LONDON/JEDDAH, 9 July 2005 — The Kingdom’s grand mufti yesterday strongly denounced the deadly blasts that rocked London, saying Islam strictly prohibits the killing of innocent people. He also censured the terrorists for tarnishing the image of Islam by attaching their heinous crimes to the religion.
The explosions that ripped through central London’s transport system on Thursday, “targeting peaceful people, are not condoned by Islam, and are indeed prohibited by our religion,” Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.
“Attributing to Islam acts of individual or collective killings, bombings, destruction of properties and the terrorizing of peaceful people is unfair, because they are alien to the divine religion,” said the mufti, who also heads the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars, Saudi Arabia’s highest religious authority.
“Islam is a religion of reforms and righteousness. It envisages the progress of humanity and takes it from darkness to light. It also calls for respecting agreements and prohibits their violation,” the mufti said referring to accords binding governments. “Causing corruption on earth is one of the biggest crimes in Islam,” he explained.
Sheikh Abdul Aziz said respectable Muslim scholars all over the world have stated that such outrages bear no relation to Islam.
Meanwhile, Saudi Ambassador to Britain Prince Turki Al-Faisal issued a statement condemning the London attacks. “On behalf of the government of Saudi Arabia, I wish to assure the British people that our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the blasts that hit London Thursday morning,” he said.
Also yesterday, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary-general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims. He sent a message to Prime Minister Tony Blair expressing his “utmost indignation and outrage” and condemning, “in the strongest terms, the horrendous acts.”
Muslim World League Secretary-General Dr. Abdullah Al-Turki also condemned the criminal attacks. “On behalf of Muslims and Islamic organizations it represents, the MWL condemns the repugnant act of crime that targeted innocent civilians,” Al-Turki said, adding that Islam has prohibited the killing of innocent people. He urged the United Nations to carry out a coordinated joint campaign to cleanse the world of terrorists.
Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Al-Obaikan, a senior Saudi scholar and a Shoura member, said there was no justification, whatsoever, for the killing of innocent people. Speaking to MBC television, he urged all members of the Muslim community in Britain to cooperate with British authorities in tracking down the criminals behind the attacks.
“Any Muslim having information leading to the perpetrators is urged to pass it on to the British authorities. By doing so, we not only help protect innocent Muslims from random arrests and charges but also save them from being labeled as terrorists,” the scholar said.
Britain’s Muslim community is bracing itself for a possible backlash after Thursday’s bombings. Police confirmed a minor arson attack yesterday morning on a mosque in Leeds. The East London Mosque in Whitechapel, a stone’s throw from Aldgate, one of the underground station affected by the attacks, has received anonymous threatening letters.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair, however, said “There has been no incidents at any of the London mosques.”
Muslim leaders such as Sir Dr. Zaki Badawi, chairman of the Imams & Mosques Council of Britain and principal of the Muslim College, and Sir Iqbal Sacranie, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, have both condemned the atrocities and urged the Muslim communities to cooperate with the authorities in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Dr. Muhammed Abdul Bari, chairman of the East London Mosque, stressed: “We cannot let people who carry out such crimes ruin the cohesion we have built up in this community over many years. “This terrible atrocity should not be allowed to wreck all the hard work we have done,” he added.
Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi diplomat in London, said the best defense against such terrorist atrocities lies with the Muslim community in Britain. He urged the authorities to engage with its Muslim population to flush out potential radicals and preempt further such attacks. He confirmed that Saudi intelligence and security organizations were cooperating with their British counterparts in exchanging information and intelligence over the movements and involvement of known Muslim radicals.
The Muslim Social Forum (MSF), an umbrella organization made up of national and regional Islamic organizations and key advisory body for the police service, expressed its dismay, shock and deep sadness at the events that unfolded in London.
The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) also condemned the attacks. IHRC chairman Massoud Shadjareh urged Muslims to stay calm.
The IHRC is advising Muslims not to travel or go out unless necessary, and is particularly concerned that women should not go out alone in this situation. In the event of being attacked, IHRC urges victims not to retaliate and to report the matter to the police and other appropriate authorities.
— Additional input from Saeed Al Khotani in Riyadh
