Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

On October 11, 2001, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that "a growing number of Muslim women in St. Louis say they choose to wear scarves...to define their sexuality on their own terms...Many women who choose to cover themselves consider aspects of Western culture oppressive - starving to be thin, buying creams to look young and dressing to attract men...Several Muslim women said other people have been surprised to learn that they choose freely to don the hijab and aren't forced into it."

Source: Newsday

On October 11, 2001, Newsday reported that "Saudi scholar Abdul Al-Mutairi asserts, 'In reality, Islam recognizes extremism as a disease.'" The article continues to report that "after the United States began its military attack... a tape emerged of bin Laden...in which he urged the Muslims to fight a "jihad" against Americans." The article's author Professor Ibrahim Negm explains that "in Islamic law, for a claim to be religiously credible, it has to echo two things: the Quran, the Muslim holy book, and the Sunnah, the sayings of the prophet...

Source: Los Angeles Times

On October 10, 2001, the Los Angeles Times featured an editorial that began "as Osama bin Laden's call for all Islam to rise up in holy war against the United States echoes chillingly worldwide, it is heartening to hear increasing numbers of American Muslims denounce fundamentalist hatemongering. These moderates deserve strong encouragement as they seek to define their faith's proper place in America and to shape Islam for the world."

Source: Newsday

On October 10, 2001, Newsday featured an editorial emphasizing that "the roots of Islam run deep in America, dating back nearly as far as Judaism and Christianity." The editorial concluded that "Islam in the United States is as old as the United States. It is American, not something foreign to America."

Source: U.S. Department of State

http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/islam/a101001a.htm

On October 10, 2001, The U.S. Department of State's page on Islam in America featured the article "Arabs and Non-Arabs Stand United in Dearborn, Michigan."

Source: The New York Times

On October 9, 2001, The New York Times profiled Imam Siraj Wahhaj in the article "American Imam Refutes Attacks and Defends Islam." The article explained, "he is attending interfaith forums and speaking at schools and colleges, trying to explain what he sees as Islam's true nature. And among Muslims, he says, he is waging a jihad — and he chooses the word, which means struggle, deliberately — to use education to counter extremism. 'I've made a commitment to God and myself: I will do everything I can to eliminate these sicknesses...

Source: The Detroit Free Press

http://www.freep.com/news/nw/terror2001/muslim9_20011009.htm

On October 9, 2001, The Detroit Free Press featured the story "Muslims in the Military: Arab American Proudly Serves U.S."

Source: The Advocate

http://www.theadvocate.com/terror/cooksey/cooksey1009.htm

On October 9, 2001, The Advocate reported that "U.S. Rep. John Cooksey has dropped references to Arabs wearing 'diapers' on their heads, but a new ad in his U.S. Senate campaign says 'terrorist profiling is necessary' to protect the safety of American citizens. Within a two-week period, Cooksey’s campaign will spend up to $200,000 to air the message on TV stations throughout the...

Source: The Chicago Tribune

http://chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0110090178oct09.story?coll=chi%2Dnewsnationworld%2Dhed

On October 9, 2001, The Chicago Tribune reported "Hate Crime reports reach record level." It noted, "There already have been hundreds of reports of hate crimes against Muslims and other religious and ethnic groups following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the...

Source: The Kansas City Star

On October 8, 2001, The Kansas City Star reported that "Kansas City area Muslims, already dismayed by comments of those who would link their religion to terrorism, watched news of Sunday's bombings unfold from several perspectives: as Muslims, as American citizens and as former residents of Middle Eastern countries...Area Muslims said they were praying that there would be few or no civilian casualties."

Source: Council on American-Islamic Relations

http://www.cair-net.org/nr/10-04a.asp

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) web site includes the page "Small Acts of Kindness."

Source: The Hartford Courant

On October 8, 2001, The Hartford Courant reported that "Osama bin Laden's call for all Muslims to join a fight against America was denounced Sunday by Muslim leaders in Connecticut, who again condemned his message as fraudulent."

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

On October 7, 2001, the The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that "the terrorists who attacked the United States on Sept. 11 may have expected that their deeds would separate American Muslims from mainstream American society. The opposite occurred. A new era of interfaith dialogue has begun. People of many faiths have reacted to the attacks by inviting Muslims to pray with them and to teach them about Islam."

Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

On October 7, 2001, The San Francisco Chronicle reported that "Umar Faruq Abdallah, an Islamic scholar and leader in the Muslim community in Chicago, said it is time for the followers of the Prophet Mohammed to start policing their own demagogues... Iftekhar Hai, a Bay Area leader of the United Muslims of America, couldn't agree more. 'We have to encourage moderate theology backed up by love and compassion and forgiveness -- not extremist interpretations backed up with rage and anger and wrath,' he said."

Source: Omaha World-Herald

On October 6, 2001, The Omaha World-Herald reported that "as Americans in greater numbers turn to churches, synagogues and mosques for answers to the incomprehensible horror, they may find that clergy, too, mourn. They, too, are not immune to questions and doubts in sorting out the ambiguities of life and faith...Pastors say they find support in the same places they tell others to find it - in prayer, in religious study, in their faith communities and in talking with others."