Filipino Muslims shout slogans during a protest at the Malacanang Palace in Manila yesterday.
ZAMBOANGA CITY: The Muslim elders and religious leaders cautioned their flocks from “agitators” espousing violence to show protest against the anti-Islam film “Innocence of Muslims.”
“To protest the showing of the film is considered by us as our religious duty. But we caution our people and communities not to be easily provoked and trapped to become violent in our reaction – because this kind of move or action is also contrary to the personality, the behaviour and attitude of our holy prophet,” said Sheihk Jamal Munib, chairman of the National Ulama Conference of the Philippines (NUCP), Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu chapter.
Munib told newsmen in a conference at Ma’had Moro Al Islamie Institute that appealed to the media to help them in harmonizing the differences of building humane and just society where Christians and Muslims can co-exist.
The film “Innocence of Muslims” sparked violent uproar across the Middle East and other countries, leading to the murder of a US diplomat and three of his staff members in Libya early this month. Violence showing protest and indignation on the anti-Islam film continued in other countries and in Philippines where Muslims in Marawi rallied and burned a US flag.
“We don’t want that to spill into our community,” Munib said.
The Philippine Star
