02/09/2026
WHEN A CRIME HAS A NAME, DO NOT GIVE IT A RELIGION.
A STATEMENT FROM THE MUSLIM STUDENTSโ ASSOCIATION (MUSA) - MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITYโGENERAL SANTOS CITY
The Muslim Studentsโ Association (MUSA) - Mindanao State UniversityโGeneral Santos City, expresses its deepest sympathy to the victims of the August 18, 2026 shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga Universityโs Junior High School campus in Zamboanga City, which resulted in the deaths of two students, including the shooter, their families, and the entire community affected by this tragic loss of lives.
We condemn the violence without reservation.
But we must also condemn what has followed: the use of one individualโs alleged actions to cast suspicion, hatred, and blame upon an entire religious community.
A crime committed by an individual does not become the crime of a religion. If a criminal committed a crime, blame the criminalโnot his religion. If a Muslim committed a crime, blame the individual who committed itโnot his religion. This principle must be applied to anyone who commits a crime, regardless of their religion, identity, race, or background.
We must hold individuals accountable for their own actions without transferring that guilt to an entire community. The standard of justice must remain the same whether the person who committed the crime is Muslim, Christian, or belongs to any other faith.
If a Christian commits a crime, blame the individualโnot Christianity. If a Muslim commits a crime, blame the individualโnot Islam. If anyone commits a crime, hold the person responsibleโnot an entire people or religion. Accountability must be individual. Justice must be universal.
A Muslim who commits a crime is accountable for his own actions. His wrongdoing does not become the wrongdoing of every Muslim. His actions do not rewrite the Qurโan. They do not redefine Islam. And they do not give anyone justification to vilify millions of people who had no part in the act. Islam does not teach collective guilt.
Allah SWT commands: โO you who believe, stand firm for justice as witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselvesโฆโ โ Quran 4:135
Justice does not change according to who committed the wrongdoing. Not when the perpetrator is Muslim. Not when the victim is Christian. Not when the community is afraid. Not when emotions are high.
Justice remains justice.
The Qurโan also commands believers to verify information before acting upon it:
โIf an evildoer brings you any news, verify it, lest you harm people unknowinglyโฆโ
โ Quran 49:6
In a time when screenshots travel faster than facts and accusations spread faster than investigations, this command is more relevant than ever.
Do not turn an unverified claim into a conclusion.
Do not turn an individual into a stereotype.
Do not turn fear into hatred.
And above all, do not use a tragedy as an excuse to dehumanize people because of their faith.
Islam places tremendous value on human life. The Qurโan teaches that taking a life unjustly is a grave matter, likening the killing of one soul to the killing of all humanity, while saving a life is likened to saving all humanity. Qurโan 5:32
How, then, can violence committed by one person be honestly presented as a reflection of an entire faith whose teachings condemn the unjust taking of life? The Prophet Muhammad SAW also taught: โA Muslim is he from whose hand and tongue the Muslims are safe.โ โ Sahih Muslim 41
This is not merely about physical violence. It reminds us that our tongues can also cause harm.
A bullet can injure a body. But a hateful l accusation can wound a community. A stereotype can follow a student into a classroom. A careless post can make someone feel unsafe because of the name they carry, the hijab they wear, or the faith l they practice.
That is why we must be careful with our words.
To those who are grieving: we stand with you.
To those demanding justice: we stand with you.
To those calling for safer schools and stronger accountability: we stand with you. But to those saying โTanan Muslim, teroristaโ or using this tragedy to condemn Muslims as a whole: No. That is not justice. That is prejudice. And prejudice does not become acceptable simply because it is expressed in the aftermath of tragedy.
MUSA calls upon students, educators, organizations, and communities across Mindanao to reject religious profiling, Islamophobia, hate speech, and collective l blame.
Let the investigation establish the facts.
Let the responsible individual be held accountable.
Let the victims be remembered with dignity.
And let us refuse to make innocent people pay for a crime they did not commit.
We can condemn violence without condemning a people.
We can demand justice without abandoning fairness.
We can grieve without turning our grief into hatred.
As Muslims, we are commanded to uphold justiceโnot only when it is convenient, but especially when emotions tempt us to abandon it. Because Islam does not ask us to defend wrongdoing because the wrongdoer is Muslim. It asks us to defend what is right.
And what is right is clear: One personโs wrongdoing is not a communityโs guilt.
One crime does not define an entire faith.
And one tragedy must never become a license to hate.
MUSA stands against violence.
MUSA stands against Islamophobia.
MUSA stands for justice.
