OKLAHOMA CITY- (KOKH) — As the war between Israel and Hamas continues to rage on, a prayer vigil is scheduled to be held Friday for members of the Muslim community in Oklahoma City.
“We need a spiritual gathering to offer our prayers, our sympathy, and to really provide some relief to those who are struggling emotionally, with dealing with this,” said Adam Soltani, Executive Director for the Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Soltani said the gathering, which will be hosted by CAIR, is in an effort to promote peace and unity.
“We said, ‘We have to find a way to provide some spiritual, emotional and mental relief for our community members, and also bring people together to try to find a path forward for all of us,'” he said.
Soltani said the violence has resonated with several community members, himself included, as he said a young woman named Hibba, who worked at CAIR’s Oklahoma office for a few months, was the victim of a bombing.
“Her family’s house has been destroyed; it was bombed. And she’s now in a hospital awaiting surgery for her injuries. The communication has been sparse, it’s hard to get updates from her. But it’s been very difficult to hear what she’s gone through, and our thoughts and prayers are with her and her family during this difficult time,” he said.
Soltani said the war is weighing heavily on community members in OKC.
“The local Muslim community [is] anxious. Stressed. Depressed. We have people who have lost their family members in Gaza who can’t function right now. They can’t work, they can’t go to school, they can’t think, they can’t eat, they can’t sleep. This is having a catastrophic effect right here in Oklahoma,” he said.
The vigil will be held 7 p.m. Friday at the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City’s Mercy Mission building.