The Islamic Cultural Centre Ireland (ICCI), based in Dublin's Clonskeagh, has strongly condemned Islamic State (IS), which , it says, is acting contrary to the teachings of Islam.
In a statement it states that “in full conformity with Islamic teachings” it “vehemently abhors and deplores terrorism of all kinds regardless of the perpetrators’ race and faith.”
The statement comes a day after s the Islamic State posted a video showing the American journalist James Foley being beheaded.
The cultural centre points out that “murder, the most horrendous act of terrorism, is strictly forbidden in Islam” and that “Allah states that the murder of one person is as evil as killing all people. In the Qur’an it is stated: “whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption (done)in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.”
The statement continued that "on this basis, the ICCI unequivocally condemns the atrocities perpetrated in Iraq in the name of Islam" and "stresses that these crimes can by no means be classified as a just struggle. Isis [Islamic State ] is causing damage to the image of Islam and Muslims all over the world. We share the shock and the horror of what was shown on the internet and television."
It concluded that “as it condemns all types of terrorism; state, individual and extremist groups, the ICCI appeals to the entire world to live in peace, respect human rights and shun violence and create a just society where atrocities like these can not flourish.”
