CAIR-LA Director Hussam Ayloush: Muslims Shouldn't Go on Vacation to Countries like France or Switzerland That Harass Muslims; They Should go to Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey Instead

Hussam Ayloush, the Executive Director of CAIR-LA, said in a February 22, 2019 sermon at the Islamic Center of Santa Ana, CA that Muslims should not travel to countries like France, Switzerland, or Russia because they are "murdering – or at least discriminating [against] or harassing – your Muslim sisters and brothers" and are banning calls to prayer, minarets, and hijab. He said that Muslims should spend their tourism money in countries such as Turkey, Malaysia, or Pakistan. He said that "young, active, bright Muslims" are being slaughtered, raped, and killed all over the world, and added that the United States is a country where they have the freedom to do something about it. For more from Hussam Ayloush, see MEMRI TV Clip No. 6591.

Following are excerpts:

Hussam Ayloush: These small choices make a lot of difference. Don't think: "Hey, I don't count." You do count. Where you spend your vacation makes a difference. Where you spend your vacation makes a lot of difference. I hear people saying: "Allah willing, we are traveling to France, Switzerland, or Russia." These are countries that are engaged, as we speak now, in murdering – or at least discriminating [against] and harassing – your Muslim sisters and brothers. You have to choose… Even your vacation, even your tourism money should be chosen [to be spent] where it helps communities that are helping your Islamic nation, helping their people, and that are not engaging in harming and committing injustice. Go to Turkey, go to Malaysia, go to Pakistan. I can list a dozen countries that would actually, when they receive your money, would actually help people who are in need. Don't go and… I see people say… Do you know how much France harasses Muslims with their laws? I'm not talking about the French people – the government. Sisters with hijab, how much hardship they face… Switzerland keeps passing laws banning minarets, banning calls to prayer, banning hijab… Every once in a while, it gives…  Why would I want to go and spend my money there? It is Allah's will that they have the Alps there. Well, who needs the Alps? Go watch on the Internet, you can get more beautiful mountains – by Allah, I have seen pictures of more beautiful mountains in Pakistan.

[..]

We are watching young active bright Muslims being slaughtered, raped, and killed all over the world and we are sometimes puzzled what to do. If there is one place on Earth we can do something about it, it is here, in America. We have the freedom and the ability to organize, to build our mosques, and to seek our knowledge. Every time I come in [here], I see the rows growing. Now you are praying outside, pretty much. I heard from Brother Ahmad, you are praying even on the sidewalk. Allah be praised, that is a good sign. No one comes and tells you: "Why are you doing that?" In France, they might shut down this mosque. They would say: "You know what, you are disturbing the peace by letting people pray outside." In almost all Muslim majority countries, this sermon would land me in prison. An probably all of you for listening to me.