“Violence enjoys a contradictory space in American life: it is the celebrity of patriotism, and the devil when it runs wild. The exclusive focus on politics to temper violence is problematic because our lives, from the culture we digest to the words we use, drip with violence. How can we be aware of the fascination America has with violence, and how can we emancipate our hearts and minds from its grasp so we can be carriers of peace and justice?" – Sheikh Suhaib Webb Tamim Islam* recites the Quran at the beginning of the jummah reflection followed by a short duaa after. *About Tamim: Tamim is a current senior at NYU studying Business Technology Management. He also serves as the President of NYU Tandon’s Muslim Student Association and enjoys helping build a healthy and safe community for Muslim students at NYU. He is passionate about Quranic and Islamic studies, and in his free time enjoys playing soccer.