Local Imam Says He Was Forced to Resign Because He Agrees with Trump on Muslim Immigration

A political conflict is playing out within the walls of the Muslim community in Southeast Texas. A man who was the leader of Muslims in the area said Thursday the conflict has resulted in his ousting.

“Don’t get me involved in any political games in the name of religion. I am not here a political man,” Dr. Nidal Alsayyed said.

But it’s political motivations he said have forced him to resign as Imam.

{snip}

Dr. Al Sayyed told KFDM News he was forced to resign as religious director of the Islamic Society of the Triplex after making comments Monday in which he agrees with Donald Trump’s statements that the U.S. should temporarily stop accepting any new Muslim immigrants into the country.

{snip}

“I think any future candidates, presidents who do not support the fact that we need to be more safe and more cautious about whom to bring into this country, whether a Muslim or not,” Dr. Alsayyed said.

His comments he said had nothing to do with politics, but the former Imam said Trump’s comments are in line with the Islamic religion.

“The text of the holy Qur’an says the loss of one life is equivalent to killing the whole mankind,” he said.

{snip}

“But the way it happens when you see this mass shooting and you see some people coming with such a very peaceful background and all of the sudden the intelligences themselves, the agencies are not able to figure out what’s happening, why all of a sudden this guy or this girl or that lady open fire and kill 15 people, because American Muslims are not doing their job in the country. So we need to stop, we need to stop taking new ones until we fix the existing situation,” Dr. Alsayyed said.

The religious leader said there is a problem with some American Muslims seeing a conflict between following their religious beliefs and their patriotism to the U.S., and an issue differentiating the religious community and its political role. He said the two should not mix.

{snip}