In a joint statement issued yesterday, more than 130 imams and Muslim leaders have refused to carry out the Islamic funeral prayer for the London Bridge attackers.
The following statement was issued on the Muslim Council of Britain’s website:
“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).
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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.”
Signatories
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
48. Imam Khidir Hussain, Kilburn Mosque
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
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
94. Sheikh Subhan, Imam of MCEC Palmers Green
95. Shaykh Zuber Karim, IF Consultants, Scotland
96. Imam Ahsan Amin, Imam of Central Oxford Mosque
97. Shaykh Manwar Ali, Ipswich Mosque
98. Imam Muhamed Salim Jawara, Sec, African Cultural Centre
99. Mufti Shabir Moosa Adam, Imam-Masjid Ibrahim, Perth, WA
100. Ustadha Khola Hasan, Islamic Shariah Council, Leyton
101. Pir Ahmad Zaman, Naqshbandi Jamati, Khalifa Majaz Ali Pir Syeda Sharif
102. Imam Talha Ahmed, Forestgate Mosque London
103. Mufti Salim Patel, Masjid Al Hikmah, London
104. Sayyid Ali Raza Rizvi, President, Majlis e Ulama e Shia Europe
105. 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)
