PRESS INFORMATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
American Muslims and Scholars denounce Terrorism
Washington, DC (September 9, 2002) — Several prominent American Muslims, organizations, and scholars issued the following statement denouncing violence and terrorism, especially in the name of Islam, a religion of peace and justice.
The statement was issued on the eve of the first anniversary of the tragedy of Sept. 11, and has been signed by 199 prominent American Muslims, and scholars of Islam from all over the world.
For more information contact:
Dr. Radwan A. Masmoudi
Executive Director
(202) 251-3036
radwan.masmoudi@islam-democracy.org
Mr. Abdulwahab Alkebsi
Director of Dialogue of Civilizations
(301) 529-9816
aalkebsi@islam-democracy.org
Or visit the CSID website at http://ww.islam-democracy.org.
STATEMENT REJECTING TERRORISM
As American Muslims and scholars of Islam, we wish to restate our conviction that peace and justice constitute the basic principles of the Muslim faith. We wish again to state unequivocally that neither the al-Qaeda organization nor Usama bin Laden represents Islam or reflects Muslim beliefs and practice. Rather, groups like al-Qaeda have misused and abused Islam in order to fit their own radical and indeed anti-Islamic agenda. Usama bin Laden and al-Qaeda's actions are criminal, misguided and counter to the true teachings of Islam. We call on people of all faiths not to judge Islam by the actions of a few.
We believe in justice and peace for both Israelis and Palestinians. We are convinced that security for Israel can only be achieved by justice for Palestinians. Today, a modicum of justice requires the establishment of an independent Palestinian state through the exercise of Palestinian self-determination. We believe that the continued occupation of Palestinian territories, and Israel's repeated disregard of international law, have made life in the occupied territories unbearable. We say most clearly, however, that the killing of innocent civilians, whether Christian, Muslim, or Jewish, is always wrong and is forbidden in Islamic law and ethics. Illegitimate means can never be justified by a desirable or noble goal.
On this first anniversary of the tragedy of September 11, we call on all people of conscience to denounce violence and to work peacefully for the creation of a better world. We also urge our government leaders to work for peace, justice, liberty, and democracy around the globe.
Signatures:
| Name | Affiliation/Institution* |
| CSID Board Members (12): | |
| Radwan Masmoudi | Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy (CSID) |
| Abdulwahab Alkebsi | Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy (CSID) |
| Louay Safi | Center for Balanced Development |
| Muqtedar Khan | Adrian College |
| Jamal Barzinji | International Institute for Islamic Thought |
| Abdulaziz Sachedina | University of Virginia |
| Louis J. Cantori | University of Maryland, Baltimore County |
| Charles E. Butterworth | University of Maryland |
| John L. Esposito |
Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University |
| Tamara Sonn | College of William and Mary |
| Antony T. Sullivan | Fund for American Studies |
| Svend A. White | Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy (CSID) |
| Islamic Organizations and Mosques (45): | |
| Muzammil H. Siddiqi | Islamic Society of Orange County, California |
| Imam Talal Eid | Islamic Center of New England, Quincy, MA |
| Kevin James | Islamic Soc. of Fire-Fighting Dept., Brooklyn, NY |
| Sheila Musaji | Editor, The American Muslim |
| Shahed Amanullah | United Muslims of America, Fremont, CA |
| Aasma Khan | Muslims AGAINST Terrorism |
|
Moina Noor
|
American Muslims Intent on Learning and Activism, Bay Area, CA |
| Aslam Abdullah | Editor, The Minaret and The Muslim Observer |
| Mahjabeen Islam, M.D. | United Muslim Association of Toledo |
| Ali A. Aatz | Islamic Association of Greater Hartford |
| Omar Bouderdaben | North Austin Muslim Community Center |
| Kamal Yassin | Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis |
| Muhammad Sannah | Islamic Society of W. Maryland |
| Kamal Abu-Shamsieh | Muslim Public Affairs Council, Los Angeles, CA |
| Mohamed Nimer | Council on American-Islamic Relations |
| Rashid Makhdoom | American Muslim Council |
| Siraj I. Mufti | CSID, Tucson, AZ |
| A.S. Hashim, MD | Islamic Education Center, Potomac, MD |
