Faith leaders and public official show solidarity with Muslims ahead of Saturday event

REDMOND, Wash. — More than 450 religious leaders and public officials gathered Wednesday night at the Muslim Association of Puget Sound’s annual Interfaith Iftar dinner.

The meal that breaks the daily fast during the holy time of Ramadan fell against the backdrop of what some say is a rise in hate in the Pacific Northwest, including a Seattle event planned for this weekend.

The Portland attack was also fresh on the minds of people in Redmond.  Jeremy Christian is accused of killing two men and gravely wounding a third who tried to stop his anti-Muslim tirade against two women.

Following the attack, Rose City leaders pressured a group ACT for America to cancel an event dubbed an "Anti-Sharia March for Human Rights."  The march was seen by some as anti-Muslim.

However, organizers moved the march to this Saturday at Victor Steinbrueck Park in Seattle.  They also defended the event as not being anti-Muslim, just anti-Sharia, which organizers called degrading to women and other religions.

At Wednesday night’s meal religious leaders of all faiths defended and defined Sharia as the basic religious doctrine all Muslims follow in spirit to be better humans -- much like the way the bible is interpreted.

Cox Media Group