What others say about Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri's works

Politicians

Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, Prime Minister of Pakistan

Addressing a ceremony to mark the birthday of Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in February 2007, Prime Minister of Pakistan, Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani said, "Allah Almighty has created Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri for service of Pakistan and the Muslim Umma. Such personalities are not born every day. None can promote interfaith harmony better than Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. His services for promotion of international brotherhood and peace are praiseworthy. I felicitate Dr sahib on his birthday on behalf of my party. He is a principled personality who never compromised on principles for sake of power. I salute him for his courage with which he resigned from the National Assembly. Our party Chairperson, Mohtrama Benzair Bhutto respects him very much and holds him in high esteem for his scholarly stature. I have seen books of Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. No doubt he is an international personality. I also felicitate MQI. Here women are given respect and honour according to Islamic principles and values."

Late Mrs Benazir Bhutto, Former Prime Minister of Pakistan

Late Benazir Bhutto (Chairperson of Pakistan People's Party and former Prime Minister of Pakistan), held a meeting with Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in Minhaj-ul-Quran Centre in London on August 5, 2003. Impressed by the aims and objectives of MQI, its efforts for the spread of Islam and promotion of international peace and harmony, she became life member of Minhaj-ul-Quran International. Talking at the occasion, she said that MQI was working towards the mission of eliminating sectarianism, extremism, and terrorism. It was all for interfaith dialogue and harmony under the leadership of Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. She said when personality like Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri presents to the world his viewpoint about Islam, I feel pleased, satisfied and proud that we are followers of universal religion like Islam.

Leaders of other Faiths

Bishop Andrew Francis, Chairman Christian Coordination Council

On March 15, 2002, a 40-member delegation of Muslim-Christian Dialogue Forum came to hold a meeting with Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. Expressing his views at the occasion, the venerable Bishop said, "The exemplary conduct which any Muslim religious leader of eminence of Pakistan, rather Sub-continent, has shown towards Christians is hard to be found anywhere. Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has opened doors of his Central Mosque for worship of Christians. Doctor Sahib has opened up a new chapter spiritually in Pakistan. There is dire need of the fact that both Muslims and Christians become the paragon and torch-bearer of peace in the light of teachings of their respective Holy Books. The leader of Minhaj-ul-Quran International, Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, is a proud leader of great mission for interfaith harmony, peace and interfaith dialogue. He is not only a leader of Muslims but Christian community also considers him their leader. He has established higher example of religious harmony and tolerance among religions by inviting us to worship in the Mosque according to our religious ways. The spiritual mentor of Christians, Pope John Paul, had invited him to attend an international prayer service in recognition of his efforts for establishment of peace and religious harmony."

Dr Sardar Ganga Singh Dhillon, Chairman Sikh Nankana Foundation, USA

A renowned American intellectual, Dr Sardar Ganga Singh Dhillon, is a leader of Sikh community in Washington DC. He is a PhD in Political Science. On June 29, 2008, he expressed the following views in a meeting with a delegation of MQI at the residence of Ms Aleena Aziz Tiwan. He said, "I am acquainted with Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri for a long time and of the personalities who have established their identity on the basis of scholarship, Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri is one of them. Whenever venerable Doctor came to the US, I had the honour of hosting him in addition to others. I have a special association with him. He is a great personality of history. He has knowledge of all religions and respects them. His services for peace, harmony and interfaith dialogue hare playing their effective role internationally. I benefit from the speeches and books of Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. His viewpoint on human rights and other global issues is very argumentative and above religious biases and divides. He is a great Islamic scholar but also values but followers of other faiths also respect him a lot. Whenever I visit Pakistan, I hold a meeting with Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. I think such personalities are gift of God to mankind."

