In the Name of God, the Benevolent, the Merciful

Declaration on behalf of Muslim Religious Leaders

All praise is due to God, and may He send His blessings and salutations upon our master, Muhammad, as well as upon his kin and companions.

The events in Denmark concerning the Messenger of God represent an aggressive act that has violated the highest sanctities of the Muslim people.  Moreover it is devastating to the ideal of convivial dialogue between peoples, as enjoined in the Quranic verse which reads, 'And We created you as nations and tribes that you might know one another'.

In consequence, we affirm the following:

1.      We hold up the hand of the nation that has come to the aid of the
Messenger of God, as this response on their part demonstrates that it is a nation that is still very much alive. We also point out that this "aid"
should mirror the moral code of the Prophet as reflected by the actions of his followers.

2.      We call upon the Danish government and the Danish people
to yield to the large number of objective and sincere voices emanating from within their society, by apologizing, and condemning and bringing an end to this attack. This is to ensure that Denmark is not isolated from the global community, a community that upholds the kind of freedom that prevents it from attacking and desecrating religious symbols or provoking animosity and antagonism towards any religion or race. We also extend this call to the countries that defended this attack, as there is no society today that advocates an unaccountable freedom without putting in place measures of regulation so as to prevent harm to come to others. Of course, societies differ in their levels of regulation.

3.      We affirm here that freedom of ideas is a right guaranteed by the teachings of our noble religion to those who seek clarification or desire to engage in dialogue provided that no abuse is intended, in consonance with the Quranic directive: 'And argue with them in the most courteous way'. This point has been agreed upon by all rationally-minded people and is stated clearly and categorically in the agreements on human rights.

4.      We appeal to all Muslims to exercise self-restraint in accordance with the teachings of Islam and we reject countering an act of aggression by acts not sanctioned in Islam, such as breaking treaties and breaching time-honoured agreements by attacking foreign embassies or innocent people and other targets. Such violent reactions can lead to a distortion of the just and balanced nature of our request or even to our isolation from the global dialogue. The support that we give to our Prophet will not be given by flouting his teachings.

5.      We highly esteem the unprejudiced stance taken by some religious authorities who have condemned this heinous assault. We also emphasize not holding non-Muslims accountable, whether in Muslim countries or elsewhere, for the crime committed by those who have insulted the Prophet. This principle finds its roots in the Quranic verses: 'And no soul shall bear the burden of another' and 'Is the reward for good anything but good?'

6.      We call upon the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) as well as Muslim countries and governments and the international community to press the United Nations to issue a declaration criminalizing any insult to Muhammad, Jesus or Moses or to any other revered prophetic figure.

7.      We also take this opportunity to remind the Muslims about the necessity and importance of reviving their connection with the beloved Prophet by loving him, following his example, and embodying his moral character and noble guidance. This rising-up by the Muslims in support of the Prophet should not constitute a mere reflex that ends when the occasion ends. Rather, this vocation should forever remain alive within the Muslim people.

8.      We further emphasize that it is our duty and responsibility to carry on the global dialogue and acquaint others with our Prophet by disseminating and making known his character traits, noble qualities and high moral standards. This dissemination should be manifested in both oral and written form, but most importantly it should be manifested in our conduct and interaction with others. It is also imperative that the relevant institutions as well as people of means fulfil their responsibility by supporting these efforts.

We ask God to enable us to successfully carry out that which He loves
and that which pleases Him.