| Mirza Moin Baig | Houston Mosque, TX |
| Kamal L. Abdul-Khalik | Muslim Students Association |
| Hasan Mohamed | Islamic Center of Irving |
| H. Anjim Khan | al-Huda School/Islamicbookstore.com |
| Ismail Abdul Alim | al-Fajr Masjid |
| Abeda Haque | Muslim Community Center of MD |
| Sulayman Abdul-Mussawer | Masjid an-Nur, Boston, MA |
| Samira Hussein | Muslims of Montgomery County |
| Abdul Rahman Rasheed | Masjid al-Islam, CT |
| Mariam Kazemi | Islamic Relief, Los Angeles, CA |
| Quarashia al-Shehab | Dar-ul-Islah, NJ |
| Akber Mohammed | Masjid al-Madina, OH |
| Imam Zaid Shakir | Masjid al-Islam |
| Shoukat Ali Islamic | Society of Central Jersey, Princeton, NJ |
| Khursheed Mallick | Islamic Medical Association of North America, Downers Grove, IL |
| Riad Adhami American | Center for Civilizational and Intercultural Studies |
| Inayat I. Lalani | American Muslim Council – Dallas Fort Worth Chapter |
| Abdul Aziz Eddebbarh | Muslim Public Affairs Council, Las Vegas, NV |
| Sayed Qazi | Muslim Public Affairs Council, Las Vegas, NV |
| Atif Fareed | Muslim Public Affairs Council, Las Vegas, NV |
| Muhammad Sayeed | Islamic Circle of North America, New York |
| Ramzieh Azmeh | Islamic Society of North America |
| S. Arif Rizvi | Islamic Medical Association of North America |
| Ahsan Siddiq | Islamic Society of North America |
| Syed Ahmed | Islamic Society of North America |
| Mariyam Imran | Islamic Society of North America |
| Khalid Chatta | Muslim Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh/ Islamic Society of North America |
| Academics (45): | |
| Mohammed Abu-Nimer | American University |
| Khaled Abou El Fadl | UCLA School of Law, Los Angeles, CA |
| Asma Afsaruddin | University of Notre Dame |
| Ahmad Sheikhzadeh | Political scientist, New York City, NY |
| Hibba Abugideiri | George Washington University |
| Kamran A. Bokhari | The University of Texas at Austin |
| John P. Entelis | Fordham University, New York |
| John O. Voll | Georgetown University |
| Mohammed Sharif | University of Rhode Island |
| Mahmoud Sadri | Texas Woman's University |
| M. Mobin Shorish | Prof. Emeritus, Urbana, Il |
| Adila Masood | Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University |
| Engin I. Erdem | Department of Politics, University of Virginia |
| Syed Nasar | University of Kentucky |
| Fred Dallmayr | University of Notre Dame. |
| Jillian Schwedler | University of Maryland |
| David Burrell | University of Notre Dame |
| Robert Olson | University of Kentucky |
| Daniel Micallef | University of Texas in Austin |
| Ikbal Akhtar | Tulane University |
| Michael Toler | SUNY Binghamton |
| Wanda Krause | University of Exeter |
| Gasser Auda | Islamic American University |
| Nayereh Tohidi | California State University, Northridge |
| Val Moghadam | Director, Women's Studies, Illinois State University |
| Asma Afsaruddin | University of Notre Dame |
| Amir Hussain | California State University, Northridge |
| Rima Pavalko | University of Maryland |
| Mahdi Alosh | Arabic Language Program, Ohio State University |
| Gunes Murat Tezcur | University of Michigan |
| Ali R. Abootalebi | University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire |
| Ibrahim Kalin | College of the Holy Cross |
| Mohamed Nur-Awaleh | Illinois State University |
| Mahmoud Al-Batal | Emory University |
| Waheed Samy | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor |
| Abdul H. Raoof State | University College at Buffalo |
| Edward L. Angus | Prof. Emeritus, Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO |
| Jon Mandaville | Portland State University |
| Zaineb Istrabadi | Indiana University |
| Catherine Asher | University of Minnesota |
| Zayn Kassam | Pomona College |
| Sharon L. Parker | University of Arizona |
| Mahdi Alosh | Ohio State University |
| Fauzi M. Najjar | Prof. Emeritus Michigan State University |
| Eiman Hajabbasi | George Mason University |
| Sajida S. Alvi | McGill University, Canada |
| John Alden Williams | Professor Emeritus, College of William and Mary |
| From Around the Globe (32): | |
| Tariq Ramadan | University of Fribourg |
| Suleman Dangor | University of Durban-Westville, Durban, South Africa |
| Najah Kadhim | International Forum for Islamic Dialogue, London |
| Fatma Bostan Unsal | Justice and Development (AK) Party, Turkey |
| Shaikh Kabir Helminski | The Mevlevi Order, The Threshold Society |
