Muslim statements condemning terrorism
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Shia massacres by fellow Muslims:
The Muslim Public Affairs Council is a U.S. public policy institution whose mission: "... encompasses promoting a Muslim American identity, building constructive relationships between Muslim Americans and their representatives, and training a future generation of men and women to share our vision."
On 2010-FEB-06, they issued the following condemnation on the level of Muslim vs. Muslim violence in the Middle East:
"And it is not conceivable that a believer kill another believer..." Quran 4:92
Sectarian violence has once again reached unprecedented levels in various Muslim majority countries during this past week. Bloodletting continues without reproach in places like Karbala, Iraq and Karachi, Pakistan, where Shia pilgrims were commemorating the 40th day after the martyrdom of Imam Husayn, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad. As the referenced Quranic verse is tossed aside, we are sinking into an abyss of sectarian venom, with brother killing brother.
Let's face the realities of this gruesome set of massacres. Those who recruited these suicide bombers are too cowardly to show their faces to the Muslim world, as over 100 Muslims were killed by fellow Muslim suicide bombers. For the culprits of these atrocities to play the role of God in determining who is, and who is not a believer, their fate will rest with the Almighty. The enemies of Islam are reprieved from working any more, since Muslims are doing their dirty work.
We call on the Iraqi and Pakistani governments to secure their own peoples. As their national security budgets grow, they continue to spend much of the country's wealth on weapons and defense. We call on Sunni scholars to speak in one voice condemning this cancerous practice of suicide attacks against Shia Muslims. Scholars and Muslim activists, especially in the Gulf, where anti-Shia rhetoric is endemic to the region, must stand up and make clear that the killing of other Muslims guarantees nothing but misery in this life and the hereafter.
Muslim leaders from around the world signed The Amman Initiative to oppose terrorism and sectarian violence. It is now time to move beyond the rhetoric and demand action.
Muslims in America are blessed by the fact that sectarian division and violence has not raised its ugly head in our communities and we must prevent that from ever happening in the future. That must take place by declaring our stand now--our prayers for the deceased and their families, our demand for justice, and our declaration to maintain the unity of Muslims. 1
Three American Muslim groups comment on call for a holy war:
During 2010-MAR, Anika Palm posted material in the Orlando Sentinal concerning a call by Anwar al-Awlaki for a holy war against the U.S. He justified the holy war because of the U.S. invasion of Iraq and "... continued U.S. aggression upon Muslims."
She wrote:
"American Muslim groups small and large have condemned a radical American-born imam’s call for holy war against the U.S."
"American Muslim groups, who are constantly battling the notion that moderate Muslims don’t speak vociferously enough against extremists who share their faith, responded very quickly to slam al-Awlaki in no uncertain terms. ..."
"In its statement, the Muslim Public Affairs Council said:
'We reject Al-Awlaki’s message as destructive, appalling, and a violation of core Islamic teachings. Muslim Americans are active citizens who believe in working for change through civic and political engagement out of love for Islam and our country. Al-Awlaki represents no one but himself, and his wicked attempt to exploit political grievances will not be tolerated by Muslim Americans'."
"The president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy also wrote a lengthy rebuttal to al-Awlaki’s message as a post for the Daily Caller:
'No, Anwar, this country it is not evil. It is you who is evil and this nation and its people who are blessed. This nation gave my family the freedom and liberty to practice Islam in a way that no majority Muslim nation has ever allowed. I was raised learning to pray, fast, give charity, build mosques, and help those in need in the character of my faith as a result of the free environment of this United States. I learned this despite the repulsive nature of imams like yourself who drive so many reasonable Muslims away from the faith and so many weak and vulnerable ones towards your fascism'."
"The Council on American Islamic Relations also had something to say:
'There is no contradiction between being a Muslim and being an American. We repudiate Anwar al-Awlaki’s call for attacks on our nation and urge anyone who may be swayed by his extremist views to instead seek out scholars and community leaders who can offer a mainstream perspective on the positive role Muslims are obligated to play in every society. American Muslims seek to promote justice and the general welfare through civic engagement and community service'." 2
References used:
The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above
essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.
- Edina Lekovic, contact, "Muslim communities worldwideneed to condemn Shia massacres," Muslim Public Affairs Council, 2010-FEB-06, at: https://app.e2ma.net/
- Anika Palm, "American Muslim groups condemn call for jihad against U.S.," Orlando Sentinal, 2010-MAR-19, at: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/
- Charles Kurzman, "Islamic Statements Against Terrorism,"
University of North Carolina, at: http://www.unc.edu/
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Copyright © 2005 & 2010 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally posted: 2005-JUL-30
Latest update: 2010-FEB-22
Author: B.A. Robinson
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