Muslims condemn Pikit church bombing

COTABATO CITY - Muslimshave condemned the bomb attack Wednesday night on a local United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Church in Pikit, North Cotabato Wednesday night that left two dead and three wounded.Ustadz Muhammad Sulaiman of the Ulama Congress of the Philippines said attacks on places of worship should generally be condemned or denounced, as it was specifically prohibited by the Prophet Muhammad, and by all leaders of great religions.Sulaiman said some local ulama (Muslim scholars) had slated a meeting this week to discuss a fatwa (collective opinion based on the Koran and Muslim law jurisprudence) about increasing incidence of violence against peace emissaries and journalists in attacks claimed by the militant Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).The fatwa which was signed by 126 muftis (learned Muslims) was first published on a facebook page of converging signatory Muslim scholars. It’s 24-paragraph summary is specifically addressed to ISIS leader Ibrahim Awwad Al-Badri, alias ‘Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi’, thusand It is forbidden in Islam to harm or mistreat—in any way—Christians or any ‘People of the Scripture’” It is forbidden in Islam to kill the innocent” It is forbidden in Islam to kill emissaries, ambassadors, and diplomats hence it is forbidden to kill journalists and aid workers.”Doubting the Pikit attack might be ISIS-inspired,” peace worker Kadzmir Pamaran posted this statement on his facebookand Islam forbids the killing of innocent. This is pure terrorism meant to sow fear among locals. Such acts put Islam in(to) bad light. The attack should serve as eye-(opener to) those who still believe in the violence.”Also in its official facebook account, theBangsamoro Center for Justice and Peace (BCJP) strongly condemned the bombing of chapel of the UCCP) in Pikit, North Cotabato on Wednesday night, killing two persons and injuring four others (holding an evening prayer meeting).” No words were strong enough to condemn the barbaric and cruel attacks on peaceful citizens while offering prayers,” said the statement issued by Bobby Benito, BCJP director.Sulaiman said 126 Muslim scholars from different parts of the world issued fatwa against ISIS, and local ulama are trying to discuss this to keep radicalism at bay.Comments on the latest attack on a place of worship were generating a lengthy but healthy thread of discussions on Facebook among Muslim and Christian individuals.Professor Ding Dalamban of the Cotabato City State Polytechnic College commentedand Why don’t they kill their enemies instead of blasting a church. Which religion do they follow? Don’t they think they are also mortals? Also on her Facebook account, Fatima Mending Abas, an executive of an international non-government organization, posted this questionand Why do they have to include places of worship? Abas said she had experienced how it felt to lose a parent to bomb attack on a place of worship. She lost her father Engineer Makmod Mending 11 years ago, when unidentified assailants lobbed a grenade on a mosque, where he and several companions were performing the Friday congregational Muslim prayer in 2003.Lawyer Kirby Matalam of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s Humanitarian Emergency Assistance Response Team (ARMM-Heart), said the incident could be a ploy to create religious-based animosity in the locality.” Employee Guiapal Musa said, We must condemn all forms of violence and terrorism because no religion or beliefs that condon such acts.”Many threw the common question as What could be their (assailants’) religion?Radio reporter Erwin Cabilbigan said, Mga demonyo may gawa nun” (the demons did it). Another reporter, Aldwin Apostol, saidand Religion ni Satanas... To kill, to steal, and to destroy A sketchy military report said the explosive used by the unidentified attackers may have been fired from an improvised 40 mm rocket-propelling pipe through the church’s main entrance.