 Dr Mohamed
Said Tantaoui, Sheikh of the mosque of El Azhar stated that Islam is
against terrorism in all its forms , pointing out that Islam calls
for the defence of the human life without any consideration for the
faith or the nationality of the person. IN a press conference held
on Monday in El Azhar, Sheikh Tantaoui indicated that the Islamic
charia calls for the preservation of the human life notwithstanding
religion and nationality. Islam forbids to take someone's life
except in case of aggression and that in that case the aggressor
must be judged and severely punished in order to ensure the general
security.Islam, he added, considers that humanity descends from the
same ancestor and recommends to its followers to fight those who
fight them and defend their sacred places, their lands and their
human dignity.
After having stressed the difference which exists
between terrorism and the defence of the territory, Sheikh Tantaoui
said: ''Our brothers in Palestine defend their lands, their sacred
places and their dignity and we as Moslems and on behalf of Islam,
the divine laws, and the human reason, are with them because they
are within their rights they defend in front of terrorism and we
fight terrorism because it is an inhuman injustice".
Sheikh Tantaoui estimated that those who kill men ,
women and children who are not in a position of aggressors are the
true terrorists. It is unjust and false to consider our Palestinian
brothers who defend their lands and their lives as terrorists.
Regarding the part of El Azhar in the defence of the
victim as it was recently the case in the USA, Sheikh El-Azhar said
: ''We clearly express ourselves on this topic because the
aggression of persons who are not in a position of aggressors as it
was the case in the World Trade Center in New York, where thousands
of civil servants from different nationalities are working , is the
true terrorism , injustice and treachery.
Every country has the right to defend itself, he
added, against the aggressor, pointing out that the Islamic charia
stipulates punishment of criminals following the establishment of
the evidence of their culpability.
No human group, no community must be accused without
justification in conformity with the Koran verses, putting a stress
on the explosion of Ocklahoma few years ago, where accusations were
brought against some Moslems who were after a meticulous
investigation, innocent .
Solicited for an opinion as to the support that
Moslem world could bring to the USA, Sheikh Tantaoui indicated that
Islam is siding with the one who undergone injustice and against
injustice and terrorism.
To a question on a possible attack against
Afghanistan and the government of the Talibans, Sheikh Tantaoui
pointed out that the one who is aggressed has the right to defend
itself, that is stipulated in all the laws and admitted by the human
reason.
Concerning operations of the Palestinian resistance
in the occupied territories, Sheikh Tantaoui stated that the one who
exploded himself (Kamikaze) in the middle of troops which aggress it
or an army which violates its territory is a martyr, expressing
nevertheless his its disapproval of such actions against peaceful
men, women and children.
Regarding accusations brought against Moslems during
the last events which took place in the USA, Sheikh El Azhar
indicated that authors of terrorist acts and slaughters must be
judged following the establishment of their culpability. We must
not, he added, accuse persons namely because Americans officials
themselves announced that the investigation is underway even if
suspicions are turning around of some persons but till now, he said,
the responsibility has not been established yet.
Concerning the reaction of the American people
following the last events, Sheikh Tantaoui deplored the prejudices
calling Moslems living in the USA to be patient and to answer
violence by good words.
The state which protects terrorism and hosts
terrorists who are the object of judicial prosecution is, according
to Sheikh Tantaoui a terrorist state, and must be despised because
it infringes laws in force. | 
