Musallees at Claremont Main Road Mosque (CMRM) will offer special prayers for the victims and the families affected by the Pakistani school massacre, during the Jumu`ah service on Friday 19 December at 1pm.  The CMRM strongly condemned the heinous attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar that killed at least 141 people, including 132 children. The attack is considered the biggest human tragedy Pakistan may have ever seen.

“This latest atrocity points to the complete lack of respect and reverence for the sanctity and sacredness of human life by the perpetrators. Words cannot express the ignominy and cruelty of such a cowardly massacre against innocent children and teachers while they are engaged in the most virtuous acts of teaching and learning at a school. This callous act of violence reflects the contempt which the perpetrators have for the education of children in this region,” the CMRM said in a statement.

“To witness such brutality that targets innocent children shocks the conscience and should move us to deep reflection on the mindset and conditions that would dehumanize the perpetrators to commit such depravity and wanton atrocity. Nothing can justify such brutality and no grievance or cause can excuse such horror.”

Scholars unequivocally agree that violence on this scale has no place in Islam. In Islamic ethics the end does not justify the means and even in a legitimate war of self-defence the killing of children is prohibited. The CMRM has called for swift action to apprehend the suspects and bring them to justice.

“We call on the government of Pakistan and international peacekeeping forces to do more to protect the rights of all children to education. Our hearts go out to all those affected by this tragedy and we offer prayers and condolences to the parents, families and loved ones of all those killed or injured.” VOC