Two Presbyterian Church (USA) congregations were part of an interfaith group which issued a statement of condolence following the Aug. 13th deaths of a Queens, N.Y., iman and his assistant.
Fanwood Presbyterian Church in Fanwood, N.J, Somerset Presbyterian Church in Somerset, N.J., the Temple Beth El of Somerset, the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge and the Islamic Society of Central Jersey wrote that they were “deeply saddened at the cold-blooded assassination.”
The statement continued by saying “we join our Muslim brothers and sisters in offering the traditional Islamic prayer: Inna lillahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Raji’un (2:156) ‘We surely belong to God and to Him we shall return’ and remember the biblical assurance that ‘all people belong to God’ whose presence is with those ‘who lie down with the dead. (Psalms 24:1 and 139:7)'”
Iman Maulama Akonjee, 55, and his assistant, 64-year-old Thara Uddin, were fatally shot as they were walking home following the midday prayers at Al-Furqan Jame Masjid mosque. Both were wearing traditional Muslin clothing.
The statement read:
On behalf of a broad multi-faith coalition of more than 120 organizations throughout New Jersey, we are deeply saddened at the cold-blooded assassination yesterday of Imam Maulana Akonjee of the Al Furqan Jame Masjid in Queens New York and his assistant Mr. Thara Uddin who were wearing the traditional Muslim garments.
In this time of loss, we join our Muslim brothers and sisters in offering the traditional Islamic prayer: Inna lillahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Raji’un (2:156) “We surely belong to God and to Him we shall return” and remember the biblical assurance that “all people belong to God” whose presence is with those “who lie down with the dead.” (Psalms 24:1 and 139:7)
We offer our heartfelt condolences to members of the Al Furqan Jame Masjid as well as to the immediate families of the victims. We pray that God give them strength and patience to bear this tragic loss. We invite all mosques, churches, synagogues and other faith-based organizations to join us in this statement of solidarity with the AlFuqan Jame Masjid and to remember the victims in their prayer services. Messages of condolence may be sent to Al Furaqan Jame Masjid, 76-18 Glenmore Ave #20, Queens, NY 11417 or posted it here.
We urge the NYPD to pursue the perpetrator of this heinous crime and investigate every motive, including hate, and bring the murderer to justice.
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Certainly it is deplorable that these two men, Maulama Akonjee and Thara Uddin, were murdered as they were walking home, and certainly it seems that these despicable murders were motivated by hatred of Muslims. And yes, it is good that these two New Jersey churches—Fanwood and Somerset Presbyterian Churches—should express sympathy for the loved ones of the victims. But it is not good that they should express solidarity by calling Muslims their “brothers and sisters”, less still offering a prayer as if to the Muslim god Allah, as if it were offered to the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As the Apostle Paul wrote, “In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons (and daughters). And because you are sons (and daughters), God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son (or daughter), and if a son (or daughter), then an heir through God.” (Gal. 4.3-7)
Likewise, as the Apostle Matthew recorded, “While (Jesus) was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak with him. But he replied to the man who told him, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?’ And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mt. 12.46-50)
So then, we are not sons and daughters of God, save by adoption through the redemption wrought in Christ Jesus, and if we have been thus adopted, we have obligations as Kingdom children to do “good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2.10) Among these “good works” is the proclamation that salvation from sin and death is to be had only through faith in the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ (Mt. 28.18-20, Mk. 16.15-16, Jn. 3.16-18, 14.6, Acts 4.10-12, Rom. 10.9-17). “Yet we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” (Gal. 2.16)
Yet what does Islam teach? Does it not teach that salvation from sin and death is to be had only be obedience to the works of the law of Allah, as given by Muhammed? Does it not teach that Jesus of Nazareth was nothing more than a prophet that proclaimed the same things later proclaimed by Muhammed, and not the Eternal Son of the Everlasting God? Does it not teach that Jesus was taken bodily into heaven, that someone else was miraculously transformed into His appearance and likeness and crucified in His place, and that He died to atone for no one’s sins? Does it not teach that faith in the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ cannot save anyone from sin and death? So then, Islam proclaims a very different “gospel” than that which the Apostle Paul and the other authors of the New Testament proclaimed, and Paul had some not-so-very-kind words for those who do such things (Gal. 1.6-12)
What, then, does this say of supposed Christians who would find solidarity with Muslims, saying, “We join our Muslim brothers and sisters in offering the traditional Islamic prayer”? Have you not read that which was proclaimed through the Prophet Isaiah? He wrote, “Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save. Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.” (Is. 45.20-23)
Unless Muslims repent of having trusted in the word of Muhammed, of having trusted in the works of their hands to save them from sin and death, and put their trust in the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ alone for this great and mighty salvation, can we call them “brothers and sisters” in any meaningful sense. And the same can be said of nominal Christians who think that God will save anyone apart from explicit faith in the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ alone.