A well-known Imam, Sayed Elnakib, was stabbed while leading morning prayers at the Omar Mosque in Paterson, New Jersey, on Sunday, as reported by various media outlets.
Elnakib was initiating the fajr prayers when the attacker, identified as Serif Zorba, stabbed him twice in the back at approximately 5:30 am local time. Other worshippers at the mosque quickly subdued the attacker.
The 65-year-old Imam was transported to St. Joseph’s Medical Center in a serious but stable condition. Roughly 200 people were present at the mosque during the incident.
According to a local TV station in New Jersey, authorities mentioned that the attacker was not a mosque member but had previously prayed there. A mosque spokesperson announced plans to enhance security while keeping the mosque open.
Zorba, the suspected attacker, was charged with first-degree attempted murder and was slated for a court appearance on Monday afternoon, as stated by the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office.
Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh told the media that he had visited the Imam in the hospital and expressed gratitude for the swift apprehension of the attacker.
Councilman Al Abdelaziz, representing the neighborhood where the assault occurred, emphasized the need for the community to unite, support one another, and condemn all forms of hate and violence. Although the attacker’s motives remain uncertain, Abdelaziz stressed that no form of violence is justifiable, particularly in a sacred place.
Authorities consider the attack on the Imam an isolated event, not a hate crime.
This incident occurred a day after the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) requested a hate crime investigation into vandalism at Dr. Hani Awadallah’s public school in Paterson. The word “Allah” in Dr. Awadallah’s name on the school sign was defaced with an unknown dark substance.
Selaedin Maksut, CAIR Executive Director for New Jersey, stated that the highest number of anti-Muslim prejudice complaints (152) was recorded in 2022. He noted that complaints tend to increase around and during Ramadan as Muslims become more visible and occupy more physical and metaphorical space.
Paterson is home to one of New Jersey’s largest Muslim communities, and the state has the highest per capita Muslim population in the United States.
