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***Daisy Khan must navigate a growing crisis when a planned Muslim Community Center becomes known as the "Ground Zero Mosque."***



 

For Daisy Khan, Cordoba House represented the natural evolution of Muslim life in America. Modeled on Jewish Community Centers (JCCs), this would be a center for recreation, education, worship, and interfaith engagement in Lower Manhattan. The name came from the Spanish city of Cordoba, where Christians, Muslims, and Jews once lived together in peace and harmony. Yet the newspapers, angry opponents, and some politicians called it by another name: the “Ground Zero Mosque.” The response was swift and angry: many, including some who might otherwise be allies, suggested that Khan and her husband change the location. Yet others suggested that giving into these demands would only empower the hateful voices. As Khan searched for answers, sought allies, and tried to manage a coming crisis, the vitriol intensified and hate incidents against mosques began to rise. The “Ground Zero Mosque” dominated the headlines and the public conversation. With pressure continuing from all sides, including those in the Muslim community who felt burdened by the crisis, Khan believed she only had two options: to stay in the fight or walk away.

What advice might you offer to Daisy Khan? What resources—communal, spiritual, and practical—might she access? And how might she contend with the emotional toll of being at the center of a national firestorm?

The complete, updated case is included in the volume [*Pluralism in Practice*](https://orbisbooks.com/products/9781626985483).