Local Muslim Leaders on suicide bombing of Shi'ite mosque in Iraq

Yahoo! Groups : dc-terror Messages : Message 175 of 176

--- In dc-terror@yahoogroups.com, Jeffrey Imm wrote:
> < As a DC resident, I am wondering why we have not heard this more
often? >

[Northern Virginiastan]see my deconstruction about a previous effort.

>
> Area Muslims slam suicide bombing
>
> March 11, 2005
>
> By Jon Ward
> THE WASHINGTON TIMES
>
> http://www.washingtontimes.com/metro/20050310-105612-1198r.htm
>
> Muslim leaders in the Washington area condemned yesterday's suicide
bombing at a Shi'ite mosque in northern Iraq, saying such actions
violate the heart and soul of Islam.

> "This does not help the Iraqis, it does not help Islam, and it does not help the children of Iraq looking for a future," said Imam Mohamed Magid, leader of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS), one of the area's largest Sunni mosques.

> "It would not be fair if it was criticized as a problem with Islam," Mr. Magid said. "You can have violence among the people of religion, but that does not mean the religion endorses that."

[Northern Virginiastan] Once again, it's the harm that such actions do to the image of Islam - not genuine sympathy towards the victims. For more about Iman Mohamed Majid, see our entry Herndon-based Imam at Reagan's funeral.

> Imam Hameed Asghar of the Dar-ul Huda mosque in Springfield said Muslims around the world know "that to attack or kill or harm any peaceful person or citizen, regardless of whether they are Muslim or
non-Muslim, is not permissible."

> ... "It is bad. It is extremely bad," said Zahid Bukhari, director
and principal co-investigator of the Muslims in the American Public Square (MAPS) project at Georgetown University. "It's the extreme nature of ignorance and the extreme nature of violence, when people
are willing to kill in the name of religion."

[Northern Virginiastan] Project MAPS is based at the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, founded by Professor John Esposito, well-known apologist for Islam (never met a terrorist he didn't like), and now headed by John Voll.

> ... Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims have clashed violently in Pakistan and India before, including in mosques and holy places, Mr. Bukhari said. "But it never came to here in the United States."

> Most D.C.-area mosques are Sunni, Mr. Bukhari said.

[Northern Virginiastan]Of course, this is due to Saudi funding of these mosques.

> Imam Adil Khan of the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring, said a Shi'ite mosque stands near MCC. He said Muslims at his mosque
have good relations with Muslims from the Shi'ite mosque.