RE POSTED Yesterday a member of our team, without having consulted us, sent out a message calling for members of the community to come together to hold a remembrance vigil for those who lost their lives in Paris. This message was not official, infact we were not consulted before the message was sent out. We had not made any plans for a vigil, infact no such discussion took place. Drive For Justice were unaware of the circulation of this message until another message, circulating throughout our community was brought to our attention. This message describes us as a group out to misguide the youth into supporting those who insult the Prophet Muhammad pbuh. It urges members of the public to stop supporting Drive For Justice, to stop jumping on the bandwagon of these ghustaaks it goes on to say they can peddle their apologist secular extremism elsewhere... Just not in the Muslim community! We feel as a team we have the responsibility to clear up any misunderstanding caused, and defend ourselves against people who seem determined to malign us in any way possible. Drive For Justice makes no secret of the fact that we believe such attacks, the taking of any human life, to be horrendous, barbaric and inhumane. Were against governments when they take the lives of innocents, and were against rogue perpetrators, regardless of their race or religion, when they do the same. It just so happens that all respectable Muslim authorities, including Al Azhar, have spoken up and expressed the same view. We reiterate, we are not planning a vigil, nor are we urging others to do so. We utterly condemn what occurred, however many members of Drive For Justice are uncomfortable with lighting a candle in memory of people who dedicated their lives to attempting to ridicule and defame the Prophet Muhammad pbuh. Yes our organisation is a non religious one and we welcome people of all walks of life to join us with open arms, but this does not mean that we are prepared to overlook the sensitivities of our members. This been said, it is no secret that prominent Muslim scholars, including Hamza Yusuf, who we hold in high regard, are infact holding vigils in memory of what occurred. For those great upholders of the faith, so passionate about defending your religion, we ask whose honour is it that you are seeking to uphold? The same man who Allah mentions in the Quran And we have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a mercy to Mankind (al Anbiya 21:107). Yes a mercy, and to the whole of Mankind. Why are the many lessons of compassion, kindness and care in the life of the Prophet pbuh being airbrushed by todays fanatics? It does beg the question, whose example are you actually following? If its his honour you seek to uphold, why not follow his example, and emulate his character? Rather than glorifying murder and carnage. Is it any wonder that many today are asking where is the mercy? for all they see is beheadings, wars, and suicide bombings in the name of religion. To whoever sent out this message urging our community to turn against us, we state that we refuse to be gagged. Not long ago we spoke up against the terror attacks in Pakistan, taking the lives of innocent children in a classroom. We spoke up again when the Pakistani governments rash response was to execute suspected terrorists. Were against injustice in all its forms, regardless of who it is carried out against. We proudly uphold the banner of peace, justice and humanity and absolutely refuse to apologise for this. And on that note we wish also to make it absolutely clear that theres a critical difference between solidarity with the innocents who were attacked, and solidarity with whats frankly a racist publication. Irrespective of whatever else it does, and whatever valid comments it makes - the way in which Charlie Hebdo portrays Islam is racist, provocative, and insightful to hatred against a marginalised minority. No the offices of Charlie Hebdo should not be raided by gun weilding murderers. No, journalists are not legitimate targets for killing. But no we also shouldnt line up with the inevitable statist backlash against Muslims, or the ideological charge to defend a fetishized, racialised secularism or concede to the blackmail which forces us into solidarity with a racist institition. We should also refuse to allow murderers to hijack a religion and dictate at gun point what we can and cannot think. Their actions are a pure betrayal of the religion of Islam and its principals, its not acceptable and we make no secret of stating that our sympathies are with the families and victims. If we want to put an end to such autrocities from occuring, and for religious senstivities being hurt, then the only way is to enter into, and be involved in critical dialogue and critical discussions about what is happening in France and the rest of Europe. This is the way of the Prophet pbuh, and this is the perfect example set for all. Drive For Justice
Posted on: Sun, 11 Jan 2015 19:10:18 +0000