September 11, 2002

As American Muslims and scholars of Islam, we wish to restate our conviction that peace and justice constitute the basic principles of the Muslim faith. We wish again to state unequivocally that neither the al-Qaeda organization nor Osama bin Laden represents Islam or reflects Muslim beliefs and practice. Rather, groups like al-Qaeda have misused and abused Islam in order to fit their own radical and indeed anti-Islamic agenda. Usama bin Laden and al-Qaeda's actions are criminal, misguided and counter to the true teachings of Islam. We call on people of all faiths not to judge Islam by the actions of a few.

We believe in justice and peace for both Israelis and Palestinians. We are convinced that security for Israel can only be achieved by justice for Palestinians. Today, a modicum of justice requires the establishment of an independent Palestinian state through the exercise of Palestinian self-determination. We believe that the continued occupation of Palestinian territories, and Israel's repeated disregard of international law, have made life in the occupied territories unbearable. We say most clearly, however, that the killing of innocent civilians, whether Christian, Muslim, or Jewish, is always wrong and is forbidden in Islamic law and ethics. Illegitimate means can never be justified by a desirable or noble goal.

On this first anniversary of the tragedy of September 11, we call on all people of conscience to denounce violence and to work peacefully for the creation of a better world. We also urge our government leaders to work for peace, justice, liberty, and democracy around the globe.

Signatures:

Radwan Masmoudi
Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy

Abdulwahab Alkebsi
Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy

Louay Safi
Center for Balanced Development

Muqtedar Khan
Adrian College

Jamal Barzinji
International Institute for Islamic Thought

Abdulaziz Sachedina
University of Virginia

Najah Kadhim
International Forum for Islamic Dialogue, London

Aziz al-Taee
Iraqi American Council

Sheila Musaji
The American Muslim

Shahed Amanullah
United Muslims of America, Fremont, CA

Omar Bouderdaben
North Austin Muslim Community Center

Nor Azurah Zakaria
Sisters-in-Islam Forum Malaysia

Shaikh Kabir Helminski
The Mevlevi Order, The Threshold Society

Kamran A. Bokhari
The University of Texas at Austin

Robert D. Crane
Center for Understanding Islam

Gray Henry
Fons Vitae/Islamic Texts Society

Ahmed Abdalla
Islam-on-line

Avis Asiye Allman
Independent Scholar, New York City

Mahin Khatami
Medical Scientist

Asma Afsaruddin
University of Notre Dame

Mahir Haroun
Reliable Financial Services, LLC

Hajj Muhammad Legenhausen
Qom, Iran

Mohammed Sharif
University of Rhode Island

Mahmoud Sadri
Texas Woman's University

M. Mobin Shorish
Prof. Emeritus, Urbana, Il

Abdelhamid Lotfi
Mohammed V University, Rabat - MOROCCO

Mokhtar Benabdallaoui
University of Hassan II - Morocco

Lily Yazdi
(Individual)

Zaineb Istrabadi
Indiana University

S. Abdallah Schleifer
Adham Center, American University in Cairo

A. Nooruddeen Durkee
Green Mountain School

Noora I. Durkee
Green Mountain School

Syed Nasar
University of Kentucky

Louis Cantori
University of Maryland - Baltimore College

Charles E. Butterworth
University of Maryland

John Esposito
Georgetown University

Tamara Sonn
College of Williams and Mary

Antony T. Sullivan
Fund for American Studies

John Duke Anthony
National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations

