The speaker at Friday prayer services at Howard University's dental school stressed to worshipers that Islam is a religion of moderation.

Ramy Zamzam, a student at the dental school, is among five men detained in Pakistan after they allegedly sought to join up with terrorist groups.

In a brief sermon, Sultan Chaudhry, who serves as president of the dentistry school's student council, said: "Muslims have to follow the middle path with no extremes on either side."

Chaudhry also said Islam promotes "human dignity and honor" and has a set of universal values that are "positive and life-affirming."

Students have been dealing with the news of their classmate in the midst of their final exam period, which ends Wednesday. Chaudhry told them: "Even studying is worship."

At a Virginia mosque, a spokesman says the families of the five Americans are going through "severe hardship."

During a news conference at the Islamic Circle of North America mosque, spokesman Essam Tellawi asked people to pray for the families. He says the small community mosque in Alexandria focuses on how families raise their children and the church promotes tolerance.

The men were reported missing by their families in the Washington, D.C. area last week. The State Department says it is not yet clear whether the five men may have broken any Pakistani or U.S. laws during their stay in Pakistan.

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