Democracy Activists

"They try to portray us as a pro-Israeli movement, in the sense that we have a higher regard for them than our nation. We are accepting them as a people, as part of the people of the world."

"I strongly condemn this latest terrorist attack on the United States. It only deserves condemnation and contempt, and it must be condemned by every person in the world. I believe that before America’s leaders and people respond to this heinous assault, I would like to express that they surely understand why such a terrible event occurred and how similar tragedies can be avoided in the future."

"The Qur’an declares that one who takes a life unjustly has, in effect, taken the lives of humanity as a whole, and that one who saves a life has, in effect, saved the lives of humanity as a whole."

"The world should be assured that, although there may always be some who exploit any religion for their interests, Islam does not approve of terrorism in any form. Terrorism cannot be used to achieve any Islamic goal. No terrorist can be a Muslim, and no true Muslim can be a terrorist. Islam orders peace, and the Qur’an demands from each true Muslim that he or she be a symbol of peace and support the maintenance of basic human rights. If a ship is carrying nine criminals and one innocent person, Islam does not allow the ship to be sunk to punish the nine criminals, for doing so would violate the innocent person’s rights."

"I would like to stress that any terrorist activity, no matter who does it and for what purpose, is the greatest blow to peace, democracy, humanity, and all religious values. For this reason, no one—and certainly no Muslims – can approve of any terrorist activity."

"As witnessed throughout history in Turkey and elsewhere, one method used by despotic leaders to maintain their dominance is to exploit differences within society and pit different groups against each other. Regardless of their religious beliefs or outlook on life, citizens must be able to unite around their universal rights and freedoms and to oppose those who violate these rights through democratic means."

"Expressing oneself against oppression is a democratic right, a civic duty, and a religious obligation for believers. The Quran states that people should not remain silent in the face of injustice: “O you who have believed, be upholders of justice and bear witness to the truth for Allah, even against yourselves, your parents, and your relatives” (4:135). Exercising one's fundamental freedoms, especially the freedom to live and express oneself according to one's beliefs or outlook, provided that it does not harm others, constitutes a true human being. Freedom is a right bestowed upon humanity by God, and no one can take it away. A person deprived of their freedom is not living a truly human life. Contrary to the claims of political Islamists, Islam is not a form of government or an ideology related to governance; it is a religion. It may preach certain principles related to governance, but these principles constitute a very small percentage of the totality of its preached principles. Reducing Islam to a political ideology is a great crime against the spirit of Islam."

"The forces of radical Islam derive their ideology from radical clerics like Gülen, who is running a scam. We should not provide him safe haven. In this crisis, it is imperative that we remember who our real friends are."

"Voices of concern about this shady character are quickly muffled by his vast network of public relations and legal professionals. He has established a false façade that he is a moderate at odds with Turkey’s leader."

"Gülen’s vast global network has all the right markings to fit the description of a dangerous sleeper terror network. From Turkey’s point of view, Washington is harboring Turkey’s Osama bin Laden."

"For those of us who have closely studied the careers of Seyed Qutb and Hasan al Bana, the founders and followers of the Muslim Brotherhood, Gülen’s words and activities are very familiar."

"Gülen portrays himself as a moderate, but he is in fact a radical Islamist. He has publicly boasted about his “soldiers” waiting for his orders to do whatever he directs them to do. If he were in reality a moderate, he would not be in exile, nor would he excite the animus of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his government."

"The primary bone of contention between the U.S. and Turkey is Fethullah Gülen, a shady Islamic residing in Pennsylvania whom former President Clinton once called his “friend” in a well circulated video."

"I pray for mercy and forgiveness from God Almighty to those who lost their lives in this tragic incident, patience and fortitude to those who lost their relatives, speedy recovery to our injured citizens, and safe rescue of our citizens waiting to be rescued under the rubble."

