Following a terrible week of Daesh-inspired violence, and in the run-up to the tenth anniversary of the 7/7 London Bombings, the Muslim Council of Britaintomorrow a sermon of peace. At Friday prayers, imams will be urged to discuss the anniversary and the week’s events, reminding people ‘that these killers do not respect the sanctity of life as laid down in Islam’.
The sermon says ‘many will rightly feel that we as Muslims should not be compelled to apologise for something that we are not responsible for. We agree, but letting people know where we stand is not an apology, it is something that is required in our faith, to be just.’
Additional activities are planned in the run-up to the tenth anniversary of 7/7, more announced on this website.
A Sermon for Peace
The past few years and especially this week has been a difficult time for all of us, and we have seen innocent people die at the hands of people who do not respect the sanctity of life as laid down in Islam. Chapter 5, Surat Al-Mai’idah, ayah 32 tells us, “Because of that we ordained for the Banu Isra’il that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder or to spread mischief in the land – it would be as if they’ve killed all people, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if they’ve saved all people. And indeed Our Messengers came to them with clear proofs, evidences and signs, even after that many of them continued to exceed limits in the land.”
Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred has increased sharply over the last few days as it does after every terrorist attack carried out wrongly in the name of Islam. As Muslims we know that the acts of these people are not Islamic. The Messenger Muhammad (pbuh) has taught that a Muslim is one from the harm of whose tongue and hands others are safe. Sunan Al-Nasa’i reports from Abu Hurayrah (ra) that the Messenger (pbuh) said, “A Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand people are safe, and the believer is one from whom people’s lives and wealth are safe.” (Kitab al-Iman).
And many will rightly feel that we as Muslims should not be compelled to apologise for something that we are not responsible for. We agree, but letting people know where we stand is not an apology, it is something that is required in our faith, to be just. In the Qur’an chapter 4, Surat Al-Nisa’, ayah 135 God commands us, “O Believers, stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even though it is against yourselves, or your parents and relatives, whether rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So do not follow your personal inclination that you do not be just. And if you distort justice or refuse to do justice then indeed Allah knows all that you do.”
Chapter 5: Surat Al-Mai’dah – Ayah 8, commands us, “O Believers! Stand out firmly for Allah and be just witnesses and let not the hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just for it is closer to righteousness. Fear Allah, indeed Allah knows all that you do.”
Ramadan is a month of mercy, and a month in which Muslims are given a blessed opportunity to attain God-consciousness and be able to seek His forgiveness, and closeness to Him. Ramadan teaches us of compassion, to appreciate our blessings, of sacrifice, and amongst all, of unity. As a community, as brothers and sisters, we all strive to please our Creator, and we do this in many ways, be that by enjoining good and forbidding evil, sharing with others, giving to charity, strengthening ties of kinship, and da`wah – and this is precisely what we must all work together on, to convey the true and authentic Islam. The Qur’an says in chapter 3: Surat Ali `Imran – Ayah 110, “You are the best of peoples raised for humanity; you enjoin good and forbid evil and you believe in Allah.”
Let us pray for all victims of terrorism and unjust killings and their families. Let us defy the terrorists by calling for unity between people, not division or sectarianism. Let us be united not only with our Muslim brothers and sisters, but also with the wider community. Let us show the world our abhorrence of this and all violence.
Let us all pray for peace and unity in these troubling times. May Allah ease hardship and suffering across the world, and may He grant peace and security especially in the Middle East, and every conflict area.
See the full Khutbah here.
