Sign Off On Donations

Imam Feisal Abdul Raif is leading the Ground Zero mosque building efforts
Imam Feisal Abdul Raif is leading the Ground Zero mosque building efforts

The Imam behind the Park51 development hopes that opening his books will open hearts for his Islamic community center.

In an effort to bolster fundraising and ease any suspicion towards the $100 million dollar price tag for the Park51 Islamic community center, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf has allowed the US Government to sign off on all donations made to the development.

Also, according to a report in today’s New York Post, Rauf stated that “the mosque and Islamic cultural center will have a board of directors that will include Muslims, Christians and Jews.” This may be seen as yet another olive branch towards easing dissent towards building a mosque and islamic center near Ground Zero.

The inclusion of an inter-faith board of directors might have been in response to Julie Menin, Chairwoman of Community Board 1’s open column in the Daily News calling for a revised interfaith plan for the Park51 development. In that column Menin states, “I believe it is still possible to bridge the gap without compromising the core principles of what this project is about — not by moving the mosque further away from the site of the attacks, but by bringing other faiths in.”

How do you feel about the US Government being allowed to sign off on all donations made to the Park51 development?

Donald Trump places a bid to purchase the Park51 site.

Trump Offers to Buy Park51 Building

Donald Trump places a bid to purchase the Park51 site.
Donald Trump places a bid to purchase the Park51 site.

Real Estate Mogul Donald Trump has offered to purchase the site where the Park51 Islamic Community Center stands.

A letter dated today was sent to the property owners via email with a statement:

“I am making this offer as a resident of New York and citizen of the United States, not because I think the location is a spectacular one (because it is not), but because it will end a very serious, inflammatory, and highly divisive situation,” Trump wrote to Hisham Elzanaty an owner who has the majority financing over the proposed site.

Building records show that the building at 45 Park Place has sold for $4.85 million in July 2009.  According to previous statements by Elzanaty, “Develop it, raze it, sell it. If someone wants to give me $18 or 20 million dollars today, its all theirs.”

Elezanaty’s attorney made a public comment claiming Trump’s offer was merely a publicity stunt, calling the offer “laughable” and said it was not a serious one.

Sheldon Silver Park51

Sheldon Silver: The Mosque Should Move

Sheldon Silver Park51
Sheldon Silver weighs in on the Park51 debate.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is calling for the relocation of the controversial Park51 mosque.

Silver, who agrees that the Constitution protects the rights of the developers who want to build the community center and mosque, also feels they should be as interested in compassion for 9/11 victim families

“They should find a suitable place that won’t cause the same controversy,” Silver stated at a press conference with Gov. Paterson.

The Governor also offered his help in relocating the Park51 development. Discussions between the developers and the Governor have not materialized.

Silver’s call for reconsideration came right before the Governor was set to speak with Archbishop Timothy Dolan to discuss Park51 and how to facilitate moving the controversial development.

Park51 and the Cordoba Initiative have stated clearly their resolve in staying at 45-51 Park Place, and show no signs of relocating their community center. Daisy Kahn, one of the founders and wife of Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, had stated that the relocation matter was “a bigger fight.”

daisy-kahn-imam-feisal-abdul-rauf-park51-mosque

Mosque Developers: “This is a bigger fight.”

daisy-kahn-imam-feisal-abdul-rauf-park51-mosque
Daisy Kahn is one of the developers of the Park51 mosque near Ground Zero

The controversy surrounding the development of a Muslim center near Ground Zero has only solidified focus towards its existence, according to the developers.

In an article published by the Washington Post, Daisy Kahn, one of the founders of the development and wife of Imam Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf has vowed to not back down on the building and has blamed Republicans for the uproar caused by the development.

“We have too important a moment to back down. We have to take our opponents and transform them. What gives me strength [is] we are in a history-making moment. Our ideals must prevail.”

She also noted that the organizers will be reaching out to 9/11 families. Our own site, BatteryParkCity.com has been contacted by Park51 to organize community outreach in our area towards alleviating worries our community might have towards the building of the community center and mosque in our neighborhood.

Currently, Kahn’s husband, the Imam of the mosque is on a State funded goodwill trip visiting Middle East and Muslim nations.

Also according to the article, Kahn has claimed that there hasn’t been overwhelming interest in the development outside the country, but she’s hoping that will change with her husbands international tour.

Imam Abdul Feisal Rauf

Giuliani: Imam only has $180K needs $100 Million (VIDEO)

Imam Abdul Feisal Rauf
Rudolph Giuliani claims Park51 only has $180K for the project.

Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani made a public statement regarding the Park51 project on NBC’s Today show this morning.

Giuliani claims the project is “divisive,” but more interestingly claimed that the developers only have $180K for the project and need $100 million.

Watch the entire segment below:

Opponents of the Park51 mosque are found nationwide.

CNN: 70% of All Americans Oppose Park51/Cordoba Mosque

Opponents of the Park51 mosque are found nationwide.
Opponents of the Park51 mosque are found nationwide.

Results from a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll today shows that opposition to the Park51 mosque is not limited to New York City voters — but nationwide.

70 percent of all Americans oppose the plan to build a mosque 600 feet from the Ground Zero / World Trade Center site. While only 29 percent were in favor of the Park51 mosque.

In terms of the breakdown of those polled, opposition crossed all political lines and age demographics.

54 percent  of Democrats polled were against the development, while 82 percent of Republicans polled were against it. 70 percent of Independents polled were also against the building of the mosque.

6 in 10 people under the age of 50 oppose the plan.

These poll results come after a recent Quinnipiac poll determined that most New York voters were against the building of a mosque at Ground Zero.

The results from the poll are below:

Cnn Mosque Poll

Governor David Paterson

Governor Paterson Offers Relocation of Ground Zero Mosque

Governor David Paterson
Governor David Paterson

The Associated Press is reporting that the Governor has offered state help to help the developers of the Park51 mosque if they are willing to relocate the project away from the surrounding Ground Zero area.

According to the report, Governor Paterson was quoted in a press conference today saying, “I think it’s rather clear that building a center there meets all the requirements, but it does seem to ignite an immense amount of anxiety among the citizen of New York and people everywhere, and I think not without cause.”

“I am very sensitive to the desire of those who are adamant against it to see something else worked out. We are really suffering in many respects — impassioned feelings were bound to emerge from a mosque just a couple of blocks from where nearly 3,000 people died at the hands of Muslim extremists.”

There was no comment yet from the developers of the project as well as from Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

According to the rest of the report, a recent Marist College poll released today found that 53 percent of New York City voters polled oppose the construction of the Ground Zero site, with only 34 percent favoring the developers plan.