"I believe that our nation will take care of our earthquake-affected citizens who are homeless, homeless and in need of all kinds of assistance in this snow and winter, with a spirit of mobilization. I wish patience, strength and fortitude to the search and rescue teams responding to the disaster."

"Disasters and calamities remind us not only to take all kinds of precautions within the framework of the reasons, but also to help each other in a spirit of unity, to lend a hand to those in need, and to pray to God Almighty to protect our country and all humanity from all kinds of disasters."

"I offer my condolences to our nation, especially to the relatives of those who lost their lives."

"I learned with deep sorrow that the 7.7 magnitude earthquake centered in Kahramanmaraş shook the provinces of Hatay, Adana, Gaziantep, Malatya, Kilis, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa and Osmaniye, as well as some regions of our neighbor Syria, that many of our people died and that there were people waiting to be rescued under the rubble."

"May God Almighty have mercy on those who lost their lives in this tragic incident; I hope that those whose property and property were damaged will be able to quickly compensate for their losses, and I hope that it will give strength and fortitude to the rescue teams responding to these fires. May God protect our country and all humanity from all kinds of disasters."

"I would like to take this opportunity to express my condolences to all our people, especially the relatives of those who lost their lives. In addition to the loss of life and property caused by these fires, the loss of forests, which are the lungs of our country, is a separate source of suffering for me. I hope this sad picture will prompt us all to be more sensitive about protecting the natural riches, which are a blessing from God Almighty."

"I have learned with deep sadness that four people lost their lives, many people were displaced from their homes and workplaces, and a large forest area was damaged due to fires that occurred in different cities of Turkey."

"I pray to the Most Merciful God for a peaceful resolution to this dispute between two neighboring countries as soon as possible."

"I wish God's mercy to the martyrs who lost their lives in these clashes, and I wish patience and fortitude to their families and all the people of Armenia and Azerbaijan."

"I learned with great sadness about the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh region."

"The challenges of responding to the pandemic and altering our lives might push some of us to seek people to blame or to criticize. As we enter Ramadan, it is paramount that we devote ourselves to helping those in need, rather than finding others to blame. Even as people, groups or nations with whom we have had past differences may be suffering, each of us must reject as inhumane the thought that anyone deserved a calamity."

"This period also forces us to rely on the internet and the technologies built upon it. Our young generations have been well-versed in these technologies ahead of their parents. Throughout history, messengers of God and those who strive for the enlightenment of humanity always used the available cultural tools and practices to spread their messages. We also must take this time to connect with our communities in new ways, including making our spiritual resources accessible to younger generations using their language and their familiar technologies."

"Each of us should take the extra time and space afforded by the pandemic's social distancing measures as an opportunity for further examination of our connection with God, our families and our core values. This time offers a mandatory retreat from the busy nature of our daily lives and a chance to turn toward God, deepening our faith, knowledge and practice. I hope that imams will offer reminders about these opportunities to their congregations."

"Perhaps the most difficult obligation for many, though, will be forgoing the long-planned gatherings of the season, in order to comply with precautions issued by authorities. But following these measures is a duty of our citizenship and a necessity of our social responsibility to respect God’s laws in the universe. For instance, the Prophet Muhammad — whose belief and trust in God was beyond description — even advised quarantining a town in the event of an infectious disease."

"Our obligation to help and support those in need also takes on added meaning this year as our neighbors and communities face sickness, grief, economic hardship and the loneliness of self-isolation."

"And this year, our prayers will include special emphasis on the health care workers, emergency workers and other essential employees who are on the front lines of the fight to protect our communities. In the eyes of God, saving human lives and benefitting humanity are most noble endeavors: The Quran likens saving a life to saving the whole of humanity, and the Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be God’s peace and blessings) says that the best of humans are those who benefit other humans."

"Even as the world grapples with COVID-19, the yearly rituals of Ramadan will continue. Throughout the holy month, most of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims will fast between dawn and sunset, spend time in Quranic recitation, self-reflection and prayer in an effort to become closer to God, and give thanks for our blessings. But this year, the prescribed exceptions from fasting for young children, travelers, pregnant mothers and anyone who is sick will now be extended to those feeling symptoms of COVID-19."