Below is a list of participating mosques, that have got in touch so far:
Abu Bakr Jamia Masjid, Southampton
Airdrie Islamic Centre, 41 Bell Street Airdrie ML6 0BS
Al Furqan Mosque, Glasgow North – 19 Carrington Street Glasgow G4 9AJ
Alhira Mosque, Bradford, Marsh Street, Community Centre Bradford BD5 9NE
Alumrock Mosque, Birmingham East – 2-8 Ludlow Road Alumrock Birmingham B8 3BY
Al Manar Islamic Centre – The Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, 244 Acklam Road , London W10 5YG UK
Azmat e Islam Mosque, Oldham – 79-85 Ruttford Street Glodwick Oldham OL4 1BL
Aysha Mosque, Walsall – 4 Rutter Street Walsall, West Midlands WS1 4HN
Bashir Ahmed Mosque, Southampton
Balham Mosque, 47A Balham High Rd, London SW12 9AW
Bilal Mosque, London Eastham – 295 Barking Road London E6 1LB
Boston Mosque & Islamic Centres, 27 Horncastle Road , Linkinshire Boston PE22 9BU
Bradford Byron Street Mosque, 3 Byron Street Bradford BD3 0AD
Central Office Mosque, London North – 202 North Gower Steet London NW1 2LY
Darul Isra Centre, Cardiff – 29 Appledore Road Cardiff CF14 3HU
Darus Salam Mosque, 119-121 Church Road, Manor Park, London, Greater London, E12 6AF
East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre, 46-92 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1JQ
Europian Islamic Centre (EIC) – 79 Manchester Road Oldham OL8 4LN
Federation of Muslim Organisations, Leicester
Handsworth Mosque, Birmingham North – 27 Putney Road Handsworth Birmingham B20 3PP
Hull Mosque and Islamic Centre, Berkeley Street, Hull HU3 1PR
Ibrahim Mosque, Burnley – 2 Clegg Street Burnley BB10 1AX
Ibrahim Mosque, London Plaistow – 721-723 Barking Road, Plaistow London E13 9EU
Iqra Community Centre, Leeds – 6 Carrmanor Crescent Leeds LS17 5DH
Khadijah Mosque, Peterborough – 311 Cromwell Road Peterborough PE1 2HP
Khizra Mosque, Manchester North – 425 Cheetham Hill Road Manchester M8 0PF
Madina Mosque, Keighley – Spencer Street Keighley, West Yorkshire BD21 2QQ
Madina Mosque, Luton – 128-130 Oak Road Luton LU4 8AD
Madina Mosque, Manchester South – 2 Barlow Road Levenshulme Manchester M19 3DJ
Madina Mosque, New Bold Rochdale – 20 Church Road Newbold Rochdale OL16 5PU
Madina Mosque, Wolverhampton – 213 Newhampton Road East Wolverhampton WV1 4BB
Manchester Central Mosque, 22 Upper Park Road, Victoria Park Manchester M14 4RU
Masjid al-Husayn, 17A Duxbury Road, Leicester, LE5 3LR.
Neeli Mosque, Rochdale Deeplish – 25-27 Hare Street Rochdale OL11 1JL
Nelson Mosque, 4-8 Forest Street Nelson BB9 7NB
Noor ul Islam Mosque, Oldham – 44 Manchester Road Werneth Oldham OL9 7AP
Paigham Islam Mosque, Birmingham South – 423 Stratford Road Sparkhill Birmingham B11 4LB
Redbridge Islamic Centre
Sparkbrook Mosque, Birmingham Central – 179 Anderton Road Sparkbrook Birmingham B11 1ND
Southampton Medina Mosque
Southend Islamic Centre, 191 West Road Westcliff-On-Sea Essex SS0 9DH
Tooting Islamic Centre
Umer Mosque, Blackheath – 318 Long Lane Halesowen Blackheath, West Midlands B62 9LQ
West London Islamic Centre, Brownlow Road, West Ealing London w13 0SQ
York Mosque and Islamic Centre – York Mosque Bull Lane Compound, Off Lawrence St York YO10 3EN
[Ends]
Notes to Editors:
1. The Muslim Council of Britain is the UK’s largest Muslim umbrella body with over 500 affiliated national, regional and local organisations, mosques, charities and schools.
2. For further information please contact: The Muslim Council of Britain, PO Box 57330, London, E1 2WJ. Tel: 0845 26 26 786, Fax: 0207 247 7079.
Email: media@mcb.org.uk
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