Grand Mufti in damage control after criticism over not condemning Paris attacks

AFTER infuriating both the Muslim community and the rest of Australia, the Grand Mufti has tried to explain his views.

AUSTRALIA’S top Muslim cleric has gone into damage control.

After having his views rejected by Muslim leaders and drawing disappointment from senior politicians, the Grand Mufti of Australia has attempted to hit back at suggestions he justified the deadly terrorist attacks in Paris.

The Australian Imams Council today released a statement addressing criticism Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamed drew for dismissing anti-terror strategies as ineffective and suggesting Islamophobia could be to blame for acts of terrorism.

The council tried to clear up the Mufti’s earlier statement, saying the reference to “causative factors”, like Islamophobia, was not justification for acts of terrorism.

“There is no justification for the taking of innocent lives,” the council said in a statement.

“The sanctity of human life is guaranteed in Islam.”

The council did not specifically condemn the Paris attacks in its statement, but referred to earlier statements condemning “all forms of terrorist violence”.

The council referred to a 2014 statement from the Grand Mufti that stated Islamic State were criminals “committing crimes against humanity and sins against God”.

“Sadly, in the Paris attacks, people of various faith backgrounds including Islam were brutally murdered,” the council said.

The Dr Mohammed’s earlier statement, which apparently attempted to shift blame for the attacks onto causes like “racism” and “Islamophobia”, angered public figures and saw prominent Muslims distance themselves from his remarks.

The line that started it all. Dr Mohammed’s earlier statement has been widely criticised.

Australia’s most senior Imam had also been criticised for not explicitly condemning the Paris attacks.

Treasurer Scott Morrison yesterday said he was “very, very disappointed for Australian Muslims”.

“I thought Australians were let down by the Mufti,” he said.

Muslim associations released statements saying the Mufti was not a spokesman for their community, and rejecting his authority.

Director of the Centre for Muslim States and Societies at the University of Western Australia, Professor Samina Yasmeen, told news.com.au the Grand Mufti was “not helping” and even suggested he take a lesson from Project host Waleed Aly, whose powerful editorial about Islamic State and the Paris attacks has gone viral.

“I just think he missed the point,” she said.

“If the Mufti would say similar to Waleed’s message that we all need to be together, that’s the message that needs to go forth.”

International Development Minister Steven Ciobo welcomed the Grand Mufti’s new statement.

“I also think it’s appropriate that there were clarifying comments made by the Grand Mufti,” he told Sky News today.

“The fact is that unfortunately his initial statement, in which he made comments and references to so-called causative factors, in other words, implying, whether he meant it or not, it implied that somehow the West was responsible for these murderous barbarians that are basically inflicting terrorism and taking the lives of innocents.

“I think that there does need to be very careful consideration in a heightened environment like this where words to matter that we get and convey the correct meaning.”

Meanwhile, independent Senator Jacqui Lambie told ABC radio an electronic tagging device should be put on the “bloody” Grand Mufti.

She also reportedly said Syrian refugees should “stay in their own country”.

Head of the Muslim Women’s Association Hajeh Maha Abdo, hit back at criticism with the hashtag #IStandWithMufti.

I am appalled, angry, frustrated & tired of the consistent noise & chaos with media making up stories & believing their...

Posted by Hajeh Maha Abdo on Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Originally published as Grand Mufti in damage control after criticism over not condemning Paris attacks