Scholars

Allama Mukhtar Shah Naeemi, USA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r9FkcsmJdA

Shaykh ul Hadith Sayed Zahid Husain Shah Rizvi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYq1VVXT8Mk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPYBznYyLCM

Pir Syed Nasir ud Din Nasir

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt2XsPjy-4Y

Pir Sayyed Azmat Ali Shah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGkuzEPOtd0

Pir Bilal Hussain Chishti Khuaja Ajmeer Gareeb Nawaz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev7eVMAnzTU

Sheikh Ahmad Deedat, Prominent Scholar, South Africa

After visiting the central secretariat of the Tehreek Minhaj-ul-Quran, he expressed his emotions in the following words: "I am hugely impressed with the efforts and services being rendered by Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri for the renaissance and revival of Muslim Umma. I have not seen more organized and well-coordinated organization or movement anywhere in the world than Tehreek Minhaj-ul-Quran. I believe that Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri and his organization are busy for the renaissance of the Muslim Umma in the right direction. It is a matte of immense pleasure to meet Dr Qadri and visit Minhaj-ul-Quran. May Allah accept the efforts of Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri for the uplift of Islam and Muslim Umma"

Dr Musharaff Hussain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCfTce822L4

Shaykh Ahmad Tijani

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pilyPeSEn88

Leading Women

Prof Dr Bushra Mateen, Vice Chancellor Lahore University for Women

The services rendered by Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri for reviving the moral and spiritual values of life by bringing about reforms in education in Pakistan are praiseworthy. Especially the women educational institutions like Minhaj College for Women are unmatchable. Doctor has a major contribution in increasing the literacy ratio among womenfolk. If awareness about women rights continued like, change would soon come one day.

What others say about Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri's works

Politicians

Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, Prime Minister of Pakistan

Addressing a ceremony to mark the birthday of Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in February 2007, Prime Minister of Pakistan, Sayyid Yousuf Raza Gillani said, "Allah Almighty has created Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri for service of Pakistan and the Muslim Umma. Such personalities are not born every day. None can promote interfaith harmony better than Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. His services for promotion of international brotherhood and peace are praiseworthy. I felicitate Dr sahib on his birthday on behalf of my party. He is a principled personality who never compromised on principles for sake of power. I salute him for his courage with which he resigned from the National Assembly. Our party Chairperson, Mohtrama Benzair Bhutto respects him very much and holds him in high esteem for his scholarly stature. I have seen books of Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. No doubt he is an international personality. I also felicitate MQI. Here women are given respect and honour according to Islamic principles and values."

Late Mrs Benazir Bhutto, Former Prime Minister of Pakistan

Late Benazir Bhutto (Chairperson of Pakistan People's Party and former Prime Minister of Pakistan), held a meeting with Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in Minhaj-ul-Quran Centre in London on August 5, 2003. Impressed by the aims and objectives of MQI, its efforts for the spread of Islam and promotion of international peace and harmony, she became life member of Minhaj-ul-Quran International. Talking at the occasion, she said that MQI was working towards the mission of eliminating sectarianism, extremism, and terrorism. It was all for interfaith dialogue and harmony under the leadership of Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. She said when personality like Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri presents to the world his viewpoint about Islam, I feel pleased, satisfied and proud that we are followers of universal religion like Islam.

Leaders of other Faiths

Bishop Andrew Francis, Chairman Christian Coordination Council

On March 15, 2002, a 40-member delegation of Muslim-Christian Dialogue Forum came to hold a meeting with Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. Expressing his views at the occasion, the venerable Bishop said, "The exemplary conduct which any Muslim religious leader of eminence of Pakistan, rather Sub-continent, has shown towards Christians is hard to be found anywhere. Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has opened doors of his Central Mosque for worship of Christians. Doctor Sahib has opened up a new chapter spiritually in Pakistan. There is dire need of the fact that both Muslims and Christians become the paragon and torch-bearer of peace in the light of teachings of their respective Holy Books. The leader of Minhaj-ul-Quran International, Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, is a proud leader of great mission for interfaith harmony, peace and interfaith dialogue. He is not only a leader of Muslims but Christian community also considers him their leader. He has established higher example of religious harmony and tolerance among religions by inviting us to worship in the Mosque according to our religious ways. The spiritual mentor of Christians, Pope John Paul, had invited him to attend an international prayer service in recognition of his efforts for establishment of peace and religious harmony."

