Over a year after the July 7 bombings, UK Muslim leaders have gotten around to condemning terrorism. But once again, just as with the Fiqh Council of North America’s condemnation of terrorism, their statement condemns the killing of “innocent” civilians, and does not address the fact that some Muslim clerics have on more than one occasion declared various populations of Western civilians to be not innocent. Thus for any Muslim condemnation of terrorism to be effective against jihadist recruitment within Muslim communities, it would have to specify that Westerners such as those killed on July 7 were indeed innocent, and must not be targeted. But this condemnation doesn’t seem to be that specific.
“Muslim leaders condemn terrorism,” from the BBC, with thanks to Anon:
Islamic leaders across Birmingham have issued a joint message against terrorism in a bid to tackle mistrust of Muslims in the UK.
Leaders of the 150 mosques in the city have backed the statement, which comes in response to the police raid in London’s Forest Gate this month.
The religious edict makes clear the killing of innocent victims is against the principles of Islam.
It has been welcomed by the chief constable of the West Midlands.
The message is thought to be the first joint statement made by Muslim scholars in the UK against terrorism.
Activities regulated
It states: “That killing of innocent civilians is absolutely forbidden in Islam and anyone who contemplates or commits any such act, does so against the teachings of Islam.”
The statement adds action has been taken to regulate the activities of every mosque to ensure worshippers are given a message of “calmness and civic responsibility”.
It said the action of the UK Government in Iraq had caused anger in the Muslim community but there is a “resolve to guide the Muslim response in accordance with good citizenship”.