Valley's Egyptian community prays for peace

Valley Muslims share a common religion but represent many different ethnicities - Afghani, Lebanese, and Persian among many others. Friday at the Islamic Cultural Center in northeast Fresno they offered prayers to protect the innocent in Egypt.

Dr. Fawzi El-Sayed said, "Praying for their safety and I'm praying that this political problem ends as soon as possible."

Dr. Fawzi El-Sayed is a retired Fresno veterinarian. He and his wife Nana worry about friends and family back in Egypt.

Nana El-Sayed said, "I keep praying for them and then my tears are going down because I've been praying for them. I talk to my sister today and they are all depressed."

These are the kinds of images which have brought tears to El-Sayed.

"Every single city in Egypt is demonstrating. What more he wants? Those are the people that don't want him then get out." Nana El-Sayed said. "He doesn't even care, that Hosni Mubarak. What's wrong with him?"

Dr. El-Sayed says President Mubarak has never allowed any outside opinions to be heard. "In my opinion this is a kind of dictatorship that is not going to take the country anywhere."

The El-Sayeds say they are praying for a peaceful resolution to this conflict.

"Yes I am American citizen but still my heart is with Egypt."

"The people in Egypt really deserve to live a better life."