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Clerics condemn terrorism in Friday prayer sermons
 LAHORE: Most of the Imams, during Friday sermons, condemned terrorism and declared Islam a religion of peace and tolerance. They did not make provocative speeches on current affairs.
| That's "most of the turbans," not all of it. Wonder what they preached at Binori Mosque and Akora Khattack? |
However, many people individually protested against the governmentâs crackdown on madrassas after the Friday prayers and declared the governmentâs policies unwise and anti-madrassa.
| How many gunnies need to be pulled out of madrassas before the policies become wise? We're probably up to a few hundred in the past four years. |
There was tight security during Friday prayers as police and other security agencies were deployed outside mosques. Some international media teams were present outside the mosques as well. However, the ban on loudspeakers during Friday prayers was not completely observed and religious literature including newspapers like Zarb-e-Islam, Daily Islam, booklets on jihad (by Maulana Masood Azhar and Mufti Nizamuddin Shamzi) were available outside some mosques.
| Nobody was supposed to notice that, of course, or at least comment on the fact... |
Masjid-e-Shuhda Imam Qazi Younas preached Toheed [Tawhid] (oneness of God) during his 45-minute sermon. He condemned the forces that were portraying Islam as a religion of hatred and terror.
Jamia Masjid-ul-Qadsia Imam Hafiz Saeed of Jamaatul Dawa said that terrorists and suicide bombers were totally unaware of Islam and its teachings. He said that jihad was a vital and inescapable part of Islam but added that the concept had been modified by certain religious elements. He condemned President Musharrafâs policies on madrassas and other religious matters and said that no religious organisation was involved in London blasts. He said that the president should protect the masses just like the Caliphs used to do.
| I just gagged on that one. That's gotta be another Hafiz Saeed, not the raving lunatic we've come to know and not really love. Either his lips immediately fell off and he turned to a pillar of salt or he didn't say that — it's completely out of character and at odds with what he's said in the past. And we know it's not Perv he had in mind for Caliph... |
Engineer Saleemullah Khan, while delivering a Friday sermon at Jamia Ghosia Yaki Gate, said that the West was blackmailing Pakistan in the name of terrorism and propagating against madrassas.
| That's more like it. Toss the blame westward and continue what you were doing... |
A disciple of Dr Sarfraz Naeemi delivered Friday sermon on âTawakalâ at Jamia Nomania and did not comment on current affairs.
| "I'm keepin' me mout' shut!" |
The speaker Maulana Tafseer Hussain Zehdi during a Friday sermon in the leading Shia Mosque and madarssa Jamtul Muntizar at Model Town addressed âRespect for parentsâ.
| His acolytes passed out warm milk to the congregation... |
The speaker at the Main Mosque of Punjab University New Campus mostly spoke about uncontroversial issues, some students told Daily Times. However, some pamphlets regarding debates and seminar on âIslam and Terrorismâ were distributed after the Friday prayers. The speaker at Idra-e-Taleemat-e-Majdila, Jail Road, also condemned terrorism. He also defended Islam as a religion of peace and love.
| **Must... control... gag... reflex...** |
Posted by: Fred 2005-07-23 |
