DOHA,
September 23 (IslamOnline.net) – French Foreign Minister Michel
Barnier sent a letter to Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi Thursday, September
23, thanking the prominent Muslim scholar for his “vehement
condemnation” of the abduction of two French journalists and other
civilians in Iraq.
“With
such a clear condemnation of the abduction of the French hostages, you
have sent a clear-cut message demonstrating respect for the tenets of
Islam,” Barnier said in a message, a copy of which was obtained by
IslamOnline.net.
On
August 28, an Iraqi group calling itself “the Islamic Army in
Iraq” threatened to kill two French reporters, Christian Chesnot of
the Radio France and Georges Malbrunot of Le Figaro newspaper if the
French government did not cancel the hijab-banning law in state
schools.
“Muslims
are forbidden from kidnapping innocent people who have nothing to do
with wars,” Qaradawi said in the appeal, released on September 9.
France
still launches a flurry of diplomacy to help release the two
journalists. Barnier visited a number of Arab countries to rally
support for freeing the duo.
“Warm
Welcome”
“I
have just wrapped up a visit to the Middle East as part of efforts to
release the French reporters held hostage in Iraq and I was keen to
express my heartedly thanks on the warm welcome I received during our
meeting in Cairo,” Barnier added.
During
a meeting with the French foreign minister in Cairo, Qaradawi, known
for his moderate views and is a familiar face in many world Islamic
events, condemned the abduction of the two French journalists.
The
prominent Muslim scholar, who is also head of the International
Association of Muslim Scholars (IAMS), reiterated at the meeting that
Islam forbids abduction of foreigners, especially those undertaking
humanitarian missions.
French
Muslims
 |
|
Qaradawi
|
Barnier
also praised Muslim community in France for their solidarity with the
government over the abduction.
“The
reaction of the French Muslims was a show of loyalty to the French
nation,” he said in the letter.
The
Muslim community in France vigorously condemned on August 29, the
kidnapping of the two reporters, saying it was “shattered” by the
extremists’ “unworthy
and odious blackmail”.
The
Muslim leaders in the country including Althuhami Ibriz, the chairman
of the Union of French Islamic Organizations (UOIF) and Dalil
Boubakeur, the chairman of the French Council for the Muslim Religion
(CFCM) repeatedly called for a swift release of the French hostages,
warning such widely-hyped practices could trigger a backlash.
A
French Muslim mission had also traveled on September 1, to the Iraqi
capital Baghdad in an effort to secure the release of the two French
hostages.
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Read…
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Stance on Killing Captives
Even
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