The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia denounces violence against non-Muslims

Pilgrim in Mecca Saudia Arabia

Carol Forsloff----In a major statement to the Arab world, Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Shaikh Abdulaziz Al-AsShaikh, has issued a statement condemning violence against non-Mulims in the Middle East under Muslim protection. He has also prohibited violence against Muslims labeled as infidels.

This statement, coming as it does during the Syrian conflict, underlines the fact there are Muslims who have been concerned about the violence that is perpetuated by religious animosities, not just between Christians and Muslims, or Jews and Muslims, but also violence that sets one sect of Islam against another.   In Egypt a number of clerics have voiced alarm over the attacks on Coptic Christians.

The Grand Mufti, in addition to being a religious leader, is also the Chairman of the Council of Senior Uleme (religious scholars) and the General Presidency of Scholarly Research.

The Grand Mufit on September 16 condemned acts that create the "shedding of blood of Muslims and of those living in their counties in peace."

 Shaikh Al-AsShaikh also maintains, "Given the dangerous developments in the Muslim world, I would like to warn against the danger of attacking Muslims and those (non-Muslims) under Muslim protection."

"In view of the fast-moving dangerous developments in the Islamic world, it is very distressing to see the tendencies of permitting or underestimating the shedding of blood of Muslims and those under protection in their countries. The sectarian or ignorant utterances made by some of these people would benefit none other than the greedy, vindictive and envious people. Hence, we would like to draw attention to the seriousness of the attacks on Muslims or those who live under their protection or under a pact with them," Shaikh Al-AsShaikh said, as he quoted a number of verses from the Qur'an and Hadith.

But the Mufti is not alone in proclaiming that violence of Muslim against Mulsim and against Christians and Jews is wrong. "I condemn the attacks against Christians in Egypt in the strongest possible manner"said Asghar Ali Engineer, a Muslim Indian and head of the Centre for Studies on Society and Secularism in Mumbai. He was underlining the absolute evil of violence against the Coptic community in Egypt. "Human life is sacred, he told Asia News, “and no one can claim the right to attack another human being for any reason. This is unacceptable. "