CIS Condemns Attacks

The Centre for Islamic Studies (CIS) condemns in the strongest possible terms the cowardly attacks against All Saints Church in Pakistan and the Shopping Mall in Nairobi, Kenya by terrorists bent on spreading mischief and spoiling the good name of Islam. 

These attacks have absolutely nothing to do with Islam and have been caused by misguided elements who have been inspired not by Islamic values but by the most pernicious and destructive Satanic forces. They are in reality the enemies of Islam and should be condemned as such. 

The killing of innocent men, women and children has nothing to do with Islam and has certainly not been inspired by the true teachings of our beloved Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) but rather by the actions of the crusaders of old who in spite of Jesus Christ’s (Peace be Upon Him) teachings of mercy and compassion ruthlessly put to death thousands of innocents. Muslims are however absolutely prohibited from engaging in this sort of barbarity and senseless killing. One has only to point out to the treaty the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) entered into with the Christians of Najran:

The people of Najran and their dependents shall remain under the protection of God, and Muhammad the Prophet, the Messenger of God. Their persons, their religion, their lands, their possessions and their churches shall remain safe. This treaty holds good for all people of Najran, whether present or not. No bishop shall be removed from his bishopric, no monk from his monasticism and no devotee from his devotions 

Indeed these Christians were even permitted by the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) to pray in his Mosque in Medina. There is also the case of Caliph Umar who, following our noble Prophet’s example, entered into the following covenant with the Christians of Jerusalem following the capitulation of the city: 

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. This is the security which Umar, the servant of God, the commander of the faithful, grants to the people of Aelia (Jerusalem). He grants to all, whether sick or sound, security for their lives, their possessions, their churches and their crosses, and all that concerns their religion. Their churches shall not be changed into dwelling places, nor destroyed. Neither  shall they or their appurtenances be in any way diminished.

Umar instructed his successor as follows: "I urge him (i.e. the new Caliph) to take care of those non-Muslims who are under the protection of Allah and His Messenger in that he should observe the convention agreed upon with them, and fight on their behalf (to secure their safety)”. 

 

All this and more examples from the history of Islam should suffice to show that Islam has been the most tolerant of faiths and all those who go against this principle have nothing to do with Islam. In fact they are the enemies of Islam and should be treated as such.