An Open Letter to Leaders of the Muslim World
S. Hussain, Family and Friends, Los Angeles, California, USA

We American Muslims are shocked and outraged at the current ongoing genocide of Muslims by Russia in Chechnya. We have just seen the detailed article in the Los Angeles Times newspaper. (September 17, 2000; http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/updates/lat_crimes000917.htm)

Sirs and Madams, this well researched article details the brutality of the genocide against innocent Muslims living in the Caucasus region by the Russian Government military. We always knew this was happening but now the whole world knows, even the Americans who are not usually sympathetic to Islam or Muslims.

Our questions, respectfully, are to you all. In your capacity as leaders of Muslim countries and organizations, what have you done or are doing now to stop this genocide of Muslims? Are you opposed to this genocide or are you like the OIC, quietly supportive of the Russians as they kill innocent Muslims by the thousands and destroy their land without regard to even minimum rules of civilized behavior?

Do you gentlemen and ladies consider yourself obligated by the edicts of the Qur’an and of Prophet Mohammed (SAW), which clearly command all Muslims, especially those with power and influence, to defend the lives and property and honor of all Muslims, in fact all oppressed people, wherever they may be? Do you have a single moral and legal standard of judging any such situation, regardless of whether it is in Kashmir or Palestine or Bosnia or Rwanda or Chechnya?

Are you sacrificing your Islamic and moral duty for some temporary material or political advantage? Your actions in the next few days will tell us the answer to many of these questions.

Lastly, we would like to remind ourselves, you and all fellow Muslims that Allah subhanahu wa taala will hold us all accountable for what we did or did not do in accordance with the power, ability and opportunity we had during this short life on earth.

Wasalaam.