Loucia Isaac Seropian
Haigazian University - Beirut

Nancy Roberts
Amman, Jordan

John O. Voll
Georgetown University

David Osgood
Cairo, Egypt

Mary Ann Fadae
Christian Theological Seminary

Fred Dallmayr
University of Notre Dame

Jillian Schwedler
University of Maryland

David Burrell
University of Notre Dame

Robert Olson
University of Kentucky

Moina Noor
AMILA, Bay Area, California

A.S. Hashim
MD Islamic Education Center, Potomac, MD

Daniel Micallef
University of Texas in Austin

Svend A. White
CSID, Doha, Qatar

Amina Rasul Magbassa
Kita Foundation, Philippines

Hassan Shi
Aga Khan University

Mirza Moin Baig
Houston Mosque, TX

Mohammed el-Sheikh
U.S. Air Force

Kama L. Abdul-Khalik
Muslim Students Association

Arshad Khan
National Press Club

Lobna Ismail
Connecting Cultures

Muhammad Sannah
Islamic Society of W. Maryland

Ikbal Akhtar
Tulane University

Hasan Mohamed
Islamic Center of Irving

H. Anjim Khan
al-Huda School/Islamicbookstore.com
Ismail Abdul
Alim al-Fajr Masjid

Sulayman Abdul-Mussawer
Masjid an-Nur, Boston, MA

Ali A. Aatz
Islamic Association of Greater Hartford

Rashid Makhdoom
American Muslim Council

Tooba Mayel
Alexandria, VA

Khursheed Mallick
IMANA

M. Salim Chowdhrey, MD
Livingston, N.J.

Mehar N Chowdhrey, MD
Livingston, N.J.

Mohamed Osman
Charlotte, N.C.

Mohamed Jarbu
Charlotte, N.C.

Manzoor Husain
Durham, N.C.

Muhammad Sayeed
ICNA, New York

Ashraf Khan
New York

Muhammad Feroz
Orlando, FL

M. Husam
Arkansas

Masood A. Sheikh
N. Andover, MA

Katam Falou
Maple Grove, MN

Karim Pathan
Raleigh, N.C.

Shoukat Ali
ISCJ, New Jersey

Aishe Syed
Richmond, B.C.

Michael Wolfe
Santa Cruz, CA

Ridwanur Rahman Olney, MD Areeb Quasem Silver Spring, MD Rana Khandekar Atlanta, GA Mariam Kazemi Islamic Relief, Los Angeles, CA Rahmatullah Syed Montpellier, VT Shan Haq Pakistan Tabasum Saeed Edison, NJ Bibi A. Khan Farmingdale, NY A. L. Poonawalla No. Brunswick, NJ David Haula Fairfax, VA Quarashia al-Shehab Dar-ul-Islah, NJ Akber Mohammed Masjid al-Madina, OH Najib Abdul-Haq Atlanta, GA Shamiul Islam Nashville, TN Hamid Saeed Pakistan Inayat I. Lalani AMC - Dallas Fort Worth Chapter Maliha Mohiuddin Manlius, New York Jawaid Ahsah Nashville, TN Abeda Haque Muslim Community Center of MD S. Arif Rizvi IMA Ahsan Siddiq ISNA Syed Ahmed ISNA Mariyam Imran ISNA Khalid Chatta MCCGP/ISNA Abdul Rahman Rasheed Masjid al-Islam, CT Kareem Irfan Chicago, IL Hamza Kashif Alexandria Comm. Co. Samira Hussein Muslims of Montgomery County Ismail Obeidallah Bowie, MD Aftab Mack AMAL press (UK) Ramzieh Azmeh ISNA Shali al-Khatib NIH Ayesha Mohamed NYC, NY Michael Toler SUNY Binghamton Mohamed Nimer Council on American-Islamic Relations Mediha Ozdindar Orange, California Imam Talal Eid Islamic Center of New England, Quincy, MA Osman Bakar Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding Wanda Krause University of Exeter Gasser Auda Islamic American University Mohammed Abu-Nimer American University Rachid Tlemçani Institute of Political Science, Algiers, Algeria Mahjabeen Islam, M.D. United Muslim Association of Toledo Janet McElligott Washington, DC Val Moghadam Director, Women's Studies, Illinois State University Aslam Abdullah Editor, the Minaret and the Muslim Observer Amir Hussain California State University, Northridge Mustafa Amier Haytham Mouzahem Al-Mustaqbal newspaper, Beirut-Lebanon Aly R. Abuzaakouk ARA Media Services Michael Kirtley President, The Friendship Caravan, Inc. Khaled Abou El Fadl UCLA School of Law, Los Angeles, CA Rima Pavalko University of Maryland ______________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________________ * Organizations for identification only (partial list as of Sept. 5)