Why I condemn the crime of the synagogue attack?

By Mohammed Sharif Audeh

National President of Ahmadiyya Muslim community in the Holy Land

Allah has given Muslims the permission to fight in a defensive war in order to defend freedom of religion, and has assured that it is their duty to defend their mosques and other places of worship such as churches, temples and Synagogues. He promised to give them victory if they were committed to this noble cause which is to establish the freedom of religion and to protect the places of worship against any aggression and subversion, as Allah the Almighty says in the Holy Qura’n.

[Permission to fight is given to those against whom war is made, because they have been wronged and Allah indeed has power to help them-Those who have been driven out from their homes unjustly only because they said, ‘Our Lord is Allah’ — And if Allah did not repel some men by means of others, there would surely have been pulled down cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques, wherein the name of Allah is oft commemorated. And Allah will surely help one who helps Him. Allah is indeed Powerful, Mighty] (Al-Haj 40-41(

The stupendous point is that Allah has set for Muslims this goal, which they have to sacrifice their souls for; it is the maintenance of the religious freedom of others and to protect their temples and He took a pledge from them to do so, at a time when they were (i.e. Muslims) a victim of religious persecution, and they did not have yet the power and influence which they got later; as they ruled vast countries which had citizens of other faiths. This shows that Allah does not give any justification for failing to protect the temples of others under any circumstances even if Muslims themselves are religiously persecuted and their mosques are subjected to aggression. The Muslims should rise up to protect these temples of any assault in the same spirit in which they defend their mosques.

In wartime, Islam protected the places of worship as well as the worshippers, the holy prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him commanded the Muslims not to attack any place of worship or to kill any worshipper in his hermitage, Muslims should fight those who fight them only, and not to attack any non-combatant innocent, elderly, woman or child.

Islam has also forbade kidnapping or the killing of fighters unless in war, and it did not consider the state of aggression is an excuse for kidnapping or murder, but there should be a war, if the war is fought they can fight the aggressors and imprison them, and then there is no other way to deal with these prisoners than releasing them as a favour or by taking ransom.

As for mosques, Islam has confirmed that it is open for visitors, and for the worshippers of any religion, as long as their visit is without a provocation and not for harming worshippers. So if these visits are according to these conditions, which can be agreed upon, there will be no right for any Muslim to prevent anyone from visiting the mosques of Allah, moreover Allah said that those who prevent visitors from visiting mosques will have a disgrace in this world and a great punishment in the Hereafter. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:

] And who is more unjust than he who prohibits the name of Allah being glorified in Allah’s temples and seeks to ruin them? It was not proper for such men to enter therein except in fear. For them is disgrace in this world; and theirs shall be a great punishment in the next] (Al-Baqarah: 115)

These principles that I have mentioned are the Islamic clear principles which are supported by strong evidences from the Quran and the practice of the holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his authentic sayings, and those who are contradicting them have no single proof to rely on to justify their thoughts and their criminal behaviour, which has nothing to do with Islam nor with its tolerant sharia law.

Muslims should remember these principles and teachings and should reject the criminal ideas which call for violence, criminality, and aggression and not to justify them, and those who adopt this ideology are in reality misusing the religion to achieve their personal or political goals by stoking the fire of disorder in whatever means. People are suffering a lot of their misleading ideas and leadership, that they took them far of their legitimate rights, and prolonged and still prolonging their time of suffering.

It is the duty of my people to pay attention to these principles and to remember them and to make them a constitution of their behaviour. They should not accept these criminal acts that Islam is entirely innocent of, and to condemn the crimes with the loudest voice, they should also know that obtaining their legitimate rights and maintaining their presence is due to their commitment to this religion and its principles of tolerance. Allah has promised to grant victory to Muslims who are committed to these principles and believe in them. As Allah has fulfilled His promises in the past, Muslims will see the fulfilment of such promises again as Allah is a living God and does not break His promises.

A few days ago, I visited the synagogue in Jerusalem which was attacked, I was sad from the first moment due to the shameful act which is not befitting of Islam and violates all of its peaceful practices and principles of tolerance. My condemnation of this crime is because of my understanding and my belief in my religion – the great Islam – which extremists are trying to disgrace with these thoughts and behaviours. The aforementioned criminal acts or similar kind of criminal activity bear no resemblance to Islamic jihad or ethics.  The duty of every Muslim brother in this country and worldwide is to condemn and deny such acts. I assure you that those who enjoin or encourage such acts of crime or incite evil in the name of Islam have no proof from the Qur’an or the practice of the holy prophet PBUH to support such ideology. Such acts will prove to have a devastating impact on our people and future generations.

My reaction is due to feeling sympathy towards my Palestinian brothers as I belong to the people of the same nation and my duty is to say the truth under any cost, and to advise them for the sake of Allah, His Messenger and the believers and not to say what they want to hear. I am confident that the honest ones among my people will understand and be attracted to the true beauty of the teachings of Islam. I also hope and pray their numbers will continue to increase.

22/11/2014