Sheikh Aymen Elkasaby, imam of the Islamic Center of Jersey City, dedicated his Friday sermon on December 8 to U.S. President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Imam Elkasaby challenged the assumption that Israel is invincible, quoting from the Quran to demonstrate that the Jews “are the most cowardly of nations.” “So long as the Al-Aqsa Mosque remains prisoner in the hands of the Jews… So long as the Al-Aqsa Mosque remains under the feet of the apes and pigs, this nation will remain humiliated,” he said. Towards the end of the sermon, Imam Elkasaby prayed for Allah to grant him “martyrdom on the threshold of the Al-Aqsa Mosque” and to annihilate “the plundering oppressors” down to the very last one. At the end of the sermon, a community member stood up and invited the congregation to a demonstration in Times Square to protest the decision by the “lunatic” U.S. president. It is noteworthy that some three weeks earlier, on November 12, the Islamic Center of Jersey City hosted a large interfaith event, in which Imam Elkasaby was a member of the welcoming committee. Janice Rufino of the NJ Department of Homeland Security spoke briefly at the event, as did Rabbi Naomi Kalish, her husband Rabbi Rob Scheinberg, and Rabbi Brian Beal. Christian and Bahai representatives also participated. Videos of Imam Elkasaby’s sermon and of the interfaith event were posted on the YouTube account of the Islamic Center of Jersey City.
