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5 June 2017

Imams and religious leaders from across the country and a range of schools of thought have come together to issue a public statement condemning the recent terror attack in London and conveying their pain at the suffering of the victims and their families.

In an unprecedented move, they have not only refused to perform the traditional Islamic prayer for the terrorist – a ritual that is normally performed for every Muslim regardless of their actions – but also have called on others to do the same. They said:

“Consequently, and in light of other such ethical principles which are quintessential to Islam, we will not perform the traditional Islamic funeral prayer over the perpetrators and we also urge fellow imams and religious authorities to withdraw such a privilege. This is because such indefensible actions are completely at odds with the lofty teachings of Islam.”

For the full statement and list of signatories, see below.

 

Notes to editors:

      1. The Muslim Council of Britain is the UK’s largest Muslim umbrella body with over
        500 affiliated national, regional and local organisations, mosques,
        charities and schools.
      2. Key contacts for the statement:

      – Shaykh Yunus Dudhwala: +44 7931 735206⁠

      – Sheikha Selina Begum Ali: +44 7946 270169

      – Ustadha Rehana Sadiq: +44 7715 139834

      – Imam Qari Asim: +44 7816 667282

      – Sheikh Asim Yusuf: +447817 569 272
      —————————–

      Muslim Imams and religious leaders condemn the Manchester and London terror atrocities and urge fellow Imams to refuse to perform Islamic funeral prayers for the terrorists

      “We, as Muslim Imams and religious leaders, condemn the recent terror attacks in Manchester and London in the strongest terms possible. Coming from a range of backgrounds, and from across the UK; feeling the pain the rest of the nation feels, we have come together to express our shock and utter disgust at these cold-blooded murders.

      We are deeply hurt that a spate of terror attacks have been committed in our country once more by murderers who seek to gain religious legitimacy for their actions. We seek to clarify that their reprehensible actions have neither legitimacy nor our sympathy.

      Though at no time is it acceptable, that such ruthless violence was perpetrated during the season of Ramadan, in which Muslims worldwide focus on pious devotion, prayer, charity and the cultivation of good character, demonstrates how utterly misguided and distant the terrorists are from our faith and the contempt which they hold for its values.

      Alongside our friends and neighbours, we mourn this attack on our home, society and people, and feel pain for the suffering of the victims and their families. We pray to God that the perpetrators be judged in accordance with the gravity of their crimes in the hereafter. Their acts and wilful dismissal of our religious principles alienates them from any association with our community for whom the inviolability of every human life is the founding principle (Q.5:32).

      Consequently, and in light of other such ethical principles which are quintessential to Islam, we will not perform the traditional Islamic funeral prayer for the perpetrators and we also urge fellow imams and religious authorities to withdraw such a privilege. This is because such indefensible actions are completely at odds with the lofty teachings of Islam.

      These vile murderers seek to divide our society and instil fear; we will ensure they fail. We implore everyone to unite: we are one community. In the face of such dastardly cowardice, unlike the terrorists, we must uphold love and compassion.

      Such criminals defile the name of our religion and of our Prophet, who was sent to be a mercy to all creation.

      We commend our police and emergency services – with whom we stand shoulder to shoulder – for their rapid response, arriving at the scenes while risking their own lives to protect the victims and public. Their response exemplifies the courage, humanity and honour we must exhibit in such difficult times.

      We pray for peace and unity, and for all the victims of terror both at home and across the globe, who are targeted, irrespective of their faith.”

