(Dagbladet): Imam Nehmat Ali Shah manage Norway’s largest mosque, Jamaat e-Ahle-Sunnat mosque in Greenland in Oslo.
The Imam has in recent weeks been sharply criticized for having shown support for an executed assassin in Pakistan.
in Pakistan he held appeal in a ceremony commemorating Mumtaz Qadri. Dagbladet confirm that the imam will continue in the job:
– I’ve talked to the imam. He will explain further about what he was doing in Pakistan. He has 25 years experience and has never supported fundamentalism. He is allowed to continue, says Chairman Ghulam Sarwar in Central Jamaat-e-Ahl Sunnat mosque in Oslo during a press conference in Oslo.
– Participated as an individual
Qadri was executed on 29 February, about five years after he killed Salman Taseer, governor of Punjab, because Taseer would soften country’s draconian blasphemy laws. The killer was part of Taseer life guard force.
Governance Management at the mosque said the imam must regret their support for the assassin, though he will continue in his position.
– We have always condemned terrorism, whether it is a synagogue in Norway or a mosque abroad, says Imam through an interpreter.
The case has been going on in the five years since the murder.
– We have never participated in any of the numerous protests that have been going in support of the killer. In Pakistan, I attended as a private individual on a marking 40 days after the funeral.
– Norwegian laws apply
Via interpreter says imam Nehmat Ali Shah that he respects Norwegian laws and that he does not support those who take the law into their own hands.
– The focus has been on only a picture of that I’ve been somewhere, but it’s a misunderstanding. Down there I participated in no tribute of a killing action, but talked about the importance of unity.
The press conference is interrupted by a several minute long prayer, before continuing again.
– I have been employed at the mosque since 1992. We have always stressed that Norway is the Norwegian laws that apply.
– When it comes to the issue that has come up: we are opposed to any action that is against the law and against the people taking the law into his own hands, he said.
Imam prompted he is against changing the strict blasphemy laws in Pakistan, which was the motive for the killing .
– Blasphemy laws are peacekeeping and prevents that I as a Muslim or Christian or Jew is subjected to unfounded defamation.
Shah also held appeal as a hundred Norwegian Pakistanis held a supporting markup Qadri in Oslo earlier this year.
Appeal in Oslo
Several Norwegian-Pakistani community debaters have reacted strongly to an influential imam in a Norwegian mosque attending commemorations for a fundamentalist who committed a religious motivated assassinations.
on March 6, attended imam Shah, an appeal during a demonstration in support of the gunman outside the Pakistani embassy in Oslo. Other members of the mosque demonstrated, according to Aftenposten.
– What happened, happened in Pakistan. We were just the contrary that he was executed. He was executed very quickly, at night, except he got the rights he should have, said Shah told the newspaper when asked why they demonstrated.
Prayer Marking
March 27 held Imam also an appeal during a prayer marking for Qadri in Rawalpindi in Pakistan. The newspaper he said later that he gave a speech in support of the killer, but he just stood up to pray for him.
– I participated in the last rites held for a dead person, so I was there and prayed for him, said Shah told Aftenposten.
Both Chairman Ghulam Sarwar in Central Jamaat Ahle-Sunnat and Shah emphasized that the imam’s participation in marking in Pakistan was a private errand.
Shah, however, was in front of thousands of attendees introduced as imam in Greenland Mosque.
More has claimed the imam’s departure, and chairman of the mosque have distanced themselves from his behavior and said that the becomes a matter for the board.
Aftenposten writes that Pakistan’s ambassador to Norway, Riffat Masood, also believes Shahs involvement is problematic.
In 2014, Imam subjected to an attempted murder with a knife outside the mosque in Greenland in Oslo.
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