American Muslims and Scholars Denounce Terrorism

September 9, 2002


Several prominent American Muslims, organizations, and scholars today issued the following statement denouncing violence and terrorism, 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

------

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 Society 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 (44):
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
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

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 Tlemi, 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






Help us continue our work with a quick
one-time or monthly donation.

MAKE A DONATION