User:Enas Alami

Maintaining the post of Sheikh Khalil Al Alami-الشيخ خليل العلمي

To: The Royal Court and The Ministry of Awqaf of The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and to all concerned media outlets, advocates for peace and social justice, and members of the Islamic and interfaith communities.

WE THE UNDERSIGNED hereby petition the Honorable constituents of the above-named parties for support in maintaining the post of Sheikh Khalil Al Alami as chief-of-security at Masjid Al Aqsa within the holy city of Jerusalem. We further request enforcement of a cease-and-desist concerning libel, slander, and unsubstantiated claims of character and conduct leveled against him in efforts to unjustly deprive him of employment.

RELEVANT FACTS Sheikh Khalil El Alami is a prominent and internationally regarded sheikh who has worked as head of security at Masjid Al Aqsa in Jerusalem for 30 years. Born in Nazareth, he possessed an exquisite affinity for matters of the spirit, instructed in life by faith and by reason, and innately attuned to the injustices suffered by so many, including his own people, the Palestinians. The years have shown him to be a scholar of Islam, but distinctly modern in his style, able to reach people across culture and class, across nations and oceans, so much so that herein lies extensive testimony of his global reach. He is what so few can be, a person as guided by reasoning as he is by a love of the divine, a person who inspires the best in the Islamic community. In 30 years at Masjid Al Aqsa, he has devoted himself to the protection of Islam’s second holiest site, the heart of Jerusalem and the soul of the Palestinians. For generations Al Aqsa has been in the care of his family, a lineage directly descendent from the prophet Mohamed, may peace be upon him. For many Muslims, there can be no better qualification.

The signatures collected here are submitted as the voice of the people, in effort to rebut the irrational and imprudent decision to remove Sheikh Khalil Al Alami from his position. In serving Masjid Al Aqsa, Sheikh Khalil Al Alami serves all Muslims and all people, men and women, invariant of creed, who support freedom of religion and ideology, and who seek to resist the forces intended to suppress it. No rationale for the removal of Sheikh Khalil Al Alami has been stated or suggested; nor can any such reason be inferred from his 30-year record of conduct and character. Sheikh Khalil Al Alami has spent his life serving the needs of Masjid Al Aqsa and its people, be they Muslims or otherwise, who have found themselves in need of his help. And this he has done with compassion and grace.

Over the years Sheikh Khalil Al Alami has managed the issues and obstacles of his professional and interpersonal spheres with the utmost peace and diplomacy. He has never engaged in dispute or conflict in any way other than with civility, patience, and understanding—such is his approach, one of inestimable value in a region under global scrutiny, divided by competing interests, and threatened by those who advocate hatred and violence.

We, the undersigned, respectfully and earnestly request your pursuit of justice in the matter, free from personal motives and hidden agendas which obscure what is fair and just for Sheik Khalil Al Alami.

We believe Masjid Al Aqsa, dear to over one billion Muslims around the world, is in need of more people like Sheikh Khalil Al Alami; we therefore urge you to investigate any unsubstantiated and ridiculous accusations that might have come against him.