This statement was initiated by some of the members of the BBSI.

We, the undersigned, an independent group of Muslim Imams and religious scholars, are heartbroken and appalled at the terrorist attack on worshippers outside the Muslim Welfare House in the Finsbury Park area of London.Our thoughts, prayers and heartfelt condolences go out to the deceased, the injured, their families, and all those affected by this tragic incident.

At this time, we urge everyone to remain calm, vigilant, and safe, after the example of the local Imam and the leadership of the Muslim Welfare House, whose moral courage, decency, and restraint in the face of hatred and peril do them and the entire community credit.  They acted in accordance with the principles of our Islamic faith that advocates both the rule of law and that evil is not requited with evil but with goodness.

We are confident that the relevant agencies and authorities are treating this incident with the same urgency and seriousness as previous terrorist attacks, and urge that they be allowed to conduct their investigations and deal with the situation accordingly.  The perpetrators of this act must face the full force of the law for their crimes. We also commend the Government, the leader of the opposition, and the London Mayor on their unambiguous and swift denunciation of this terrorist attack.

Alongside other Muslim and non-Muslim groups from wider British society, we condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms. We wish to thank all of the different groups and individuals for their expressions of solidarity and offers of support. This is the fourth time in the last few months that murderers, whose actions are bereft of religion or humanity, have terrorised and killed innocent people in our society. These callous acts are designed to divide us on the basis of our varying beliefs by creating fear and mistrust between different communities.  As religious scholars and Imams, we firmly believe that the darkness of fear and hatred can only be overcome by the light of friendship and togetherness. The best response to these hate-filled acts is to affirm and celebrate the fact that we live in a wonderful society made up of different faiths and cultures, where all can live in harmony and peace.

In light of the spate of violence we have witnessed over the past few months, we urge the government to seriously reconsider its approach to counter-terrorism and extremism. In addition to questions concerning policing and security cuts, the current strategy requires fundamental changes on both conceptual and prosecutorial levels. An effective strategy would do more to robustly acknowledge the multifarious causes of radicalisation and extremism, which include political grievances, perceived injustice, various forms of social exclusion, and perverse ideologies of whatever stripe.

It is also critical that labels such as ‘terrorism’, ‘extremism’, and ‘radicalisation’ be more clearly defined on the basis of mutual agreement and expert opinion if they are to meaningfully contribute to this discussion. The ongoing implementation of a policy built on vague definitions has led to unfair implications for decent law-abiding citizens, creating distrust between the Muslim community and authorities, and fatally obscuring the very real disease of hatred and fear that fuels the type of violence that we all seek to eradicate. (1)

We would insist that at its core, the process of accurate definition, diagnosis, and management must include the participation of Muslim scholars and leaders connected to the local community. In our capacity as religious scholars and Imams, we are committed to assisting the government in reconsidering their counter-extremism policies in order to ensure that it effectively addresses real problems rather than aggravating them.

As representatives of a diverse Muslim community, we also urge the government to take more serious efforts in addressing and confronting the problem of right-wing extremism and Islamophobia. The attack against worshippers at the Muslim Welfare House Mosque is one of numerous instances where we have been increasingly forced to confront a hate-filled ideology. This incident, as well as the recent first year anniversary of Jo Cox’s tragic passing, reminds us that right-wing extremism is a tangible threat to our community. It must be addressed and tackled robustly and effectively with the same degree of urgency and concern directed towards other forms of extremism. Ultimately, we all must work together to create and uphold a society whose members live together in harmony and with mutual respect, without fear or hate.

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(1) For these concerns and more see, among many others, the report authored by the Joint Committee on Human Rights (2016); “Eroding Trust” (2016) by the Open Society Justice Initiative; and “Preventing Education: Human Rights and UK Counter-Terrorism Policy in Schools” (2016) by Rights Watch UK.

