OnIslam & Newspapers
Sunday, 14 September 2014 00:00
Do not trust "Sheik Google and Sheik YouTube", Ibrahim Abu Mohammad, the Grand Mufti of Australia, said.
CAIRO – Australia’s highest Muslim spiritual leader has warned young people not to trust ambiguous fatwas shared on YouTube and Google, while reflecting on the spread of worrying material about Islam through internet and social media.
Do not trust "Sheik Google and Sheik YouTube", Ibrahim Abu Mohammad, the Grand Mufti of Australia, was quoted by Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday, September 14.
The Mufti added that they are "very dangerous and they have no moral or religious authority".
Speaking to Fairfax Media last week, Dr Ibrahim reached out to all Australians, reassuring them they have nothing to fear from their Muslim neighbors.
"I would like to say to my fellow citizens that we are all Australians and the safety and security of this country must be a shared part of all our culture and ethics," Dr Ibrahim said.
"We are the first ones to oppose anyone who may think of harming Australian society."
Based in Fairfield, the heartland of Iraqi Christians, the Mufti has shared several messages of solidarity to Christians who were forced to leave their homes in Iraq after threats by the so-called Islamic State, also referred to as Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
"Muslims, unfortunately, have been bearing the brunt of the disproportionate carnage for more than a decade." he said.
"Sadly today people of other faiths, including Christians, have been caught up in the current conflict in Iraq and are becoming the target of violent extremists.
"These criminals are committing crimes against humanity and sins against God. Forced eviction, threats of execution and burning of places of worship including churches have no place in any faith."
Over the past week, the outspoken imam has been engaged in reaching out to different communities, congregations and on radio to denounce Islamic State fighters.
He also met with politicians and Christian leaders to whom he expressed compassion over the situation in Iraq and Syria.
Un-Islamic
As the highest Islamic religious authority in Australia, he said that he wanted all Muslims to know that the term Islamic State has been "hijacked" and used for political and terrorist purposes.
He said since the group had been established "we have been very clear about denouncing their lies and betrayal of our faith".
"[It] is not a state, it is not Islamic and there is nothing about the name that deserves to be linked with Islam," Dr Ibrahim said.
"I have said this in sermons and on radio and in the community.
"They [Islamic State] have killed more Muslims than Christians. They hurt Islam more than any other faith but no one has conveyed our concerns until things got worse. Until people started talking about ISIS more and more," he added, using another acronym for the group.
Militants from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) have been widely condemned by Muslims worldwide who staged several protests to express anger against the terrorist group.
Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Sheikh has urged Muslims to take up arms against the militant group’s members as aggressors who abuse people’s lives, possessions and honor.
A few days ago, he also condemned Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State jihadists as “enemy number one” of Islam
In a bid to correct damage caused by the militant group, Dr Ibrahim said people need to be reminded that the term "Islamic State" refers to an era when Muslims, Christians and Jews lived together in peace and harmony.
"That is why that terminology 'Islamic State' is attractive to Muslims," he said.
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