24 May 2017
Director of UniSA’s Centre for Islamic Thought and Education, Professor Mohamad Abdalla says the murder of 22 people and the injuring of many more in Manchester on 22 May 2017 can only be described as inhuman, barbaric and despicable.
“This is a crime against humanity - it cannot be justified and must be condemned in the strongest terms,” Prof Abdalla says.
“We feel deeply for the families of the victims and offer them our heartfelt condolences.
“We stand with them, and everyone who is affronted by the indiscriminate killing of anyone, anywhere.”
Prof Abdalla says the murder of so many innocent people by Salman Ramadan Abedi betrays the spirit and law of Islam, and is unforgivable.
“The Qur’an categorically states: …if anyone kills a person - unless in retribution for murder or spreading corruption in the land - it is as if he kills all mankind, while if any saves a life it is as if he saves the lives of all mankind (5:32),” he says.
“Islamic law clearly considers anyone who is not engaged in direct combat as a civilian and innocent – and to murder innocents is against all that is sacred.
"The nature of this prohibition is so specific and well-defined that there can be no legal justification, nor can there be any religious justification, for circumventing this principle by targeting innocent people.
“In the teachings of Islam, killing innocent people is a major sin.
“Actions such as the Manchester bombing can only be seen as callous homicide.”
More information about the Centre and its goals is available here.
Contact Details: Professor Mohamad Abdalla Mohamad.abdalla@unisa.edu.au (08) 83024910
