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NEWS FEATURE:
U.S. Muslims and Terrorism
July 29, 2005 Episode no. 848
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BOB ABERNETHY, anchor: In the aftermath of the British and Egyptian bombings, Muslim leaders in the U.S. and around the world have been speaking out against terrorism. Kim Lawton has the story.
KIM LAWTON: In Egypt, thousands of Muslims rallied against terrorism after last Saturday's deadly bombings in Sharm el-Sheikh. Demonstrators said they wanted to show their community -- and the world -- that Islam stands for peace.
In the U.S., the council that interprets Islamic law for North America issued a fatwa or religious edict saying the Qur'an forbids the targeting of civilians in suicide bombings or other terrorist acts. According to the fatwa, Muslims who commit such violence are "criminals, not martyrs."
Dr. MUZAMMIL SIDDIQI (Fiqh Council of North America): Islam strictly condemns religious extremism and the use of violence against innocent lives. There is no justification in Islam for extremism or terrorism.
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LAWTON: The fatwa was endorsed by more than 100 American Muslim groups.
SALAM AL-MARAYATI (Muslim Public Affairs Council): The aim of extremists is to gain an audience, to gain sympathy, if not empathy, from the Muslim masses, and we're basically calling them out on this and saying, "It's not going to work with us. It's not going to work with our children."
LAWTON: Also this week, the Council on American-Islamic Relations released new public service radio ads in Arabic and Urdu denouncing terrorism. The group has also produced an English TV ad saying Muslims will not allow their faith to be hijacked by extremists.
COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS, PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Those who commit acts of terror in the name of Islam are betraying the teachings of the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad.
LAWTON: American Muslim leaders say they have long condemned terrorism as a violation of their faith. They hope the new fatwa will add significant moral authority to that position.
I'm Kim Lawton reporting.
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