Dr Sardar Ganga Singh Dhillon, Chairman Sikh Nankana Foundation, USA

A renowned American intellectual, Dr Sardar Ganga Singh Dhillon, is a leader of Sikh community in Washington DC. He is a PhD in Political Science. On June 29, 2008, he expressed the following views in a meeting with a delegation of MQI at the residence of Ms Aleena Aziz Tiwan. He said, "I am acquainted with Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri for a long time and of the personalities who have established their identity on the basis of scholarship, Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri is one of them. Whenever venerable Doctor came to the US, I had the honour of hosting him in addition to others. I have a special association with him. He is a great personality of history. He has knowledge of all religions and respects them. His services for peace, harmony and interfaith dialogue hare playing their effective role internationally. I benefit from the speeches and books of Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. His viewpoint on human rights and other global issues is very argumentative and above religious biases and divides. He is a great Islamic scholar but also values but followers of other faiths also respect him a lot. Whenever I visit Pakistan, I hold a meeting with Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. I think such personalities are gift of God to mankind."

Scholars

Allama Mukhtar Shah Naeemi, USA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r9FkcsmJdA

Shaykh ul Hadith Sayed Zahid Husain Shah Rizvi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYq1VVXT8Mk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPYBznYyLCM

Pir Syed Nasir ud Din Nasir

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt2XsPjy-4Y

Pir Sayyed Azmat Ali Shah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGkuzEPOtd0

Pir Bilal Hussain Chishti Khuaja Ajmeer Gareeb Nawaz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev7eVMAnzTU

Sheikh Ahmad Deedat, Prominent Scholar, South Africa

After visiting the central secretariat of the Tehreek Minhaj-ul-Quran, he expressed his emotions in the following words: "I am hugely impressed with the efforts and services being rendered by Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri for the renaissance and revival of Muslim Umma. I have not seen more organized and well-coordinated organization or movement anywhere in the world than Tehreek Minhaj-ul-Quran. I believe that Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri and his organization are busy for the renaissance of the Muslim Umma in the right direction. It is a matte of immense pleasure to meet Dr Qadri and visit Minhaj-ul-Quran. May Allah accept the efforts of Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri for the uplift of Islam and Muslim Umma"

Dr Musharaff Hussain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCfTce822L4

Shaykh Ahmad Tijani

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pilyPeSEn88

Leading Women

Prof Dr Bushra Mateen, Vice Chancellor Lahore University for Women

The services rendered by Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri for reviving the moral and spiritual values of life by bringing about reforms in education in Pakistan are praiseworthy. Especially the women educational institutions like Minhaj College for Women are unmatchable. Doctor has a major contribution in increasing the literacy ratio among womenfolk. If awareness about women rights continued like, change would soon come one day.

Anti-terror camp in UK trains youth to counter extremism

London - What drives a Western born-and-bred youngster, with all the privileges of an education, a modern lifestyle and freedom of speech, to violently attack his fellow countrymen?The growing phenomenon of home-grown radicals highlights the need to understand the root causes of such violence and develop a strategy to deal with the individuals at risk of committing it.

On 7 August, the UK’s first Anti-Terror Camp was held in the county of Warwickshire, led by prominent Pakistani scholar Dr. Muhammad Tahir ul Qadri, with the aim of protecting youth from radicalisation by presenting them with arguments that they can use to counter extremists.

The camp attracted around 1,500 young Muslims from across the UK, Europe and North America and provided them with a foundation to promote the true message of Islam – which includes peace, tolerance and integration – amongst their peers.

Qadri drew much attention when he issued a historic fatwa (a non-binding expert religious opinion) against terrorism in March. His 600-page fatwa refutes the arguments of radicals using intellectual reasoning, leaving no religious pretext for committing acts of terror, including suicide bombings.

Qadri explained how these youth could refute arguments of radicals who aim to brainwash them to commit violence. He told the attendees, “In all these Western countries – Britain, Europe, North America, wherever you are living – you are enjoying all rights, all freedoms according to the constitution as other non-Muslim communities are enjoying. And I have no hesitation in saying you are enjoying the rights and freedoms much better than in many other Muslim countries.”

