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For Justice and the Rule Of In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Kind The Newsletter of The Muslim Council of Britain PO Box 52 Wembley Middlesex HA9 0XW Volume 1, Issue 4 September 2001/Jumada al Thani 1422 Be conscious of God For justice At all times, and at this time especially, Muslims and others need to remain conscious of God. We need to seek His guidance and grace and protection from and the rule of law all evil. uslims are and must be seen to be loss of thousands of innocent lives, many of Muslims must remain true to the firm upholders of justice and the whom were also Muslims. Qur’an and the example of the noble “Mrule of law, and so must govern- Prophet, peace be on him. They ments and coalitions who have declared a ‘war On behalf of Muslim imams and ulama, Dr encourage all that the pure human con- on terrorism’,” said Khurshid Drabu, barrister Suhayb Hassan also quoted verses of the science recognises as good and virtuous and human rights expert, at a special meeting Qur’an to highlight the uncompromising and condemn all that is vile, vicious and of the Central Working Committee of the Islamic concern for justice: unjust. ‘Verily, Allah commands justice MCB (Saturday 22 September) called to con- and benevolence...and He forbids sider the appalling atrocities in the United “O ye who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, States of America on 11 September and the obscenity, evil deeds and oppression. Continued on page 2 He cautions you that you may take heed.’ Muslims condemn the killing of inno- ‘Building Communities, Building Bridges’ cents whether done by individuals or states of coalitions. Muslims feel sor- MCB hosts one day conference in Manchester row and anguish at the suffering of any human being and naturally respond with sympathy and care for those who lose loved ones. No Muslim rejoices in the slaughter of innocents or condones criminal acts. Anyone who has not committed an evil or aided and abetted a crime or act of evil should not be made to feel respon- sible for ‘no person bears the burden of another’. Muslims must not be cowed down in the face of abuse and oppression. They must maintain their dignity with calm- ness and courage and stick to their civilised values and behaviour. Muslims must care for their neighbours and friends, for their colleagues at school or at work. We have a duty to maintain the security and stability of society for the common good of all. We pray in the words of the noble Prophet: O God, make us recognise the truth as true and enable us to propagate and follow it; and make us recognise Rashidah Butt delivers the conference's keynote address falsehood as false and enable us to dis- tance ourselves from it. Guide us and he MCB hosted a one-day conference in Young Muslim men and women from guide others through us. Manchester entitled 'Building Bradford, Burnley, Oldham, Manchester and TCommunities, Building Bridges' on Stafford attending the conference spoke of Saturday August 4th at Manchester Town their experiences and concerns with eloquence Hall. The conference was one of the many ini- and forthrightness. Their audience included MCB Contact Points tiatives undertaken by the MCB in its attempt the police and local politicians. to highlight the underlying causes of commu- Tel: 020-8903 9024 nal tension in northern England that erupted Richard Leese, leader of Manchester Council Fax: 020-8903 9026 in civil disobedience and disorder this sum- opening the conference stressed the need to mer. The conference aimed to bring together hear the voice from the grass roots. Yousuf Email: [email protected] young persons, Muslim community workers Bhailok, Secretary General of the MCB wel- Media Desk: 020-8903 9650 and other experts, to discuss practical mea- comed the guests and Ms. Rashidah Butt, Helpline: 0800 389 1282 sures and to promote good practices in an Chair of Regen 2000 in Bradford, presented effort to prevent a recurrence of such events. the keynote address on behalf of the MCB. Continued on page 6 SEPTEMBER 11 & AFTERMATH What the MCB has done Shocked and anguished at the killing of inno- Misrepresentation of Islam Hate mail and goodwill cents, the MCB has grasped every opportunity From the dark hours of that Tuesday morning, This effort has created new bridges and to convey its abhorrence at the atrocities that the MCB has tried its best to correct the dan- friends for British Muslims, because for every have claimed thousands of innocent lives from gerous misrepresentations of Islam and hate mail there have been over five messages every part of the world, including several hun- Muslims that were beginning to be aired in of goodwill and tolerance. dred Muslims, among them young British some sections of the world media even before Muslims. the dust was settling, and to alert the authori- All the messages have been published on the ties to unjustified revenge attacks on the life MCB web site http://www.mcb.org.uk. A and property of British Muslims. Though the Muslim community leader, Brother A K Condemnation sanctity of life is one of the paramount values Gheewala, has found something of personal A statement issued within hours of the atroci- of Islam, the power of the media was such significance in the web site: “I have spent ty stated unequivocally that ‘whoever is that by Tuesday 7.30 pm the MCB had more than five hours in reading emails posted responsible for these dreadful, wanton attacks, received its first hate mails with bizarre refer- on this subject. Fortunately, letters with posi- we condemn them utterly’. The MCB endeav- ences to ‘Islamic terrorism’ and ‘Islamic vio- tive views outnumbers the letters projecting oured to express its grief at the loss of life in lence’. total ignorance towards Islam and Muslims. word as well as action, through media inter- As a Chair of Muslim Welfare Trust, and as an views, articles and letters in the press, and Spokespersons active member of many other voluntary/com- participation in condolence meetings. Mr The MCB spokespersons led by the Secretary munity groups I wish to thank all those who Blair himself went on record on 12 September General Yousuf Bhailok with support from have either been sympathetic to us or have noting ‘the very strong statement of condem- many colleagues including Iqbal Sacranie, written against the racist/prejudiced nation from the Muslim Council of Britain, Mahmud Al-Rashid, Inayat Banglawala, Sarah remarks—on behalf of all of us, perhaps on echoing that of the American Muslim Joseph, Tanzim Wasti and Khaled Anees , have behalf of the entire Muslim Community. I will Council’. From the outset we urged our worked round the clock to present the only make a request to other friends to be Prime Minister to use his influence so that the Muslim point of view and to urge the world familiar with Islam, its philosophy and its crisis was not worsened through knee-jerk to proceed along the path of justice rather teaching before arriving to any conclusion. On reactions and presumptions of guilt. than revenge. (See box for MCB statements). reflection I consider it as my fault in failing to Continued from page 1 world. Concern was expressed about the possible questioning of the loyalty of Muslims as minority citizens in these states and also the dilemma Muslims will face if they see predominantly Muslim lands vio- as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you lated or occupied by foreign forces. Such a question on loyalty would make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next be an insult and as deeply offensive to Muslims as it would be if put to to piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye people of other faiths. Muslims holding on to or advocating Islamic do.” principles of truth and justice and the clear rules for the conduct of war or the treatment of criminals should, ipso facto, be working for the “On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any common good and welfare of any country in which they live. Problems one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in would only arise if Muslims in the services are called upon to combat the land - it would be as if he slew all humankind: and if any one saved innocent people including other Muslims. a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all humankind. Then although there came to them Our messengers with clear signs, yet, even Hani al-Banna of Islamic Relief said that loyalty to Allah - upholding after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.” virtue and discouraging vice - is the best guarantee of excellent citizen- Surah al-Ma’idah, verses 8 & 32 ship. The meeting expressed appreciation for the remarks of the Prime Breeding grounds of terrorism Minister, leaders of other political parties and heads of churches cau- Several participants at the special meeting of the CWC of the MCB tioning people against blaming Islam and all Muslims for the acts of warned that the root causes and the breeding grounds of terrorism have wanton terrorism. been the years of tyranny and oppression practised by repressive totali- tarian regimes that have been hoisted on populations in various parts of Everyone however was disturbed by the way in which the campaign to Asia, Africa and Latin America and armed and financially supported by smoke out, hunt down and eliminate the perpetrators of terrorism western democracies.
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