Topic Addresses
Terrorism shunned by Islam, Makkah Imam
EU Commissioner visits Islamic center
Bush meets with some Muslim leaders
Blair calls for Humanitarian Alliance
Islamic Academy condemns incidents
Fiqh Academy issues statement on occurrences
UN relief mission to Afghanistan starts
Azhar to offer Kurdistan (Iraq) 40 scholarships
Britain’s Muslim leaders in Scotland Yard discussions
IINA – 01
Terrorism shunned by Islam, Makkah Imam
Makkah, Rajab 13/Sep 30 (IINA) – The Imam and preacher at the Grand Mosque here advised world leaders to restrain themselves and not to resort to violent reprisals in response to the attacks against US targets that took place on September 11.
During his Friday Sermon, the Imam, Dr. Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudeis, also urged Muslims to differentiate between terrorism and legitimate holy struggle, and added that terrorism was totally unacceptable in Islam.
Sudeis told the huge crowd that had gathered for the Friday Prayers: “We should exercise restraint and look at things very deeply, we should give priority to public interests and promote world peace and security.”
He went on: “Problems and negative phenomena in societies cannot be solved by resorting to violence,” and added that they could be dealt with through dialogue, reviewing stances, establishing justice and equality, discarding hate and racism, and acknowledging the rights of oppressed Muslims.
Then went on to emphasize the main Muslim issues, such as Palestine, Al-Quds (Jerusalem), the Aqsa Mosque, and the rights of Palestinians to live in peace and security in their homeland. He condemned Israel’s terrorist acts against unarmed Palestinians and its loathsome designs against Islamic holy shrines and monuments.
Sudeis also warned Muslims “not to mix up between the concepts of real terrorism and legitimate jihad (holy war),” which, he said, was governed by clear rules and ethics.
The Grand Mosque Imam called for the setting of an international Islamic organization to tackle the dangerous phenomenon of terrorism at regional and global levels by conducting scientific studies on its reasons and causes, but with objectivity and transparency. He urged the international media, particularly those in the West, to report events with justice and fairness in mind, and not to level accusations against others on the basis of hearsay or rumors.
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IINA – 02
EU Commissioner visits Islamic center
Brussels, Rajab 13/Sep 30 (IINA) – The European Commissioner, Romano Prody, has paid a visit to the Islamic Cultural Center here. The center is being run by the Makkah-based Muslim World League (MWL), and in considered one of the important such centers in Europe. The visit comes in the wake of the attack on American interests in New York and Washington, and is meant to assure the Muslims that the EU, along with its subsidiary bodies, does not link the events with any religion, least of all Islam. Prody met with a number of Muslim diplomatic representatives and Imams in Belgium.
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IINA – 03
Bush meets with some Muslim leaders
Washington, Rajab 13/Sep 30 (IINA) – US President George Bush met here with leaders of some of the Islamic organizations in the US, to discuss with them ways and means of ensuring their safety and security, in the wake of the September 11, occurrences in the country. Following the meeting, Bush told the press that Islamic principles call for peace, adding: “I’m proud of the Muslim leaders in the United States who have supported the government in protecting America’s values.” The President was later given a copy of t he Holy Qur’an.
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IINA – 04
Blair calls for Humanitarian Alliance
London, Rajab 13/Sep 30 (IINA) – The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has called for the setting up of what he called a “Humanitarian Alliance,” to help those innocent people who become victims of wars, such as in Afghanistan, adding that while there are military alliances and political alliances, there should now be such an alliance for humanitarian purposes. He was speaking at a gathering that was attended by some of the Muslim leaders in Britain, and took the opportunity to deprecate any attacks on Muslims as a result of the September 11 happenings in the United States.
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IINA – 05
Islamic Academy condemns incidents
Washington, Rajab 13/Sep 30 (IINA) – The Academy of Islamic and Arabic Studies here, which is sponsored by the Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, has issued a statement condemning the September 11 occurrences in New York and Washington. In it the academy makes it clear that hijacking of airplanes and killing or maiming innocent people are something that no sane person who has an iota of faith or compassion or a clear understanding of Islamic would accept.
After explaining the Islamic stance on the matter, the statement went on to say that Islam came to bring about justice, to prevent oppression, and preserve the components of life. It added that Islam in no way condones violence, extremism, terrorism, and destruction.
At the conclusion of its statement, the academy urged for the protection of Muslims from any provocation or aggression that might infringe upon their rights in the United States, or in any other country in the world.
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IINA – 06
Fiqh Academy issues statement on
occurrences
Jeddah, Rajab 13/Sep 30 (IINA) – The Secretary-General of the Islamic Fiqh Academy here, on offshoot of the of the Jeddah-based Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), Sheikh Muhammad Habib bin Al-Khoja, has issued a statement in which he expressed his deep sorrow concerning the “criminal” attacks on the US that took place in the US on September 11. He said he strongly condemns such acts, which, he added, are not in any way condoned by Islam, nor are they compatible with the Islamic Shari’a. He said Allah does not enjoin the burdening of one’s sins on another.
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IINA – 07
UN relief mission to Afghanistan starts
Kabul, Rajab 13/Sep 30 (IINA) – The relief mission for the people of Afghanistan that has been approved by the United Nations has started, and all means and manner of transport are being used to see to it that the aid reaches the over two million refugees. A spokesman for the UN’s relief agency said that where it appears to be impossible for aircraft to land, the relief materials would be dished out from the air, so that it reaches those who are in the remote areas of the country.
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IINA – 08
Azhar to offer Kurdistan (Iraq) 40 scholarships
Cairo, Rajab 13/Sep 30 (IINA) – The Undersecretary of Azhar, Sheikh Mahmoud Ashur, told IINA on his return from a visit to Kurdistan and Iraq that 40 scholarships have been set aside for students from that region to come and study at the Azhar and its university.
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IINA – 09
London, Rajab 13/Sep 30 (IINA) – Britain’s Crown Prince Charles has visited a number of mosques in east London. The Daily Express says that the visit was meant to show the prince’s sympathy for the Muslims during this time when they are faced with social integration problems, following the recent explosions in the United State.
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IINA – 10
Jeddah, Rajab 13/Sep 30 (IINA) – Wajih Hassan Ali Qassim, Director of the Juersualem Bait-al-Mal, has visited the headquarters of the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank (IDB) here, and was received by Dr. Ahmed Muhammad Ali, the IDB President. Accompanying the visitor was the Palestine Ambassador the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They discussed ways and means of increasing cooperation between the IDB the Jerusalem Bait-al-Mal, particularly in matters related to reconstruction projects in which the two bodies are involved.
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IINA – 11
Britain’s Muslim leaders in Scotland Yard discussions
London, Rajab 13/Sep 30 (IINA) – The IINA representative in London has said that leaders from the Muslim community recently met with officials of the Scotland Yard (headquarters of the British Police), with whom they discussed ways and means of increasing security and protection for Muslims and for Islamic centers that are to be found in various parts of the country. This comes in the wake of the hate campaign that is waged against them by some elements in British society, following the explosions that rocked the United States.
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