Friday is the holy day for Muslims and this Friday after Thanksgiving was a day of sadness for Muslim Indian-Americans. Many imams (prayer leaders) in the New York and New Jersey areas condemned this heinous terror attack against the civilians in Mumbai, India in their sermons. According to media reports more than 150 civilians were killed and hundreds more wounded in the well coordinated attacks by well trained militant terrorists.

Area mosques that held these services include Long Island Islamic Center in Westbury and Upper Westchester Islamic Society in Thornwood. Similar services were held in other parts of the country.

The Muslim community expressed its outrage at the killings of the Brooklyn based Rabbi and his wife and other American citizens. Dr. Shaik Ubaid of Indian Minorities Advocacy Network expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family of the rabbi and other victims.

Dr. Ubaid lauded the valor of the slain Anti Terrorism Squad Chief Hemant Karkare who was courageously heading the recently publicized inquiry against the recent Malegaon bomb blasts in which Hindu supremacists including military officers and some religious leaders were implicated. "We must be proud of the selfless sacrifice of the under-paid and under-armed special forces who were let down by corrupt politicians and incompetent intelligence agencies, and still manage to save hundreds of civilians," said Dr. Ubaid.

Saeed Patel, a well-known community leader congratulated the Indians for staying united and not succumbing to the designs of the terrorists and of the extremist politicians who unsuccessfully tried to use the terror attacks to foment retaliatory violence against civilians. "This sad and savage tragedy brought out the best in the common folks." " The terrorists have no religion but their victims were people of Hindu, Islamic, Christian, Sikh, Parsi, Jewish, Buddhists, Jain and other faiths as well as atheists. Their humanity was their common bond," he said.

Many Muslim leaders will also be participating in the upcoming inter-faith condolence services.