MUZAFFARABAD, Aug 5: Condemning the July 7 blasts in London, a leading Kashmiri religious scholar said on Friday that there was no provision in Islam to kill unarmed civilians belonging to any race or religion.

“There is absolutely no justification to kill those who are not at war with us,” said Maulana Shahabuddin Madni, chief of Markazi Jamiat Ahle-Hadith Azad Jammu and Kashmir (MJA-AJK) at a news conference.

The perpetrators of London blasts, he said, had damaged the cause of Islam which was rapidly spreading in the UK due to its message of love and peace.

“In my view the perpetrators do not have any real attachment with Islam because being the religion of peace Islam has no room for such activities,” Mr Madni said.

Quoting some Quranic verses and the sayings of the Holy Prophet (SAW), he said there were categorical injunctions that barred the believers from attacking the harmless civilians.

“In this backdrop we strongly condemn the July 7 blasts and express our heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved families,” he said.

At the same time, the MJA-AJK ameer criticized the government of Pakistan for launching a crackdown on religious elements and madressahs across the country.

“The blasts took place in the UK but our rulers ordered arrests and detentions here without any justification”, he said.

Mr Madni however gave a cautious reply to a question about suicide bombings.

“Suicide bombings are permissible where they are indispensable such as in areas where occupation forces have their concentrations,” he said, in an apparent reference to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kashmir.

“But let me reiterate that such attacks are not permitted against civilian populations whatever may be their race or religion.”