Press release regarding reports on some pastors intending to burn Qur’an copies in an American church, and the American Christian groups who burned some pages of it

Praise is due to Allāh, Lord of the worlds, may the blessings and peace be upon our master Muḥammad, the last of prophets, on his family, and all his companions.

The Secretariat of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy has been following through various media reports about the intention of an extremist pastor (Terry Jones) to burn copies of the Holy Qur’an in an American church, and about American Christian groups having torn up pages of it, and that some small churches in Westboro Beach, in the rural areas of the city of Topeka in Kansas, have circulated old photos of them burning some copies of the Quran on the September 11 anniversary, in order to prevent the construction of an Islamic center, which Muslims want to build in New York.

The Secretariat of the Academy, on behalf of the Ummah and Muslims worldwide, expresses its great displeasure and denounces in the strongest terms such actions, campaigns and ideas, and confirms that these and similar practices represent a real provocation to the feelings of Muslims and persecution of them, and such actions can only emanate from sick, malicious, racist, hateful people against Islam and Muslims, and even against the whole of mankind, thus, they try from time to time, to fan grudges and hatreds and discord between nations and peoples, and cut the ties between human beings, of which Allah said in the Qur’an « O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted. » Al-Hujurat -13

It also reveals ignorance of the preeminent position of the Holy Qur’an and its supreme status. While deploring and condemning these practices, the Secretariat of the Academy affirms to the peoples of the world in general and to the West in particular, that Islam is Allah’s message to the world. In fact, it has come for the good of all mankind, and that its book, the Holy Qur’an, is the word of Allah Almighty which He revealed to His Messenger, Mohammad, May Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, and it carries with it, along with the Sunnah, valuable teachings, rulings and principles, which if mankind understood and applied, peace, love, tolerance and justice would spread over the earth.

Prophet Muhammad PBUH, who was sent by his Lord as a mercy for the universe, and who is the seal of prophets and messengers, emphasized that Islam has never been a religion of violence or extremism, aggression or injustice; on the contrary it rejects all these and commands the highest values, good manners, and ideals, knowing however that the purpose of faith is to behave and act according to these qualities. In order to complete their faith and Islam, he urged his followers to believe in all the prophets and messengers, and that they also believe in all the books that were revealed from Allah Almighty to the prophets and messengers before him, Allah said:

« The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.” And they say, “We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination.” » Al-Baqara -285

, and when He calls people to their religion, he commands them to call them with wisdom and good exhortation, Allah the Almighty said: « Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided. » An-Nahl -125

, He also orders them not to force anyone to convert to Islam, or to remain faithful to their beliefs, in this regard, Allah said: « Say, “O disbelievers, (*) I do not worship what you worship. (*) Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. (*) Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. (*) Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship. (*) For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.” » Al-Kafirun

When they fight their enemies, they are forbidden to attack them, Allah said: « Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed. Allah does not like transgressors. » Al-Baqara -190. He also commands them to be just, even with those who are hostile to them, and considers this as piety, which is the height of faith in Allah Almighty, Who said « O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do. » Al-Ma’ida -8

On this basis, any aggression against Islam, its book and its messenger is not considered a war against Muslims only, but also against Allah the Almighty, the Lord of all creatures, it is also considered a war against believers and all mankind, and a war against virtuous values, ideals and noble principles, and a call for barbarism and the use of the law of the jungle, with all the misery that this brings to nations and societies.

Also, the Secretariat of the Academy invites non-Muslims around the world, especially the peoples of book, Jews and Christians, in view of the common faith existing between them and Muslims, to discover the noble values in the Holy Qur’an, the noble principles which reject violence and hatred, and call for peace, tolerance and compassion among human beings. He assures them that if they do this, they will be certain that a group of extremists and haters of Islam and Muslims have been waging such campaigns throughout the ages, wanting to mislead and deceive them, in order to deprive them of the light of the truth that Islam has brought, and the good that it offers to all mankind.

The Secretariat also calls upon the American people and their religious and political leaders to stand firm and categorically against fanaticism and extremists, such as this priest and his acolytes and those like them, and not to allow these sick and hateful people and their ilk, to lead them to such ideas, which sow discord in their communities and beyond. The Secretariat assures them and the whole world of a well-established fact, that the responsibility for the protection of this holy book is by Allah the Almighty, Allah said: (Verily it is We who sent down the Qur’an, and it is We who are its guardian), He also said: He also said: (preserved on a Tablet (with Allah), and that Islam will remain as long as the world remains, the Qur’an will remain infinitely precious surrounded by sanctity and glorification, until the Day of Resurrection, despite extremists and haters, who will only suffer from their campaigns the apparent loss in this world and in the Hereafter, Allah said about it: « They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it. » As-Saff -8

He also said: « It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although those who associate others with Allah dislike it. » As-Saff -9

so, you must ask yourselves: do Muslims, like followers of other religions and faiths, not have the right to practice, in freedom in the United States and elsewhere, the rites of their religion, which are guaranteed to them by customs, laws and international charters and heavenly laws.

The limits of free speech, invoked by these and their ilk must end, when the limits and sanctity of others begins, and that any failure to combat these haters, will contribute to their persistence in their misguidance and prevalence of their actions, which will lead to the loss of America, and indeed the whole world, and that any failure to combat these haters, will contribute to their persistence in their misguidance and the prevalence of their actions, our words are not addressed only to those who practiced oppression, but to the American people, rather to the whole world. The Secretariat also assures the UN of his earlier appeals, in which he repeatedly called for the need to pass a law that preserves the sanctity of sacred places and religious symbols, and impose boundaries on freedom of expression, which has become a cause of harm to others. The Secretariat also asserts that any disregard for the feelings of Muslims, in this regard, will lead to unfortunate consequences for peace and interfaith dialogue.

The Secretariat addresses the Muslims all over the world, individually and collectively, telling them that the words and actions that are being uttered here and there, reflect this fear of the rise of Islam, and the great place that the Holy Qur’an occupies, which is increasing, day by day, in the hearts of non-Muslims, and that these and similar campaigns should motivate them to unite their words and ranks, and renounce division among themselves, and increase their action to introduce people to Islam, this great and wonderful religion, its holy book, and its messenger Muhammad PBUH.

Finally, The Secretariat urges them that their reactions to these and similar campaigns should not be a reason to commit foolishness, which goes against the precepts of their religion.

And may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions.

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