Ahmed F. Asker

Ahmed Asker, a Florida A&M University professor who was born in Egypt, read verses from the Quran because, he said, "The best straight talk comes from God, not from man's mouth."

Asker told audience members that Islam is a religion of peace, love, mercy, compassion and forgiveness.He said Muslims who take part in mandatory prayers five times a day utter the Islamic word for "peace" 28 times daily.

"It is obvious, therefore, that those among the Muslims who committed this horrible crime of September 11 are like McVeigh and the other militant hate groups," Asker said."Consequently, evil and wickedness cannot be attributes of their religion" but of those who committed the attacks.

Ahmed F. Asker (Professor, Florida A&M)

Ahmed Asker, a Florida A&M University professor who was born in Egypt, read verses from the Quran because, he said, "The best straight talk comes from God, not from man's mouth."

Asker told audience members that Islam is a religion of peace, love, mercy, compassion and forgiveness.He said Muslims who take part in mandatory prayers five times a day utter the Islamic word for "peace" 28 times daily.

"It is obvious, therefore, that those among the Muslims who committed this horrible crime of September 11 are like McVeigh and the other militant hate groups," Asker said."Consequently, evil and wickedness cannot be attributes of their religion" but of those who committed the attacks.