Friday khutbah: Condemning terrorism and violence
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Friday khutbah (sermon) of Grand Mufti of Bosnia
raisu-l-ulama Dr. Mustafa Cerić
Condemning terrorism and violence
(Firday, November, 4th, 2011)
During consultative meeting of the Grand Mufty raisu-l-ulama dr. Mustafa Cerić with his close associates aimed at continuing activities of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina in fighting violence and terrorism, which was conveyed on October, 31st 2011., it was concluded that a special thematic khutbah will be dispatched to all Imams in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bosniaks diaspora.
They will be obliged to read the full text of sermon (khutbah) from culprits (minbers) during jumaah prayer (Friday prayer) on November, 4th 2011. The khutbah will reiterate and inform all Muslims and members of Islamic Community on the stance of their religion on issues of violence and hatred, as well as the position of Islamic Community in that regard.
Following is the full text of the khutbah:
Sarajevo, November, 4th, (Muslim News Agency - MINA)
Dear brothers and sisters! Dear members of Community!
On this day, on the most chosen day in the week, in the holy month of Dhul-Hijjah during which shedding of blood is most strictly forbidden, in the first of ten blessed days of this month, the month by which Allah is swearing in the Qur'an in His words "By the dawn; By the ten nights (i.e. the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah)," while we were all in our thoughts with our pilgrims in their blessed journey to Makkah, and while we were all joyfully awaiting arrival of Eid al-Adha, we were shocked and disturbed by heinous and perfidious terrorist attack on the Embassy of United States in Sarajevo.
Condemning this possessed act in the strongest sense possible as an act of hostility not only against personnel and buildings that enjoy protection according to both domestic and international law, but also according to the rulings of Sharia law, as well as condemning it as hostile act against Islam, Muslims, Bosniaks and the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we want to once again reiterate and emphasise that spreading of terror, violence, dissemination of hatred and distrust among peoples, no matter by which motives, impulses or goals they are done, are global phenomena and plague, and are not characteristic of any particular race, nation, state or religious group.
What is most worrying for us and what makes us more deplorable and resentful is violence, terror and crime being done in the name of faith, specifically, in this and earlier cases, in the name of Islam - the religion of peace and mercy. The fact that terrorists and criminals are hiding behind faith and religious slogans makes their sin more grave and dangerous, because they try to legitimize and justify their demented acts and misdeeds, as those for which the Qur'an says: " ... to whom the evil of his deeds made fair-seeming, so that he considers it as good..." (35:8).
We clearly and unambiguously emphasise that this and similar cases represent the most flagrant abuse of Islam. It represents grave delusion with the aim of discrediting Islam, Muslims, Bosniaks and the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina presenting them as a source of terrorist threat both on regional and global level. We also condemn the attempts of some forces to exploit and use these and similar atrocities for achieving some political and other goals.
This atrocity which is maliciously being associated to Islam is in obvious contradiction to the teachings of Qur'an that explicitly states: "... if anyone killed a person that did not kill anybody, or to spread mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind." (5: 32)
Islamic scholars agree that the main intention of Sharia is wellbeing of mankind. It is generated by protection of essential values: life, faith, reason, freedom, honour, offspring and property. Basically, according to Islam, all human beings are entitled to this protection. The crime of terrorism and violence endangers these above-mentioned fundamental values and for this reason it is directly opposing to the fundamental intention of Sharia.
All relevant contemporary Islamic authorities and institutions most severely condemn the acts of terrorism and violence qualifying it as "spreading of mischief in the land" or in other instance as a "war against God and His Prophet" for which Islam prescribes the most rigorous penalty. Therefore these acts, no matter who committed them, are not in anyway struggle for Islam but against Islam and its principles and values.
We know that there exist among Bosniaks, both in homeland and in the diaspora, some violent radical and extreme individuals and groups. They are called by this or that name, and we will not use respecting Qur'anic imperative "... and do not insult one another by nicknames..." (49:11)
Such individuals and groups that declare themselves as Muslims and often by their outer appearance and verbal statements tend to glaringly manifest their formal belonging to Islam and devotion of Prophet, p.b.u.h. However, by advocating violence, spreading hatred and intolerance toward those who are not like them and by their other misdeeds that they allegedly do in the name of Islam, they most blatantly discredit this honourable faith and its teaching in the eyes of many - Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
They especially dishonour and defame the noble way of the Prophet of Mercy, p.b.u.h., to which they so glaringly call upon. As such, they represent an ordeal both for Muslims and non-Muslims, in terms of provoking forbiddingness towards Islam! For such Qur'an uses term "fitnah", and Prophet Muhammad, p.b.u.h., rebuked His famous companion Muadh bin Jabal with words: "Oh Muadh, are you going to be fettanun? (i.e. testing people's beleifs). And He (the Prophet) did it only because Muadh had extended his leading of a prayer for the group of people.
What stay astonished before this temptation for Muslims and their faith, as well as for non-Muslims, before what these criminals and violators who hide behind Islam represent, and before the responsibility they take upon themselves! But they clearly do not see and do not want to see that.
We call upon those who use violence as their way and programme as well as their instructors, schoolmasters, organizers and sponsors to come to their mind, to repent and abandon sideways and return to the mainstream community and middle way of Islam that our Islamic Community is promoting: "And remind (by preaching the Qur'an) for verily, the reminding profits the believers!" (51:55). On the contrary we fear they are gone astray as those for whom Qur'an says: "And when it is said to them: 'Make not mischief on the earth,' they say: 'We are only peacemakers.' Verily! They are the ones who make mischief, but they perceive not." (2:11-12); and: "Whosoever desires honour, power and glory then to Allah belong all honour and power and glory," states the Almighty in Qur'an adding that "To Him ascend (all) the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt it, but those who plot evils, theirs will be severe torment. And the plotting of such will perish."
Dear brothers and sisters!
Wrong, militant interpretations of Islam and violence in the name of it are not just modern phenomena. They had appeared very early and many Muslims were killed by their hands including large number of Companions of Prophet and among them the Fourth Rightly Guided khalif Ali bin Abi Talib, r.a. Neither Him as exemplar Muslim was good enough for them! But, Muslim Community in these very hard times managed to gain the strength and gather around their legitimate religious and political authorities and defeat disseminators of ordeal after which they had no trace for centuries. We believe that this time their fate is going to be the same and that the path of the Community will prevail.
At the end of this khutbah we will quote illuminating tradition that was recorded by Imams Ahmad, Bukhari and Tirmizi which states: "The example of one who respects the God's prohibitions and one who brakes God's boundaries is like the example of people who boarded a boat. Some got the place on the deck, and some underneath it. Those who were inside the ship when went for water, they passed by those on their way and were disturbed by them. Then they started considering scuttling the boat in order to get the direct access to the water. If those from the deck allowed them to do that, Prophet, p.b.u.h., said, they all would have drawn."
Dear brothers and sisters, we are all on the same boat and we must take into account that some irresponsible individuals and groups are able to drawn us all by their acts intentionally or not.
We pray to Allah Almighty not to punish us for the wrongdoings and misdeeds of irresponsible people!