A Muslim community leader in New Zealand, Mustafa Farouk, president of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, dismissed claims by the head of the country’s biggest mosque that Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency was behind the killing of 50 Muslims at two Christchurch mosques.

Mustafa Farouk stated in reply to remarks made on March 23 by Ahmed Bhamji, chairman of the Mt. Roskill Masjid E Umar mosque:  “Recent comments by this individual do not represent the views of the Muslims of New Zealand.”

On March 23, Bhamji said during a sermon, without giving any evidence: “I stand here and I say I have a very, very strong suspicion that there’s some group behind him, and I am not afraid to say I feel Mossad is behind this.”

Bhamji continued: “And not only them. There are some business houses, also, who are around … you know, Zionist business houses that are behind him.”

Thank God, these anti-Semitic suspicions were immediately rejected by the president of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, in accordance with the Qur’an’s admonition: “'Believers, be steadfast in the cause of God and bear witness with justice. Do not let your enmity for others turn you away from justice. Deal justly; that is nearer to being God-fearing."  (5:8)

Rabbi Maller's web site is: www.rabbimaller.com. He blogs in the Times of Israel. His book ‘Judaism and Islam as Synergistic Monotheisms: A Reform Rabbi's Reflections on the Profound Connectedness of Islam and Judaism’ (31 articles by Rabbi Maller previously published by Islamic web sites) is for sale ($15) on Amazon.