| Nor Azurah Zakaria | Sisters-in-Islam Forum Malaysia |
| Ahmed Abdalla | Islam Online, Egypt |
| S. Abdallah Schleifer | Adham Center, American University in Cairo |
| Tawfiq Alsaif | Centre for Study of Democracy, London, UK |
| Amina Rasul | Magbassa Kita Foundation, Philippines |
| Aftab Mack | AMAL press (UK) |
| Arwa Hassan | Transparency International, Berlin, Germany |
| Hajj Muhammad Legenhausen | Qom, Iran |
| Randy Fermo | Moro Committee, Philippines Solidarity Committee |
| Hassan Shi | Aga Khan University |
| Abdelhamid Lotfi | Mohammed V University, Rabat - Morocco |
| Mokhtar Benabdallaoui | University of Hassan II - Morocco |
| Rachid Tlemēani | Institute of political Science, Algiers, Algeria |
| Cherno M.Jallow | Civil Affairs Officer, UNAMSIL, Sierra Leone |
| Haytham Mouzahem | Al-Mustaqbal newspaper, Beirut-Lebanon |
| Allan Ismail | Allieds Interpreters, Amman, Jordan |
| Hassan Saeed Hussain | Editor, Aafathis Newspaper, Rep. of Maldives |
| Anja Pistor-Hatam | University of Kiel, Germany |
| Mohammed Faisal Rahman | Way of Islam Service (WOIS), Port of Spain, Trinidad. |
| Ibrahim Abu Bakar | Malaysia |
| Nancy Roberts | Amman, Jordan |
| David Osgood | Cairo, Egypt |
| Kyoko N.Calhoun | Tokyo,Japan |
| M. Abdul Qavi | Blackheath, London, UK |
| Sahar Talaat | Cairo, Egypt |
| Shan Haq | Pakistan |
| Hamid Saeed | Pakistan |
| Think Tanks (8): | |
| John Duke Anthony |
National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, Washington DC |
| Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad |
Minaret of Freedom Institute, Washington DC |
| Aly R. Abuzaakouk |
ARA Media Services |
| Robert D. Crane |
Center for Understanding Islam |
| Gray Henry | Fons Vitae/Islamic Texts Society |
| Lobna Ismail | Connecting Cultures |
| Aziz al-Taee | Iraqi American Council |
| Mirsad Mujovic | Independent Institute for Social Studies |
| Interfaith Community (7): | |
| Mary Ann Fadae | Christian Theological Seminary |
| Osman Bakar | Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding |
| Michael Kirtley | President, The Friendship Caravan, Inc. |
| Hashim El-Tinay | Founder, Salam Sudan Foundation |
| Loucia Isaac Seropian | Haigazian University – Beirut |
| James Redington | Woodstock Theological Center |
| Alim Khan | Granada Muslims and Jews for Human Rights, Chicago |
| Concerned Citizens (51): | |
| Avis Asiye Allman | Independent Scholar, New York City |
| Michael Wolfe | Santa Cruz, CA |
| Mahin Khatami | Medical Scientist |
| Mohammed el-Sheikh | US Air Force |
| Arshad Khan | National Press Club |
| A. Nooruddeen Durkee | Green Mountain School |
| Noora I. Durkee | Green Mountain School |
| Tahha N. Harp | Pharmacist, Dearborn, Michigan |
| Arif Parwani | Civil Engineer, Fremont, CA |
| Peter Molan | USDOD Middle East Analyst (retired) |
| Lily Yazdi | |
| Mahir Haroun | Reliable Financial Services, Silver Spring, MD |
| Janet McElligott | Washington, DC |
| Tooba Mayel | Alexandria, VA |
| M. Salim Chowdhrey, MD | Livingston, NJ |
| Mediha Ozdindar | Orange, California |
| Mehar N Chowdhrey, MD | Livingston, NJ |
| Mohamed Osman | Charlotte, NC |
| Mohamed Jarbu | Charlotte, NC |
| Manzoor Husain | Durham, NC |
| Ashraf Khan | New York |
| Muhammad Feroz | Orlando, FL |
| M. Husam | Arkansas |
| Masood A. Sheikh | N. Andover, MA |
| Katam Falou | Maple Grove, MN |
| Karim Pathan | Raleigh, NC |
| Najib Abdul-Haq | Atlanta, GA |
| Shamiul Islam | Nashville, TN |
| Gamal Selim | NYC, NY |
| Kenrick W. Hackett | Philadelphia, PA |
| Aishe Syed | Richmond, BC |
| Ridwanur Rahman | Olney, MD |
| Areeb Quasem | Silver Spring, MD |
| Rana Khandekar | Atlanta, GA |
| Rahmatullah Syed | Montpellier, VT |
| Tabasum Saeed | Edison, NJ |
| Bibi A. Khan | Farmingdale, NY |
| A. L. Poonawalla | No. Brunswick, NJ |
| David Haula | Fairfax, VA |
| Mokhtar Zitoun | Fairfax, VA |
| Aydan Kalyoncu | Fairfax VA |
| Kamal Halwagi | Environmental Engineer |
| Maliha Mohiuddin | Manlius, New York |
| Jawaid Ahsah | Nashville, TN |
| Kareem Irfan | Chicago, IL |
| Hamza Kashif | Alexandria Comm. Co. |
| Ismail Obeidallah | Bowie, MD |
| Shali al-Khatib | NIH, Maryland |
| Ayesha Mohamed | NYC, NY |
| Mustafa Amier | |
| Marjorie Ackerman |
*
Organizations for identification only (partial list as of Sept. 9)
©
Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy, 2003. All rights
reserved.
Last update:
2005-02-22
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