The attack on the church of Peshawar in Pakistan is “a disgrace to Islam and to all humanity. The authors of the attack are cowards and terrorists. Even if they are Muslims, they cannot be considered members of the Islamic community,” said Suhail Lokhandwala, an Indian Islamic leader, who along with other Muslims took part in a meeting with bishops in Mumbai to condemn the massacre that claimed the lives of nearly 100 people and injured more than 130.

The meeting took place on Wednesday at the Archbishop’s Palace. In addition to Lokhandawala, a former chairman of the Minorities Commission, other Islamic leaders were present at the meeting with Mgrs Bishop Agnelo Gracias and Dominic Savio Fernandes, auxiliary bishops of Mumbai. Minorities Commission Vice President Janet D’Souza was also in attendance.

“As a follower of the Prophet Muhammad and a devotee to Allah,” said Lokhandawala, “I remember that true Islam does not endorse any kind of violence. The Christian and Catholic communities have our full solidarity.”

The other Muslim leaders also noted that “wherever Islam is the majority, it has a duty to protect minorities.”

For his part, Mgr Fernandes pointed out that “we Catholics do not condemn the entire Muslim community for this attack. Terrorists have no religion; there is only hatred in their hearts. This is why we must fight terrorism with the weapons of prayer and love. They are the only tools with which we can transform the hatred of these people in love.”

The prelate went on to tell AsiaNews that the Peshawar massacre “is not only a crime against humanity, but against the same God that these people claim to represent. Anyone who is capable of doing something so vile has no religion.”

– asianews