Muslim leaders denounce anti-semitism
Twenty-two prominent British Muslims have signed an open letter to mosques, media outlets and blogs denouncing anti-semitic attacks and calling for continued vigilance regarding anti-Jewish attacks.
The message being sent today (16/01/09) comes from of the UK's leading Muslim intellectuals, imams, writers, community activists and leaders and is aimed to coincide with Friday prayers, to nearly a thousand British mosques.
It is aimed to counter a noticeable increase in attacks and insults against Jewish people over the last few weeks.
The full letter and signatories is as follows:
In the name of God, most compassionate, most merciful,
Dear Fellow Muslims,
We are deeply saddened to hear about antisemitic assaults on British Jews, and a recent arson attack on a London synagogue. Although the perpetrators are yet unknown, we unreservedly condemn attacks on innocent British citizens and the desecration of all places of worship.
The ongoing killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza by Israeli forces has angered us all.
However, this does not, and cannot, justify attacks on our fellow citizens of Jewish faith and background here in Britain.
Most Muslims are completely against such behaviour. However, we call on all Muslims to continue to remain vigilant against attempts to bring our own faith and community into disrepute. British Jews should not be held responsible for the actions of the Israeli government.
Yours in Islam and peace,
Shaikh Abdal-Hakim Murad, Cambridge Shaikh Mawlana Shahid Raza, Leicester and London Shaikh Sayyid-Mohammed Musawi, London Shaikh Ali Qadiri, Barking Shaikh Mufti Barkatulla, London Shaikh Dr Musharraf Hussain MBE, Nottingham Shaikh Dr Usama Hasan, London Shaikh Bilal Abdullah, London Shaikh Aftab Ahmad Malik, Bristol Shaikh Irfan Chishti MBE, Rochdale Dr Tahir Abbas, Birmingham Navid Akhtar, London Parvin Ali OBE, Leicester Kamran Fazil, Birmingham Rokhsana Fiaz, London Ed Husain, London Azeem Ibrahim, Glasgow Maajid Nawaz, London Dr Zahoor Qureshi, London Usman Raja, Berkshire Yasmin Sheikh MBE, London Zeshan Zafar, London
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