US Muslims Repudiate
Al-Qaeda Rhetoric & Worldview
Washington, DC: The
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on September
11 released a statement repudiating the rhetoric and worldview
expressed in an Al-Qaeda videotape released on the 5th anniversary
of the 9/11 terror attacks.
In his statement, CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
"As we commemorate the 5th anniversary of the tragic
9/11 terrorist attacks, the Council on American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR), the largest Muslim civil liberties and
advocacy organization in the United States, would like to
use this opportunity to challenge the rhetoric and the worldview
of the recent videotape released by Al-Qaeda's second-in-command,
Ayman Al-Zawahiri.
"To more than a billion Muslims worldwide, Islam is
a religion that teaches tolerance, freedom and compassion.
Those who understand Islam and know Muslims as friends and
colleagues realize that Islam is one of the three Abrahamic
faiths and that Muslims are contributing members of societies
around the world.
"Unfortunately, for many who know little of Islam or
Muslims, Al-Qaeda has come to represent both.
"As American Muslims, this is simply unacceptable and
we will not allow terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda to be the
voice of Muslims or the representation of Islam to the rest
of the world.
"In light of the 5th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks,
we feel the need to once again condemn and repudiate Al-Qaeda
and its myopic worldview.
"Notwithstanding the fact that there are legitimate
political grievances in the Muslim world today, Islam has
never, and will never, justify the killing of innocent civilians
in order to achieve political or religious goals.
"Al-Qaeda's worldview is a complete distortion of Islam
because Islamic teachings clearly state that the killing
of one innocent life is the moral equivalent of the killing
of all humanity.
"As Muslims, we will continue to condemn Al-Qaeda and
ensure that the rest of the world learns the true message
of Islam and its teachings of peace, justice and compassion
for all."
At the news conference held to release this statement, Awad
noted that American Muslim groups were the first to condemn
the 9/11 attacks. He also listed several anti-terror initiatives
by American Muslims, such as the "Not in the Name of
Islam" online petition drive and last year's Islamic
legal ruling (fatwa) by US Muslim scholars against terrorism
and religious extremism.
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