On Friday  9th January 2015 the Imam of Al-Mustafa IECCI dedicated the Friday sermon to respond in detail to the attack in Paris and to advice the Muslim community.

In the Sermon Shaykh Muhammad Umar Al-Qadri discussed the following issues:

1. Attack in Paris is part of a chain of events and not isolated. The recent attacks on a School in Peshawar and killing of innocents in Iraq, Syria and Nigeria by IS, Taliban and Boku Haram are part of the same chain.

2. Muslims are mostly affected by terrorist attacks as most victims are in Muslim countries.

3. Islam is given a bad name by these extremists who claim to act in the name of Islam. Islam is a religion which teaches to respond with kindness and forgiveness to insults and not with violence.

4. Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) also faced insults and name calling by the Meccans. This lead him to migrate to the city of Madinah. And yet when he returned during the conquest of Makkah after a few years, He did not respond with violence and neither take any revenge. On that day he forgave all that had hurt him and his followers.

5. There is indeed an issue of extremism among Muslims. We should not deny or ignore this. The Prophet Muhammad  (Peace be upon Him) had foretold us about the Khawaarij. He warned us of extremism and described in detail the signs of the Khawaarij. He warned us not to join them instead we must fight against the Khawaarij (terrorists).

6. Freedom of Expression and Speech is a right that was introduced in the Arab society by the Prophet Muhammad  (Peace be upon Him) himself. However freedom of speech is not an absolute right. This is why even in Western countries there are also limits to what you can express and what not. The Shaykh gave many examples of France that highlight how freedom of expression is indeed limited despite the claims of some.

7. Blasphemy. The Shaykh explained in detail about the ruling of Blasphemy in Islam.

8. The Shaykh concluded with prayer for all victims of terrorism

MEDIA REPORTS ON FRIDAY SERMON:

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/muslim-cleric-in-ireland-acknowledges-problem-of-extremism-306163.html

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/irish-imam-highlights-issue-of-extremists-hijacking-muslim-faith-1.2060939

http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/irish-muslims-hear-fierce-denunciation-of-islamic-extremists-1.2060977

Friday Speech online on Youtube

The members of Al-Mustafa Islamic Cultural Centre Ireland,  wish to extend their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and the people of France on the savage and dreadful terrorist attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris yesterday. A Muslim police men was also among the killed in yesterday’s attack.

We strongly condemn the attack unconditionally.The killing of journalists in Paris on Wednesday was not only an attack on France but also an assault on Islam and the very freedoms that allow 30 million Muslims to prosper in the west.

Free speech is not a western concept: it is a universal craving of the human soul. The gunmen ran away shouting that they were “avenging the prophet Muhammad”. How dare they? We cannot let the murderers define Islam. In sixth-century Mecca, it was the prophet Muhammad who fought for free speech to proclaim one God as the creator of life and worthy of worship. The city’s pagans were his violent persecutors.

Unfortunately there is a problem of extremism and radicalisation among a minority of Muslim Youth in Western countries. We have seen how some Muslim Youth have joined the IS in Iraq and Syria.  It is the responsibility of Islamic leaders to highlight the the Peaceful and Just message of Islam in which there is no space for extremism.

This Friday the Shaykh will dedicate his talk on speaking against extremism and terrorism and conclude with prayer for those that have been killed. Also on Sunday the 11th January the Islamic Centre has organised a Conference on the Life of the Prophet of Islam.
In this Conference the Shaykh will speak on how the Prophet of Islam reacted when he was insulted.

Media Links:

http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/islamic-centre-ireland-response-1871410-Jan2015/

http://www.pressreader.com/ireland/irish-daily-mail/textview