The Imam of Islam’s holiest shrine Kaba in Mecca in Saudi Arabia on Saturday denounced terrorism in the name of Islam, making it clear that Islam has nothing to do with terrorism.
“Holy book Quran and Hadish – saying of Prophet Mohammad are against violence and terror. Islam has nothing to do with terrorism or terror acts,” said Sheikh Saleh Bin Muhammad Bin Ibrahim Aal Talib at a crowded press conference at a posh hotel here amid tight security.
He said violence has no place in Islam. “Islam is what Quran and Prophet Mohammad stand for, it is not what terrorists or terror outfits claim.”
Without naming terror activities by the Islamic State (IS), Al Qaeda and other terror organisations, Sheikh Saleh said Islam is against the killing of innocent people and creating terror.
“These days some terror outfits have been killing innocent people and using suicide bombers to kill people are wrong and have nothing to do with teaching and preaching of Islam,” he said.
Sheikh Saleh said that killing of innocent people and use of suicide bombers to kill people are ‘haram’ in Islam. “What happened in Brussels and other places, where innocent people were killed, Islam has nothing to do with it.”
Stressing on the need for peace and harmony across the World, he said: “Muslims are the main victim of terrorism. Large number of Muslims in Muslim countries have been killed.”
Sheikh Saleh said Islam is a religion that guarantees security of life of the people. “Islam stands to protect five things including human life,irrespective of regions and religions across the World.”
He said that the name of God means peace, safety and security. But some people are trying to defame Islam. “Even there is no force permissible in Islam in the matter of religion. There are no words to use force to convert people to Islam.”
Sheikh Saleh said that Saudi Arabia is working to end terrorism is accepted by western countries also. The country is facing terrorism for the last 20 years. “Terrorism has harmed Saudi Arabia.”
Earlier, Sheikh Saleh addressed a gathering of people, mostly Muslims, on ‘Islam and World Peace’.
He was slated to visit Patna on Friday but his visit was postponed after as he was denied a visa by the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia.
–IANS