       

      1. Dr Timothy Winter, University of Cambridge

      2. Imam Yunus Dudhwala, Head of Chaplaincy & Bereavement, Barts Health NHS Trust

      3. Dr Abul Kalam Azad, Director General, Muslim Family Institute (MFI)

      4. Mufti Mohammed Umair Zulfiqar, General Secretary, World Islamic Forum

      5. Sheikh Idris Watts, founder of Quranic Circle

      6. Dr Omer El-Hamdoon, President, Muslim Association of Britain

      7. Sheikh Imtiyaz Damiel, Abu Hanifah Foundation (AHF)

      8. Ustadh Arnold Yasin Mol, lecturer Islamic theology and Qur’anic studies Fahm Institute

      9. Imam Abdullah Hasan (British Imams & Scholars Contributions and Achievement Awards/ Imams Against Domestic Abuse)

      10. Imam Abdul Mateen Head Teacher Quwwatul Islam London

      11. Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat, FaithFull Education

      12. Dr. Saeed Al-Qadi, EMAN Channel

      13. Moulana Muhammad Imran Khan, Doctoral candidate in Theology, University of Cambridge

      14. Imam Muhammad Mustaqeem Shah Abu Bakr Trust, Walsall

      15. Sheikh Fahimul Anam, Khatib, Darul Ummah Mosque

      16. Sheikha Selina Begum Ali, Director – Beacon Institute

      17. Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri , Irish Muslim Peace & Integration Council & Al-Mustafa Islamic Centre Ireland

