An investigation is underway after an imam was shot outside a mosque in New Jersey earlier this morning. 

Police say the imam was rushed to University Hospital in a critical condition following the shooting just after 6am. 

The incident happened near the corner of Camden Street and South Orange Avenue near the Masjid Muhammad mosque in Newark. 

A person who answered the door at the mosque told NBC New York that the victim was Imam Hassan Sharif.  

According to sources who spoke to RLS Media, Imam Sharif had been preparing to engage in the Fajr prayer, the first of the five daily prayers in Islam. 

The outlet reported that the gunman approached Sharif during this time and opened fire on the spiritual leader. 

A person who answered the door at the mosque told NBC New York that the victim was Imam Hassan Sharif

The incident happened near the corner of Camden Street and South Orange Avenue near the Masjid Muhammad mosque

Sharif was rushed to hospital and is reportedly in a critical condition and fighting for his life. It is not clear if the suspect remains at large or a motive in the attack.

A few hours after the shooting, police could be seen posted outside the entrance to the mosque.  

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DailyMail.com has attempted to contact the mosque for comment on the incident. 

Dwayne Hill, 64, said he had lived near the mosque his entire life and that those who worship there had always been good neighbors.

‘The mosque people are no problem. They keep to themselves and do what they believe in,’ he said. ‘They’ve been feeding and clothing the neighborhood for years.’=

The New Jersey Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said it was gathering information on the shooting of the imam. 

In a statement, CAIR-NJ Communications Manager Dina Sayedahmed said: ‘We are deeply concerned about this incident and pray for the speedy recovery of the imam. 

‘Anyone with information about the shooting should immediately contact local police.’

Since news of the shooting of the imam was shared, people in his community had been sending him well wishes on social media. 

One person posted: ‘May Allah grant Imam Hassan Sharif a speedy recovery and bring his assailant to justice.’

Another said: ‘Prayers, prayers, and more prayers for my dear brother, our beloved Imam Hassan Sharif. May the most merciful intervene and restore him to full health.’

This attack comes amid heightened tensions in America due to the ongoing war in Gaza.