Imam condemns attempted plane bombing, attacks on Churches

Imam Mohammad Elsad, head of the Muslim Community in Malta, has condemned the attempting bombing of an airliner on Christmas Day and the attacks on Christian Churches in Malaysia after a court allowed a newspaper to use the word Allah.

"With great satisfaction and relief, I and peace loving Muslims, receive the good news of the failure of a criminal terrorist plot by the Nigerian Umar Farowk Abdulmutallab where he intended to blow up the US Airliner on Christmas Day," the Imam said in a statement.

"We thank Allah The Merciful for the failure of that satanic attempt for five reasons:

"First, because all innocent souls on board were saved.

"Second, because an additional unjustified harm against Muslims, resulting from generalization, was avoided.

"Third, because a new evil attempt to hijack Islam and defame its true image, was frustrated.

"Fourth, because to attempt to worsen the relation crises between the Muslim nation and the American Administration, was averted.

"Fifth, because, a new terroristic attack which could let extremists in the US exert pressure on President Barack Obama to change his new friendly approach towards the Islamic World failed," the Imam said.

"Off course we condemn without reservation such a heinous attempt and any similar attack on innocent people, irrespective of their faiths, colours, races or circumstances .

"Even if in certain countries, governments are committing injustices against Muslims, it is forbidden for Muslims to kill the innocent citizens of that country because injustices are not defeated by other injustices but by fairness.

"We - peace loving Muslims - are absolutely against terrorism because we and our faith are its first victims.

"We hope that the recent terrorist attempt to explode the American plane and other continuous terroristic and suicide bombing turn the attention of the American administration and the Muslim governments to examine their policies and find out: What is wrong there? Why is there such a sense of anger, humiliation and frustration with some Muslim youth highly educated like doctors, engineers .... which lead them to kill themselves and kill the innocent people believing that they have a just cause?

"To stop terrorism the world is in need for wise and courageous leaders to admit their faults, change their wrong policies and do justice."

ATTACKS ON CHURCHES

The Imam also noted that several churches were attacked and damaged by unknown extremists in Malaysia after the High court ruled in favour of the Catholic Herald newspaper to use the name of " Allah" as a translation of God.

"We believe that the people who opposed this ruling have a misunderstanding of the word ‘Allah' which, according to the Holy Quran, is not only the God of Muslims. He is the Lord of all creation ( Quran1:2) He is the Lord of Muslims, Jews and Christians, " Say ( Prophet ) (to the Jews and Christians, " How can you argue with us about Allah whom He is our Lord and your Lord?" (Quran 2:139) .

"I believe that we Muslims should feel happy when the people of other faiths use "Allah" for God, because for us He is the True God."

The Imam said the Maltese and the Arab Christians used Allah for God and the Muslim community never felt offended by that. On the contrary, it turned attention to the common points between Islam and Christianity.

"We join the Malaysian Government and Opposition in condemning the criminal attack against the churches which contradicts the true teachings of Islam which should guarantee the freedom of worship and the protection of the places of worship of all faiths. We appreciate the Malaysian government initiative to grant compensations to restore and maintain the damaged churches."

The Imam said that while he was sure that the Malaysian Government would do its best to enforce the law and secure the safety of the Malaysian Christians and their churches, the Muslim community was calling on the Malaysian government to bring the perpetrators to justice.

KILLINGS IN EGYPT

Regarding the events in Egypt where six Coptic Christians and a Muslim Policeman were killed on Christmas Eve by men believed to be Muslims who wanted to avenge an alleged rape of a twelve year old Muslim girl by a Coptic youth, the Imam referred to the words of Prophet Muhammad who said: "Who kills a man of the people of (Themmah) (Christian or a Jew) will not smell the fragrance of Paradise".

"We condemn such an attack on innocent people and we extend our condolences to the victims' families and we pray for the quick recovery of the wounded," the Imam said.