On January 12, before lawmakers gaveled in for the 2026 legislative session, First Five Freedoms held a press conference at the state Capitol. Faith and civic leaders and community members from many backgrounds joined together to speak out against growing hostility and political violence across the country.
ACLU of Georgia Board Member Faraz Iqbal spoke about the power of words in moments of tension. Drawing on his faith and democratic values, he called for restraint, responsibility, and moral courage in public discourse.
Below is his full speech.
In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.
As a member of the Muslim community of Georgia, I stand here knowing deeply what it means to live under the weight of words and the power they carry to either heal or to harm.
The Qur’an teaches us: “Repel evil with what is better, and the one between whom and you was enmity will become as a close friend.” This is a call to moral courage, to respond to hostility not with escalation, but with restraint, dignity, and wisdom.
Our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, also taught: “The strong person is not the one who overpowers others, but the one who controls himself when angry.” In a time when public discourse is driven by outrage and provocation, this teaching speaks directly to our moment. True strength is not volume. It is not domination. It is self-control.
Today, our civic climate is overheated. Rhetoric is becoming a weapon. Language is being used to dehumanize, to inflame, and to divide. History teaches us that when words lose their moral guardrails, violence is never far behind.
As Muslims, we are taught that every word is a trust, every tongue accountable, every public platform a responsibility before God and society. Restraint is not silence in the face of injustice; it is speaking truth without surrendering to hatred.
The First Amendment protects our right to speak, to worship, to assemble, to publish, and to petition. These freedoms are sacred precisely because they demand restraint alongside liberty. Freedom without moral discipline becomes chaos. Power without humility becomes oppression.
We call today, especially upon our elected leaders, to model the highest standard of speech. To lower the temperature. To reject extremist rhetoric. To denounce political violence without qualification. And to remember that their words shape not only policy, but the moral atmosphere in which our children will inherit this democracy.
In Islam, restraint is an act of worship. In democracy, it is an act of patriotism. In moments of tension, it is an act of courage.
May we choose language that builds, not burns. May we protect freedom by practicing responsibility. And may we prove that faith, when lived with wisdom and compassion, remains one of the strongest forces for unity in our nation
Thank you.