Naseem, a 28-year-old participant, stated: “I believe [Qadri's] challenge to radicalisation and terrorism is very good. Terrorism is a danger towards mankind.” After the workshop, he said that he could now state “the true view of what Islam says.”

Attendees learned the principles and wisdom of Islamic teachings regarding war and peace, and especially the concept of jihad, or struggle, in Islam. Qadri pointed out that out of the 35 Qur’anic verses that mention the word jihad, 31 have nothing to do with fighting or war at all. The other four verses do talk about fighting, but only in cases of self-defence. Furthermore, individuals or groups do not have the authority to declare jihad; only a state authority can do so and, even then, only as a last resort when diplomacy and all other peace efforts have failed.

Terrorism in the name of Islam begins as an ideological infection, stemming from a narrow interpretation of Islamic sources that extremists take entirely out of context. Qadri lamented that some people are using mosques, schools, universities and the internet to declare physical and combative jihad in the name of establishing an “Islamic caliphate” or to fight against “repression” by the West.

He emphasised that this reasoning provides a foundation for home-grown radicalism and can eventually lead to violence and terrorism.

According to Qadri, terrorism has ideological, philosophical and political roots. The problem starts when extremists misinterpret the concepts of jihad, caliphate and democracy. There are some groups that consider democracy and participation in Western countries’ politics tantamount to disbelief and try to persuade vulnerable youth of the validity of these claims.

The anti-terrorism camp clarified for youth that foreign policies of Western countries must not be used as fodder to exploit their sentiments, as some radical preachers and groups are trying to do.

Qadri’s fatwa provides alternative solutions to violent action, promotes integration and participation in the political process and helps people express their disagreement in a peaceful, constitutional and democratic manner. Integration is a process that comes naturally where diverse groups of people live alongside one another, collectively contributing to the development of a country. Muslims living in Western countries must abide by the laws of the land where they earn their living and become an important part of these cultures and societies.

Islam does not allow transgression of its core principles in any form. This is the message that the young participants of the camp left with, becoming the embodiment of peace and tolerance, and feeling at ease about integrating in the UK.

By Shahid Mursaleen (spokesman@minhajuk.org) is a spokesman for Minhaj-ul-Quran International UK. This article was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews).

Source: http://www.commongroundnews.org/article.php?id=28352&lan=en&sid=1&sp=0&isNew=1

Minhaj-ul-Quran highlights health risks of cousin marriages

Minhaj-ul-Quran International UK highlights the medical risks of cousin marriages based on medical research which shows that one in four children whose parents are cousins are disabled. The medical risks include infant mortality, birth defects, learning difficulties, blindness, hearing impairment and metabolic disorders.

Minhaj-ul-Quran UK's Imam Sadiq Qureshi was featured in the channel 4 programme "Dispatches: When Cousins Marry". He said that it is a public health issues hence it is a big jihad to highlight this issue for the common good.

Minhaj-ul-Quran UK has always taken proactive steps in highlights issues relating to the public health and wants to encourage Muslims to rethink about their choices of marriage.

Click here for channel 4 Dispatches programme.

UK's first Anti-Terror Camp by Minhaj-ul-Quran UK

The ‘al-hidayah 2010’ which attracted around 1500 young Muslim men and women from across the UK, Europe and North America, was held at the University of Warwick on 7th, 8th and 9th of August , 2010 with the aim to de-radicalise and spiritualise the Muslim youth. The UK’s first Anti-Terror Camp, as described by the western media, was organised by Minhaj-ul-Quran International UK and every participant paid £200 to participate. Included among the special guests were academicians, politicians, government officials and various media outlets as well as scholars from across the UK.

Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, the keynote speaker of the event opened the camp with a press conference which was attended by mainstream UK and international media.

At the opening press conference Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri shed light on the aims and objectives of the camp and emphasised on the reasons why he believes it is necessary to train the youth to tackle extremist ideologies. He said that this 3-day initiative is aimed at awakening the Muslim youth to challenge the arguments of the extremist and to promote the need of collective action for promotion of peace, interfaith dialogue, and harmony and addressing the misunderstandings and confusions the concepts of jihad, khilafah and democracy.

