New Billboard From 'Actual Muslims' Crops Up In Arizona — See What It Says

"Hey ISIS, you suck!" the sign reads, using a popular acronym for the Islamic State.

The blunt billboard, signed by "#ActualMuslims," was erected last week in the Living Spaces parking lot near Interstate 10 and 67th Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona, according to The Republic. The sign also references Quran 5:32, which states if a person kills another, it's "as if he had slain mankind entirely."

The Chicago-based Sound Vision Foundation, an Islamic multimedia public-relations organization and non-profit, is behind the black and white, chalkboard-style billboard. The group first put up a similar sign on a highway leading toward the Chicago O'Harre International Airport.

The billboard has received such an "overwhelming" response that 11 cities have requested the sign be installed in their area, according to Sound Vision executive director Mohammad Siddiqi.

"Behind this billboard are the common people," Siddiqi said. "This is our declaration of independence against ISIS. It’s as simple as that."

Siddiqi said the sign was first thought up by young Muslim-American professionals in Chicago who were chatting on WhatsApp, a mobile messaging service, about a campaign to simultaneously combat Islamophobia and radical Islam.

For people interested in bringing the billboard to their cities, they can raise money and contact Sound Vision, which will work with local billboard companies, provide the design and work with media on the campaign, according to the organization's website.

—

Follow the author of this story on Twitter:

Follow @tregp