      18. Imam Qari Asim, Makkah Mosque Leeds

      19. Mawlana Abdullah Khan, Manager, Green Academy, Nottingham

      20. Sheikh Bilal Brown, Imam

      21. Imam Abdurrahman Anwar, Imam

      22. Sheikh Mostahfiz Gani, Beyound Boundaries

      23. Imam Mujahid Ali, Head of Islamic Studies at Hafs academy

      24. Imam Abid Salik, York Mosque

      25. Shaykh Rehan Raza, Imam

      26. Imam Khalil Laher, London

      27. Imam Yahya Adel Ibrahim, Islamic Chaplain, University of Western Australia

      28. Mufti Liaquat Zaman, As-Suffa Institute

      29. Dr Mansur Ali, Imam

      30. Imam Fadel Soliman, Bridges Foundation

      31. Shaykh Muhammad Ismail Bhuta, London

      32. Shaykh AbdalHaq Bewley

      33. Imam Tahir Mahmood Kiani, Birmingham

      34. Mufti Adam Esmail, Zaytoon Academy, Birmingham

      35. Shaykha Anne Dijk, Fahm Institute

      36. Shaykh Salman Younas, University of Oxford

      37. Imam Abdul Wahhab, London

      38. Imam Shafi Chowdhury, The City Retreat, Leicester

      39. Sheikh Bilal Khan, Freeman of the City of London & Co-Chairman of Dome Advisory

      40. Imam Noor Ahmad, Islamic society of South Texas

      41. Mufti Suhail, Seven Kings Muslim Educational Trust

      42. Imam Mohammed Rahman, Newcastle upon Tyne

      43. Sheikh Imran Chaudhry, London

      44. Shaykh Abdul Aziz Patel, London

      45. Shaykh Asim Yusuf, Consultant Psychiatrist and Religious Guide, Nur al-Habib Foundation

      46. Prof. Jasser Auda, Maqasid Institute, UK

      47. Shaykh Muhammad Idoe, lecturer, Arabic Fahm Institute

      49. Imam Chokri Majouli, Finsbury Park Mosque

      50. Imam Abid Khan, Cheadle Mosque

      51. Dr Ali Reza Bhojani, Research Fellow, Al-Mahdi Institute

      52. Sheikh Mohammed Al-Hilli. Noor Trust, London

      53. Sheikh Jaffer Ladak, Imam, Milton Keynes

      54. Shaykh Muhammad Reza Tajri, Al-Mahdi Institute

      55. Shaykh Kumail Rajani, The World Federation of KSIMC

      56. Imam Ajmal Masroor, Broadcaster, Independent Parliamentary Candidate for Bethnal Green and Bow

      57. Hujat Islam Shaykh Arif Abdulhussain, Al-Mahdi Institute

      58. Hujjat ul Islam Sayed Mohammad Musadaq Haider Taqvi, Representative of Ayatullah Bashir Najafi

      59. Imam Abdasamad Clarke, Norwich

      60. Imam Huzayfah Bhayat, Imam at Masjid-e-Saliheen, Preston

      61. Imam Mohammed Amejee, London

      62. Mawlana Yousaf Baig, Batley, Yorkshire

      63. Muhammad Ibn Yusuf Birmingham, Imam and Teacher

      64. Shaykh Abdurrahman Sayed, Deputy Manager, Foster Care Link – Muslim Fostering Service

      65. Dr. Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera, Whitethread Institute and Zamzam Academy

      66. Mawlana Iftkhar A khan, Head of Islamic Studies at M.A Al Kharafi Islamic Centre (Camberley Masjid)

      67. Shaykh Sulaiman Gani, Al Khaleel Institute

      68. Imam Abdul Rauf, Dundee Central Mosque

      69. Mufti Abubakr Karolia, Batley

      70. Shaykh Junaid bilal Uan, Dar Uloom, Birmingham

      71. Moulana Siraj Saleh, Masjid Quba, Bradford

      72. Moulana Ahmed Desai, Masjid Quba, Bradford

      73. Sheikh Zubair Miah. Trustee, Al Imdaad Foundation, UK

      74. Imam Minar Ali, Academy of Inspiration, Little Ilford Ward, Newham

      75. Mawlana Ilyas Koya, Imam – Darul Quran Masjid, Bolton

      76. Imam Abdur Rahman Mehdi, Imam at Motherwell Islamic Centre north Lanarkshire Scotland

      77. Shaykh Amer Jamil, Solas Foundation, Scotland

      78. Imam Amjad Yoosuf Fulwood, Preston

      79. Ustadh Shaukat Warraich, Editor, Imams Online

      80. Shaykh Sohaib Saeed, Independent Scholar, Scotland

      81. Ustadha Rehana Sadiq, Muslim Chaplain & Counsellor

      82. Imam Hassan Ghodawala, Masjid e Noor, Gloucester

      83. Imam Imran Ali, Glasgow, Imam at SSACC

      84. Shaykh Hammadur Rahman Fahim, Manchester

      85. Shaykh Rafiq Sufi, Blackburn

      86. Imam Abdul Muheet, Bahr Academy, Newcastle

      87. Imam Dawood Masood, Quba Trust

      88. Dr. Kallingal Riyad, Consultant Surgeon & Governer – Jamiatul ilm Wal Huda, Blackburn

      89. Sheikh Abul Barakat Hasan, Centre for Islamic Guidance UK

      90. Imam Shams Tameez, Wycombe Mosque

      91. Imam Bilal Toorawa, Masjid e Anwar, Blackburn

      92. Imam Ahmed, Masjid al Khazra, Nottingham

      93. Shaykh Shafiur Rahman, Jibreel Institute

       

    1. 94. Sheikh Subhan, Imam of MCEC Palmers Green
    2. 95. Shaykh Zuber Karim, IF Consultants, Scotland
    3. 96. Imam Ahsan Amin, Imam of Central Oxford Mosque
    4. 97. Shaykh Manwar Ali, Imam
    5. 98. Imam Muhamed Salim Jawara, Sec, African Cultural Centre
    6. 99. Mufti Shabir Moosa Adam, Imam-Masjid Ibrahim, Perth, WA
    7. 100. Ustadha Khola Hasan, Islamic Shariah Council, Leyton
    8. 101. Pir Ahmad Zaman,  Naqshbandi  Jamati, Khalifa Majaz Ali Pir Syeda Sharif
    9. 102. Imam Talha Ahmed, Forestgate Mosque London
    10. 103. Mufti Salim Patel, Masjid Al Hikmah, London104. Sayyid Ali Raza Rizvi, President, Majlis e Ulama e Shia Europe105. UmmulBanin Merali, QFatima, Head of Hujjat Saturday Workshop

