Ahmad Abu Laban
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Ahmad Abu Laban (
Personal life
Ahmad Abu Laban was born in 1946 in
He emigrated to Denmark in 1984 and lived there for the rest of his life. He publicly denounced terrorism and the use of violence to further the Islamic cause. Moreover, he was known to fight for social justice and help alleviate social ills, by preaching that Danish Muslims had a responsibility to better the society in which they were a part. On 19 January 2007, The Islamic Society in Denmark announced that Abu Laban had fast spreading cancer and that it was probably lung cancer.[2] Abu Laban died on 1 February 2007, aged 60.[3]
At the time of his death, Abu Laban worked as a religious advisor with The Islamic Society in Denmark. According to the organization's website, he was a member of the "Co-ordination council of Imams" in Europe.[4]
Controversy
Ahmad Abu-Laban has been declared persona non grata in the United Arab Emirates and Egypt because of his Islamist views.[5] He had been a well-known figure in the Danish media for his often radical statements about Islam and the integration of immigrants into the Danish society.
Sri Lankan researcher
Muhammad cartoons controversy
Ahmad Abu-Laban became involved in the media crisis which erupted in Denmark after the issue of the
Three additional images - allegedly sent to Ahmad Abu-Laban but never published - were added to the list of cartoons actually published in the dossier handed out during this tour. Ahmad Akkari has explained that the three drawings had been added to "give an insight in how hateful the atmosphere in Denmark is towards Muslims."[citation needed]
Other controversial comments and citations
- In his Friday sermon immediately following the September 11 attacks, he preached that "[he mourned the victims] with dry tears".[6]
- Responding to Theo van Gogh's murder, his response was publicly to criticise it. Not long after, he criticized the European abuse of free speech for the issue of the controversial film Submission of the murdered Dutch filmmaker.[7]
- When Amina Lawal from Nigeria was condemned to stoning, he refused to condemn the sentencing, considering he is not a judge and know not much about the episode.
- After a gang killing in Copenhagen, Abu Laban proposed to deter any vengeance killing by the payment of a sum of "blood money" amounting to DKR. 200,000 – or the equivalent of 100 camels, according to his calculation, in today's currency, to prevent any revenge.[8]
- "I call these people rats in holes" was his characterisation of the Danish liberal politician Naser Khader.[9]
- In his Friday prayers on 5 April 2002, Abu Laban called on his congregation to offer their lives in a jihad for the Palestinian cause.[10] Outside the mosque buses were waiting to take the congregants to a demonstration at Parliament Square, where they held up signs equating the Israelis with the nazists, and burned the Israeli flag.[11]
References
- ^ En imam med magt (in Danish)
- ^ Abu Laban critically ill with cancer (in Danish)
- ^ Abu Laban has died (in Danish)
- ^ Abu Laban at the Islamic Society in Denmark webpage Archived June 11, 2009, at the Wayback Machine (in Danish)
- ^ Abu Laban taler med to tunger (in Danish)
- ^ From Fatwa to Jihad: The Rushdie Affair and Its Legacy, Kenan Malik. Atlantic Monthly Press, June 2012.
- ^ Charlotte Aagaard, Van Gogh gik for langt, Dagbladet Information, November 12, 2004 (in Danish)
- ^ Imam proposal for blood-money appals Archived September 1, 2006, at the Wayback Machine (in Danish)
- ^ Abu Laban in his Friday sermon, February 11 2006 Archived 2014-10-23 at the Wayback Machine (in Danish)
- ^ The Stephen Roth Institute for the study of contemporary Antisemitism and racism, 2002-3 Archived June 30, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Antisemitism and Racism, Denmark Archived June 30, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
