By Soha Elsaman, Ahmed Fathy, IOL Staff

LONDON/CAIRO, July 8, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – Imams across Britain were united Friday, July 8, in condemning the London attacks in their weekly sermons, encouraging Muslims to offer all possible assistance to the victims and authorities.

"We are so sorry that this attack is attached to Muslims. We can not imagine that a true Muslim who understands properly the teachings of Islam can commit this terrible crime against the civilians and innocent," Sheikh Ashraf Salah, imam of London Central Mosque, told attentive worshipers.

At least 50 people were killed and 700 others were wounded when four blasts four bombs tore through three underground trains and a red double-decker bus during rush hour Thursday.

"Islam strongly condemns such a sinful act," Sheikh Salah averred.

He stressed that Muslims "refuse any forms of violence, oppression, and injustice committed wrongly by anybody".

There was a heavy media presence in the major mosques across the country, particularly in London, Anwar Madi, director of the cultural center in London, told IslamOnline.net.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) and the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) have vehemently denounced the blasts and offered all possible assistance in helping the emergency services.

They have urged imams across the country to dedicate Friday sermons to condemning the attacks and to call for peace and harmony.

Sheikh Salah stressed that its is "the duty of every man and women on this earth to do his/her best being to spread security, peace and prosperity in every place on this wide planet."

He exhorted the Muslim minority to be fully cooperative with the authorities "so we may live in peace and harmony and continue to make London the tolerant and peaceful city as it is always is."

Khaled Omar, an official with the Islamic Care Center in London, echoed a similar position.

"Muslims were encouraged to visit the victims in hospitals and to donate blood," he told IOL.

He added that the administration installed banners reading "Muslims for Peace" and "Muslims against terrorism" outside the mosque.

"We also put verses from the Noble Qur'an against the killing of innocent civilians," said Omar.

He announced that the center will organize Saturday, July 9, a conference about introducing Islam.

Police guard the entrance of the central mosque in London a day after bomb attacks. (Reuters)

Mohamed Sawalha, who gave Friday prayers' sermon at London's Finsbury Park mosque, told hundreds of worshipers that whoever was behind the attacks wanted to undermine the integrationist efforts of the minority, reported Reuters.

"Some people will try to instigate anger against Muslims and try to blame us for what happened," he told hundreds of worshippers.

"These acts were aimed at destroying the work of Muslims and Muslim groups in Britain. We want to integrate with the community, and not to live like foreigners."

Sheikh Abdul-Qayyum, imam of the East London Mosque, where about 6,000 people turned out, said the perception that Muslims want to impose their way of life on others was unfair.

Branding the attacks plotters as "criminals", he said they "should be brought to justice and they should be punished without asking what is their race or religion."

"These terrible events have nothing to do with us. The Muslims of London are victims as much as their fellow citizens," said the imam.

Nazmul Hasan, is desperately trying to locate his niece, Shahera Akther Islam, who uses the underground to travel to work in the city and has been missing since early on Thursday.

"We have been trying to locate her in the hospitals and we have registered her with the police as missing but we have no information," he said.

"I am trying to keep my hopes alive for her, I am hoping she is in hospital somewhere," he said.

It was not immediately clear how many Muslims were killed or wounded in the attacks, particularly that some of the bombing occupied in Muslim-populated areas of the British capital.

• Islam, Muslims & Violence (Folder)