      106. Mawlana Shah Muhammed Anas, Imam Zakariya Academy

      107. Ustadha Mariam Saeed Bhaiyat, Masjidul Hikmah

      108. Ustadha Safiyyah Adam, Quwwat ul Islam

      109. Mufti Nadeem Ahmed Khan, Manchester

      110. Ustadha Najiyya Mallu, Quwaat Ul Islam, London

      111. Ustadha Bilkis Ibrahim, Quwwat ul Islam, East London

      112. Imam Abdul-Malik Sheikh, Imam & Social Worker

      113. Shaykh Junaid Bilal Usman, Darul Uloom, Birmingham

      114. Ustdah Aziza Patel, Quwwat ul Islam and Masjid Hikmah

      115. Ustadha Rizwana Dalal, Jamea-al-kauthar

      116. Shaykh Abbas Jaffer, Stanmore

      117. Ayatollah Ali H. Al-Hakim, Imam of Brighton Faith Society

      118. Mawlana Adnan Qurayshi- Hifz and Religious Education Teacher – Hafs Academy

      119. Shaykh Sulaiman Ahmed, CEO and Founder Avicenna Academy

      120. Ustadha Abida Ahmed, Quwwatul Islam

      121. Ustadha Fatima bint Siddiq, Quwwat-ul-Islam Aalimiyya

      122. Ustadha Latifa Khan, Quwwatul Islam

      123. Imam Irfan Chishti MBE, Manchester Central Mosque

      124. Mawlana Ouwais Data, Al-Faatihah Institute

      125. Ustadha Fatimah Adam, Masjid Hikmah

      126. Maulana Mohammed Abubakar Saleem, Imaam Jamia Masjid Noor

      127. Dr Musharraf Hussain, Karimia Institute

      128. Dr Amina Inloes, Lecturer, The Islamic College

      129. Imam Hamza Ibn AbdurRahman, Imam – Scotland

      130. Imam Fazlurrehman Hassan, Muslim Chaplain and Muslim Chaplain Coordinator, Royal Blackburn Hospital NHS Trust

      131. Imam Ghulam Rasool, Tipton, Hazrat Sultan Bahu Trust UK

      132. Ragih Muflihi, Sandwell, Inclusive Muslim Action Network (IMAN)

      133. Imam Monawer Hussain, Founder, The Oxford Foundation

      134. Mawlana Muhammad Patel, Blackburn

    11. 135. Shaykh Haytham Tamim, Utrujj Foundation
    12. 136. Mufti Zubair Butt, Institute of Islamic Jurisprudence
    13. 137. Sayyid Ali Abbas Razawi, Scottish Ahlulbayt Society
    14. 138. Shaykha Safia Shahid, London
    15. 139. Shaykh Muhammad Husain Kazi, London
    16. 140. Ustadha Safiyya Bint Ahmad, Al Muhsinat, London
    17. 141. Seyed Mohamed Naqvi, Zainabiyya Islamic Centre, Milton Keynes
    18. 142. Mufti Sarfraz Mohamed, Fiqh Council, Birmingham143. Mufti Muhammad Sajjad, Fiqh Council, Birmingham144. Mohammad Farooq Janbaz, Birmingham Central

