Islamic Society of North America
October 30, 2020
The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) is saddened by the incidents of killing and the use of Islamophobic rhetoric in France.
ISNA, with a deep sense of disappointment, strongly condemns the rhetoric and Islamophobic language such as “Islamic Attack” and that “Islam is in crisis all over the world today” used by President Macron of France, who is the leader of a democratic country. Such provocative statements made by President Macron, perhaps for political gain, have further added fuel to the fire and worsened the situation. To use isolated incidents and turn them against an entire community is reprehensible. He has also said that he would not renounce the caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), blatantly insulting almost 2 billion Muslims worldwide. Islam bars insulting of any Prophet and promotes mutual understanding and respect among civilizations.
In Islam, human life and justice are sacred. Islam asks its followers to abide by the laws of the country they live in. Further, Quran (Chapter 5: Verse 32) declares that if anyone kills a person, it is as if he slew the whole people. ISNA strongly condemns the killings in France that took place on October 16 and October 29. On October 16, a knife-wielding man decapitated Samuel Paty, 47, in a suburb north of Paris. Samuel Paty was a school teacher who had shown caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in a class on freedom of expression. On October 29, in another knife attack at a Church in Nice, Brahim Aouissaoui, killed three people including two women.
Islam and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) have taught humanity the path of goodness, peace, equity, and justice. Every day, billions of Muslims across the globe carry this message of peace, justice, and equity in their hearts for all the citizens of the world.
We appeal to president Macron to work towards equity and assimilation for the 6 million Muslims in France, who make up 9% of the population.
ISNA calls upon the national and global Muslim community to show patience and work towards peace and respect for humanity. ISNA upholds the principles of mutual understanding, respect, and peaceful co-existence among civilizations. We also call upon the world community to stand with the Muslims in France to ensure dignity and equal justice.