 

The signatories:

1. Dr Asim Yusuf, Consultant Psychiatrist and Religious Guide, Nur al-Habib Foundation
2. Shaykha Selina Begum Ali, Beacon Institute
3. Imam Ajmal Masroor, Imam & TV Broadcaster
4. Shaykh Usaama al-Azami, Markfield Institute
5. Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf, Whitethread Institute and Zamzam Academy
6. Mufti Amjad Mohamed, The Olive Tree Foundation, Bradford
7. Shaykh AbdalHaqq Bewley, Bradford
8. Imam Abdassamad Clarke, Norwich Mosque
9. Shaykh Rafiq Sufi, Blackburn
10. Shaykh Dr Umar Al Qadri, Irish Muslim Peace & Integration Council & Al-Mustafa Islamic Centre Ireland
11. Shaykh Salman Younas, University of Oxford
12. Shaykh Zuber Karim, al Makhtoum Mosque, Dundee
13. Shaykh Sulaiman Ahmad, CEO & Founder Avicenna Academy
14. Imam Yunus Dudhwala, Lead Chaplain, NHS Barts
15. Imam Tahir Kiani, Birmingham
16. Shaykh Shams Ad Duha Muhammed, Ebrahim College
17. Imam Rehan Raza, Minhaj al Qur’an International, Scotland
18. Dr Abul Kalam Azad, Director, Muslim Family Institute
19. Dr Omer El-Hamdoon, President, Muslim Association of Britain
20. Imam Mursalin Miah, Holborn Mosque, London
21. Ustadha Rehana Sadiq, Chaplain and Counsellor
22. Shaykh Fahimul Anam, Khateeb, Darul Ummah Mosque
23. Shaykh Bilal Brown, Imam, Oldham
24. Mufti Mohammed Umair Zulfiqar, Secretary General, World Islamic Forum
25. Dr Ali Reza Bhojani, Al-Mahdi Institute
26. Shaykh Abdul Mateen, Quwwatul Islam
27. Imam Shah Muhammad Jahir Ali, Imam & Lawyer
28. Imam Waleed al Madani, Manchester
29. Imam Abu Ibrahim, London
30. Imam Mohammed Abubakar Saleem, Imam Jamia Masjid Noor
31. Shaykh Muhammad Idoe, Lecturer, Arabic Fahm Institute
32. Shaykh Haytham Tamim, Utrujj Foundation
33. Imam Abdul-Malik Sheikh, Imam & Social Worker
34. Shaykh Ehsan Abdullah, Islamia Primary School, Director of Religious Studies
35. Dr Imam Mansur Ali, Imam
36. Imam Dawood Masood
37. Imam Shafi Chowdhury, The City Retreat, Leicester
38. Shaykh Bilal Khan, Freeman of the City of London & Co-Chairman of Dome Advisory
39. Imam Noor Ahmad
40. Imam Fadel Soliman, Bridges Foundation
41. Imam Ahmed Desai, Imam at Masjid Quba, Bradford
42. Mufti Siraj Saleh, Imam at Masjid Quba, Bradford
43. Mawlana Abrar Ahmed, Teacher,  Lanarkshire and cumbernauld mosque
44. Imam Zubair Farooq Akhtar, Teacher, Glasgow Academy of Scotland
45. Dr Anne Dijk, al Fahm Institute
46. Imam Mohammed Rahman, Newcastle upon Tyne
47. Shaykh Idris Watts
48. Imam Abdullah Hasan, British Imams & Scholars Contributions and Achievements Awards
49. Mawlana Shams Tameez
50. Mawlana Junaid Rafiq, Newham, London
51. Shaykh Abdur Rahman Mussa, Founder of com
52. Ustadh Arnold Yasin Mol, lecturer Islamic theology Fahm Institute
53. Shaykh Khalil Laher, London
54. Mawlana Ahmed Hussain, Oldham
55. Shaykh Amer Jamil, Solas Foundation, Glasgow
56. Saeed AlQadi, Eman Channel
57. Shaykh Muhammad Ismail Bhuta, London
58. Imam Tahir Talati, Imam Zakariya Academy
59. Mufti Bilal Omarjee, London
60. Shaykh Sa’d al-Attas
61. Shaykh Khalid Fekry, al Noor Islamic Centre
62. Shaykh Nadeem Ahmed Khan, Oldham
63. Mufti Sajid Patel, Quwwatul Islam Mosque
64. Mufti Liaquat Zaman, as Suffa Institute
65. Imam Abul Barakat Hasan, Centre for Islamic Guidance
66. Imam Anas Auditor, London
