‘A victory for every American’: 5 reactions to Supreme Court’s Groff decision

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Thursday, June 29, 2023

CAIR

Nihad Awad, national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, speaking as part of an ABC panel on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 in 2021. | Screengrab: YouTube/CAIRNational

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a prominent Muslim advocacy organization that filed an amicus brief in support of Groff, emailed a statement celebrating the decision.

CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said the ruling "marks a new era" for religious freedom in the workplace.

"Today's Supreme Court ruling is an important victory for all people of faith, including American Muslims," stated Awad. "For too long, American Muslims have been denied the right to perform daily prayers at work, wear hijab or kufi, or attend prayers on Fridays."

CAIR noted how its amicus brief was referenced in the unanimous opinion, as Justice Alito had described how "Muslim women wearing religiously mandated attire 'have lost employment opportunities' and have been excluded from 'critical public institutions like public schools, law enforcement agencies, and youth rehabilitation centers.'"