      145. Qari Mohamed Siddique, Birmingham Central

      146. Abdul Majeed Nadeem, Birmingham East

      147. Mohammed Tayyab, Birmingham East

      148. Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, Birmingham North

      149. M Saeed ur Rahman, Blackheath

      150. Arif Mateen, Boston

      151. Mushtaq Ahmed Khan , Cardiff

      152. Imtiaz Ahmed, Leeds

      153. Irfanullah Irfan, Peterborough

      154. Muhammad Rashid , Peterborough

      155. Ali Mahmoud Ahmed Ali, Walsall

      156. Khalid Mehmood , Walsall

      157. Hafiz Attar Muhammad, Wolverhampton

      158. Mohammad Arshad, Burnley

      159. Muhammad Iqbal, EIC

      160. Zafar Iqbal Awan, Manchester South (Barlow )

      161. Syed Naveed Ahmed , Nelson

      162. Abdur Rasheed , Newbold

      163. M Faridoon, Oldham

      164. Miftah Uddin, Oldham

      165. Qari M Faiz, Oldham

      166. Mohamed Azad, Bradford

      167. Alhira Ubaid Ur Rahman, Bradford Byron Street

      168. Abdul Hakeem, Newbold

      169. Mumtaz Ahmed , Rochdale – Deeplish

      170. Abdur Rahman Salik, York

      171. Rahmat Aziz Salik, Hull

      172. M Ishaq, Glasgow North

      173. Mohammad Jahanzaib Niaz, London East Ham

      174. Qari Niaz Mohammed, London East Ham

      175. Hafiz Muhammad Abu Bakar Sajjad, London Plaistow

      176. Hassan Shah, London Plaistow

      177. Inayat Khan, London West

      178. Mohammad Iqbal Awan, Luton

      179. Shahid Ahmed, Luton

      180. Iftikhar Ul Haq, Southend

      181. Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra, Muslim Council of Britain

      182. Imam Hamza ibn AbdulRahman, Imam Dundee Central Mosque

      183. Ustadha Misba Khan, Evergreen Children’s Academy

      184. Imam Tajudeen Salami – Muslim Association of Nigeria UK/Old Kent Road Mosque

      185. Imam Kazeem Fatai – Muslim Association of Nigeria UK/Old Kent Road Mosque

    19. 186. Shaykh Najib Rahmani, Sheffield
    20. 187. Sheikh Nabil Bin Mahmood, Imam in Perth, Scotland
    21. 188. Imam Sayful Ahmed, The Islamic Centre, Scunthorpe
    22. 189. Imam Harun Rashid Patel, Ilford, London
    23. 190. Shaykh Saad Al Attas, Ark Academy, Bradford191. Mufti Sajid Patel, Quwwatul Islam Mosque, London192. Imran Sulaiman Al-Azhari, Leicester

      193. Shaykh Abu Aaliyah Shurkheel Shareef, Jawziyyah Institute

      194. Shaykh Abdul Wahab Saleem, Salik Academy

      195. Shah Yahya Ahmed, Imam and Religious Teacher, London

      196. Imam Zakir Munshi, Masjid Tauheed, Manor Park London

    24. 197. Imam Shokat Patel, IANL, Finchley, London
    25. 198. Ustadh Rizwan Mustapha, Birmingham
    26. 199. Shaykh Ehsan Abdullah Hannan, Director of Religious Education, Islamia Primary School, London
    27. 200. Imam Aftab Muhaudden Al Azhari
    28. 201. Shaykh Hassan Rabbani, Annandale Mosque, Edinburgh
    29. 202. Maulana Shabir Hussain Rabbani, Zia Ul Quran, Glasgow
    30. 203. Dr Sabahat Rabbani, Zainab Cobbold Institute, Glasgow

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This is a grassroots initiative by scholars and imams from diverse backgrounds, rather than issuing from a particular organisation.

The statement does not anathematise (make takfir) of the terrorist attackers – this ‘othering of the enemy’ is precisely the first principle of the jihadists, and something we must avoid at all costs. We leave people’s inner states to God, whilst strongly censuring their actions.

The statement is not a blanket forbidding of funeral rites (janaza), but rather the refusal by Imams and the religious authorities to publicly and formally perform one. The families of the attackers are of course perfectly at liberty to do so and it is not our place to prevent this.

The statement should not detract from the seriousness of oppression and persecution occurring around the world, especially to Muslims, whom we remember in our prayers by day and night. However, such actions in our own country – to our neighbours – requires a strong moral response from us. Our words will have little effect in far-flung countries, but they may have an impact at home.

It should also not detract from deeply unfortunate statements issuing forth from some quarters which seek to implicate the entire Muslim community and the religion of Islam, or insinuate that one system of values is ontologically superior to another. We should at this time be calling to our shared values.

June 5, 2017 in Press Releases
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