In the name of Allah, the all-Merciful, the most Compassionate
A special meeting of imams (leaders) and ulama (scholars) held at the Islamic Cultural Centre, Regents Park, London on 15th July 2005 endorsed the following declaration:
Along with all Londoners and the people of Britain, we are deeply shocked and saddened by the bombing attacks of 7 July 2005 that caused the loss of at least 52 innocent lives, wounded hundreds and disrupted the peace and order of the civic and community life of the metropolis. We regard these acts as utterly criminal, totally reprehensible, and absolutely un-Islamic.
On behalf of our communities and congregations, we express heartfelt sorrow and extend condolences to the families and friends of the victims. We pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. We extend our sympathy to the entire British public, a nation to which we all belong by the Grace of God.
There can never be any excuse for taking an innocent life. The Qur'an clearly declares that killing an innocent person was tantamount to killing all mankind and likewise saving a single life was as if one had saved the life of all mankind. (The Qur'an, Al-Maidah 5:32) This is both a principle and a command.
We are firmly of the view that these killings had absolutely no sanction in Islam, nor is there any justification whatsoever in our noble religion for such evil actions. It is our understanding that those who carried out the bombings in London should in no sense be regarded as martyrs.
It is incumbent upon all of us, Muslims and non-Muslims – to help the authorities with any information that may lead to the planners of last week's atrocity being brought to justice. The pursuit of justice for the victims of last week's attacks is an obligation under the faith of Islam.
Islam is the middle path and the Qur'an designates Muslims as the ummatan wasata – the middle community. Any form of extremism is to be utterly and completely rejected. What we need, therefore, in our troubled world, more than ever before is to stick to the middle and balanced way of Islam.
We need also to remind ourselves, young as well as old, that the solution to our problems and concerns lies in following and adhering to the noble discipline of Islam and to the way of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and not falling prey to a culture of conflict and discord. The social culture of Islam is based on the principle of inviting people towards good, courteously and wisely – with Hikmah and mawizah Hasana. (The Qur'an, Al-Nahal 16:125) The Prophet Muhammad, peace be on him, was sent as a mercy to mankind and that is the ideal and norm that we ought to be following all the time.
The tragedy of 7th July 2005 demands that all of us, both in public life and in civil and religious society, confront together the problems of Islamophobia, racism, unemployment, economic deprivation and social exclusion - factors that may be alienating some of our children and driving them towards the path of anger and desperation. Islam prohibits both anger and desperation. Anger and desperation are haram (forbidden) and may lead to some people being targeted by people with a sinister and violent agenda. There is, therefore, a great deal of positive work to be done together with everyone in our own and wider community in order to channel the energy and talent of our youth particularly into constructive avenues, serving God and society for the common good. The youth need understanding, not bashing.
We do naturally feel deeply for the sufferings, injustices and oppression the world over. Yet we also remind ourselves of the verse of the Qur'an, "O you who believe! Be steadfast witnesses for Allah in equity and let not abhorrence of any people make you swerve from justice. Deal justly, that is nearer to God-fearing. Fear Allah. Allah is aware of what you do." (Al Maidah, 5:8)
We also call on the international community to work towards just and lasting peace settlements in the world's areas of conflict and help eliminate the grievances that seem to nurture a spiral of violence. We also urge the media to refrain from character assassinations of our reputable scholars and denigration of the community.
We reiterate our resolve and commitment to work towards nurturing an identity that is true to its faith and its rights and responsibilities of British citizenship. Finally, we pray to God Almighty to bless all the people of the world with His Peace and Mercy. Wa akhiru da'wana ani-lhamdulillahi rabbil-alameen.
