A rchive Date
[ 09-10-2005 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Muslims ]
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[http://www.canoe.ca/OttawaNews/os.os-04-08-0007.html
Imam: Muslims troubled
By DONNA CASEY, Ottawa Sun
Tuesday, April 8, 2003
Ottawa's top Muslim cleric is reflecting his community's frustration with "an unjust war" by calling for Iraqis to wage a holy war against American troops, a local imam said yesterday.
Calling Imam Gamal Solaiman "a very gentle man" who doesn't hold fanatical beliefs, Imam Anver Malam said the imam of the Ottawa Mosque supports the right of the Iraqi people to defend themselves.
"I will hope that the Canadian people take that he said something out of frustration as opposed to labelling him as an extreme leader," said Malam, who oversees the Jami Omar Mosque in Bells Corners.
Malam defended Solaiman's definition of jihad, saying Muslims have the right to defend themselves.
"Jihad doesn't mean to go and attack innocent people. Jihad has always meant to be used in self-defence," said Malam.
PEACEFUL MEANS
"If the majority of the Iraqi people feel that it's something they don't want, that it's aggression against their country and if they feel they are being attacked, I would think they should stand up for the cause and do self-defence," said Malam, adding local Muslims are "very sad and frustrated" watching the coalition's invasion of Iraq.
However, a local Muslim organization said opposition to the war needs to be peaceful.
"With Canadian Muslims, the feeling has always been that the war needs to be opposed in a peaceful, democratic way," said Riad Saloojee, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations Canada.
 World Fact Book (CIA)]
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