http://www.islamonline.org/English/News/2005-07/08/article06.shtml
Imamsacross Britain were united Friday, July 8, in condemning the Londonattacks in their weekly sermons, encouraging Muslims to offer allpossible assistance to the victims and authorities.”Weare so sorry that this attack is attached to Muslims. We can notimagine that a true Muslim who understands properly the teachings ofIslam can commit this terrible crime against the civilians andinnocent,” Sheikh Ashraf Salah, imam of London Central Mosque, toldattentive worshipers.
Atleast 50 people were killed and 700 others were wounded when fourblasts four bombs tore through three underground trains and a reddouble-decker bus during rush hour Thursday.
“Islam strongly condemns such a sinful act,” Sheikh Salah averred.
He stressed that Muslims “refuse any forms of violence, oppression, and injustice committed wrongly by anybody”.
Therewas a heavy media presence in the major mosques across the country,particularly in London, Anwar Madi, director of the cultural center inLondon, told IslamOnline.net.
TheMuslim Council of Britain (MCB) and the Muslim Association of Britain(MAB) have vehemently denounced the blasts and offered all possibleassistance in helping the emergency services.
They have urged imams across the country to dedicate Friday sermons to condemning the attacks and to call for peace and harmony.
Helping Victims
SheikhSalah stressed that its is “the duty of every man and women on thisearth to do his/her best being to spread security, peace and prosperityin every place on this wide planet.”
Heexhorted the Muslim minority to be fully cooperative with theauthorities “so we may live in peace and harmony and continue to makeLondon the tolerant and peaceful city as it is always is.”
Khaled Omar, an official with the Islamic Care Center in London, echoed a similar position.
“Muslims were encouraged to visit the victims in hospitals and to donate blood,” he told IOL.
Headded that the administration installed banners reading “Muslims forPeace” and “Muslims against terrorism” outside the mosque.
“We also put verses from the Noble Qur’an against the killing of innocent civilians,” said Omar.
He announced that the center will organize Saturday, July 9, a conference about introducing Islam.
Undermining Muslims
MohamedSawalha, who gave Friday prayers’ sermon at London’s Finsbury Parkmosque, told hundreds of worshipers that whoever was behind the attackswanted to undermine the integrationist efforts of the minority,reported Reuters.
“Somepeople will try to instigate anger against Muslims and try to blame usfor what happened,” he told hundreds of worshippers.
“Theseacts were aimed at destroying the work of Muslims and Muslim groups inBritain. We want to integrate with the community, and not to live likeforeigners.”
SheikhAbdul-Qayyum, imam of the East London Mosque, where about 6,000 peopleturned out, said the perception that Muslims want to impose their wayof life on others was unfair.
Brandingthe attacks plotters as “criminals”, he said they “should be brought tojustice and they should be punished without asking what is their raceor religion.”
“Theseterrible events have nothing to do with us. The Muslims of London arevictims as much as their fellow citizens,” said the imam.
Muslim Victims
NazmulHasan, is desperately trying to locate his niece, Shahera Akther Islam,who uses the underground to travel to work in the city and has beenmissing since early on Thursday.
“Wehave been trying to locate her in the hospitals and we have registeredher with the police as missing but we have no information,” he said.
“I am trying to keep my hopes alive for her, I am hoping she is in hospital somewhere,” he said.
Itwas not immediately clear how many Muslims were killed or wounded inthe attacks, particularly that some of the bombing occupied inMuslim-populated areas of the British capital.
Also read:
Islam, Muslims & Violence (Special File)