Our duty to 'protect every house of God, says Mujahid

Alfian Z.M. Tahir Alfian Z.M. Tahir Updated 7 years ago · Published on 27 Apr 2019 10:24PM · 6 Comments

(From left) Dr Xavier Jayakumar, Mujahid Yusof Rawa and Teresa Kok show solidarity with the victims of suicide bombers in Sri Lanka, at St Mary's Cathedral in Kuala Lumpur, today. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussein, April 27, 2019.

IT is the responsibility of all those who love peace to “protect every house of God”, Islamic Affairs Minister Mujahid Yusof Rawa said today, following deadly jihadist bombings in Sri Lanka on Easter that killed nearly 300 people.

Speaking at the “Salam Sri Lanka” rally tonight, Mujahid said the world needs to stand strong against violence and spread the wings of peace.

“We may not be here by the thousands tonight but our intention to say no to violence has a huge impact on all mankind.

“I came today because of solidarity with peace. This solidarity is beyond religion and beyond race. Peace has no face because it is a part of human values.”

“Tonight I urge not just the police to protect the houses of God but we, as human beings who choose peace above anything else, must also play our part to safeguard these houses, not just the mosques but including churches, temples and other houses of worship,” he addressed the crowd near St Mary’s Cathedral in Jalan Raja, Kuala Lumpur.

Last Sunday, a little-known Islamist group in Sri Lanka gained infamy overnight when it unleashed suicide bombers on three churches holding Easter mass and three hotels. Whole congregations were killed as well as scores of tourists.

Local police said local radical group National Tawheeth Jama’ath is behind the bombings although terrorist group Islamic State has claimed responsibility.  Police have rounded up 80 suspects as they investigate the worst act of violence in the South Asian island nation since civil war ended a decade ago.

About 100 people gather at St Mary’s Cathedral in Jalan Raja, Kuala Lumpur, tonight to show support for victims of the Easter bombings in Sri Lanka last week. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussein, April 27, 2019.

Reports suggested that the attacks on Christians were retaliation to the Christchurch mosque massacre last month in New Zealand, when a lone gunman killed 50 people during Friday prayers. A 17-year-old Malaysian was among those killed.

Mujahid today said it is his responsibility as the Islamic Affairs minister to explain to the public that Islam forbids killing.

“It is my my responsibility as the minister of Islamic Affairs to tell the people that in Islam, if we murder a person, it is as though we have killed all mankind.”

“If we thought Christchurch would be the last, we were wrong. This time it is Sri Lanka. We do not know where is next but it is our responsibility as Malaysians to be united as one. Violence is not even human,” he said.

Some 100 people gathered at the cathedral tonight to show love for the victims of bomb attacks in Sri Lanka.

Acting Sri Lanka High Commissioner Majintha Jeyasinghe and lawmakers Dr Xavier Jayakumar and Teresa Kok were present. – April 27, 2019.

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Comments

  • Tears were my only response seeing Mujahid carry a banner in Chinese obviously to show solidarity with a non Muslim faith. Scenes like these are over due in Malaysia. Every religion teaches peace and love for God and nature and humanity. We cannot allow another episode like that of NZ and Sri Lanka to happen anywhere in the world.

    Posted 7 years ago by Citizen Pencen · Reply

  • Good on you Mujahid. You have regained my respect for attending and speaking out against violence and killing of others at the rallly. You lost my respect when you spoke

    Posted 7 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

    • You lost my respect when you spoke highly of Zakir Naik, the Merchant of Hatred when you last met him.

      Posted 7 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • Lets hope this is a start and more of such events to be carried out and more importantly at the local residential areas as to foster us Malaysian at large. The ill fated incident in New Zealand and Sri Lanka more of such inter faith events to be held so that each of us understand one another better. At school level such efforts much also be look into. Above are some of the initiatives at community level but more importantly are our men and women in blue and green as securities matters at the highest level of alert and surveillance more so since Malaysia is seen to be the hub of transit which be well leading to hub of activities.

    Posted 7 years ago by Teruna Kelana · Reply

  • All the display solidarity on a aftermath do not have to be in place if the bangsa dan agama of Melayu Agenda in Malaysia is best reviewed and under strict monitoring and not being an issues for any Ahmad , Ali or Din to stirr it up. As an Islamic Minister your role is to show the true faith of Islam and not inspire by a bigot and con man like Zakir Naik. Matter of factly you should be in the frontal of demands in requesting Zakir Naik to be kicked out as he is in confrontational to the Islam of Malaysia where multi racial are living in tolerance and at peace with each other. You should seriously stand in unity with the others on the request for a revoke of Zakir Naik PR status. Why should an immigrant hold the country to ransom. Just because he is a Muslim!!! Not all Muslim are extreme radical terrorists but the mayhem and the killings of many from different faith and also of Muslim faith are Muslim .!!! Now with you standing with full gusto of solidarity in the front public view is just a charade and punlicity seeking. What we need is containment actions and not mourning sympathty. Got it!!. Juz go and do your job. Call a spade as a spade and not be rendered helpless just because it is bangsa dan agama.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • Zakir Naik is a MUSLIM PREACHER so now we NON MALAYS Understand what ISLAM is all about.ISLAM IS SPREADING HATRED SHOW NO MERCY TO THE NON MALAYS that is islam according to your muslim preacher Zakir naik?????

    Posted 7 years ago by Mindy Singh · Reply