Members of the Ateneo Muslim community and the larger Davao City Muslim populace gather in a reflection and sharing session days after the Roxas Night Market blast. Photo by Karlo Alexie Puerto.
By Karlo Alexie C. Puerto
The Al Qalam Institute for Islamic Identities and Dialogue in Southeast Asia of the Ateneo de Davao University organized a reflection session last Sept. 7 with the Muslims of the Ateneo Community in memory of the Roxas Night Market blast.
Students and faculty, religious leaders and religious scholars in the larger Davao Muslim community gathered to dialogue about the supposed claims by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) that the bombing incident in Roxas Avenue last Sept. 2.
“This event will be dedicated to this task… to reflect on the message of Islam; hearing reflections from faith leaders across traditions; and joining together in prayer and call for unity in our country,” Al Qalam Institute director Datu Mussolini Lidasan said in his opening statement.
Fatima Star Lamalan, Secretary General of the Salam: Ateneo Muslim Society expressed terrorism has no religion.
“A Muslim cannot be a terrorist, a terrorist cannot be a Muslim,” she said.
“The Abu Sayyaf Group who claims to be Muslims are not Muslims. What they do is not, in any way, according to Islam. This is not Jihad Fyi Sabilillah. Muslims are also killed by these same radicalized terrorists who show a clear manifestation of ignorance in Islamic teachings. Terrorism and Extremism has no religion,” the joint statement by the Salam: Ateneo Muslim Society, Al Qalam Institute and the Muslim community of Ateneo read.
Read the whole statement in the Al Qalam website and check out the video recording of the session here.