A group of Muslim activists is fighting a battle of words to reclaim “jihad” from Muslim extremists and critics who they say have wrongly used the term to justify violence and discrimination.

A 51-year-old man has been arrested for shooting at a Chicago-area mosque with a pellet rifle Friday, as hundreds prayed inside, authorities said.

With Pastor Terry Jones' "Burn A Koran Day" fiasco and the ongoing Park51 debate taking center stage in the media, CAIR-Chicago is taking action. We are challenging misinformation and anti-Muslim rhetoric through interfaith and outreach efforts to educate the public. You may have also seen us in the news recently, adding balanced and informed perspectives to public discourse.

"He's showing he's on the right side of history," said Ahmed Rehab, Chicago executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "There was never any expectation that (Obama) would support a particular project" or its location, Rehab added. "There was an expectation that he would affirm religious freedom and respect for the law, and he's done that."