Give blood in memory of 9/11

Peace be on you,

It’s been 21 years since the horror of Sept. 11th stirred America and it still hurts today. Over 3,000 lives, those of our compatriots and siblings in humanity, were taken by wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing.

My Ahmadiyya Muslim community, founded by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the second coming of Christ, peace be on them, condemned those attacks as cowardly having nothing to do with the religion of peace, the religion of Prophets Muhammad and Abraham, peace be on them. We were all moved to action in some way feeling for the victims and their families, which extended to us.

Steered by our worldwide head, the Fifth Khalifa of Messiah Ahmad, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Ahmadi Muslims launched our nationwide #MuslimsForLife Blood Drives to help save lives in honor of those who lost theirs.

The Holy Qur’an champions the sanctity of life (5:33), especially the innocent.

For 12 years we’ve held thousands of 9/11 commemorative blood drives annually across the nation, and sometimes in our very own mosques, in collaboration with the American Red Cross, blood centers, Humanity First, churches and synagogues. We’ve collected over 61,000 pints, enough to help save over 183,000 lives. Let’s continue the noble tradition. Help bridge the gap in blood shortages. Did you know that donating blood is healthy for you and only one pint of blood saves up to three lives? Even saving one life is akin to saving all of humanity in Islam and the Abrahamic faiths.

So, join us in Baitul Aman Mosque, 410 Main St., Meriden, on Saturday, Sept. 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Give blood, platelets, or plasma in the “House of Peace” for the sake of humanity. Visit www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=Baitul.

Zahir Mannan

Middletown