EULEMA Condemns Bondi Shooting and Expresses Solidarity with the Jewish Community in Australia
The European Council of Muslim Leaders EULEMA shares the public statement condemning the Bondi shooting and expressing solidarity with the victims of the Jewish community in Australia.
Together with the Councils of Imams and the Australian Muslim community we “stand together in unity, compassion, and solidarity, rejecting violence in all its forms and affirming our shared commitment to social harmony”. “These acts of violence and crimes have no place in our society. Those responsible must be held fully accountable and face full force of the law” (Public statement of the Asutralian National Imams Council ANIC and the Council of Imams NSW.)
We firmly reject antisemitism in all its forms, just as we reject Islamophobia, racism, and every manifestation of religious or ethnic hatred. Violence can never be justified by political tensions, ideological disagreements, or global events. Upholding the sanctity of human life and the rule of law must remain a shared moral responsibility.
The Jewish community, like all religious communities, has the inalienable right to live in safety, security, and mutual respect in their religious dignity and practice. EULEMA expresses solidarity with the Jewish community in Australia and extends our sincere sympathy to all those affected by this heinous act. To murder persons during a religious service of Hanukkah is a blasphemous attack that goes against any religious principle. As our colleague mufti Faid Muhammad Said from London wrote:
We praise the Australian citizen Ahmed al Ahmed who bravely disarmed one of the gunmen as a symbol and a hero of justice. At this critical time, it is incumbent upon leaders, institutions, and communities to stand united against hatred and to reaffirm our collective commitment to peace and freedom of religion.
EULEMA is glad to quote also Al-Azhar al-Sharif statement condemning the attack in Sydney:
Al-Azhar Al-Sharif expresses its deepest sorrow and strongest condemnation of the heinous mass shooting that occurred today at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, during a Hanukkah celebration attended by families and community members. According to official reports, the attack resulted in the loss of 15 lives and left at least 42 others injured, including civilians and two police officers. Authorities have described the attack as a terrorist anti-Semitic attack.
Al-Azhar also praises the Muslim unarmed civilian who intervened to stop one of the shooters, tackling and disarming him and thereby helping prevent further loss of lives. This brave act of courage and self-sacrifice reflects the best of our shared humanity and the power of individuals to counter hatred with compassion.
Al-Azhar asserts that killing civilians of any religious or ethnic background is prohibited, as Allah states in the Qur’an: “That is why We ordained for the Children of Israel that whoever takes a life—unless as a punishment for murder or mischief in the land—it will be as if they killed all of humanity”. The Prophet (PBUH) once stood for a passing funeral. When he was asked it is for a Jew, he replied: “Isn’t he a (human) soul?!”
