Religion

Islam prohibits extremism and violence, says Imam-e-Kaaba

By Adeel Saeed

Pakistanis in Nowshera District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, pray on Friday (April 7) during the centennial celebration of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) party. The event was attended by Sheikh Saleh bin Muhammad Ibrahim, the Imam-e-Kaaba. [JUI-F]

Pakistanis in Nowshera District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, pray on Friday (April 7) during the centennial celebration of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) party. The event was attended by Sheikh Saleh bin Muhammad Ibrahim, the Imam-e-Kaaba. [JUI-F]

PESHAWAR -- The imam of the holiest mosque in the world is urging Muslims to embrace their faith's message of peace and love and to reject violence and extremism.

Sheikh Saleh bin Muhammad Ibrahim, the Imam-e-Kaaba (imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia) delivered the Friday (April 7) sermon to a huge gathering in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

"Islam is a religion of peace and strictly prohibits violence and chaos in society," he preached at the gathering.

Denouncing terrorism

Another attendee, Saudi Islamic Affairs Minister Salih ibn Abdul Aziz ibn Muhammad Al Al-Shaykh, denounced terrorism, violence and anarchy as "intolerable to any nation".

Sheikh Saleh bin Muhammad Ibrahim, the Imam-e-Kaaba (imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia), speaks to crowds on Friday (April 7) in Nowshera District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. [Adeel Saeed]

Sheikh Saleh bin Muhammad Ibrahim, the Imam-e-Kaaba (imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia), speaks to crowds on Friday (April 7) in Nowshera District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. [Adeel Saeed]

The two men spoke with one voice on the evils of terrorism.

"Those who instigate violence, extremism and disharmony in the name of Islam are responsible for creating chaos and anarchy to achieve ulterior motives,” added the Imam-e-Kaaba.

Those elements who distorted Islamic injunctions have spread hatred and caused disintegration of the Ummah (the Islamic community) in the name of sectarianism, he continued.

"Islam has no relationship with violence or extremism," he said categorically, calling extremists misguided.

Urging unity

The Imam-e-Kaaba urged his listeners to unite under the banner of Islam and to follow the teachings of the Koran and Sunnah.

To illustrate, he recited a Koranic verse: "Hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided."

The cleric called on religious scholars to do their part in forming Muslim unity by preaching the faith's message of love, peace and harmony.

The ulema are the true custodians of Islam, he said, noting that they have a "great" teaching responsibility.

The Imam-e-Kaaba also led Friday prayers and offered prayers for Islamic unity, the spread of tolerance and other improvements to humanity's lot.

"Together we can counter any challenge to our religions and countries," said Al-Shaykh, the Saudi Islamic affairs minister, in his own speech.

Observers praise Imam-e-Kaaba

"The sermon of the Imam-e-Kaaba will have a very lasting impact in our struggle to quell inclinations toward violence," Prof. Dr. Qibla Ayaz, a religious scholar and former vice chancellor of University of Peshawar, told Pakistan Forward. "People have great reverence for the leader of the Grand Mosque."

The Imam-e-Kaaba'a stature in the ummah (Islamic community) guarantees an audience for his teachings, said Ayaz.

"If he declares that Islam has no room for violence or extremism, the faithful will embrace his message as a true teaching of our religion," added Ayaz.

"Religious scholars dare not express any differences with the Imam-e-Kaaba," said Prof. Abdul Ghafoor, former director of the Sheikh Zahid Islamic Centre in Peshawar, told Pakistan Forward.

"The prohibition of violence by a personage like him will highlight the importance of peace for an Islamic society," he added.

The Imam-e-Kaaba's speech will help change the mind-set of extremists and pave the way for promotion of brotherhood and non-violence in society, he predicted.

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Very good, but Pakistan is the main hub of terrorism and extremism. These terrorism and extremism are supported directly by Pakistan's intelligence agency (ISI) and their army. Hence, there is no need to take anyone else responsible. If the world and the world's citizens want to get rid of the dirt of terrorism and extremism, they may sweep away the dirt-place named Pakistan and bury it in a cave, and they had better divide this dirty country to its comprising parts; Pashtunistan, Balochistan, Sindhudesh and Punjab, and to dissolve its intelligence agency and army. For the international community, this work is as easy as pie. There is no need for any of the international community's soldiers to fight in, only two works need to be done: 1. imposing economic sanctions on this large supporter and trainer of extremism and terrorism, 2. providing weapons and other possibilities to Baloch and Pashtun separatists...

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