On Friday September 28, 2001, during the sermon in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, PA Mufti, Sheikh Ikrima Sabri, called upon Muslims tooppose the U.S. coalition against terrorism and encouraged them not to fear the U.S. Following are excerpts from the sermon:
"Oh Muslims, oh brothers, believers, everywhere, our Prophet used to deal in Friday's sermons with current events of his time and I will follow him and also discuss some religious rulings connected to the current international events following the [attacks] that took place in America on the 11th of this month."
"First, there is a religious legal rule that man is innocent, namely, in Islam, a human being is innocent until he is proven guilty. It is not allowed to blame a human being and then tell him 'prove you're innocent.' Therefore we tell America: 'It is forbidden to accuse a person before the beginning of the investigation.'"
"Until now, the American administration could not present proof to convict the accused in the [attacks] in New York and Washington, [because] it is possible that there are other elements inside America who carried out these [attacks]. [Since] those who flew the planes were professionals and had significant technical knowledge."
"Second, Allah says: 'It is forbidden to throw on one person the burden of another.' Therefore, we are not allowed from the legal religious point of view to throw on a person the responsibility for a deed done by another person. It is forbidden from the legal religious point of view to kill innocents, since the comprehensive war does not leave out anything; it kills innocents, it burns trees, it destroys homes and economies."
"The aggressor will not be secure in his country, just like the party that was attacked. In as much as it is forbidden to kill innocents in America, it is forbidden to kill innocents in Palestine, Pakistan, Afghanistan and other countries."
"Third, our Prophet says in a long tradition (Hadith): 'It is forbidden for a Muslim to go against another Muslim, against his life, his properties, and his honor (wife).' It is forbidden from the religious legal aspect that a Muslim would kill another Muslim; this killing is regarded as a severe sin. There are tens of verses, and hundreds of traditions that forbid it. It is far more sinful for a Muslim to ask for the help of a non-Muslim to kill another Muslim. This is a grave heresy. Allah says in the 'Chapter of the Cow' [in the Koran] that 'heresy is worse than killing.' 'Preserve Allah's edicts oh rulers, and be careful with your deeds.'"
"Allah says in another verse: 'You should fear Allah if [indeed] you are believers.' In another place he says: 'Do not fear them, but me if [indeed] you are believers.' The belief is the basis for fear of Allah. He who does not fear Allah is shaken in his belief or lacks belief. We trust a Muslim who fears Allah but does not fear human beings."
"Oh Muslims, brothers in faith everywhere, from the pulpit of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque we call upon America, the superpowers and the states that aligned in a military pact, we tell all of them: 'No to war, because it brings hardships on all mankind.' [We say] no to the killing of innocents, no to the killing of elderly women and children, no to [being under your] guardianship. 'No to [your] intervention in other peoples' issues. No to imperialism, no to occupation.' We tell the Muslims: 'You have to unite around the Koran and the Sunnah [the conduct] of his messenger, the Prophet Muhammad.'"