Analysing the emergence of terrorism, he said that cancer of terrorism does not emerge from nowhere but it begins as an ‘ideological infection’ which is a narrow interpretation and vision of Islam. It is misinterpretation of the Qur’an, Hadith and classical authorities of Islam. He said this process begins in mosques, schools, Universities, and through the internet by extremist groups. They initially start persuading their argument which leads towards brainwashing. He said that “terrorism is a cancer that begins from and an ideological infection.”

He emphasised that it is vital to recognise that this phase of non-violent extremism eventually leads towards violence and terrorism. Some people engaged in counter terrorism fail to recognise non-violent extremism as dangerous but it is the foundation of home-grown radicalism.

In a passionate voice he said that terrorism has ideological, philosophical and political roots and extremists misinterpret concepts of Jihad, Khilafah, and democracy. There are some groups who consider democracy and participation in politics as disbelief and these incorrect concepts are used to exploit the vulnerable youth.

Addressing a vital issue which is being prominent amongst the extremists is to take over Britain and western countries and to host a Muslim flag on 10 Downing Street; Dr Qadri rejected this notion and said it was nothing but non-sense and ignorance of Islamic teachings. He said this kind of thinking shows the mental illness of such individuals and they need mental treatment.

He clarified that Britain and other western countries were not ‘Dar al-Harb’ (Abode of War) but ‘Dar al-Aman’ (Abode of Peace) where people of every religion and faith have equal rights and opportunities to practise their religions and even launch faith-based TV channels.. He added “All these Western countries - Britain, Europe, North America, wherever you are living - since you are enjoying all rights, all freedoms according to the constitution as other non-Muslim communities are enjoying, there is no difference. And I would have no hesitation in saying you are enjoying the rights and freedoms much better than in many other Muslim and Arab countries.”

He said that Islam had been hijacked by the radicals and that he wants to reclaim Islam back from them and promote peace, tolerance, harmony in the world. He initiated an intellectual, academic and spiritual war against terrorists to reclaim Islam back.

Dr Qadri also clarified that he or his organisation Minhaj-ul-Quran does not take any funding by any government in the world hence he does not say anything to please any government. He says the truth to please his Lord and the Prophet (peace be upon him).

He said that the youth who attended the anti-terror camp are being trained to rebut the arguments of the extremists in their communities, colleges and at the universities. It will prepare them intellectually and spiritually against the forces of extremism.

He stressed that foreign policies of western countries are used as tools of ignition to exploit the sentiments of young people and radical preachers and groups exploit such sentiments and passions of youth.

He said there are alternative solutions to violent actions. He said integration, participating in political process and to express disagreement of foreign policy in a peaceful, constitutional and democratic manner in regarded as Islamic. Integration is a solution which Islam has provided and which should be used to practically play a vital and progressive role in the western countries.

Dr Qadri also clarified the concept of Jihad, which has been hijacked by the extremists and he pointed out that out of 35 Qur’anic verses which mention the word jihad, 31 of them have nothing to do with fighting or war at all. He clarified that the other 4 verses only deal with self-defence. He also made it clear that individuals or groups have no authority to declare jihad. It is solely the prerogative of a state authority to declare jihad and only as a last resort when diplomacy and all other efforts to make peace have failed. The Khawarij-inspired jihadist ideology is swiftly being dismantled and it is proved that under no circumstances or pretext are they are allowed to declare war.

Addressing the confusion of identity crises whether a Muslim youth in Britain is British or a Muslim, Dr Qadri said that there is no interlink between ones faith and ones citizenship or country. “If you can be a Pakistani and still a Muslim, how can you not be a Muslim if you are a British national?” he questioned. He said that Muslims should fully integrate into the societies where they are living and positively contribute to the society. They faith does not stop them to contribute towards the country where they are living.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that following the publication of Fatwa against Terrorism, it put a stop to its practice of stereotyping the Muslims and conveyed the Islamic message of tolerance, harmony and interfaith dialogue to a wide range of people and regions. This step dealt a lethal blow to the extremists and encouraged the reformers.

