20 North American Imams issue fatwa against any terrorist attack on US or Canada

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Twenty imams have issued a “fatwa” against any Muslim who would attempt to commit an act of terrorism in Canada or the United States.

Syed Soharwardy, an imam at the Al-Madinah Calgary Islamic Centre, who organized the initiative, said on Friday that any attack by foreign elements should also be considered a direct affront to the 10 million Muslims who call either Canada or the United States home.

“We want Muslims around the world who would dare to commit terrorism on our soil to know that we stand together with all Canadians and Americans.

“We are asking Muslims here not only to condemn terrorism but to also see these events as attacks on themselves.”

Imam Soharwardy said he thought of the initiative just after a Nigerian man was charged with trying to blow up a U.S. airliner on Christmas Day. At that point he began calling religious leaders here and in the United States to join his effort.

Nineteen Canadian imams and one American have signed the fatwa to date.

“The Koran teaches us that we have an obligation to stop violence. We live in a non-Muslim country called Canada where Muslims and others live side by side and this is our country, too.

“Our children are born here. Our future children will live here. That’s why we have to oppose this violence.”

Since the threats against Salman Rushdie several years ago, most people think of fatwas as death threats. But in fact, the imam notes, the vast majority of fatwas are condemnations or even non-binding directives that are meant to teach fellow Muslims the proper religious response to a given situation.

He said many Muslims he has spoken to say there lives have grown miserable and have suffered societal backlash because of the perceived association between violence and Islam.

But since 9/11, he added, it has become imperative for Muslims to vocally condemn violence — even though they have no personal responsibility for those heinous acts.

Muslims who live in this country should also stop fighting the battles that they left behind when they came to live here, he added.

“We are Canadian now. This is where our energy should be directed.”

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/h...terrorists.aspx

[alienlovechild 75]

Syed Soharwardy, an imam at the Al-Madinah Calgary Islamic Centre, who organized the initiative, said on Friday that any attack by foreign elements should also be considered a direct affront to the 10 million Muslims who call either Canada or the United States home.

“We are asking Muslims here not only to condemn terrorism but to also see these events as attacks on themselves.”

“The Koran teaches us that we have an obligation to stop violence. We live in a non-Muslim country called Canada where Muslims and others live side by side and this is our country, too.

He said many Muslims he has spoken to say there lives have grown miserable and have suffered societal backlash because of the perceived association between violence and Islam.

But since 9/11, he added, it has become imperative for Muslims to vocally condemn violence — even though they have no personal responsibility for those heinous acts.

Nice but we heard all this for the last 9 years and I was told by other posters Muslims have no connection to the violence so they have no duty to actively oppose it.

Still waiting for a Gandhi-like figure to arise that has the morally persuasive power to bring peace to the Middle East. But since I also been told there no need for such a person who cares? He'd be eliminated before he could get much done.

[Nagishkaw 510]

0nly 20 imams out of "the 10 million Muslims who call either Canada or the United States home"?

Edited January 9, 2010 by Nagishkaw

[Jenn! 918]

0nly 20 imams out of "the 10 million Muslims who call either Canada or the United States home"?

Yes, so the logical conclusion is that the other 9,999,980 support terrorism.

[Danno 1,228]

Yes, so the logical conclusion is that the other 9,999,980 support terrorism.

Or it could just be they are yawning.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Yes, so the logical conclusion is that the other 9,999,980 support terrorism.

The logical conclusion would be that religious people, people who believe in a God (any God or Gods), would not be violent. I guess I am mistaken

[Jenn! 918]

The logical conclusion would be that religious people, people who believe in a God (any God or Gods), would not be violent. I guess I am mistaken

And that's a conclusion of the prior statement how exactly? And the vast majority of people who believe in a God (or who do not) are not violent. So what's your point?

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

0nly 20 imams out of "the 10 million Muslims who call either Canada or the United States home"?

as you know, imams are not every muslim, they are the religion's leaders. so it's not surprising there is a lower number than the total.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

20 is a start. All movements start with the first step. They tend to be small ones but they grow. This is a good news article and I hope is the start of a movement that will help repair some of the damage caused by the radicals who use their religion as an excuse for their own private agendas. Radicals are not unique to Islam - they exist in Christianity and other religious movements as well. I say good for these Imams and I wish them every success in opposing those who wish to destroy their religion as well.

Edited January 9, 2010 by Kathryn41

[one...two...tree 2,762]

20 is a start. All movements start with the first step. They tend to be small ones but they grow. This is a good news article and I hope is the start of a movement that will help repair some of the damage caused by the radicals who use their religion as an excuse for their own private agendas. Radicals are not unique to Islam - they exist in Christianity and other religious movements as well. I say good for these Imams and I wish them every success in opposing those who wish to destroy their religion as well.

Well said.

[AlHayatZween 2]

20 is a start. All movements start with the first step. They tend to be small ones but they grow. This is a good news article and I hope is the start of a movement that will help repair some of the damage caused by the radicals who use their religion as an excuse for their own private agendas. Radicals are not unique to Islam - they exist in Christianity and other religious movements as well. I say good for these Imams and I wish them every success in opposing those who wish to destroy their religion as well.

[alienlovechild 75]

20 is a start. All movements start with the first step. They tend to be small ones but they grow. This is a good news article and I hope is the start of a movement that will help repair some of the damage caused by the radicals who use their religion as an excuse for their own private agendas. Radicals are not unique to Islam - they exist in Christianity and other religious movements as well. I say good for these Imams and I wish them every success in opposing those who wish to destroy their religion as well.

Nothing will come if this and I'm quite sure of that. Why? Most of radicals aren't coming from the U.S. or Canada so this means nothing. The obligatory slap at Christianity and other religions is supposed to bring perspective and fairness but also has worn quite thin. This week alone, the fire bombings of churches in Malaysia and shooting of Copts in Egypt gave us all a collective ho hum.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

If we all believe that nothing will ever change then no, it won't change - for us. Change has to start somewhere and even if it isn't earth-shattering or corrects all of the problems, it is a step in the right direction. I am willing to believe in the positive potential of change and have seen personally where one individual can make a big difference in an outcome. If we aren't willing to be receptive to positive change then we doom our world to live in darkness and defeat always. Change is the one constant in nature and in life. Things get worse and things get better all the time, but they change. I fully believe that as responsible human beings we have a choice to make in how to effect change. We can let it be negative or we can help it be positive. The impact of the radicals has been worldwide, not just in their countries of origin. The negative reaction to their impact has also been worldwide. That seems to me a valid reason why the positive response to their impact can also be world wide and doesn't necessarily have to originate in the same place as the radicalism did. Change spreads if you give it a chance.

Edited January 9, 2010 by Kathryn41

[Pooky 3,786]

Nineteen Canadian imams and one American have signed the fatwa to date.

The sentiment is a noble one. The Islamic community is lead by the imams and for them to send such a message has a good chance to filter down and spread. Good for them for speaking out.

My one concern is in the quote above. I'm pretty sure that Canada doesn't have 19x the Islamic population of the USA. So where are the rest of the American-based imams? Or do they not share the sentiment?

[Kathryn41 3,205]

"Nineteen Canadian imams and one American have signed the fatwa to date."

The movement started in Canada. This isn't a 'fait accomplis' - it is a work in progress. As it spreads I fully expect more American Imams to sign on as well.