Islam had nothing to do with Brussels: Kaaba imam in Patna

'Islam has nothing to do with terrorism or terror acts.'
M I Khan reports from Patna.

The imam of the Kaaba in Mecca, Islam's holiest shrine, has denounced terrorism in the name of Islam and says there is no place for violence in the religion.

"Islam is against violence and terror. Islam has nothing to do with terrorism or terror acts," Sheikh Saleh bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Aal Talib told a news conference in Patna, Saturday, April 2.

"Islam is what the Quran and Prophet Mohammed stand for, it is not what the terrorists claim," he said.

Without naming terrorism unleashed by Islamic State, Al Qaeda and other terror organisations, Sheikh Saleh said Islam was against the killing of innocent people and creating terror.

"These days some terror outfits have been killing innocent people and using suicide bombers. It is wrong. It has nothing to do with the teachings and preaching of Islam," the cleric said.

Killing of innocent people and the use of suicide bombers to kill people are haraam (forbidden) in Islam, he said.

"What happened in Brussels and other places, where innocent people were killed, Islam has nothing to do with it," he said.

Muslims were the main victims of terrorism, Sheikh Saleh said, stressing the need for peace and harmony across the world.

"A large number of Muslims in Muslim countries have been killed. Islam is a religion that guarantees security of life. Islam stands to protect five things including human life irrespective of region and religions across the world," he added.

Some people have been trying to defame Islam, he said.

"Forcing someone in the name of religion is not permissible in Islam. One cannot convert others to Islam or Muslims to other religion by force," he said.

Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Saleh said, is working to end terrorism, adding that the kingdom had faced terrorism for the last 20 years.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Muslim ulema in India have denounced terrorism in the name of Islam, Sheikh Saleh said.

"There is no religion of terrorism or terrorists."