Note: My fellow Needhamite Dr. Abdul Cader Asmal Ph.D. wrote a powerful response in Wicked Local Needham to the Boston marathon bombings. Dr. Asmal previously served as president of the Islamic Center of Boston and the Islamic Council of New England. He is a retired physician and is also a current member of Needham Clergy Association and Needham Human Rights Committee. Dr. Asmal is clearly writing in the pluralist spirit of the American Revolution. 

By Dr. Abdul Cader Asmal

It is sad that it takes a tragedy to remind us of our common humanity and the fragility of our existence. From it we should all learn to work together to promote peace harmony and goodwill in our great country, and throughout our fractured world. As a miniscule but significant start in the direction of recognizing our universal commitment to these ideals we can start by immortalizing the youngest, and the one Islam views as completely free of sin because of his age of innocence, Martin Richard, already guaranteed a place at God’s side, by signing his guest book at http://www.legacy.com/guestbooks/guestbook.aspx?n=martin-richard&pid=164273823 May his memory forever be etched in our collective psyche as a reminder of this day of infamy.

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