 Shalom peace. I get a lot of calls and invitations to come speak at different congregations on different occasions and over the past couple of years I've been asked to come and speak when three Muslim family members were killed in their apartment in North Carolina by their neighbor after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando after the San Bernardino tragedy after Las Vegas after the massacre at the Sikh temple in Wisconsin after those three brave gentlemen were stabbed on the train in Portland and I've reached the point where I feel like saying we really need to stop meeting like this there's a verse in the Holy Quran which Muslims believe to be the direct word of God where God says we decreed upon the children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unjustly it is as if he has slain mankind entirely so what do we say when 17 souls are taken unjustly there are children there are brothers and sisters so I want to focus on the part where God says and whoever saves one life it is as if he has saved mankind entirely I don't have the answers the Muslim community does not have the answers to how to solve the problem of angry young men to how to stop the problem of radicalization amongst our communities just happening even amongst American citizens but I do know that there that the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said that the believer is not bitten from the same hole twice meaning we need to learn from what's not working we need to learn from our mistakes what separates mankind from animals is that we have an intellect we can connect dots we can look at patterns and routines and see what changes need to be made one of the things I've been seeing on social media recently is people saying we all need your thoughts and prayers we don't want thoughts and prayers thoughts and prayers don't work Muslims would disagree we do believe in thoughts and prayers but we believe in action as well there is a story from the life of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him where he was entering the mosque and he saw a gentleman leaving his camel untied and at that time the camel you know was expensive whose your means of transportation livelihood and so he asked them and why aren't you tying your camel and the gentleman responded I trust in God and the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said to him trust in God and tie your camel they both go hand in hand so we need thoughts and prayers but we need action as well and I'm not here to give all the solutions but something that I'm hoping that our society will be reflecting on in the days to come and bringing about real action and our thoughts and prayers are with all our fellow citizens and may God allow those 17 souls that left this world unjustly may they be shown justice and may their souls rest in peace thank you