67. Shaykh Zahir Mahmood, As Suffa Institute
68. Shaykh Abdul Aziz Patel, London
69. Shaykh Surkheel Sharif (Abu Aaliyah), Jawziyyah Institute
70. Imam Mushammad Mustaqeem Shah, Abu Bakr Trust Walsall
71. Shaykh Muhammad Nizami, London
72. Shaykh Mustafidh Gani, Beyond Boundaries
73. Mufti Mohammed Zubair Butt, Institute of Islamic Jurisprudence, Bradford
74. Shaykh Imran Chaudhry, London
75. Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat, FaithFull Education
76. Shaykh Adnan Qurayshi, London
77. Imam Luqman Amla, Masjid e Ali, Bolton
78. Imam Zakir Ismail, Masjid Tauheed, Manor Park, London
79. Imam Shah Talha Ahmed, Imam/Teacher at Forestgate Mosque, Imam Zakariya Academy
80. Imam Bilal Toorawa, Masjid e anwaar, Blackburn
81. Shaykh Imran Khan, Cambridge
82. Imam Abid Khan, Cheadle Mosque, Manchester
83. Imam Abdullah Rawat, Head Teacher & Secretary Musalla an Noor, Hackney, London
84. Shaykh Abdul Hameed, Madani Schools Federation
85. Imam Hassan Gloucester Masjid E Noor
86. Dr Zahid Parvez, Markfield Institute
87. Pir Ahmed Zaman, Naqshbandi Jamati Khalifa Majaz Ali Pir Syeda Sharif
88. Shaykh Imtiyaz Damiel, Abu Hanifah Foundation
89. Shaykh Muhammad Husain Kazi, London
90. Ustadha Safiyya Bint Ahmad, Al-Muhsinat, London
91. Imam Hamza Khandwala, Scotland
92. Imam Mohamed Farooq Jambaz, Birmingham
93. Qari Muhammad Siddique, Birmingham
94. Imam Abdul Majed Nadeem, UKIM, Birmingham
95. Imam Muhammed Tayyab, Birmingham
96. Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, Birmingham
97. Imam M Saeed ur Rahman, Blackheath
98. Imam Arif Mateen, Boston
99. Imam Mushtaq Ahmed Khan, Cardiff
100. Imam Imtiaz Ahmed, Leeds
101. Imam Irfanullah Irfan, Peterborough
102. Imam Muhamad Rashid, Peterborough
103. Imam Ali Mahmoud Ali, Walsall
104. Imam Khalid Mahmoud, Walsall
105. Hafiz Attar Muhammed, Wolverhampton
106. Imam Muhammad Arshad, Burnly
107. Imam Muhammad Iqbal, European Islamic Centre, Greater Manchester
108. Imam Zafar Iqbal Awan, Manchester
109. Imam Syed Naveed Ahmed, Nelson
110. Imam Abdur Rasheed, Newbold
111. Mawlana M Faridoon, Oldham
112. Imam Miftah Uddin, Oldham
113. Qari M Faiz, Oldham
114. Imam Mohamed Azad, Bradford
115. Mawlana Ubaid ur Rahman, UKIM, Bradford
116. Imam Abdul Hakeem, Newbold
117. Qari Mumtaz Ahmed, Neeli Mosque, Rochdale
118. Imam Abid Salik, York Mosque
119. Imam Rahmah Aziz Salik, UKIM, Hull
120. Mawlana M Ishaq, Glasgow
121. Imam Mohamed Jahanzaib Niaz, UKIM, London
122. Qari Niaz Mohamed, London
123. Hafiz Abu Bakar Sajjad, Masjid Ibrahim, London
124. Imam Hassan Shah, UKIM, London
125. Mawlana Inayat Khan, London
126. Imam Mohammed Iqbal Awan, Luton
127. Imam Shahid Ahmad, UKIM, Luton
128. Imam Iftikhar Ul Haq, Southend
129. Imam Ghulam Rasool Tipton, Hazrat Sultan Bahu Trust UK
130. Imam Muhammad Delwar Hussain, Headteacher East End Islamic Centre
131. Imam Qasim Hussain, London
132. Hafiz Abdul Alim Kheratkar, Secretary Lancashire Council of Mosques
133. Shaykh Mohammed Al-Hillli, Noor Trust, North London
134. Hujjat al-Islam Shaykh Arif Abdulhussain, Al-Mahdi Institute
135. Shaykh Jaffer Ladak, Imam, Milton Keynes
136. Shaykh Sohaib Saeed, Independent Scholar, Scotland
137. Imam Sa’d Shah, Derby
138. Shaykh Sa’d al Attas, Ark Academy