News - Terrorists Not Muslims, Say Sultan, Aregbesola

[TGD]

 PERSONS who hide under the cover of Islam to perpetrate crimes should be treated as common criminals, said Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, and the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar.

The Sultan spoke in Osogbo on Friday during a dinner organised in his honour by the state government.

The monarch, who reiterated that Islam remains a religion of peace and development, expressed delight at the governor's strides in carrying along residents of the state, irrespective of religious or ethnicity leaning.

He said: "Those, who claim to be doing what they are doing, in terms of terrorism, in the name of Islam, are on their own. They are not doing anything for Islam or Muslims, but for themselves. And they must be treated for what they are – common criminals. Nothing more, nothing less!

"That is why when I hear people refer to these terrorists as Islamic terrorists, I always feel bad. I have said it so many times that Islam does not approve terrorism or the taking of anybody's life.

"As Muslims, it is our duty to do what is right as required by the holy Qur'an and the Sunnah of Holy Prophet Muhammad. When we do right, Allah will continue to help us."

Aregbesola said a Muslim, who promotes chaos and disharmony in the land is far from the teachings of Islam, and therefore far from being a Muslim. He noted that a good Muslim is supposed to exemplify the best in conduct through accommodation, tolerance and forbearance.

He said: "Any Muslim that promotes conflict, contradiction and crisis is a heretic. I should not use that word because it is wrong to say that somebody is not a Muslim.

But I want to say without equivocation that a Muslim that promotes hatred, bitterness and discord is very far from Islam.

"And he is, therefore, a heretic; somebody, who is not acting according to the code of conduct and ethics of Islam. God does not need a helper. He did not require a helper to create us. How would he need helpers to punish an offender?"



The Guardian