A Statement by American Muslims Rejecting Terror

September 11, 2002

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 Osama 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:

Radwan Masmoudi

Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy

Abdulwahab Alkebsi

Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy

Louay Safi

Center for Balanced Development

Muqtedar Khan

Adrian College

Jamal Barzinji

International Institute for Islamic Thought

Abdulaziz Sachedina

University of Virginia

Najah Kadhim

International Forum for Islamic Dialogue, London

Aziz al-Taee

Iraqi American Council

Sheila Musaji

The American Muslim

Shahed Amanullah

United Muslims of America, Fremont, CA

Omar Bouderdaben

North Austin Muslim Community Center

Nor Azurah Zakaria

Sisters-in-Islam Forum Malaysia

Shaikh Kabir Helminski

The Mevlevi Order, The Threshold Society

Kamran A. Bokhari

The University of Texas at Austin

Robert D. Crane

Center for Understanding Islam

Gray Henry

Fons Vitae/Islamic Texts Society

Ahmed Abdalla

Islam-on-line

Avis Asiye Allman

Independent Scholar, New York City

Mahin Khatami

Medical Scientist

Asma Afsaruddin

University of Notre Dame

Mahir Haroun

Reliable Financial Services, LLC

Hajj Muhammad Legenhausen

Qom, Iran

Mohammed Sharif

University of Rhode Island

Mahmoud Sadri

Texas Woman's University

M. Mobin Shorish

Prof. Emeritus, Urbana, Il

Abdelhamid Lotfi

Mohammed V University, Rabat - MOROCCO

Mokhtar Benabdallaoui

University of Hassan II - Morocco

Lily Yazdi

(Individual)

Zaineb Istrabadi

Indiana University

S. Abdallah Schleifer

Adham Center, American University in Cairo

A. Nooruddeen Durkee

Green Mountain School

Noora I. Durkee

Green Mountain School

Syed Nasar

University of Kentucky

Louis Cantori

University of Maryland - Baltimore College

Charles E. Butterworth

University of Maryland

John Esposito

Georgetown University

Tamara Sonn

College of Williams and Mary

Antony T. Sullivan

Fund for American Studies

John Duke Anthony

National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations

Loucia Isaac Seropian

Haigazian University - Beirut

Nancy Roberts

Amman, Jordan

John O. Voll

Georgetown University

David Osgood

Cairo, Egypt

Mary Ann Fadae

Christian Theological Seminary

Fred Dallmayr

University of Notre Dame

Jillian Schwedler

University of Maryland

David Burrell

University of Notre Dame

Robert Olson

University of Kentucky

Moina Noor

AMILA, Bay Area, California

A.S. Hashim

MD Islamic Education Center, Potomac, MD

Daniel Micallef

University of Texas in Austin

Svend A. White

CSID, Doha, Qatar

Amina Rasul Magbassa

Kita Foundation, Philippines

Hassan Shi

Aga Khan University

Mirza Moin Baig

Houston Mosque, TX

Mohammed el-Sheikh

U.S. Air Force

Kama L. Abdul-Khalik

Muslim Students Association

Arshad Khan

National Press Club

Lobna Ismail

Connecting Cultures

Muhammad Sannah

Islamic Society of W. Maryland

Ikbal Akhtar

Tulane University

Hasan Mohamed

Islamic Center of Irving

H. Anjim Khan

al-Huda School/Islamicbookstore.com

Ismail Abdul

Alim al-Fajr Masjid

Sulayman Abdul-Mussawer

Masjid an-Nur, Boston, MA

Ali A. Aatz

Islamic Association of Greater Hartford

Rashid Makhdoom

American Muslim Council

Tooba Mayel

Alexandria, VA

Khursheed Mallick

IMANA

M. Salim Chowdhrey, MD

Livingston, N.J.

Mehar N Chowdhrey, MD

Livingston, N.J.

Mohamed Osman

Charlotte, N.C.

Mohamed Jarbu

Charlotte, N.C.

Manzoor Husain

Durham, N.C.

Muhammad Sayeed

ICNA, New York

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, N.C.

Shoukat Ali

ISCJ, New Jersey

Aishe Syed

Richmond, B.C.

Michael Wolfe

Santa Cruz, CA

Ridwanur Rahman Olney, MD Areeb Quasem Silver Spring, MD Rana Khandekar Atlanta, GA Mariam Kazemi Islamic Relief, Los Angeles, CA Rahmatullah Syed Montpellier, VT Shan Haq Pakistan Tabasum Saeed Edison, NJ Bibi A. Khan Farmingdale, NY A. L. Poonawalla No. Brunswick, NJ David Haula Fairfax, VA Quarashia al-Shehab Dar-ul-Islah, NJ Akber Mohammed Masjid al-Madina, OH Najib Abdul-Haq Atlanta, GA Shamiul Islam Nashville, TN Hamid Saeed Pakistan Inayat I. Lalani AMC - Dallas Fort Worth Chapter Maliha Mohiuddin Manlius, New York Jawaid Ahsah Nashville, TN Abeda Haque Muslim Community Center of MD S. Arif Rizvi IMA Ahsan Siddiq ISNA Syed Ahmed ISNA Mariyam Imran ISNA Khalid Chatta MCCGP/ISNA Abdul Rahman Rasheed Masjid al-Islam, CT Kareem Irfan Chicago, IL Hamza Kashif Alexandria Comm. Co. Samira Hussein Muslims of Montgomery County Ismail Obeidallah Bowie, MD Aftab Mack AMAL press (UK) Ramzieh Azmeh ISNA Shali al-Khatib NIH Ayesha Mohamed NYC, NY Michael Toler SUNY Binghamton Mohamed Nimer Council on American-Islamic Relations Mediha Ozdindar Orange, California Imam Talal Eid Islamic Center of New England, Quincy, MA Osman Bakar Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding Wanda Krause University of Exeter Gasser Auda Islamic American University Mohammed Abu-Nimer American University Rachid Tlemçani Institute of Political Science, Algiers, Algeria Mahjabeen Islam, M.D. United Muslim Association of Toledo Janet McElligott Washington, DC Val Moghadam Director, Women's Studies, Illinois State University Aslam Abdullah Editor, the Minaret and the Muslim Observer Amir Hussain California State University, Northridge Mustafa Amier Haytham Mouzahem Al-Mustaqbal newspaper, Beirut-Lebanon Aly R. Abuzaakouk ARA Media Services Michael Kirtley President, The Friendship Caravan, Inc. Khaled Abou El Fadl UCLA School of Law, Los Angeles, CA Rima Pavalko University of Maryland ______________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________________ * Organizations for identification only (partial list as of Sept. 5)