Feisal Abdul Rauf

“We are not here to be judged by you, we are here to be judged by God.”

“The real battle that is going on is the battle for the soul of Islam.”

“I am a man of peace. I am an American. I am a Muslim.”

“Building a center that is dedicated to peace and understanding is the right thing to do.”

“The truth is that the West is not at war with Islam. The West is at war with a tiny minority of extremists who have hijacked Islam.”

“The Koran is a book of mercy, a book of compassion, a book of love.”

“What is right in the sight of God is right, and what is wrong in the sight of God is wrong.”

“Our vision is one that is based on the idea of building bridges.”

“To be an American is about aspiring to a set of principles, not about the color of your skin.”

“The definition of terrorism is the deliberate targeting of civilians for political purposes.”

“The American Muslim community is a very diverse community. It is a community that is contributing in every field of human endeavor.”

“9/11 was a crime against humanity, a crime against America, and a crime against Islam.”

“We have to be able to talk to each other, even when we disagree.”

“My life’s work has been to build bridges between people of different faiths and cultures.”

“Extremism is a cancer that can grow in any body politic.”

“We are deeply committed to the American project.”