Today we awake to news of a cowardly and murderous attack on worshippers in a Mosque in the Sinai region of Egypt.

Initial reports indicate over 200 fatalities and 100s of injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured, the families of all affected by this tragedy and the Egyptian people.

In the Holy Quran, Allah, Most Exalted clearly prohibits the slaying of innocents, “whosoever slayeth a person…it shall be as though he had slain all mankind, and whosoever bringeth life to one it shall be as though he had brought life to all mankind.”[Quran 5:32].

AFIC President, Dr Rateb Jneid said “Our hearts are with the victims and their families today. We send our prayers and supplications to all those impacted and to our Egyptian brothers and sisters. These were innocent people who were in a place of worship on the holiest day of the week. For someone to attack a Mosque on a Friday is barbaric and shows that these criminals have no conscience whatsoever.”

AFIC condemns in the strongest possible terms such actions whether they target places of worship or not or whether they target Muslims or non-Muslims. The events overnight in Egypt are further proof that the criminals who commit such acts do not care about such distinctions. Despite what they may say their actions speak for themselves.