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.
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.
Shaikh Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah Al-AsShaikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Chairman of the Committee of Senior Ulema [religious scholars] and Chairman of the Department of Scientific Research and Ifta [guidance], today condemned the terrorist bombings in London and issued the following statement:
“Killing and terrorizing innocent people and the destruction of property are not condoned by Islam. Attributing all these horrific incidents to Islam is unjust. Muslims should tell the truth and unveil falseness, and inform all people that Islam is a religion of righteousness, betterment and progress. Islam is the final revelation that Allaah chose for humankind to guide it from darkness to light. Allaah said: “This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.”
Our religion urges us to fulfill our obligations and prohibits us from abandoning such obligations. Allaah said:
{O you who believe! Fulfill your obligations.}
The unjust killing of a human being in Islam is forbidden. Allaah said:
{And kill not anyone whom Allaah has forbidden except for a just cause.}
Corruption on earth is considered a major sin in Islam. Allaah said:
{And of mankind there is he whose speech may please you in this worldly life, and he calls Allaah to witness as to that which is in his heart, yet he is the most quarrelsome of the opponents. And when he turns away from you, his effort in the land is to make mischief therein and to destroy the crops and the cattle, and Allaah likes not mischief. And when it is said to him ‘Fear Allaah,’ he is led by arrogance to more crime. So enough for him is Hell, and worst indeed is that place to rest.}
