ICC Note:

A Sunni Islamic body, Al-Alzhar, condemned the extrajudicial murder of Jordanian Christian writer, Nahed Hattar. The killer was arrested and his actions were condemned by the moderate religious body. The gunman is a 39-year old mosque preacher. While it is encouraging that an Islamic group condemns extrajudicial killings, they still reject any “insult” towards Islam because of the “strife” that can develop in society. Even moderate Islamic groups will not condemn the blasphemy laws used at the whim of the accusers.

09/27/2016 Egypt (Ahram Online) – Egypt’s Al-Azhar condemned on Monday the killing of Jordanian writer Nahed Hattar, who was shot on Sunday in Amman prior to his trial on charges related to sharing an “anti-Islam” caricature on social media.

Al-Azhar – the world’s oldest seat of Sunni Islamic learning – said in a statement that killings independent of the judiciary and the rule of law are “completely unacceptable” and prohibited in Islamic Sharia law.

The religious body stressed on the importance of addressing “twisted thoughts” through the “moderate” teachings that Al-Azhar has adopted throughout its history.

Al-Azhar added, however, that it rejects any “insult” to Islam as this can cause strife between members of society.

Hattar was shot outside the court where he was set to attend a session for his trial on charges of “contempt of religion” over his sharing on social media of a caricature deemed as insulting Islam.

The gunman, a 39-year-old working as a mosque preacher, was arrested at the scene.

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