Message from Muslim Student Association

["President's Office" <auemail@groupwise1.duc.auburn.edu>]

September 12, 2001

Dear Members of the Auburn Community,

As we continue to come to terms with the horrific events of Tuesday, I
want to share with you a letter I received from Dr. Mahmoud M.
El-Halwagi, Alumni Professor of Chemical Engineering and faculty advisor
to Auburn's Muslim Student Association.  I believe Dr. El-Halwagi's
sentiments and concerns are shared by rational people everywhere.  I ask
each member of the Auburn community to advance the notion of an
atmosphere of understanding he suggested.

Sincerely,

William F. Walker
Interim President

The text of Dr. El-Halwagi's letter, dated September 11, follows:

Dr. William Walker, President
Auburn University

Dear Dr. Walker,

The Muslim Student Association at Auburn University unequivocally and
strongly condemns Tuesday's vicious and cowardly acts of terrorism
against innocent people. These coordinated and concerted attacks in New
York, Washington, DC and Pennsylvania are a tragedy for the entire
nation.  We extend our most heartfelt condolences to the to victims,
their families and friends.

American Muslims remembering the events immediately following the 1995
attack on the Alfred P. Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City
committed by Timothy McVeigh, are naturally concerned for their safety
and well being.  In the first few days after the incident, the American
Muslim community in the U.S. was under attack from almost all sides, as
the perpetrators were originally thought to be Middle Eastern
terrorists.  We sincerely hope that the violent reactions motivated by
racial profiling, bigotry and guilt-by-association against American 
American Muslim schoolchildren, women clothed in Islamic attire, college
students, Muslim-owned businesses, mosques and Islamic centers - which
did occur in the days after the Oklahoma City bombing - will not be
repeated in the aftermath of the recent terrorist attacks. Therefore, I
am asking you to instruct University Officials to make explicit
statements and take practical steps that would foster an atmosphere
which calls for exercising restraint and not rushing to judgement as
what happened in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing.

It is important for the nation to remain calm in the face of tragedy. 
All citizens must unite to condemn this terrorist action and extend
their condolences to the victims and to those who lost loved ones in
this tragedy.

Sincerely,

Mahmoud El-Halwagi