The Global Imams Council (GIC) strongly condemns the recent incident in Hamilton, ON, where an absentee funeral prayer (Salat al-Gha’ib) was conducted for Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader responsible for orchestrating the brutal October 7th terrorist attacks. Sinwar’s actions have resulted in the loss of countless innocent lives, and any form of commemoration for him is wholly unacceptable.

Hamas had called upon its supporters worldwide to hold absentee funeral prayers for Yahya Sinwar. It is troubling that Canada became the first Western nation where this call was observed.

It is crucial to emphasize that these prayers are considered invalid according to the Islamic Fatwa Council, which in March 2023 issued a Fatwa explicitly prohibiting any form of support or prayer for members of the terrorist organization. Hamas is widely recognized as a terrorist group, and no legitimate religious endorsement can be extended to individuals involved in such acts of violence and terror.

Furthermore, we must underscore that the prayer for Sinwar was not publicly announced and was initiated during the Friday prayer gathering and amplified by Al-Jazeera. This led to the appearance that the entire congregation was offering prayers for Sinwar, which is an act of deception and a hijacking of the religious space. The imam responsible for this act is not affiliated with the Global Imams Council, and his actions were in direct violation of Islamic principles and the established Fatwas.

We call on the community to remain vigilant and ensure that our religious institutions are not exploited for the glorification of violence or terrorism. The GIC stands firmly against such acts and will continue to uphold the values of peace, justice, and compassion.