Leeds Makkah Masjid » Blog Archive » Tenth Anniversary of 9/11

Tenth Anniversary of 9/11

Author Administrator on September 10th, 2011

On the tenth anniversary of 9/11, around 60 British Muslim organisations have united to express their solidarity with victims of terrorism and to tell the terrorists that a decade on ‘they failed’ in seeking to divide society on religious grounds.

Imam of Leeds Makkah Mosque, Qari Asim, said : “violent extremism, terrorism and taking lives of innocent people is against the teachings of Islam. Muslims have always stood against such evil and distorted ideology. On the 10th anniversary of 9/11, all human beings must resolve to work towards creating a better world for all – a world full of hope, compassion and mercy – and eliminate root causes that lead to violence, despair and injustice.”

STATEMENT

As the tenth anniversary of the atrocities of September 11th 2001 draws closer, we wish to take this opportunity to come together to reiterate our profound sympathy for the victims of the attacks in the US. We also honour the memory of all victims of terrorism in all nations around the world.

The last ten years have not been easy. Tragically, we have seen thousands more people from all walks of life become victims of terrorism. We have also seen the impact of the conflicts resulting from 9/11 in different parts of the Muslim world and experienced the terrible consequences of acts of terror here in Britain on 7th July 2005. The recent tragic events in Oslo show us that terrorists still continue to plan and carry out attacks against people regardless of their race, religion, gender or social circumstance.

As a community we have rejected the terrorists, the emptiness of their words and the futility of their actions. They have nothing to offer the world. Those who seek to divide society have failed. Indeed, their destructive actions have only brought communities closer together. Their message that terrorism is the only way to achieve change has been rejected by ordinary citizens standing in peaceful protest for greater political participation and freedom across the Middle East and North Africa.

Ten years on from the 9/11 attacks, our communities are growing stronger and more resilient. Communities have come together to find common ground and resolve differences. For those of us who are Muslims, our faith gives us hope– a hope shared by people of all faiths and of none – for a world free from terror and injustice.

Now is the time to look to the future with greater optimism. Our common humanity, our spirit of community, the values we share as human beings, will give us the strength to confront those who seek to divide rather than unite us, now and in the future. We will continue to stand together in troubled times, not just against terrorism but against all forms of criminality that pervade our society – as we saw during the riots that spread across the UK in recent weeks. Only together can we defeat such problems. Only together can we work to build communities whose unity honours the memory of the victims of September 11th and victims of conflicts and terror around the world.