Page 97 - A Call For Unity

This article, "Cleric con-
demns suicide attacks,"
published on the BBC's
website, quotes Sheikh
Muhammad Sayed
Tantawi as saying that
such attacks are irrecon-
cilable with Islam.

Right: The statement of
Islamic scholar Yusuf al-
Qaradawi, who says
"Islam Does Not Permit
Aggression Against
Innocent People."

The fact that radicalism and
violence are incompatible
with Islam is frequently stat-
ed by Islamic scholars. The
grand imam of the renowned al-Azhar University, Sheikh Muhammad Sayed
Tantawi, whose views are highly respected by Muslims, said the following
about the suicide bombings targeting civilians in Israel:
I am against those who say that attacking women, children, or any other civil-
ians is permitted, just because the children may grow up to serve in the
army. This is ridiculous, ugly talk that is totally rejected. And it totally con-
tradicts the recommendations of the Prophet. Aggression against honest
people is completely prohibited by Islamic law. (Frank Gardner, "Restoring
Faith in Islam," BBC News, December 26, 2001.)
Another man of religion who expresses similar views is Grand Mufti of Saudi
Arabia, Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh. His words "[it] is a form of
suicide, and therefore condemned," are an expression of the fact that such at-
tacks are incompatible with Islam.
The dean of the London's Muslim College, Dr. Zaki Badawi, also asserts that
radicalism and violence have no place in Islam:
I personally think they are wrong in their understanding of Islam and I think
that it is terrible to commit a crime against innocent people because this is
against Muslim law. (Frank Gardner, "Restoring Faith in Islam," BBC News,
December 26, 2001.)

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