December 15, 2009 | (source MQM.Org)
Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain appealed to the religious scholars of various schools of thought on Tuesday to issue fatwa (religious decree) declaring suicide bombing impermissible in Islam.
Speaking via a telephone hookup from London to a convention of religious scholars organized to discuss ways of maintaining sectarian harmony, he pleaded for bringing peace to Pakistan.
Who are these extremists killing in the name of Islam, maiming innocent people including little children and destroying places of worship?, he asked rhetorically.
MQM chief condemned the rising incidents of terrorism and suicide bombings across the country and urged the scholars to have the courage to issue restrictive edicts against those elements who were directly or indirectly supporting suicide attacks and divisive teachings.
He complained that whenever he had condemned the victimization of Ahmadis and other minorities, he was labeled as enemy’s agent. How can any real Muslim ask that all non-Muslin be murdered or their places of worship be destroyed, he questioned the extremist thoughts held by some. Mr. Hussain said the baton-swinging and Klashnekoff-wielding sharia [religious law] enforcers have destroyed the beautiful face of Islam and the religion of peace and security has been turned into a religion of war and destruction.
He said, in the past, he was labeled as Ahmadi agent whenever he had asked that Ahmadis must be afforded the equal right to live like the other citizens of Pakistan. Similarly, he was scolded as a Shea agent when he had spoken against the Sunni-Shea confrontations.
Mr. Hussain said that all minorities are equal citizens of Pakistan and deserve to be protected and he urged the ulema [religious scholars] to honor each other’s belief and sentiments, and respect each other’s places of worship.
He vehemently condemned the beastly nature of taliban and their terrorist activities in the Frontier province which have been quickly spreading onto to the Punjab and elsewhere in Pakistan.
At the end of his address, Mr Hussain again appealed to the ulema to promote true unity and brotherhood among the nation and avoid saying such things in their speeches and sermons that would be construed as divisive among the religious factions.
Read more here: MQM.org: Urdu
-// Staff report -
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