Friday, July 10, 2009

BOMBING IN MY CITY


MANILA - Muslim spiritual leaders joined the Catholic Church in condemning the bombing on Sunday in Cotabato, which left five dead and 55 injured.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has accused the Moro Islamic Liberation Front-Special Operations Group (MILF-SOG) of being behind the bombing. However, this was denied on Monday by MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu.

“The National Ulama Conference of the Philippines (NUCP) condemns in the strongest terms possible the bombing incident in front of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Cotabato City,” said the National Ulama Conference of the Philippines (NUCP) in a statement issued on Monday.

The NUCP is a group of Muslim religious leaders or ulama organized in January 2009. It is headed by Abhoulkhair Tarason, chairman of the Basilan Ulama Supreme Council and dean of the Basilan Islamic College. It has a membership of around 200 ulamas nationwide.

There are tens of thousands of ulamas nationwide. Traditionally, they have confined their actions to spiritual issues. But after the latest bombing, the convenors of the NUCP decided it’s time to take part in political issues to prevent the “misguided few” from influencing more Muslims to resort to violence.

“Islam is a religion of peace and condemns unjustified use of violence even in the name of religion,” the NUCP said. Citing Surah al-Ma’idah 5:32 of the Qur’an, the NUCP said Allah Almighty will not look kindly on the perpetrators.

“Allah Almighty describes in the Glorious Qur’an that anyone who kills unjustly kills the whole of humanity. And anyone who saves a life is as if he saves humanity,” the NUCP said.

The NUCP also joined the Catholic Church in calling for sobriety.

“We call on all to restrain their outrage and anger, that the guilty—and not the innocent—may be punished. We applaud the courage and wisdom of Archbishop Orlando Quevedo OMI who, even as he condemned the bombing as sacrilege, has called for restraint stating," the NUCP. “Violence does not achieve anything. Violence begets violence. Let’s all pray for the conversion of the bombers."

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