World

British Imams Refuse To Perform Traditional Islamic Prayer For London Attackers

Font Size:

In lieu of traditional Islamic prayers, the Muslim Council of Britain requests that fellow imams and religious authorities do absolutely nothing for the three London terrorists.

The group released a statement, which was signed by 186 imams, condemning the tragic event and the individuals responsible for it.

“Coming from a range of backgrounds, and from across the UK; feeling the pain the rest of the nation feels, we have come together to express our shock and utter disgust at these cold-blooded murders,” the statement begins.

The attacks, having taken place during Ramadan which is a holy month of fasting for Muslims, demonstrated to the Imam’s “how utterly misguided and distant the terrorists are from our faith and the contempt which they hold for its values,” which is why they have refused to perform the traditional Islamic prayer.

The ritual, the statement indicates, is normally performed for a Muslim regardless of his actions. But the events that took place Saturday night were too severe, a blatant “dismissal of [Islamic]… principles”, that the imams withdrew a service they consider to be a “privilege,” and they encourage other religious authorities to do the same.

It commends London’s police forces and emergency services for their rapid response and willingness to risk their lives in order to protect their local citizens. It expresses the imams are mourning this attack on their “home, society, and people, and feel pain for the suffering of the victims and their families.”

“These vile murderers seek to divide our society and instill fear; we will ensure they fail,” the statement reads. “We implore everyone to unite: we are one community. In the face of such dastardly cowardice, unlike the terrorists, we must uphold love and compassion.”

Tags : islam
Alissa Stechschulte