Democracy, women rights and minority rights

It has come to my attention that an article was mistakenly published on a website which could create confusion and misunderstanding about the views of Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri and Minhaj-ul-Quran International. This should clarify the matter.

Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri is regarded as the champion of democracy, human rights and women rights who started to promote these concepts back in the '80s. He is regarded as one of the leading figures of the Muslim world who promotes and develops women rights and encourages women to fully participate in every aspect of the society. He has delivered hundreds of public lectures and has written extensively in his works about women rights. Independent featured a photo by Getty images which shows that Minhaj-ul-Quran women league protesting against honour killings, see here.

Dr Qadri is a true believer of democracy and human rights. He has thousands of public lectures and books which not only promote democracy and human rights but has also given an Islamic perspective about this which is evident from the Quran and Hadith. In fact he was himself in Pakistani politics and was elected as a member of parliament in 2002 elections and resigned after 2 years due to lack of democracy in the Government.

Dr Qadri believes that the term Khilafah is simply used for the word 'government' which is based on democracy, justice and human rights. The term 'Islamic State' is only referred to Muslim majority countries which are based on democracy, justice and human rights which is fundamental in Islam.

He clarified that Britain and other western countries were not ‘Dar al-Harb’ (Abode of War) as regarded by some radicals but ‘Dar al-Aman’ (Abode of Peace) where people of every religion and faith have equal rights and opportunities to practise their religions and even launch faith-based TV channels. He added “All these Western countries - Britain, Europe, North America, wherever you are living - since you are enjoying all rights, all freedoms according to the constitution as other non-Muslim communities are enjoying, there is no difference. And I would have no hesitation in saying you are enjoying the rights and freedoms much better than in many other Muslim and Arab countries.”

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri is regarded as the only hope for minorities in Pakistan and has always fully supported minorities who regularly visit him. He has hundreds of public lectures and books explaining the rights of minorities during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Dr Qadri was one of the first to open his mosque for a Christian delegation to pray according to their faith. He and his organisation have regularly hosted Christmas events for the past 10 years or more. He has been given peace awards by the minorities of Pakistan for his role to protect them, see here and here.

Dr Qadri believes in equal rights for minorities from any faith, creed or ethnicity. During the bomb attack on Ahmedis (known as Qadianis) in May 2010, Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri’s organisation Minhaj-ul-Quran International was one of the first to condemn the attacks which killed civilians, see here, here (Minhaj-ul-Quran UK) and here (on a website by Ahmedis, known as Qadiani).

One of Dr Qadri’s article was published in the daily newspapers The Nation on August 26, 2010 (and here), in which he says “Islamic law holds both Muslims and non-Muslims equal and no superiority or privilege is given to the Muslims on any ground.” And “Islamic state is responsible for the protection and security of minorities.”

Muslim leader's edict decries terrorism

The leader of a global Muslim movement Tuesday issued a rare religious edict condemning terrorism and denouncing suicide bombers as "heroes of hellfire" in an effort to help prevent the radicalization of young British Muslims.

The State Department welcomed the 600-page document known as a fatwa, which was released in London with the British government's support, as a "very important step" in "taking back Islam" from al Qaeda and other extremist groups.

Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, a former Pakistani lawmaker and a leading scholar of Islam, has issued similar, shorter decrees in the past. But the new fatwa makes the most detailed and comprehensive case against Islamic extremism by a Muslim, diplomats and analysts said.

"Terrorism is terrorism, violence is violence, and it has no place in Islamic teaching, and no justification can be provided for it, or any kind of excuses or ifs or buts," Mr. Tahir-ul-Qadri said at a news conference in London. "Good intentions cannot convert a wrong into good; they cannot convert an evil into good."

It was not clear how much influence the fatwa will have in the broad Muslim world or even outside the South Asian community whose members are Mr. Tahir-ul-Qadri's most dedicated followers.

