The Creator does not tell us to hate, let alone harm, anyone because of their differences to us. We have all been created by the same Merciful and Gracious Creator. We cannot but condemn this attack on the innocent people of Orlando, Florida.

LGBTQ people are too often targets of violence. Our deepest condolences to the loved ones and families of the victims of this attack. We stand in solidarity with them and pray the Most High eases their suffering.

Our Creator didn’t create us to hate or to cause friction between people, therefore we at the Association of British Muslims (AoBM) will redouble our efforts to oppose all forms of violence and bigotry in the name of religion and we ask that people of all religions and the wider society challenge homophobia alongside anti-Muslim hate, rascism, anti-Semitism, in fact all forms of extremism and bigotry.

We will not let hate and violence succeed. We will stand together united and those who wish to cause division will know they cannot succeed.

—

Mohammed Abbasi, Co-Director,  AoBM

Paul Salahuddin Armstrong, Co-Director, AoBM

Hifsa Haroon-Iqbal MBE DL, Director of Innovation, AoBM

Zahid Akbar, Director of Human Rights & Legal Affairs, AoBM

Dr Khurshid Ahmed CBE, Director for International Activities, AoBM

Mustafa K Erol, Midlands Director of Time to Help UK

Raheed Salam, Director, All Faiths & None

Dr. Mohammad Mozaffari, Leeds Muslim Youth Group

Ismael Lea South, The Salam Project

Sadik Cinar, Executive Director, Dialogue Society

Ilknur Kahraman, Co-Director, Dialogue Society

Seval Gokce, Executive Director, Mevlana Rumi Mosque

Rehman Anwer, Faith Matters & Tell MAMA

Mohammed Shafiq, Ramadhan Foundation

Aisha Ali-Khan, Human Rights Activist

Mustafa Field MBE, Director, Faiths Forum for London

Muddassar Ahmed, Patron, Faiths Forum for London

Sayed Zafar Abbas, Imam of Anjuman e Husainiyah, Newcastle upon Tyne

Aamer Anwar, Human Rights Lawyer

Imam Ghulam Rasool QTS, Director, Hazrat Sultan Bahu Trust UK and JadeDome Consultancy

Tamina Mir, Humanity Activist and Women Buzz Network

Dilwar Hussain, New Horizons in British Islam

Arshad Ashraf, British Muslim TV

Rubab Mehdi H Rizvi, Markazi Imam Hussain Council (MIHC)

Sheikh Dr Ramzy, Islamic Information Centre, Oxford

Captain Naveed Muhammad MBE

Akeela Ahmed

Mufti Abu Layth

Hayyan Ayaz Bhabha

Afzal Khan CBE MEP

Iqbal Bhana OBE, DL