Imam karim abuzaid biography of rory gilmore

AURORA | Sitting at his desk at the Colorado Muslim Community Center — with a gym full of children shouting happily during a loud game of soccer right outside his door — Imam Karim AbuZaid doesn’t hesitate when asked what he hopes outsiders understand about the area’s growing Muslim population.

“Islam is not a cult,” AbuZaid said. “I think this is a very important thing that Americans need to realize.”

At a time when his faith is often under attack — a ban barring travel from several majority-Muslin countries remains tied up in court and reports of hate crimes against Muslims have climbed in recent months ­— AbuZaid said he is reaching out to non-Muslims hoping to squelch any fears they may have about he and his community.

Whether it’s by forging relations