Muslim Judge Sworn In

August 5, 2000

Source: Star Tribune

On August 5, 2000, the Star Tribune reported that a Muslim has been sworn in as a judge of the District Court of Maryland. "God is merciful, and I pledge to show mercy from the bench - both for the accused and for those who have been wronged," said Judge Hassan Ali El-Amin, who joins only a few other Muslim judges nationwide. "Judge El-Amin's appointment shows that Muslims are entering and having a positive impact on every level of American society," said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Washington-based Islamic advocacy group.