"Ramadan still began on Thursday evening, though, and in the early hours on Friday morning, households gathered, as they have for centuries, to share a sleepy suhur — the pre-dawn meal."

"The Muslim holy month of Ramadan will be different this year. Around the world, mosques will be closed, when they would normally have worshipers spilling out onto the street. Extended families will remain apart, when they would typically gather for Iftar to break the fast and share homemade treats. And shopping malls, cafes and streets will be eerily quiet, when they would normally come alive after dark."

"On this tragic occasion, I offer my condolences to all Muslims worldwide and to the people of New Zealand who lost their citizens. May God help and assist all those who sincerely fight terrorism, including government officials and civil society organizations, and all those who strive to spread love and brotherhood among people."

"The most important pillar of any effort to address a solution is to remember and internalize our shared identity as humans. The cure for the disease of people driven by fear and hatred, who attack those they perceive as different, lies in establishing a global understanding of the value of all people through dialogue and education."

"This heinous attack, which occurred during Friday prayers, a holy day considered a weekly holiday for Muslims, unfortunately added another to the string of terrorist attacks targeting mosques, churches, synagogues, and other places of worship around the world in recent months. The underlying psychology of prejudice, fear, and hatred, which manifests itself in various forms such as Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, anti-Christianity, xenophobia, and other forms, is a human problem. Regardless of the understanding or belief behind which it is perpetrated, terrorism is, in fact, brutality, and the solution lies in the collective efforts of humanity."

"I learned with deep sorrow of the terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, which resulted in the deaths of 49 people and the injuries of 20. I strongly condemn this heinous attack and pray that God Almighty has mercy on the innocent victims, grants patience to their families, and grants a speedy recovery to the injured."

"A society's leaders are like cream on a liquid. The essence of liquid is the essence of cream. The cream of milk comes from milk, the cream of yogurt from yogurt, and the cream of alum from alum. The leaders of a society, while perhaps not always with 100% accuracy, reflect the beliefs and values ​​of that society as a whole. I hope and pray that the recent tragic events in Muslim-majority countries will lead to a collective awakening and lead to democratically minded leaders and governments that defend both free and fair elections and all fundamental human rights and freedoms."

"Democracy and human rights are currently suspended in Turkey. As a predominantly Muslim country, it appears to have missed a historic opportunity to achieve democracy at European Union standards."

"I will be part of the process (former Prime Minister Najib Razak's request for a royal pardon) and on the matters of the awarding of honorific titles and pardons, that is the prerogative of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. We don't have to debate this in public because we have to go through that process."

"I have to give credit to the new prime minister for not interfering with the judiciary. I appeal to Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi to make the necessary reforms."

"We will fight. When we take over the country, the first thing we will do is to bring down the price of fuel."

"We consider the NEP (New Economic Policy) is obsolete. I always say the NEP benefits the few family members of the ruling establishment and their cronies. So we stop this practice of awarding tenders, projects and privatization to family-related companies and cronies only at states where we are in charge."

"We also realize there is a new generation of Malaysians who were too young to remember the Reformasi movement that started a decade ago. Reaching out to them will happen in large part through technology."

"Thank God justice has prevailed I have been vindicated."

"No power on earth can stop the power of the people."

"All over again, after 15 years, they want to put me in the lockup and that is why they are rushing."

"Just because they are putting me in prison now I can’t announce my retirement. If I retired during the Federal courts deliberation then they would say it is a matter of conceding defeat. I have to then declare that I will fight."

"Most of Malaysia does not believe that I will get a fair trial or a decision based on the facts of the law. But I want to show young people that (my conviction) is a small price to pay in the struggle for freedom and justice."

"I will walk again for the third time into prison but rest assured that I will walk in with my head held high. I maintain my innocence."