The meeting was convened by The Muslim Council of Britain with the British Muslim Forum and other leading national and regional organisations from across the country. Signatories to the Declaration included:
Shaykh |
Ali |
Ahdash |
Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, London |
Dr |
Manazir |
Ahsan |
The Islamic Foundation, Leicester |
Maulana |
Jomshed |
Ali |
The Council of Mosques, Tower Hamlets |
Hussain |
Ali |
The Council of Mosques, Tower Hamlets |
|
Mufti |
Muhammad |
Aslam |
Jamiat Ulama-e-Britain |
Khateeb |
Muhammad Iqbal |
Awan |
UK Islamic Mission, Luton |
Muhammad |
Azim |
Kashmir Forum UK |
|
Mufti |
AbdulKader |
Barkatulla |
Senior Imam, Finchley Mosque |
Imam |
Driss |
Boumzough |
Imam, Moroccan Muslim Community of London |
Abdal |
Choudhury |
British Muslim Action Front |
|
Maulana |
Abdal |
Choudhury |
The Council of Mosques, Tower Hamlets |
Shaykh |
Ahmed |
Dahdorh |
Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, London |
Dr |
Ahmed |
Dubyan |
Islamic Cultural Centre & London Central Mosque |
Abdel Shaheed |
El-Ashal |
Muslim Association of Britain |
|
Shaykh |
Muslehuddin |
Faradhi |
Islamic Forum Europe |
Shaykh |
Rached |
Ghannoushi |
|
Maulana |
Moudood |
Hasan |
Uleman Council of Da'watul Islam |
Shaykh |
Suhaib |
Hasan |
Islamic Shariah Council |
Dr |
Usama |
Hasan |
Imam, Masjid Al-Tawhid, Leyton |
Maulana |
Mahmoudul |
Hassan |
Da'watul Islam |
Hafiz |
Shamsul |
Hoque |
Imam, Eshatul Islam Mosque, Ilford |
Hafiz Maulana |
Shamsul |
Hoque |
The Council of Mosques, Tower Hamlets |
Aboochitar |
Khaled |
International Muslim Committee |
|
Dr |
AbddulKarim |
Khalil |
Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, London |
Maulana |
Masood Alam |
Khan |
Jamia Islamia, Birmingham |
Shaykh |
Hokei |
Majouli |
Muslim Welfare House Trust |
Professor |
Sayyid Fadhil |
Milani |
International College for Islamic Studies |
Ahmed Sheikh |
Mohamed |
Muslim Association of Britain |
|
Hasan |
Mueenuddin |
Da'watul Islam UK & Eire |
|
Maulana |
Gul |
Muhammad |
British Muslim Forum |
Maulana |
Farooq |
Mulla |
Lincoln Mosque |
Professor |
Dawud |
Noibi |
Nigerian Muslim Community& Imam, Old Kent Road Mosque |
Maulana |
Muhammad Imdad Hussain |
Pirzada |
Jamia-al-Karam, Nottingham |
Maulana |
Bostan |
Qadri |
Confederation of Sunni Mosques, Midlands |
Shaykh |
Abdul |
Qayoom |
Imam, East London Mosque |
Maulana |
Muhammad Shahid |
Raza |
The World Islamic Mission & Imam, Leicester Central Mosque |
Maulana |
Sayyid Mohammad |
Sabzwary |
Al Asr Community & Education Centre |
Maulana |
Ismail Ali |
Shah |
Jamiat Ulama-e-Britain |
Maulana |
Muhammad Akram |
Khan |
UK Islamic Mission, Luton |
Messages of support were received from other ulama including Dr Musharraf Hussain, Karimia Institute, Nottingham, and Maulana Ismail, Birmingham Central Mosque.
Photo Attribution: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Regent%27s_Park_with_Mosque_in_background_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1502319.jpg
Comments
Assalamu Alaikum Brother,Bravo! Publishing this Declaration, renewed my faith in Islam. To have a group definitively and so clearly state Islam's beliefs on man's inhumanity to man, with what Allah, Quran and our beloved Prophet(pbuh) commands should be on the Front Page of every newspaper, the lead article in every newcast, on the web and read in every church and synagogue in the world.So many people have so little knowledge of Islam, including muslims, that we need massive doses of such knowledge dispensed in as many ways as possible.By the way - did the scholars and Imams in America issue such a declaration after 9/11?May Soundvisio be blessed and continue to bring such vital information to all.
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Salaam To UmmahAs a Muslim I feel every bad myself and our community really is too bad for all Muslim. I don’t think who ever done bombing or killing innocent people in my opinion they are Muslim any more they don't have any religious base they are all real terror people. But question to all world people who ever talk about peace in the world what they are doing to stop all terror activities killing other more innocent people and Increase terror. How people are becoming terror and why people are become terror. Answer please to the world or my self media is also one of the big terror in my opinion always against the Muslim and killing innocent Muslim for the name of terror which is never ending topic to the world.
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Peace, I'm so fed up with these killers who claim to be Muslims and they're being refered to as such. How can you read the Quran, give Salat and spend time around other Muslims and decide that hurting innocent people will get you into Janna?
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