The secretariat of the International Muslim Forum strongly condemns the series of horrific terrorist acts that took place today, June 23, in Dagestan and expresses sincere condolences to all families and people of Dagestan, whose relatives and friends suffered and died today at the hands of terrorists who encroached on the most fragile and valuable — human life, religious shrines, God's temples (!).

"And if it were not for Allah's protection of some people by others, cells, churches, synagogues, and mosques, where the name of the One God (Allah) is greatly remembered, would have been destroyed. And Allah will certainly help those who help Him, because, indeed, Allah is Allmight, Powerful" (Noble Quran, 22:40), – Allah Almighty admonishes and instructs in the Holy Scriptures.

The murder of innocent souls, the attempt on people's lives, the desecration of temples is a monstrous crime on its scale, which deserves only condemnation and wrathful censure. We, Muslims, strongly condemn this terrorist act and see it as another attempt by detractors to create dissension and sow discord between people, to undermine the interethnic and interreligious peace in Russia.

Revealing the sacred value of human life, Allah Almighty warns us all that "Whoever kills a person not for killing or spreading wickedness on earth, he seems to have killed all people, and whoever saves a person's life, he seems to save the lives of all people" (Noble Quran, 5:32).

We pray to the Almighty to grant healing to all the victims, strength and fortitude to our brothers and sisters to survive the grievous loss, death of loved ones, as a result of this terrible tragedy. We believe that justice will surely overtake everyone who is guilty of this atrocity.