Timothy R. Furnish, a historian of Islam, said the fatwa may not carry significant weight for many Muslims because Mr. Tahir-ul-Qadri is a Sufi Muslim, and not a Koranic literalist, as are such Sunni groups as the Wahhabis and the Salafis, who form the core of groups such as al Qaeda.

"It would seem to be simply another example of this centuries-long Sufi/Wahhabi-Salafi spat over how to interpret the authoritative texts of Islam," said Mr. Furnish, who noted that he has not read Tuesday's fatwa. "For every such legal pronunciamento, there is an antithetical one from the literalist camp …, which justifies such attacks with clear Koranic and Hadith [Traditions] citations."

In recent years, Britain has coped with growing radicalization among its Muslim youths — a development that also has attracted young Muslims from other countries to study at British schools. One of them is Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the 23-year-old Nigerian who later received training from al Qaeda and is charged with trying to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner in December.

Mr. Tahir-ul-Qadri, founder of the Minhaj-ul-Quran worldwide movement promoting a tolerant Islam, and his followers hope that his fatwa will show those youths an alternative to extremism, said Ghaffar Hussein, a spokesman for the Quilliam Foundation, a British government-funded think tank.

The foundation's backing and promotion of Tuesday's event drew much more media and public attention than it would have received otherwise, according to British press reports.

"This fatwa has the potential to be a highly significant step towards eradicating Islamist terrorism," Mr. Hussein said. "Terrorist groups, such as al Qaeda, continue to justify their mass killings with self-serving readings of religious scripture. Fatwas that demolish and expose such theological innovations will consign Islamist terrorism to the dustbin of history."

In a display of official support for Mr. Tahir-ul-Qadri's teachings, his news conference was attended by members of Parliament and representatives of London's Metropolitan Police. He spoke in both English and Arabic, and an English translation of the fatwa is expected in the coming weeks, said people who attended the event.

Mr. Tahir-ul-Qadri said that terrorism should never be "considered jihad," or holy war. "They can't claim that their suicide bombings are martyrdom operations, and that they become the heroes of the Muslim Umma," he said in reference to the wider Muslim community. "No, they become heroes of hellfire, and they are leading towards hellfire."

In Washington, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley welcomed the fatwa, saying it is important that "Muslims themselves make their own judgment about the vision that al Qaeda and [Osama] bin Laden have propagated."

"At the heart of this, it's about a very small group of people that have tried to hijack a religion. And we certainly value the debate that is currently under way within Muslim-majority communities around the world about the nature of their religion, the implication and definition of the word 'jihad,' and to kind of take back the good name of Islam," Mr. Crowley said.

"Britain has had a very significant, detailed, extensive counter-radicalization strategy over the last few years," he added. "It has done extensive outreach with Muslim communities."

Mr. Tahir-ul-Qadri's fatwa echoed efforts by anti-extremist Muslims to use their religion to counter terrorists.

In October, a senior Muslim cleric, grand mufti Ali Gomaa of Egypt, told editors and reporters at The Washington Times that one strategy has been to try to declare terrorists "un-Islamic." But he also warned that going too far could prompt greater divisions rather than persuade radicals to change.

Juan Zarate, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former counterterrorism official at the National Security Council in the George W. Bush White House, said the new fatwa is important because it "adds to the growing list of rejections of al Qaeda's ideology" and is a "public recognition" of the group's "declining popularity and legitimacy."

Rob Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said the fatwa undoubtedly will have "a useful, positive impact among Pakistanis and other South Asians," who form the base of Minhaj-ul-Quran's membership of hundreds of thousands.

However, globally, "any one particular fatwa, especially by an imam known predominantly in a single ethnic and linguistic group, is probably not too consequential," Mr. Satloff said.

"It's all very positive and very welcome, but there remain loud and influential voices arguing the opposite view — that 'invaders,' 'Crusaders' and 'Zionists' are all legitimate targets, some wherever they may be found," he added. "It is important to amplify the voices of moderation and marginalize the voices of radicalism."

• Bill Gertz contributed to this report.

Source: http://washingtontimes.com/news/2010/mar/03/muslim-leaders-edict-decries-terrorism/