MichiganRadio

Muslims to volunteer on 9/11 DETROIT (Michigan Radio) - Detroit-area Muslims will spend this September 11 cleaning up parks, painting murals, and serving food to the homeless.

Community leaders say they want to assist on the day President Obama has designated a National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Victor Begg is with the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan. He says 9/11 is a significant day for Muslims this year, because the date coincides with the Eid holiday, "which is an important festival. After fasting 30 days we celebrate. Well, this year we decided that instead we're going to go out and do community service, because we also want to commemorate the 9/11 victims."

A national advocacy organization is also distributing TV spots that highlight Muslim first responders to the 9/11 attacks. They are partly an effort to calm some of the tensions surrounding plans to build an Islamic center near "ground zero" in Manhattan.

Contact Sarah Hulett at sarahhu@umich.edu © Copyright 2012, Michigan Radio